The latest example of Trumpian economic cluelessness came this week courtesy of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. While promoting the new federal nutrition guidelines on Thursday, Rollins — estimated net worth: $15 million — took pains to point out that it doesn't cost much to eat healthy. After all, she said, a meal consisting of a piece of chicken, a "piece" of broccoli, a corn tortilla and "one other thing" could cost as little as $3.
Rollins, seemingly unaware that this meal sounded like the dinnertime version of sackcloth and ashes, added that the Agriculture Department had run "over 1,000 simulations" to come up with the meal. Apparently, no one involved in the project thought to interview actual Americans to see what they thought — or, for that matter, whether they might want a second helping of broccoli.
The contretemps was a gimme for online masses, who swiftly began guessing what that optional fourth item might be while cooking up quips like "let them eat broccoli" and speculating what would happen if, a la Oliver Twist, a cash-strapped diner had the temerity to ask for seconds.
This is a preview of Helaine Olen's latest column. Read the full column here.
