The Boot!

The recent decision to remove Erika L. McEntarfer, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), from her position is an extremely irresponsible act that puts the American economy at risk. It is concerning whenever a government puts its thumb on the scale for political purposes. The BLS reports statistics as they are, based on the data it collects. American presidents in the past understood this and did not interfere with these facts. As Janet Yellen, former Treasury Secretary and former Federal Reserve Chair, said, this is "the kind of thing you would expect in a corrupt country."

The Hard Work Behind the Data

The BLS is not run by an individual working on a private spreadsheet. About 40 full-time experts work diligently at the Bureau to issue monthly reports on employment, inflation, and other critical indicators. When a president dismisses the Bureau's Commissioner, it doesn't look good, nor does it change the truth. Such an action can create a crisis of confidence, which brings other major problems.

Unfortunately, the accuracy of the data is already under threat. The BLS budget has been reduced by about 19% in real terms since 2009, according to Axios (a statistical association in America). Additionally, participation in the Bureau's surveys has declined. But there are solutions to these problems: increased investment in the Bureau and a better understanding of the causes of declining participation, to address it effectively. Some critics say the BLS methodology is outdated. But what's needed is additional investment, not political interference, to fix this.

We've Seen This Before

Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council, recently admitted that the goal is to "put in one of our own people." That should sound every alarm. This is political interference. An important question needs to be answered: Will senior government officials - Bessent, Hassett, and others - set aside the truth for the sake of their own careers?

The Greek government concealed inflation data and budget deficits to meet EU criteria. This resulted in a debt crisis, international bailout, and years of economic crisis. In Argentina, the government falsified inflation figures and gross domestic product (GDP) to hide an economic crisis. As a result, foreign investment declined, interest rates rose sharply, and the peso fell. They are still paying for it.

If tariffs, spending, and supply disruptions are driving inflation, false reports won't stop prices from rising at the store, at the gas station, or in the bond market.

The bond market, in particular, is merciless. If that market loses confidence in the figures published by the BLS, lenders will demand higher interest rates as a result. As Bill Blain, a bond trader in London, wrote in his newsletter 'Blain's Morning Porridge': "August 1, 2025, might be remembered as the day the US bond market died. There was an art to reading US data. It was based on trust. Now that's broken - if you can't trust the data, what else can you believe?"

Jerome Powell

The attacks on Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, are also dangerous. He is running an independent central bank, and his decisions should be based on data, not political expediency. He cannot be easily removed from his position, but that hasn't stopped the president from putting continuous pressure on him to lower interest rates.

This is not new. Turkey's Erdogan did the same thing, and it created widespread inflation, currency collapse, and economic instability. When loyalty is placed above expertise, disaster always follows.

The Root Problem

Despite his messages, the president's new spending bill (which he himself calls the Big Beautiful Bill) will add another $3.5 trillion to the national debt. Tariffs also carry major risks, including increased inflation rates, and it's not clear what real benefit they provide.

Authoritarianism at the Door?

This is not just about the BLS. A broader perspective needs to be considered: dissent is being punished, human rights are being revoked without due process, and electoral districts are being distorted. If critics are silenced and independent information is blocked, what will stop the next step?

Look at Ortega in Nicaragua: critics forced into exile, citizenship revoked, journalists killed. It starts with small steps. It ends in disaster. Blain imagined a future where a "Ministry of Economic Truth" would issue press releases: "Under the President's leadership, the US economy continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. Payroll data from the Ministry of Truth shows full employment across America." If nothing is done to address this, the same will happen in America. It begins when information is distorted to serve the president.

A Call to Action for Americans

It's uncertain whether the United States will have democracy or authoritarianism in the future. Democracy is a fragile system, and the public needs to be informed about it and participate in it. I hope every American will be ready to defend their system. Write to your elected representatives, participate in awareness campaigns, and support organizations that protect government transparency. Organizations like Project On Government Oversight (POGO) and Open The Government – these are organizations working diligently to protect government transparency and ensure accurate data for citizens. Every citizen will have the opportunity to cast their vote in next year's midterm election, and to elect representatives who will work for them, not for authoritarianism.

Good advice can be found in the West Point Cadets' prayer (training center): "Take the right but difficult choice instead of the wrong but easy one." This principle is not being applied at all by the current US government. If the administration's behavior continues in this way, we are not far from an America we don't recognize.

If the opportunity to stop this foolishness is lost, truth will be lost. If truth is lost, democracy will be lost.