Just one week after Andy Puzder withdrew from his nomination for Labor Secretary after GOP Senators refused to back the Hardee’s CEO, Donald Trump has nominated a new pick for Labor Secretary – Alexander Acosta. And while Democrats are working hard to block all Trump’s cabinet picks, Acosta looks to be a candidate the Dems will sign off on. Is Trump closing the rift between the parties?
What’s the Difference Between Alexander Acosta and Andy Puzder?
Andrew Puzder drew criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike as restaurant workers, politicians, and labor unions all protested against him. But what finally forced him to withdraw was decades old allegations of domestic abuse paired with the revelation that Puzder employed illegal, undocumented workers at home. Alexander Acosta is a refreshing opposite from Puzder, and as such, should sail right through his confirmation hearing.
Unlike Puzder, Acosta has a proven track record in politics, and has already been confirmed by the Senate on three separate occasions. The fact that he’s already been examined and approved on multiple occasions makes this one pick that Dems are unlikely to combat.
On top of that, Acosta, while a conservative Republican, is an appealing option for Democrats because he would be the first Latino cabinet pick under Trump. But even excluding the racial makeup of the cabinet, a Latino Labor Secretary makes sense since a huge percentage of the labor market is made up of Latino workers. And while race should never play into any appointment, Acosta should be far more warmly received by laborers as a result of his.
More importantly, he has a history of defending immigrants. Acosta is a former Justice Department official who is currently the dean of the law school at Florida International University in Miami. In 2004, he defended the rights of a 11-year-old Muslim student who sued her Oklahoma school district for making her remove her hijab because it violated the school’s dress code. The school district changed its dress code after settling with the Justice Department.
Watch the news from Fox Business regarding Trump’s pick for Labor Secretary, Alexander Acosta:
Acosta is a clearly different type of pick than Puzder. He doesn’t share Trump’s populist views to the extent Puzder did. But Trump made a great pick here, and is giving a concession to Democrats without going against his party. While it’s too early to tell if Trump will start mending party lines, nominating Alexander Acosta to Labor Secretary is an excellent step in the right direction.
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