It seems like President Trump’s administration has been under constant fire recently. The media has lampooned Kellyanne Conway for her “alternative facts” and “Bowling Green massacre” quotes. And that was before her possible breach of ethics while hocking Ivanka Trump’s clothing brand on national TV with a “free commercial”. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was confirmed solely on a historic tie-breaking vote by Vice President Mike Pence, a dangerous sign considering Republicans control the Senate. Just a few days ago, Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned under allegations of impropriety with Russian contacts. Now, Trump’s pick to head the labor department, Andy Puzder, has withdrawn from consideration for the position. Should the administration be concerned?
Why Would Andy Puzder Withdraw?
The last four weeks since taking office have been rough on Donald Trump. Between dealing with protests, butting heads with the media, and Twitter wars with celebrities, President Trump is meeting with foreign heads of state, signing executive orders, and overseeing the policies of this country. His administration’s job is to make his life easier by handling the day to day responsibilities of the office. However, they’re just making his life harder. Trump’s latest concern, the withdrawal of Andrew Puzder from consideration for Labor Secretary.
Puzder is withdrawing because he’s “tired of the abuse” he’s taking from Democrats and the media. Reports have surfaced of allegations of domestic abuse from decades ago, which would be made public during his confirmation hearings. In addition, he paid back taxes for hiring an undocumented housekeeper. Both are incidents Republicans would prefer to avoid.
And avoid they are. At least seven Republican senators have declined to publicly back Puzder leading up to his scheduled Thursday confirmation hearing. Four Republican Senators already said they would not vote for him, with sources saying that number could be as high as 12. With Democrats holding 48 seats, all they would need for a no would be three Republican votes. Now, Puzder bows out without having his dirty laundry aired to the public.
How bad is this for Trump?
It’s definitely not a sign of a competent administration as many of Trump’s top advisors continue to come under attack. But this is actually a blessing in disguise for the president. Trump has a chance to make a hard pivot and start uniting parties with whoever he chooses to replace Puzder.
While Puzder was pro-business, critics said he was extremely anti-worker and wanted to replace employees with automated machines. That’s not a great trait for someone being chosen to represent the interest of the American work force. Labor workers, unions, and politicians were all vocally opposed to Puzder.
Watch the news from Fox Business regarding Andy Puzder’s expected withdrawal:
As Trump scrambles for a replacement, he should consider looking for a Democratic candidate who the Dems would not only approve, but applaud. As the wall of supporters around the president shows some cracks, he can gain support on the left by compromising and throwing the Democrats a bone. With many top White House positions still not filled almost a month into his presidency, Donald Trump may need to bend to strengthen his role in leading this country.
See the news on Janet Yellen latest congress testimony right here.
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