Jeffrey A. Rosen, Deputy Secretary of Transportation, Fits All of the Criteria

The blog offers a theory that current Deputy Secretary of Transportation, Jeffrey A. Rosen, may have written the op-ed. However, nothing written on this blog should be taken as PROOF. I have no idea who wrote the op-ed. I am just pointing out publicly available information that suggests Rosen as a POSSIBLE CANDIDATE. [Note, there is a law professor at George Washington University also named Jeffrey Rosen who is a completely different person.]

There is plenty of stylistic evidence to suggest it is Rosen. I recommend reading through the entire blog from the beginning to see all of the evidence. Specifically, Rosen has a history of writing op-eds; the hyphenation and em dashes and colon usage and other stylistic clues are strikingly similar with previous writings; the train metaphor and use of "first principles" suggest it might be him; and he has a previous very recent connection with the New York Times which already identified him as a Senior Administration Official.

Here are some general clues that it might be Rosen:

Strong libertarian tendencies

Rosen was a board member of the Free State Foundation, a “free market think tank” focused on “free market, limited government, and rule of law principles.” In his National Affairs article he writes “how can government agencies be allowed to accomplish the necessary elements of their missions, without generating a cumulative and aggregate level of regulation that is harmful to economic prosperity and individual liberty?” 

Worked closely with a cabinet secretary from the early days of the administration

He is the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation, the position immediately below the cabinet secretary, and was confirmed May 18, 2017.

Not involved in national security

Nothing in the article points directly to his work in the Department of Transportation, serving to hide his identity. If the author worked in a highly sensitive position, he might be accused of  divulging confidential or classified material. His work at the Department of Transportation doesn't involve much of that, and nothing in the op-ed relates to the sensitive work he may do there.

Well-connected mainstream DC Republican, not an outsider 

Rosen worked in the Bush administration in both the Department of Transportation and OMB and also served on the board of directors of Amtrak. He is a litigation Partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Kirkland & Ellis and he donated to Jeb Bush’s PAC and other mainstream Republican candidates. He is closely connected with Senator Rob Portman.

He has nothing to lose if his identity is divulged

Rosen is a wealthy man with reported net worth of over $10 million. He was a partner at a major DC law firm; he could easily return to that job if he left the administration.