Over the last four years, the Biden Administration wreaked havoc upon the American economy. Regulatory costs totaled approximately $1.4 trillion for the private sector in 2024 alone, and the inflationary effects of this government overreach were compounded by a series of failed economic policies that resulted in significant cost increases for consumers.

While the now former President tried to blame “corporate greed” for the increasing cost of just about everything, voters in November fortunately saw through this ruse. But strangely enough, some of Biden’s Cabinet officials are now seeking to run for office on this failed legacy.

Take former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, for example, who is considering a run for Governor or Senate in Michigan. His failures should serve as a warning to voters of the Wolverine State not to adopt another four years of Biden by proxy.

In many ways, Buttigieg is just as responsible for the inflationary issues Americans have faced over the last few years as President Biden himself. When COVID-related manufacturing slowdowns and labor shortages created bottlenecks at major ports, particularly on the West Coast, the Department of Transportation (DOT) was slow to implement meaningful solutions.

As ships waited offshore and warehouses reached capacity limits, these supply chain constraints helped drive up costs across multiple sectors. The resulting scarcity of consumer goods and raw materials, combined with elevated shipping and storage expenses, became one factor that contributed to broader inflationary pressures in the economy.

His track record regarding the airline industry is also a major point of concern.

During his time as Secretary, Buttigieg repeatedly and publicly derided airlines, which he was responsible for regulating, targeting them with unnecessary and taxing probes, and adding further difficulties for their operations.

This came even though the aviation sector was particularly hard-hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a series of public health lockdowns and mandates discouraged most people from traveling by choice.

From the beginning, airlines were a strange target. With highly unionized workforces that enjoy pay and benefits that far outstrips other comparable industries, it should have been the model for the Administration of a President that billed himself as “the most pro-union president you’ve ever seen.”

As they rebuilt in the wake of the pandemic, several carriers also had to negotiate new collective bargaining agreements, even offering raises and other benefits to significant slices of their employees, even though their recovery remained unsteady.

At the same time, they also continued to successfully and safely transport cargo and passengers around the country and across the globe. But most importantly for consumers, they did all this while keeping airfares far lower than the overall inflation rate.

Yet despite these realities, the industry served as a punching bag for the duration of the Biden Administration as Buttigieg failed to get a grip on fundamental issues at the FAA.

For example, in 2023 its antiquated systems broke down due to employee error, causing thousands of delays which carriers were forced to navigate and resulting in significant financial losses for airlines. Years later, the system which was the cause remains mostly in place.

But perhaps his most egregious action taken against the airline industry occurred last year. In the name of preserving competition, Secretary Buttigieg broke historical precedent and used the levers of government to significantly interfere in free markets by working to stop a proposed merger between JetBlue and Spirit airlines.

The combined carrier would have offered another option for passengers, who only have a handful of choices, and helped level the playing field against larger competitors. But that commonsense approach did not work for the Secretary and in the aftermath of the merger falling apart, Spirit declared bankruptcy.

Now, instead of one additional low-cost carrier that would have been able to compete amongst the larger airlines, consumers are at risk of having one fewer option and Spirit’s workforce now has to contend with the prospect of losing their jobs.

Pete Buttigieg’s tenure as Secretary of Transportation offers a cautionary tale of mismanagement, misplaced priorities, and missed opportunities that exacerbated economic challenges for everyday Americans.

From unresolved supply chain bottlenecks to an underperforming FAA and heavy-handed interference in the airline industry, his track record is defined by actions that contributed to higher costs and fewer choices for consumers. In the wake of such regulatory and economic failures during the Biden Administration, voters in Michigan and beyond must remain vigilant of candidates who carry forward these same policies under new banners.

_______________
Michael Busler is a public policy analyst and a professor of finance at Stockton University in Galloway, New Jersey, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in finance and economics. He has written op-ed columns in major newspapers for more than 35 years.