(Op-ed) J. Basil Dannebohm
11 Nov 2026, 07:00 GMT+10

Recently, an individual shared something on social media that caught my eye. It was a video clip from a program called, "The Joe Rogan Experience," and a caption which read:

"HUGE Revelation: who is deep state corruption within - Chief of Staff office. The most powerful people in the country = Lobbyists. Calley Means talks about the blocking of MAHA for example."

For context, Mr. Means was a "health activist" and senior advisor to Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. at the Department of Health and Human Services. He resigned in October. I don't know who the hell Joe Rogan is but following the departure, Means went on his podcast to allege that administration officials and lobbyists had stalled MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) initiatives.

I tend to avoid comment threads, though in this case I felt compelled to reply:

"K Street lobbyists and AIPAC have been puppet masters controlling both sides of the aisle for a long time. For those whose research extends beyond influencers and social silos, this is not new information and certainly not a "huge" revelation. Trusting RFK Jr. was the first fatal error of the MAHA movement. Trusting Trump was the death knell. Cults of personality are inherently fragile and volatile vehicles on which to hitch for lasting change."

I followed up my comment with a book recommendation: "The Wolves of K Street: The Secret History of How Big Money Took Over Big Government" by Brody and Luke Mullins. If you've not read it, you should.

Granted, Mr. Means is correct. Washington is controlled by big money. But the more I investigate Mr. Rogan; he strikes me, as most influencers do, as just another narcissistic gas bag.

The post begs a question I find myself asking far too often:

You wouldn't blindfold yourself and eat something a stranger fed you, right?