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Aaron Good

Political scientist who developed the "tripartite state" model, arguing that U.S. power operates through three interconnected layers: the democratic/public state, the national-security state, and the deep state.

Field	Details
Full Name	Aaron Good
Role	Political Scientist / Author / Podcaster
Platform	American Exception podcast, academic publications
Notable Works	American Exception: Empire and the Deep State (2022)

Their Deep State Definition

Aaron Good builds on Peter Dale Scott's framework to propose a "tripartite state" model of American power. In this model, the United States is governed not by a single democratic system but by three overlapping and often conflicting power structures:

1. The Democratic/Public State - The constitutional government that citizens vote for and that operates through transparent legislative and judicial processes.
2. The National-Security State - Created after World War II, encompassing the CIA, NSA, Pentagon, and related agencies that operate with significant autonomy and secrecy.
3. The Deep State - A network of private power that includes the "overworld" (corporate elites, Wall Street, old money dynasties) and the "underworld" (organized crime), both of which intersect with national security actors to advance agendas outside democratic accountability.

Good argues that the deep state is not a conspiracy theory but a structural feature of American empire, tracing its roots to the post-WWII alliance between intelligence agencies, corporate interests, and criminal networks. He contends that this tripartite structure explains phenomena ranging from the JFK assassination to the War on Terror.

Key Quotes

"The deep state is not a shadowy cabal meeting in secret. It is a structural reality of how American power operates through the intersection of the overworld, the underworld, and the national security state."

"American exceptionalism is really about the exception from the rules — the United States has operated as an empire while maintaining a democratic facade."

"The tripartite state model shows us that power in America flows through channels that are fundamentally undemocratic, connecting Wall Street boardrooms to CIA black sites to organized crime networks."

"What we call the deep state is really the permanent infrastructure of American empire — it doesn't change with elections because it was never subject to elections in the first place."

Key Arguments & Evidence They Cite

• The post-WWII creation of the CIA and national security apparatus established a permanent government that operates parallel to democratic institutions
• The "overworld" of corporate wealth has maintained continuous influence over U.S. policy through revolving doors between Wall Street, government, and intelligence agencies
• Historical alliances between U.S. intelligence and organized crime (e.g., Operation Gladio, drug trafficking networks) demonstrate the "underworld" connection
• The concept of "American exceptionalism" serves as ideological cover for imperial deep state operations
• Major political events (assassinations, coups, wars) can be better understood through the tripartite state framework than through conventional political analysis
• The deep state is not uniquely American but is a feature of empires throughout history; America's version is distinctive in its scale and sophistication
• Democratic institutions serve as legitimating mechanisms while real power flows through non-democratic channels

Where They've Said It

• American Exception: Empire and the Deep State (Skyhorse Publishing, 2022) — the foundational text laying out the tripartite state model
• American Exception podcast — ongoing episodes analyzing current events through the deep state framework
• Interviews on The Jimmy Dore Show discussing deep state structures
• Presentations at academic conferences on U.S. foreign policy and empire
• Interviews on Moderate Rebels podcast with Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton
• Guest appearances on Geopolitics & Empire podcast
• Discussions on Unauthorized Disclosure podcast

Related Perspectives

• Peter_Dale_Scott — Good's primary intellectual influence; Scott originated the "deep state" concept in American political analysis
• Chris_Hedges — shares the structural critique of American power
• Dennis_Kucinich — echoes concerns about permanent governance beyond elections
• Edward_Snowden — provided evidence of the national security state's scope
• Mike_Lofgren — another theorist of the deep state as structural phenomenon

Other Coverage Worth Reading

• Ray McGovern: Former CIA analyst of 27 years and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) who describes the...
• William Binney: Former NSA Technical Director who spent over 30 years at the agency before becoming a whistleblower, describing the...
• CFR, Trilateral Commission, and Bilderberg Group: The thesis that a network of elite organizations -- primarily the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the **Trilateral...
• Daniel Estulin: Author and investigative journalist who identifies the Bilderberg Group as the deep state — a shadow world government...

Sources

• Good, Aaron. American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. Skyhorse Publishing, 2022.
• American Exception podcast, various episodes (2021-present).
• Scott, Peter Dale. Foreword to American Exception, 2022.
• Interviews on The Jimmy Dore Show, 2022-2023.
• Good, Aaron. "The American Deep State and the Tripartite Model," academic presentations, 2021-2022.

This information was compiled by Claude AI research.