Representative Justin Amash (R-MI), a Libertarian in Republican clothing, went after Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross this evening on Twitter. He openly wondered how Ross was confirmed despite lacking the economic credentials.
It’s amazing that Wilbur Ross was nominated and confirmed to be secretary of anything. He’s shown over many years that he doesn’t understand basic economics, and to describe him as out of touch would be an understatement.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 25, 2019
The 81-year-old investor was hit with wide criticism from both sides of the political aisle after offering insensitive answers to questions about those affected by the partial government shutdown. It was a blow to the President’s attempts to change the optics of the government shutdown. Most Americans are laying the blame on him.
The President took to national television last weekend to offer a DACA compromise to the Democrats in exchange for his border wall. That combined with revelations that Democrats had voted twice to strike down paychecks to government employees were helping shift the narrative in favor of the GOP.
Ross effectively erased the shift.
As optics of shutdown were starting to tilt towards Trump, enter Wilbur Ross
“As I mentioned before, the obligations that they would undertake, say borrowing from a bank or a credit union, are in effect federally guaranteed,” Ross said on CNBC’s Squawk Box.
The Secretary also noted that the 800,000 affected federal employees only account for “a third of a percent of our GDP,” insinuating they were statistically insignificant in respects to the nation’s economy.
My Take
Amash is absolutely correct. Even before the gaffe on television earlier, Ross has been ineffective in his role. The economy is doing well because of tax cuts and public sentiment. Ross is out of touch and over his head.
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