1. CHAPTER OVERVIEW

Title: Department of Commerce (TL;DR Version)

Author: Thomas F. Gilman, Former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Administration

Chapter 21 of “Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership” focuses on the Department of Commerce, arguing that it has become bloated, inefficient, and captured by career bureaucrats who are resistant to implementing conservative policies. Authored by Thomas F. Gilman, a former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Administration under President Trump, the chapter emphasizes the need for strong political leadership to reorient the department towards promoting economic growth, innovation, and competitiveness, particularly in the face of challenges from China. Gilman outlines a plan to streamline the department, strengthen its enforcement capabilities, and make it more responsive to the needs of American businesses, often at the expense of consumer protections and environmental regulations.

The chapter’s significance lies in its call for a more politicized and less independent Department of Commerce, with a greater focus on promoting American business interests and a weaker commitment to protecting consumers, workers, and the environment. Gilman’s recommendations could lead to a rollback of regulations, a weakening of enforcement against corporate misconduct, and a prioritization of economic growth over other national priorities. These proposals raise serious concerns among Democrats about the potential for corporate capture of the department, a decline in the quality of government services, and a less equitable and less sustainable economy.

2. KEY THEMES & FRAMEWORKS

  • Strong Political Control: Gilman stresses the need for strong political leadership at the Department of Commerce, arguing that career staff have too much influence and are resistant to change. This suggests a desire to politicize the department and to prioritize loyalty over expertise and experience.
  • Countering China: Gilman identifies China as a major economic and national security threat and calls for the department to play a more active role in countering Chinese “malign influence,” including through trade enforcement, export controls, and investment restrictions. This reflects a broader conservative focus on confronting China and decoupling the U.S. economy from China’s.
  • Streamlining and Efficiency: The chapter emphasizes the need to streamline the department’s operations, reduce bureaucracy, and eliminate “wasteful” programs. This reflects a broader conservative preference for smaller government and a belief that the private sector is more efficient than the government.
  • Deregulation and Business-Friendly Policies: Gilman advocates for a more business-friendly approach to regulation, suggesting that the department should focus on reducing the regulatory burden on businesses and promoting economic growth. This could lead to a weakening of consumer protections, environmental regulations, and other safeguards.
  • “America First” Economic Nationalism: The chapter reflects an “America First” approach to economic policy, prioritizing the interests of American businesses and workers over global cooperation or free trade.

3. DETAILED BREAKDOWN

3.1 Introduction: A Department “Adrift” (694)

  • Gilman argues that the Department of Commerce has become “adrift” and has lost sight of its core mission of promoting economic growth and competitiveness.
  • He criticizes the department’s “bloated bureaucracy” and its “lack of focus” on key priorities, such as countering China and promoting American businesses.
  • Quote: “The Department of Commerce has become a sprawling bureaucracy that is more interested in protecting its own turf than in serving the needs of the American people.”

3.2 The Challenge: China’s Rise (699)

  • Gilman identifies China as a major economic and national security threat, arguing that China is engaged in “unfair trade practices,” “intellectual property theft,” and “economic espionage.”
  • He calls for the department to play a more active role in countering Chinese “malign influence” and protecting American businesses from unfair competition.
  • Quote: “China is the greatest economic and national security threat facing the United States today. We must take a more aggressive approach to countering China’s unfair trade practices and its theft of American intellectual property.”

3.3 The Solution: Strong Political Leadership (696)

  • Gilman argues that the key to reforming the Department of Commerce is to install strong political leadership that is committed to a conservative agenda.
  • He recommends that a future conservative President appoint loyalists to key positions within the department and that he empower them to “shake things up” and to “implement real change.”
  • Quote: “The next conservative President must appoint a strong Secretary of Commerce who will be a champion for American businesses and who will be willing to take on the entrenched bureaucracy.”

3.4 Specific Agency Recommendations (699)

  • International Trade Administration (ITA): Focus on countering China’s “malign influence,” enforcing trade agreements, and securing access to critical supply chains. (699)
  • Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS): Strengthen export controls to prevent the transfer of sensitive technologies to China and other adversaries. (704)
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): Promote innovation and competitiveness by developing new standards and technologies. (708)
  • Economic Development Administration (EDA): Eliminate or consolidate the EDA, arguing that it is “wasteful” and “ineffective.” (710)
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Reduce NOAA’s budget and focus its activities on core missions, such as weather forecasting and fisheries management. (711)
  • Census Bureau: Review the Census Bureau’s data collection methods and add a citizenship question to the 2030 Census. (712)

3.5 Conclusion: A “Champion for American Business” (714)

  • Gilman concludes by arguing that a reformed Department of Commerce will be a “champion for American business” and will help to “restore America’s economic greatness.”
  • He claims that these reforms will lead to job creation, economic growth, and a stronger national defense.

4. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Appoint Loyalists: Appoint individuals who are aligned with the President’s conservative agenda to key positions within the Department of Commerce. (696)
  • Streamline and Consolidate Agencies: Consolidate or eliminate certain agencies and programs, including the EDA and NOAA. (696)
  • Strengthen Enforcement: Increase the department’s enforcement capabilities in the areas of trade and export controls. (700)
  • Reduce Regulations: Reduce the regulatory burden on businesses and promote a more business-friendly approach to regulation. (701)
  • Counter China: Make countering Chinese “malign influence” a top priority for the department. (699)
  • Add a Citizenship Question to the Census: Add a citizenship question to the 2030 Census. (712)

5. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

  • Promote Economic Growth: Prioritize economic growth and make it the department’s primary focus.
  • Counter China: Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to counter China’s economic and technological rise.
  • Empower American Businesses: Create a more favorable environment for American businesses by reducing regulations and promoting exports.
  • Reduce the Role of Government: Shrink the size and scope of the Department of Commerce and reduce government intervention in the economy.
  • Advance a Conservative Agenda: Use the department to advance a conservative agenda, including on issues such as immigration and social policy.

6. CROSS-REFERENCES

  • Agenda 47: The chapter’s emphasis on countering China, deregulation, and a business-friendly approach aligns with the broader goals outlined in Trump’s Agenda 47.
  • Project 2025, Chapter 4: This chapter, focusing on the Department of Defense, complements Chapter 21 by highlighting the national security implications of economic competition with China.
  • Project 2025, Chapter 15: This chapter, focusing on the Department of Housing and Urban Development, supports Chapter 21 by calling for greater scrutiny of foreign investment in the U.S., including real estate, particularly from China.

7. POTENTIAL IMPACTS

  • Politicization of the Department: The emphasis on strong political control and the replacement of career staff with political appointees could lead to a politicization of the department and a disregard for expertise and experience, potentially undermining its effectiveness.
  • Trade Wars with China: The focus on countering China’s “malign influence” could lead to a trade war that harms American businesses and consumers, disrupting global supply chains and raising prices.
  • Weakening of Environmental Protections: The proposals to streamline and consolidate agencies, including NOAA, could weaken environmental protections and undermine efforts to address climate change, potentially harming public health and the environment.
  • Undermining the Census: The call for adding a citizenship question to the Census and for reviewing data collection methods could be used to suppress minority participation and could lead to an inaccurate count, potentially affecting political representation and the allocation of federal funds.
  • Erosion of Consumer Protections: The emphasis on deregulation and a business-friendly approach could lead to a weakening of consumer protections, potentially exposing consumers to unsafe products, unfair business practices, and financial exploitation.

8. CRITICISMS & COUNTERARGUMENTS

  • Corporate Capture: Critics might argue that the chapter’s recommendations would lead to corporate capture of the Department of Commerce, prioritizing the interests of big business over the interests of consumers, workers, and the environment.
  • Protectionism and Trade Wars: Opponents might argue that the chapter’s confrontational approach to China would lead to trade wars that harm the U.S. economy and undermine global cooperation.
  • Disregard for Climate Change: Critics might argue that the chapter’s focus on deregulation and its skepticism towards climate change would exacerbate the climate crisis and undermine efforts to transition to a clean energy economy.
  • Undermining the Census: Opponents might argue that the call for adding a citizenship question to the Census is a thinly veiled attempt to suppress minority participation and to manipulate political representation.

9. KEY QUOTES

  • “The Department of Commerce has become a sprawling bureaucracy that is more interested in protecting its own turf than in serving the needs of the American people.” (694) This quote reflects Gilman’s view of the Department of Commerce as bloated and inefficient.
  • “China is the greatest economic and national security threat facing the United States today.” (699) This quote highlights the chapter’s focus on countering China.
  • “The next conservative President must appoint a strong Secretary of Commerce who will be a champion for American businesses and who will be willing to take on the entrenched bureaucracy.” (696) This quote emphasizes the need for strong political leadership to implement the chapter’s recommendations.
  • “We must reduce the regulatory burden on businesses and promote a more business-friendly approach to regulation.” (701) This quote reflects the chapter’s preference for deregulation.
  • “We must add a citizenship question to the 2030 Census. This is essential for ensuring that our government is representing the interests of American citizens.” (712) This quote reveals the chapter’s desire to use the Census for political purposes.

10. SUMMARY & SIGNIFICANCE

Chapter 21 of “Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership” outlines a conservative vision for the Department of Commerce that prioritizes strong political control, a confrontational approach to China, deregulation, and a focus on promoting American business interests. The chapter’s recommendations could lead to a more politicized and less effective department, with a weaker commitment to protecting consumers, the environment, and the integrity of the Census. These proposals raise serious concerns among Democrats about the potential for abuses of power, a decline in the quality of government services, and a less equitable and less sustainable economy.

This chapter, along with the previous chapters, reinforces the pattern of “Project 2025” to reduce the role of the federal government in regulating the economy, protecting the environment, and ensuring fair and accurate data collection. The proposals outlined in this chapter could have a significant impact on the competitiveness of the U.S. economy, the health of our planet, and the fairness of our democracy, raising serious concerns among Democrats about the potential for a less equitable and less sustainable future under a future conservative administration.