MSNBC Highlights — Aug. 12

Political & Economic Landscape - Donald Trump nominated EJ and Tony as the new commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, replacing Erica McInterer [1] - The new head of the BLS may be pressured to preview numbers with the White House before public release, potentially leading to data manipulation or suppression [12][13] - There are concerns that Trump's actions are undermining faith in the BLS and its data, which could have negative consequences for both the public and private sectors [9] - Axio reported that Trump has actually suggested not issuing a jobs report at all [9] - The manipulation or suppression of BLS data could lead to economic destabilization and investor flight, as seen in other countries [43] Policy & Governance - Steve Bannon advocated for Trump to appoint a MAGA ally like Antony to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics [2] - There are concerns that unqualified candidates are being confirmed for important jobs, potentially compromising the integrity of government agencies [6] - Trump's actions in Washington DC, including the deployment of the National Guard, are seen as an authoritarian move and a potential distraction from other issues [15][16][21] - Trump's targeting of DC echoes a history of racism towards majority-black cities in America [17] - The potential use of the military for domestic law enforcement raises concerns about authoritarianism and the violation of the Posse Comitatus Act [25][26] Data Integrity & Public Trust - The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is staffed by technocrats who are committed to analyzing and reporting data without political bias [7][8] - There are concerns that the new head of the BLS, EJ Anthony, may try to manipulate or suppress economic data to align with Trump's political agenda [5] - The integrity of BLS data is crucial because it is used by government agencies, the Federal Reserve, and the Social Security Administration to make important decisions [44] - EJ Anthony has previously suggested eliminating the monthly jobs report, raising further concerns about the future of economic data transparency [44]