On tyrants and recalcitrant statistical agencies

[This is not about the BLS. Really. At least not yet. In a future post I might specialize it to the BLS.]

What's a tyrant to do when they don't get the data they want from Statistical Agency X? Torture Statistical Agency X, of course. 

Here's my sketch of a playbook:

Deflect blame by insisting that the data were "rigged" by politically–motivated actors.

Install a political loyalist to produce "better" numbers.

If Agency X guardrails constrain the loyalist from producing better numbers, then weaken the Agency X guardrails.

If the weakened Agency X guardrails still don't produce the desired result, then weaken the entire Agency X, for example by slashing its budget.

If the weakened Agency X -- with a loyalist at the helm, weakened guardrails, and a slashed budget – – still fails to produce the desired result, then destroy it, for example by eliminating it and assigning its duties to a more pliable agency (perhaps newly created), or even by eliminating its duties ("Who needs this rigged and boring data anyway? Isn't it just a waste of taxpayer money?")