The world did not end during the previous Trump administration. And unless God has "End Times Apocalypse" on His desk blotter, it will likely not end during the next one. Democracy will not end, either, although what passes for democracy under progressive rule may suffer some setbacks. Normal adults do not emotionally glitch over an election. That said, it seems to have been a while since the U.S. produced normal adults.
On November 11, the Washington Free Beacon reported that the State Department held in-house therapy sessions for employees who were wailing, rending their garments, and heaping ashes on their heads because of the outcome of the presidential election. The invitation for the event, which was to be led by a licensed clinical provider, read in part:
Change is a constant in our lives, but it can often bring about stress and uncertainty. Join us for an insightful webinar where we delve into effective stress management techniques to help you navigate these challenging times. This session will provide tips and practical strategies for managing stress and maintaining your well-being.
No word if arts and crafts and therapy puppies were provided.
A follow-up session was slated for November 13. The Beacon notes that the department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs held a similar gathering. One of the Beacon's sources referred to the meetings as "cry sessions." Another official told the Beacon, "For four years, within the rank and file, there has been an over-emphasis on people's feelings, often with a college campus-like fervor, rather than the work of advancing America's interests. This meeting was hopefully the last gasp of that."
Ladies and gentlemen, your tax dollars at work.
Rep. Darell Issa (R-Calif.) also noted that the federal government was sponsoring cry sessions for triggered employees who may also be concerned that they may actually have to do their jobs or freshen up their LinkedIn profiles. Issa wants to know just how many sessions the department has held and, moreover, how much money is being spent encouraging issues-and-tissues drama.
The State Department is using taxpayer funds to provide post-election therapy sessions for employees. End this. https://t.co/tfxsah5lzr
— Darrell Issa (@DarrellIssa) November 25, 2024
According to Fox News, Issa fired off a letter to Secretay of State Antony Blinken in which he stated, "I am concerned that the Department is catering to federal employees who are personally devastated by the normal functioning of American democracy through the provision of government-funded mental health counseling because Kamala Harris was not elected President of the United States."
Issa told Blinken that he found the matter disturbing and raised the issue that ostensibly non-partisan government employees should have personal meltdowns over an election. The New York Post noted that the letter continued:
The mere fact that the Department is hosting these sessions raises significant questions about the willingness of its personnel to implement the lawful policy priorities that the American people elected President Trump to pursue and implement. The Trump Administration has a mandate for wholesale change in the foreign policy arena, and if foreign service officers cannot follow through on the American people’s preferences, they should resign and seek a political appointment in the next Democrat administration.
As creepy as these cry sessions sound, they should come as no surprise. One of the inherent dangers in any bureaucracy is that its inhabitants live in a bubble, often shut off from the concerns of the real world. Second, it is hardly a secret that as the population has become more infantilized, there has been a concentrated effort to frighten them into a mouth-foaming rage and utter paranoia over the drop of a MAGA hat. These people have been conditioned to think this way. Third, ask anyone who has dealt with the federal government, and for that matter, many who have worked in it, and you will hear stories of those whose primary concern is not for doing the people's business but for keeping their jobs.
The good news is that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are ready to go to work. The bad news is that the rot runs so deep that it will take a generation to make government sane again.
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