During a Senate hearing to review the FBI’s FY2026 budget request, Director Kash Patel was forced to admit that, despite the law requiring it, he had no such request ready to review.
This surprising development came during an awkward back-and-forth with Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the ranking Democrat and Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which oversees and approves budget requests.
Senator Murray reminded the FBI Director that the budget request was legally required “last week,” and after the director responded, she surprisedly added, “And your answer is you just understand you’re not going to follow the law?”
Don’t assume that what you are observing government do has any connection with the developmental stages of the people involved. You’re not seeing their actual interactions, plans, or lines of authority. You’re seeing what they choose to show, which may or may not be real.
For all we know, it may all be a kabuki show to keep us underestimating them or to provide distraction from the crimes they’re committing.
Focus on actions, not words, and base accountability on that.
You’re right, there are definitely individuals who do it all as performance, like how Boris Johnson purposely made himself look shabby as part of his image.
I don’t believe that’s the case for every politician. I do, however, believe there are more “men behind the curtain,” so to speak, who we don’t see but who know exactly what they’re doing. Even if those on camera are fools, the people making up “the face” of the organization aren’t necessarily the same people making up “the brain.” Which brings us back to your point - it’s important to pay attention to more than the façade these people express. The oligarchs pulling the strings are well-practiced in this game.