From Politico: Does the Trump Administration Have the Talent To Make the Stimulus Work? As the New Deal shows us, it takes expertise, professionalism and skill to execute massive government programs—qualities the White House lacks. Some excerpts:
Unlike FDR, who vastly expanded state capacity, Trump has waged war on the federal government, leaving vast numbers of key roles unfilled, bullying and hollowing out the ranks of the nonpartisan civil service and populating his White House and Cabinet with men and women of little qualification. FDR hired capable pros—people with decades of experience in law, social policy, economics and other fields. Trump’s closest advisers are his son-in-law, who inherited a real estate company, and his daughter, who before entering public service operated a fashion line. One of the top deputies at the Office of Presidential Personnel—a key office that selects, vets and ushers through the clearance and confirmation processes top administration officials—is a 23-year-old college senior.
Trump’s task is in some ways harder than the one FDR faced in 1935: The economic downswing is more immediate, brought on by a disease pandemic. Yet there is little in the administration’s track record to suggest it is staffed to meet the challenge.