What's amazing is that pre-2015 or so, "the deep state" was a pretty uncontroversial, run-of-the-mill poli sci concept. What turned it into an off-limits "conspiracy theory" was Bannon's use of it as a bogeyman. That's it.

The press gave Bannon this power over language. https://t.co/6PTbTcr0Fb

— jonstokes.com (@jonst0kes) October 8, 2021

True. The term “Deep State” became verboten when Bannon and Trump started using it. Prior to that it was a very common and accepted term and thought structure oft-discussed by the very people who later labeled it a conspirary theory.

Of course there is a deep state. In any long-lived nation there always is, without exception.