[The billionaires in the White House don't know how Americans live and seem not to care.]

CNN—Putting super-rich individuals in charge of government raises various concerns about the possibility of corruption, which is indeed a real (and well-documented) concern around the Trump administration, given the president's cryptocurrency sideline, a cabinet composed of billionaires, and the administration's general disregard for the rule of law.

But beneath these lofty moral issues lies a more fundamental one: These people are out of touch with reality. This is especially true for those voters who have clearly stated that their primary concern is the cost of living in America.

On Wednesday, the world got a glimpse into the gilded bubble of the government when President Donald Trump casually dismissed concerns about empty shelves and shortages caused by tariffs: "Maybe kids will have two toys instead of 30," he said at a cabinet meeting. "You know what? Maybe those two toys will be a few dollars more expensive than usual."

This frugal message came from a golf club and casino tycoon so obsessed with flashy decor that it was reportedly rumored he had a "golden man" apply gold finishes to installations and furniture in the White House while regularly using taxpayer money to visit his private social club in Florida on weekends.

The comment about toys was also striking because it was a rare acknowledgment of a reality that the president has long denied: His tariff policies would lead to shortages and higher prices.

Children's toys, in particular, are particularly vulnerable, as my colleague Elizabeth Buchwald reported that nearly 80% of all toys sold in the U.S. are made in China. Most American toy sellers face two grim choices: raise retail prices to offset the 145% tax forced upon them by Trump on Chinese goods or stop importing and possibly go bankrupt.

While Trump may think children's toys are a trivial expense that Americans can easily do without, he forgets that they are actually important. Mr. President, we may be a materialistic and indulgent nation, but we are also the engine of the largest economy in the world.

Trump's toy blunder was not the first "let them eat cake" moment for the administration. In March, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (estimated net worth: $520 million) faced criticism for claiming that "access to cheap goods is not the essence of the American Dream."

Perhaps not. But over the past 25 years, toys, clothing, cars, televisions, smartphones, and other once-luxury everyday items have become cheaper and more widespread. Meanwhile, other essentials have become shockingly expensive. Housing, food, healthcare, and college tuition have all inflated to record levels, now being the root cause of anxiety among the American middle class. Economist Mark J. Perry's widely circulated chart illustrates this dichotomy.

The problem is that the administration's tariff agenda does nothing to lower the costs of hospital visits, housing, or higher education. If these things are not the essence of the American Dream, I don't know what is.

Another enlightening moment this week was when Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (estimated net worth: $1.9 billion) promoted the White House's vision for future "trade craft" jobs on CNBC.

"This is the new model, where you will work in these factories your whole life, your children will work here, and your grandchildren will work here too."

This statement reflects a romanticized, 1950s view of factory work, which Trump (estimated net worth: $6.5 billion) often mentions.

This is a fantasy. The jobs Trump wants to "bring back" to America may be the high-paying, highly automated roles already present in American manufacturing. But this is far from the reality of most factory jobs in the world. No one in the Trump administration would encourage their own children to take up factory work—in fact, Lutnick recently handed control of his investment company to his 27-year-old and 28-year-old sons, Brandon and Kyle.

But more importantly, most Americans simply don't want to do that kind of work. According to a recent CNN poll, 73% of respondents prefer office work to manufacturing.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830968025362442/

Disclaimer: This article represents only the views of the author.