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'Fox, Meet Henhouse': Trump Offers Goldman Sachs President Top Economic Post
"It's called a rigged economy and this is how it works," said Bernie Sanders in response to news that Goldman president Gary Cohn could lead the NEC
Dec 09, 2016
"Fox, meet henhouse," was how progressive Sen. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and others reacted to the news Friday that Goldman Sachs president and chief operating officer Gary Cohn had been offered the position of National Economic Council (NEC) director by President-elect Donald Trump.
"By choosing Gary Cohn and other Goldman Sachs crony capitalists to lead our nation's economic policies, Trump is betraying his own voters - putting the interests of the corporate establishment ahead of working families." --Progressive Congressional Campaign Committee
Should Cohn accept, he and Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin, another Goldman alum, would hold "the top two economic policy jobs in the Trump administration," as Vox's Matthew Yglesias observed. White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is also a former Goldman exec.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, who during his presidential campaign vociferously spoke out against the dangers of allowing Wall Street executives to set economic policy, offered a swift response to the news:
As head of the NEC, Cohn would hold significant power over the implementation of White House economic policy. According to the agency's website, the NEC is meant to "coordinate policy-making for domestic and international issues, to coordinate economic policy advice for the president, to ensure that policy decisions and programs are consistent with the president's economic goals, and to monitor implementation of the president's economic policy agenda."
As observers on both sides of the aisle are pointing out, Trump is elevating those at the top of the very Wall Street firm he railed against during his campaign. Cohn's appointment is yet another indication that the agenda of President Trump is a far cry from the populist rhetoric that propelled him to power.
Addressing that disparity, Trump transition adviser Anthony Scaramucci told CNN on Friday that bringing Wall Street execs on board would somehow "bring the country together."
"I think the cabal against the bankers is over," Scaramucci said. "And I think what Mr. Trump is really trying to do right now is put the country together...and you can see it in his actions in terms of his outreach to so many different people, we really want to bring the country together."
To progressive groups, however, the choice of Cohn is just the latest example of Trump betraying the populist facade he presented to voters during the campaign.
"By choosing Gary Cohn and other Goldman Sachs crony capitalists to lead our nation's economic policies," said the Progressive Change Campaign Committee in a statement, "Trump is betraying his own voters - putting the interests of the corporate establishment ahead of working families."
In addition to Goldman executives, Trump has lined his cabinet with an out-sized number of military generals and other millionaires and billionaires. "It's the G&G cabinet," Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) recently quipped. "It does seem to be fairly limited to Goldman Sachs and generals."
Curiously, Cohn is a registered Democrat and had donated substantial sums to Democrats in years past, including U.S. President Barack Obama and Trump's opponent Hillary Clinton, before more recently giving to GOP lawmakers.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
#notnormalbarack obamabarbara leegoldman sachsprogressive change campaign committeesteve bannontrumpismwall street
"Fox, meet henhouse," was how progressive Sen. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and others reacted to the news Friday that Goldman Sachs president and chief operating officer Gary Cohn had been offered the position of National Economic Council (NEC) director by President-elect Donald Trump.
"By choosing Gary Cohn and other Goldman Sachs crony capitalists to lead our nation's economic policies, Trump is betraying his own voters - putting the interests of the corporate establishment ahead of working families." --Progressive Congressional Campaign Committee
Should Cohn accept, he and Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin, another Goldman alum, would hold "the top two economic policy jobs in the Trump administration," as Vox's Matthew Yglesias observed. White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is also a former Goldman exec.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, who during his presidential campaign vociferously spoke out against the dangers of allowing Wall Street executives to set economic policy, offered a swift response to the news:
As head of the NEC, Cohn would hold significant power over the implementation of White House economic policy. According to the agency's website, the NEC is meant to "coordinate policy-making for domestic and international issues, to coordinate economic policy advice for the president, to ensure that policy decisions and programs are consistent with the president's economic goals, and to monitor implementation of the president's economic policy agenda."
