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WSJ editorial board member Mary Anastasia O'Grady weighs in on Jack Lew's role as Treasury secretary.
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Lot of the White House.
And President Obama will nominate his chief of staff Jack -- as the next Treasury Secretary.
A little more than two hours from now -- joining us now is Mary Anastasia O'Grady from the Wall Street Journal.
Editorial board where the lead editorial this morning talk about a team of liberal loyalists which are subject -- is a big part of -- Yes he's going to be a very big part of that he will be directing economic policy for for the president and -- -- is how long time Washington.
Insider in -- is -- he worked for tip O'Neil he worked for Bill Clinton he's worked on the budget for President Obama and publish it a little while.
Eyes and -- there is a revolving door there where you vote up and he didn't go in 2009 and he he came out with a lot of money despite the fact that Citibank was.
Limping along and had to be helped out by the government.
But when he worked just is one example in the Clinton administration he was considered reasonable.
But not now why.
Well I think a big part of it is how he performed when he worked for President Obama and the first term.
-- but it's also I think most people expect him to be very much like an Alter ego of the president.
He.
Subscribes to the ideas of the president has that the big problem in this country is not how to create wealth.
But how to re distribute it that's really our challenge sofas all there there's no problem you just have to figure out how.
To get it spread around more and that will be their main goal and I think this is what's really worrying the business community and a lot of jobless people who.
Sometimes they don't know what kind of influence the chief of staff really has but out of president but something they -- they can be the most influential person because they spent so much time.
Even more so than a vice president or anyone else is that the case should think with Jack -- or he's following the lead this being given by this president to that would matter as he heads over it should.
Our country yeah but has cut as -- -- mentioned I mean he he did when he worked for Clinton have kind of different views I think what we can he's following year as.
That he is going to reflect the president's interests which are.
A larger role for government and our lives and -- -- had more distribution how did the fights play out because he is seen by the right is being intractable.
Being very stubborn very tough negotiator what it witnessed and that 2011.
Debt ceiling fight.
How does that what how do you think it plays out with the debt ceiling fight and the sequestration and the budget.
Yeah well I think it's very troubling because you know one of the conversations we've been having is that.
Where there has to be more compromise in Washington if we're gonna get through some of these things and I think that that this a choosing him as Treasury Secretary sets us up for some very bitter fights.
You know he has.
Basically blamed the Republicans all along as the president has and dot you know -- for example he's -- the Republicans in the senate for not passing the budget.
That's completely wrong the -- the budget is a privileged.
Piece of legislation that doesn't require sixty votes to get through but something that the Democrats can do.
But he.
It wants to achieve the president's goal and he will.
Fight the Republicans every step of the way I don't think he's sentenced today compromise he's a big part of -- -- -- -- this most recent time think that kept him out of purpose but in the previous.
-- go around yeah.
And I think as we come up to -- that.
Fight both on me on the ceiling and also on the sequester.
You're not gonna see somebody who's willing for example to look at entitlement reform which is a big important issue for the Republicans they really feel.
That if you don't get -- -- -- rumor.
Reform you do not answer to solve this fiscal problem.
And he -- made it very clear that apart from tinkering around the edges he's not interested in changing that.
That paradigm -- thank you very very much Mary Anastasia O'Grady from the Wall Street Journal -- to see thank you.
