Status Quo, below the salt, would find a foundation ... (2,2)
I believe the answer is:
as is
'status quo' is the definition.
I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for as is that I've seen before include "unaltered" , "In existing state" , "In the existing circumstances" , "unchanged" , "not changed" .)