Adrift: Biden's economic advisors have no business experience

A devastating report reveals that the top officials directing economic policy are "not ready for the front line."

The Biden administration lacks business experience at a key moment for the country's economy. This is the main conclusion of the report published by the 'Committee to Unleash Prosperity'. An analysis that reveals that most of the people who manage the government's economic policy have no experience in the business world.

The report, led by Stephen Moore and Jon Decker, studies the resumes of 68 top government officials, from President Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to White House special economic policy assistants. The conclusion is devastating: "They are not ready to play on the front lines. Most of Biden's appointees have zero years of business experience."

According to the analysis, 62% of Biden's top political appointees and staff dealing with economic policy, regulation, trade, energy and finance have virtually no business experience. A frightening statistic in the midst of the energy crisis and with inflation soaring to 9.1%.

The authors note that only one in eight Biden officials has what they consider "extensive business experience," and the median level of private business experience across the administration is just 2.4 years. The average number of years of business experience among Biden's top officials is zero. Very few have private sector experience, and the "vast majority of the members of Biden's economic-commercial team are professional politicians, lawyers, community organizers, lobbyists, or government employees." They are ship captains who don't know how to steer the rudder.

 

Informe sobre la experiencia profesional del Gobierno Biden by VozMedia on Scribd

The Biden administration, far from reality

Any young person on Wall Street has more experience in the business world than most of the highly paid senior officials in Washington. Against that 62% who have virtually no private business experience, the report recalls that the average Donald Trump cabinet official had 13 years of experience in that sector.

The report lists each of the 68 officials analyzed, starting with President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Both have zero years of business experience. The inexperience extends throughout their administration. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has no healthcare experience. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has "virtually no transportation or logistics experience" in a country with one of the most extensive transportation networks on the planet.

Other names include Attorney General Merrick Garland, Ambassador for Climate Change John Kerry and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo. None has set foot on the street beyond politics. On the opposite side appear the White House Chief of Staff, Ron Klain, with 16 years of experience; or the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, with 11 years. The same as the Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo. Isabel Guzman, the administrator of the Small Business Administration, has the most business experience of those analyzed, with 20 years of experience. Exceptions to a government of inexperienced people.

Politicians and activists who do not know how to fight the crisis

As the country struggles with the highest inflation in 40 years and moves to the brink of recession,  the report notes that "Americans are deeply divided on the Biden administration's progressive economic policy priorities: a focus on income redistribution, higher tax rates for the wealthy, more social welfare programs, pro-union policies, a heavier hand on business regulation, government-led investment, and climate change remedies aimed at a dramatic alteration of America's energy mix."

When it comes to government, ignorance is not bliss. The cascade of policy and management mistakes accumulating in the Biden administration are, at least in part, a consequence of this lack of basic skills and competencies.

But ideology and partisan leanings aside, the analysis has raised a new voter concern: "Do the top decision-makers in Congress and the Biden administration have the basic skills and the business and management experience and acumen to oversee a $6 trillion federal government and regulate our multibillion-dollar industries?" Polls show that Americans are generally unhappy with the economic direction of the country.

The study's authors note that "we want lawyers, grassroots activists, people with policy and regulatory experience, scientists, health experts, and academics with the necessary specialties. But we also want people who have experience managing large operations with hundreds and thousands of employees; who know how to cut costs, manage logistics, increase productivity, meet payroll and make profits. We need people in the upper echelons of government who have experience managing large-scale crises, and also at least some familiarity with the day-to-day struggles that companies have with government."

We keep a fundamental idea in mind from the analysis: "When it comes to government, ignorance is not bliss. The cascade of policy and management mistakes accumulating in the Biden administration are, at least in part, a consequence of this lack of basic skills and competencies. Biden should fix the problem by replacing those who have been chosen for their ideology and not for the skills and talents our government needs and taxpayers rightly demand."