The term 'deep state' gets thrown around a lot, but what does the federal bureaucracy actually look like? This explainer breaks down how the administrative state functions.
The Size of Government
The federal government employs approximately 2.87 million civilian workers across hundreds of agencies. The vast majority are career civil servants who serve across administrations of both parties.
How Policy Gets Made
It is more boring than conspiracy theories suggest. The rulemaking process involves proposed rules published in the Federal Register, public comment periods, interagency review, and final publication. It is slow, bureaucratic, and surprisingly transparent.