# Did the US secret police fail in its duty of maintaining regime stability during the 2016 election? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 21, 2018, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548 "2018-05-21T10:31:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/21 "2018-05-21T12:34:19Z")
We didn’t fail. We were holed up in Aspen working on our next studio album which will be released in 4Q 2018. Bubbadog Lead Vocals / Rhythm Guitar - The Secret Police - ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/22 "2018-05-21T12:45:07Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > One could use context clues to determine which agencies I consider to be secret police. One could also use common sense. I know a secret cop who serves on the secret police. I asked him this question, he told me they were too busy arresting shoplifters at Walmart. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/23 "2018-05-21T12:46:01Z")
They can’t be usurping our country, they are too busy planning for the Ball: [The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Policeman%27s_Ball_(1979)) and [The Secret Policeman's Other Ball - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Policeman%27s_Other_Ball) Will F., bad mushrooms on the pizza last night? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/24 "2018-05-21T12:47:57Z")
If by “Secret Police” you mean Henry Padovani, I don’t think it’s a secret at all.😕 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/25 "2018-05-21T12:52:35Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > They can’t be usurping our country, they are too busy planning for the Ball: [The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Policeman%27s_Ball_(1979)) and [The Secret Policeman's Other Ball - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Policeman%27s_Other_Ball) > > Will F., bad mushrooms on the pizza last night? No, they were the _best_ kind, ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/26 "2018-05-21T12:53:49Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > The role of secret police is to maintain the stability of the domestic regime. Opposition should be carefully controlled and infiltrated in order to maintain that stability. No. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/27 "2018-05-21T13:01:25Z")
Very brave of you, **WillFarnaby**. You know they’re going to be out to silence you now. Do check in every once in a while to let us know you’re all right. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/28 "2018-05-21T13:05:45Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I found reference to the term “Democratic CIA agents” [here.](http://www.investmentwatchblog.com/lots-of-cia-agents-are-running-as-democrats-in-the-2018-elections-one-quarter-of-all-the-democratic-challengers-in-competitive-house-districts-have-military-intelligence-statespook-department-o/) > It’s no wonder you are being vague as fuck. Straight from the CIA house organ: “Don’t fear, we are on our way to save the day.” > **[Analysis | The Daily 202: Ex-CIA officers running for Congress as Democrats](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/10/18/daily-202-ex-cia-officers-running-for-congress-as-democrats/59e6b25b30fb041a74e75de5/?utm_term=.cfa6a932d247)** > > Candidates tout intelligence experience in the face of an unsteady president and a dangerous world. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/29 "2018-05-21T13:06:19Z")
I genuinely worry that **WillFarnaby** may snap sometime and go hurt people. I’m not kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/30 "2018-05-21T13:07:35Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Straight from the CIA house organ: > > “Don’t fear, we are on our way to save the day.” > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/10/18/daily-202-ex-cia-officers-running-for-congress-as-democrats/59e6b25b30fb041a74e75de5/?utm\_term=.cfa6a932d247](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/10/18/daily-202-ex-cia-officers-running-for-congress-as-democrats/59e6b25b30fb041a74e75de5/?utm_term=.cfa6a932d247) _EX_-CIA agents. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/31 "2018-05-21T13:11:24Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > _EX_-CIA agents. Oh, come now. You know very well that once you’re in, you’ll never really ever be back out again :). ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/32 "2018-05-21T13:12:33Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Straight from the CIA house organ: > > “Don’t fear, we are on our way to save the day.” > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/10/18/daily-202-ex-cia-officers-running-for-congress-as-democrats/59e6b25b30fb041a74e75de5/?utm\_term=.cfa6a932d247](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/10/18/daily-202-ex-cia-officers-running-for-congress-as-democrats/59e6b25b30fb041a74e75de5/?utm_term=.cfa6a932d247) No, that’s Mighty Mouse. Seriously, if the Deep State was trying to keep Dumb Donald out of the White House, would they announce just before the election that they were re-opening an investigation into Hillary while simultaneously keeping their mouth shut about an ongoing investigation into her opponent? The answer is not “they might rabbit, they might”. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/33 "2018-05-21T13:15:44Z")
