Just (ignore) the facts, ma'am. Or you're fired.

By Sid Schwab / Herald Columnist

When Trump dies, his tombstone — a gold-plated obelisk, more likely — will read, “I blame Obama.”

Never has a “president” so readily blamed others, much less admitted mistakes. He takes credit for anything positive, like good job numbers or stock market ups, and reprehends his predecessors (or Hillary Clinton) for bads and downs. Usually, he’s wrong both ways.

Democrats’ warnings were right: turning the DOJ into his personal lawfare apparatus; skyrocketing budget deficits; ignoring judges and the law; imposing inflationary, job-killing tariffs. Then, having made unkeepable economic promises — some might call them lies — when the check-ins came home to roost, he fired the messenger, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, economist Erika McEntarfer, who’d been confirmed 86-8 by senators, including J.D. Vance, who recognized her integrity. The BLS (not the commissioner) gathers employment numbers and reports them. And, when they need revision, revises. It’s safe to assume Trump’s replacement will reinforce Trump’s “down is up, up is down,” making the BLS, like every department in Trump’s “government,” untrustworthy. Ratify his lies or be gone. Do it, be moved to a “Club Fed” (AP: tinyurl.com/2golite).

Trump’s bleats notwithstanding, employment data can’t be “rigged” (Crooks & Liars: tinyurl.com/cantBrigged). Preliminarily miscalculated, evidently. But, in the end, hiring is binary: yes or no. MAGAs will believe whatever Trump says, but even right-leaning economists approved of McEntarfer’s corrected data (Washington Post: tinyurl.com/noBLS4u). Shall we trust numbers from one who says he weighs 225 pounds, stands 6’3”, and promises to lower drug prices by 1,500 percent? (Instagram: tinyurl.com/2tall4u)

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/schwab-just-ignore-the-facts-maam-or-youre-fired/