# Steve Bannon: I see the hat, but are there any cattle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 16, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083 "2017-10-16T21:43:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/61 "2017-10-18T15:04:33Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > LOL. Bannon was really referring to Lennon. He was misheard. Whatnow?.. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/62 "2017-10-18T15:18:30Z")
From the [Washington Post:](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/top-wh-strategist-vows-a-daily-fight-for-deconstruction-of-the-administrative-state/2017/02/23/03f6b8da-f9ea-11e6-bf01-d47f8cf9b643_story.html?utm_term=.139e5be9bf9a) _Bannon framed much of Trump’s agenda with the phrase, “deconstruction of the administrative state,” meaning the system of taxes, regulations and trade pacts that the president says have stymied economic growth and infringed upon U.S. sovereignty._ ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/63 "2017-10-18T15:19:49Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Whatnow?.. You know - " Lennon wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal too.". Just imagine there’s no countries, and no religion too. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/64 "2017-10-18T15:22:04Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > From the [Washington Post:](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/top-wh-strategist-vows-a-daily-fight-for-deconstruction-of-the-administrative-state/2017/02/23/03f6b8da-f9ea-11e6-bf01-d47f8cf9b643_story.html?utm_term=.139e5be9bf9a) > > _Bannon framed much of Trump’s agenda with the phrase, “deconstruction of the administrative state,” meaning the system of taxes, regulations and trade pacts that the president says have stymied economic growth and infringed upon U.S. sovereignty._ Thanks for the clarification. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/65 "2017-10-18T15:49:01Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > You know - " Lennon wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal too.". Just imagine there’s no countries, and no religion too. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/66 "2017-10-18T15:51:34Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Thanks for the clarification. Curious as to what you concluded from the clarification(s). ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/67 "2017-10-18T15:55:15Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Cite? [here you go](https://www.google.com/search?q=imagine+lyrics&oq=imagine+lyrics&aqs=chrome.0.0l6.2688j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/68 "2017-10-18T15:59:40Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > [here you go](https://www.google.com/search?q=imagine+lyrics&oq=imagine+lyrics&aqs=chrome.0.0l6.2688j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) So that’s a, “no cite, I just pulled it out my ass.” ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/69 "2017-10-18T16:01:05Z")
> [@quicksilver](#): > > so that’s a, “no cite, i just pulled it out my ass.” rotflmao. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/70 "2017-10-18T16:02:04Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > rotflmao. me2 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/71 "2017-10-18T16:05:16Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Thanks for the clarification. BTW, “disruption” in and of itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I was more interesting in understanding why Bernie might be considered a “disrupter”, but it seems that was more of a joke than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/72 "2017-10-18T16:33:35Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Curious as to what you concluded from the clarification(s). That **John Mace** and I have different understandings of the phrase “the system of governance that we have”. I’m not particularly concerned if Bannon is working to get some bureaucrats or moderate politicians fired. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/73 "2017-10-18T16:35:53Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > So that’s a, “no cite, I just pulled it out my ass.” The bared fangs and hollow chuffing sounds from his thorax suggest that **okrahoma** was aiming for something akin to humor. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/74 "2017-10-18T16:42:17Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > That **John Mace** and I have different understandings of the phrase “the system of governance that we have”. I’m not particularly concerned if Bannon is working to get some bureaucrats or moderate politicians fired. Just to be clear, your understanding of “system of governance” is “some bureaucrats or moderate politicians” that could use firing? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/75 "2017-10-18T16:54:35Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Just to be clear, your understanding of “system of governance” is “some bureaucrats or moderate politicians” that could use firing? No no no. When John Mace first said that Bannon wants to “destroy the system of governance that we have”, I thought he was talking about the Constitution, or our electoral process, or something drastic like that. That was _my_ understanding of the phrase. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/76 "2017-10-18T17:04:49Z")
Ah. Got it. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/77 "2017-10-18T17:21:27Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > The bared fangs and hollow chuffing sounds from his thorax suggest that **okrahoma** was aiming for something akin to humor. That’s enough right there. No more or bad things will occur. ---
**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:** [October 18, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/78 "2017-10-18T18:05:18Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > No no no. When John Mace first said that Bannon wants to “destroy the system of governance that we have”, I thought he was talking about the Constitution, or our electoral process, or something drastic like that. That was _my_ understanding of the phrase. I would not go that far. However, I can see where his type would be all for total dismemberment of agencies like the EPA, Education, HUD, and so on. I haven’t seen where he has called for dissolution of Congress or anything, but he would probably favor having members pledge a personal loyalty oath to either Bannon himself or someone of he choosing. The pretense of democracy with all the power of despotism. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/79 "2017-10-18T20:09:59Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > No no no. When John Mace first said that Bannon wants to “destroy the system of governance that we have”, I thought he was talking about the Constitution, or our electoral process, or something drastic like that. That was _my_ understanding of the phrase. Perhaps I should have been more clear, but I purposely wrote “governance”, not “government”. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083/80 "2017-10-18T21:11:31Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Perhaps I should have been more clear, but I purposely wrote “governance”, not “government”. I _think_ we’re all on the same page here, just using different words to describe it. Here’s my take: Bannon doesn’t appear to have any yearning desire to _end_ governance here in America entirely and live in whatever anarchy / chaos / libertarian paradise were to emerge from that. He still wants a President and Congress and Supreme Court. He just wants a different Congress, and probably a different Supreme Court (meaning different people serving in those positions), one that looked out more for the interests of American citizens before others. While he’s doing that, he wouldn’t mind lopping off the EPA / HUD / DoE / NEA / etc perhaps because he feels like those entities are oftentimes obstacles to looking out for the interests of American citizens, rather than allies in that cause. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steve-bannon-i-see-the-hat-but-are-there-any-cattle/799083.md?page=5)