In an attempt to squeeze whatever limited value that can be had out of this ludicrous thread, one could posit that in previous elections there was a certain amount of inertia and/or preference for the status quo which was maintained (individually, but with enough individuals doing so to have a significant effect) by both the politicians wishing to maintain the conditions that led to them being in power and the large political donors who similarly benefitted from the system as it stood. In the most recent election the Tea Party and Freedom Coalition and similar types, with Trump as Lord of Chaos and aided in a large way by the Russians who continue to foment unrest, division and a general breakdown of Western civilization, were sufficiently in the ascendant to overcome that inertia, particularly as the checks and balances which have previously tempered such behaviors have also broken down. To the extent this is a coordinated state of affairs, the Russians are certainly actively working to stir the shit, and various politicians and billionaires are taking advantage of the situation to increase their wealth and power. But there are no “secret police” on either side of the equation, and if the CIA are running as Democrats I’d have to see something a little more substantial to support that assertion than the usual internet lunacy that also brought us Pizzagate and 9/11 Trutherism. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/34 "2018-05-21T13:16:18Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > We didn’t fail. We were holed up in Aspen working on our next studio album which will be released in 4Q 2018. > > Bubbadog > Lead Vocals / Rhythm Guitar > > - The Secret Police - I hope that’s a Police cover band where all the albums are Police songs played backwards. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/35 "2018-05-21T13:39:56Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > The presidency of Donald Trump is not good for the stability of the US government. He makes a mockery of the institution. This cripples the ability of the government to act. To believe that the ‘Secret Police’ set out to lose the election for Trump requires you to buy into his myth that he is an extraordinary maverick, and not part of the ill-defined ‘elite’ controlling the country. Seems to me that his USP is just being extraordinarily crass, with predictable right-wing policies (e.g. profit before safe-guarding, low taxes, etc). Do you believe that the Secret Police are only rolled out in the event of a massive wanker making a run for office? ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/36 "2018-05-21T13:49:40Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I genuinely worry that **WillFarnaby** may snap sometime and go hurt people. I’m not kidding. Lol. Characterizing a stridently anti-violence position as somehow dangerous is the work of propaganda. You never said which government agency you work for. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/37 "2018-05-21T13:51:32Z")
> [@Staggerlee](#): > > To believe that the ‘Secret Police’ set out to lose the election for Trump requires you to buy into his myth that he is an extraordinary maverick, and not part of the ill-defined ‘elite’ controlling the country. Seems to me that his USP is just being extraordinarily crass, with predictable right-wing policies (e.g. profit before safe-guarding, low taxes, etc). > > Do you believe that the Secret Police are only rolled out in the event of a massive wanker making a run for office? The hell you talkin bout? Stop trying to make “profit before safe-guarding” happen. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/38 "2018-05-21T13:52:40Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > In an attempt to squeeze whatever limited value that can be had out of this ludicrous thread, one could posit that in previous elections there was a certain amount of inertia and/or preference for the status quo which was maintained (individually, but with enough individuals doing so to have a significant effect) by both the politicians wishing to maintain the conditions that led to them being in power and the large political donors who similarly benefitted from the system as it stood. In the most recent election the Tea Party and Freedom Coalition and similar types, with Trump as Lord of Chaos and aided in a large way by the Russians who continue to foment unrest, division and a general breakdown of Western civilization, were sufficiently in the ascendant to overcome that inertia, particularly as the checks and balances which have previously tempered such behaviors have also broken down. > > To the extent this is a coordinated state of affairs, the Russians are certainly actively working to stir the shit, and various politicians and billionaires are taking advantage of the situation to increase their wealth and power. But there are no “secret police” on either side of the equation, and if the CIA are running as Democrats I’d have to see something a little more substantial to support that assertion than the usual internet lunacy that also brought us Pizzagate and 9/11 Trutherism. The WP? ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/39 "2018-05-21T13:56:11Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > No, that’s Mighty Mouse. > > Seriously, if the Deep State was trying to keep Dumb Donald out of the White House, would they announce just before the election that they were re-opening an investigation into Hillary while simultaneously keeping their mouth shut about an ongoing investigation into her opponent? The answer is not “they might rabbit, they might”. There were many leaders in the intelligence community who came out in direct opposition to Trump. Comey was a news hound and a self-promoter. Another member of the Dream Team. You realize by pointing out the stupid decisions of the secret police you are supporting my thesis? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548/40 "2018-05-21T13:57:08Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Has the growth of “new media” limited the ability of the secret police to operate effectively? Nah, they’ve just got a lot on their plate, what with running the Queen of England’s drug-dealing operations and whatnot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-us-secret-police-fail-in-its-duty-of-maintaining-regime-stability-during-the-2016-election/814548.md?page=3)