Stephen Moore is one of three coauthors of the chapter in the Mandate for Leadership concerning the Department of the Treasury. William L. Walton and David R. Burton are the other two authors. Among the first items listed as goals for the department should a conservative president be elected are: “Addressing…the geopolitical threat posed by China,” “reversal of the racist ‘equity’ agenda of the Biden Administration,” and “Reversal of the economically destructive and ineffective climate-related financial-risk agenda of the Biden Administration.”
Viewing China with hostility (and even preparing for a hot war with China) is a common thread in the Mandate for Leadership. That China is a nuclear power and a major trading partner, and that thus some care and nuance in dealing with China may be in order, is not part of the Mandate for Leadership’s rhetoric. In the topsy-turvy world of Project 2025, an equity program, which aims to counteract racism, is racist. Also topsy-turvy: addressing climate change is destructive, but going full tilt with fossil fuels is not.
The authors also call for reform of the department’s anti-money laundering and beneficial ownership reporting systems. Citing the cost of these systems, along with other problems, the authors call for more congressional oversight and a cost-benefit analysis. (Conservatives are fond of cost-benefit analyses that show that regulations “cost” businesses more than they “save” in public benefit—so long as the analyses quantify the cost as high and the public benefit, which may be less quantifiable, as low.) While reform may in fact be needed, if one is inclined to not give the authors the benefit of the doubt, one may question, for example, the claim that the “poorly written and overbroad beneficial ownership reporting rule” really should be withdrawn. As reported in the Federal Register, beneficial ownership reporting helps catch criminals, including wealthy, white-collar criminals. And with the steady increase of electronic transactions, it may make sense that there be more, not less, enforcement of anti-money laundering rules, even if they may work better if they are less broadly applied.
Moore’s bio in the Mandate for Leadership lists him as “a conservative economist” with connections to the right-wing FreedomWorks and the Heritage Foundation. He is also credited with appearances on Fox News and as a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page. (In a blog post titled “Why The Wall Street Journal Editorial Page is a Disgrace,” Moore is specifically addressed. Moore also has a page devoted to him at Accountable.US that is titled “‘Project 2025’ Manifesto Co-Author Stephen Moore Has Toxic History of Misogynistic, Racist, and Anti-Social Security Rhetoric.”)
In sum, Moore is well within what is to be expected of the authors of the Mandate for Leadership.
