[Premium] Introducing Zeitgeist
The News Memo - a more human way to engage with the news...and life.
We are introducing a new “section” of The News Memo called Zeitgeist. Zeitgeist is a German word that refers to the “spirit of the time”, encompassing the ideas and trends that are part of and shape the culture and collective consciousness of society.
The purpose of the Zeitgeist section is to explore the meaning of an idea or concept, including how it originated and examples of it in daily life. For example, terms such as “woke”, “postmodernism”, “ESG”, or the “Administrative State”.
We hear these terms being used in the media or in general conversation and we kind of think we know what they mean, but to really understand a concept requires some work and deeper understanding.
What John and I have noticed is that when we actually learn the meaning of a new concept, it is a satisfying and valuable experience. In this case, when we learn the big picture and meaning of terms, it helps us to think for ourselves and make connections with other issues regarding the news or life. It also helps us better enter into conversation with our peers and the culture at large.
We are confident that if you take the time to read these with some attention, you will become smarter and have more to talk about with those around you. We hope you find it valuable and please let us know what you think in the comments or on the Discord channel.
David and John
Estimated read time: 7-10 minutes
What is all the buzz about the Administrative State?
The U.S. is a representative democracy, which means we are represented and governed by the people we elect. And yet, a network of hundreds of federal agencies creates thousands of rules and regulations and is one of the country’s largest employers and spenders. So, is the U.S. run by elected representatives or unelected Washington officials?
This question is central to the debate over the “Administrative State,” which emerged during the Industrial Revolution when the U.S. grew in size and economic complexity. Emerging power houses of U.S. economics, such as the railroads, required new regulation to prevent monopolies and bankruptcies, but lawmakers struggled to be effective because of the slow process of reaching consensus for legislation and the depth of knowledge needed to fully understand new technologies and industries. The government needed a new political tool, and consequently independent administrative agencies began to emerge. The agencies, in their ideal form, provided swiftness in rule making and deeper knowledge of specific domains.
Today, the Administrative State is a hot topic because Elon Musk and the office of DOGE want to dramatically shrink it, as they consider it antithetical to democracy and a wasteful spender of taxpayer money.
You may have heard the term used in conversation, perhaps with a negative connotation, but what does the Administrative State actually mean?
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