As observers on both sides of the aisle are pointing out, Trump is elevating those at the top of the very Wall Street firm he railed against during his campaign. Cohn's appointment is yet another indication that the agenda of President Trump is a far cry from the populist rhetoric that propelled him to power.
Addressing that disparity, Trump transition adviser Anthony Scaramucci told CNN on Friday that bringing Wall Street execs on board would somehow "bring the country together."
"I think the cabal against the bankers is over," Scaramucci said. "And I think what Mr. Trump is really trying to do right now is put the country together...and you can see it in his actions in terms of his outreach to so many different people, we really want to bring the country together."
To progressive groups, however, the choice of Cohn is just the latest example of Trump betraying the populist facade he presented to voters during the campaign.
"By choosing Gary Cohn and other Goldman Sachs crony capitalists to lead our nation's economic policies," said the Progressive Change Campaign Committee in a statement, "Trump is betraying his own voters - putting the interests of the corporate establishment ahead of working families."
In addition to Goldman executives, Trump has lined his cabinet with an out-sized number of military generals and other millionaires and billionaires. "It's the G&G cabinet," Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) recently quipped. "It does seem to be fairly limited to Goldman Sachs and generals."
Curiously, Cohn is a registered Democrat and had donated substantial sums to Democrats in years past, including U.S. President Barack Obama and Trump's opponent Hillary Clinton, before more recently giving to GOP lawmakers.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
"Fox, meet henhouse," was how progressive Sen. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and others reacted to the news Friday that Goldman Sachs president and chief operating officer Gary Cohn had been offered the position of National Economic Council (NEC) director by President-elect Donald Trump.
"By choosing Gary Cohn and other Goldman Sachs crony capitalists to lead our nation's economic policies, Trump is betraying his own voters - putting the interests of the corporate establishment ahead of working families." --Progressive Congressional Campaign Committee
Should Cohn accept, he and Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin, another Goldman alum, would hold "the top two economic policy jobs in the Trump administration," as Vox's Matthew Yglesias observed. White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is also a former Goldman exec.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, who during his presidential campaign vociferously spoke out against the dangers of allowing Wall Street executives to set economic policy, offered a swift response to the news:
As head of the NEC, Cohn would hold significant power over the implementation of White House economic policy. According to the agency's website, the NEC is meant to "coordinate policy-making for domestic and international issues, to coordinate economic policy advice for the president, to ensure that policy decisions and programs are consistent with the president's economic goals, and to monitor implementation of the president's economic policy agenda."
As observers on both sides of the aisle are pointing out, Trump is elevating those at the top of the very Wall Street firm he railed against during his campaign. Cohn's appointment is yet another indication that the agenda of President Trump is a far cry from the populist rhetoric that propelled him to power.
Addressing that disparity, Trump transition adviser Anthony Scaramucci told CNN on Friday that bringing Wall Street execs on board would somehow "bring the country together."
"I think the cabal against the bankers is over," Scaramucci said. "And I think what Mr. Trump is really trying to do right now is put the country together...and you can see it in his actions in terms of his outreach to so many different people, we really want to bring the country together."
To progressive groups, however, the choice of Cohn is just the latest example of Trump betraying the populist facade he presented to voters during the campaign.
"By choosing Gary Cohn and other Goldman Sachs crony capitalists to lead our nation's economic policies," said the Progressive Change Campaign Committee in a statement, "Trump is betraying his own voters - putting the interests of the corporate establishment ahead of working families."
In addition to Goldman executives, Trump has lined his cabinet with an out-sized number of military generals and other millionaires and billionaires. "It's the G&G cabinet," Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) recently quipped. "It does seem to be fairly limited to Goldman Sachs and generals."
Curiously, Cohn is a registered Democrat and had donated substantial sums to Democrats in years past, including U.S. President Barack Obama and Trump's opponent Hillary Clinton, before more recently giving to GOP lawmakers.
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