I watched all three hours of Scott Bessent’s confirmation hearings.  My three major takeaways:

1. He’s highly competent, thoughtful, and decent.  In many respects, he’s likely to be a fine Treasury Secretary.

2. Whether out of conviction or greed, he and his team are blind when it comes to taxing the wealthy.  To them, the top tax brackets are either perfect just as they are . . . or else too high.  At no income level — be it above $1 million a year or $10 million or $1 billion — would they consider even a small rate hike.  This is terrible for our economy, our National Debt, and our social fabric.

Yesterday, Scott called billionaires “the job creators.”  His fellow billionaire, Nick Hanauer, debunked that notion in a 6-minute clip I’ve been linking to for 12 years.

3. Scott and his husband John and their kids could not have been more warmly welcomed.  Watch these 4 minutes with Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina.

Trump’s “trickle-down economics” — horrible.  His judicial appointments — horrible.  His Project 2025 agenda — horrible.  The example he sets for our children — horrible.  His preference for dictators over NATO’s democratic leaders — horrible.  There’s so much about him, and many of those around him, that is horrible (see the BONUS, below).

But here and there, there will be something good that should not go unnoticed.  

That the incoming Treasury Secretary, his husband and kids would be welcomed as a beautiful American family by Republican senators — on TV, no less?

When I was growing up, it would have been unthinkable. 

Democrats have been fighting for 50 years to make this possible, with Republicans fighting us every step of the way.  Some still are.  But, boy, have we come a long way.  Hats off to those Republicans for whom it is now basically a non-issue.  Love is love.  Live and let live.  Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  

Editors Note: This article was originally published on January 17, 2025, on andrewtobias.com, syndicated with permission.