Overview:

Chapter 21 outlines a plan to transform the Department of Commerce into a tool for promoting American business interests and countering China, prioritizing political control, deregulation, and a narrow “America First” economic agenda.

Key Takeaways:

  • Strong Political Control: The chapter emphasizes the need for a conservative President to exert strong political control over the Department of Commerce, purging career staff and appointing loyalists to key positions.
  • Countering China: It identifies China as a major economic and national security threat and calls for the department to play a more aggressive role in countering Chinese “malign influence” through trade enforcement, export controls, and investment restrictions.
  • Streamlining and Consolidating Agencies: It suggests consolidating or eliminating certain agencies and programs, including the Economic Development Administration (EDA) and potentially parts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to reduce the size and scope of the department.
  • Deregulation and Business-Friendly Policies: It advocates for a more business-friendly approach to regulation, arguing that the department should focus on reducing the regulatory burden on businesses and promoting economic growth, potentially at the expense of consumer and environmental protections.
  • “America First” Economic Nationalism: It promotes an “America First” approach to economic policy, prioritizing the interests of American businesses and workers over global cooperation or free trade.

Critical Quote:

“It is vitally important that an incoming Administration fully staff OS [Office of the Secretary] with political appointees, send all existing detailees back to their home bureaus on Day One, and replace those detailees with trusted and knowledgeable career staff on an as-needed basis.”

Why It Matters:

This chapter reveals a plan to politicize the Department of Commerce, potentially leading to a less effective and less accountable agency that prioritizes corporate interests over the needs of consumers, workers, and the environment.

Red Flags:

  • Politicization of the Department: Replacing career staff with political appointees could lead to a decline in expertise and a focus on advancing a partisan agenda rather than serving the public interest.
  • Trade Wars and Protectionism: The confrontational approach to China could lead to trade wars that harm American businesses and consumers, disrupting global supply chains and raising prices.
  • Weakening of Environmental Protections: Consolidating or eliminating agencies like NOAA could undermine environmental protection efforts and scientific research.

Bottom Line:

Chapter 21 outlines a dangerous agenda that could transform the Department of Commerce into a tool for corporate interests and political control, potentially harming consumers, the environment, and the long-term economic health of the nation.