Do you agree that John Snow has been about as invisible as Casper? If you Google John Snow, the top three results are, in order, a “historical giant of epidemiology” (whatever that is), a map of Victorian London when the former gentleman lived, and a health care consultant. Number four finally introduces a senior Cabinet official. Of the first 10 entries, only two relate to the Treasury secretary.

If you go to the Web site for the Department of the Treasury, you can review what your secretary has been up to. Of 57 press releases issued for this month, only 10 mention the secretary; two are announcements of upcoming visits. Where has he been going? This month he visited Cisco Academy in Los Altos, Calif., which he agreed was “the most beautiful community college ever built,” and he gave a talk at a Volvo plant in Hagerstown, Md.

To be fair, Mr. Snow also addressed a group called America’s Community Bankers, notably saying, “I can’t imagine an America without community bankers, and I deeply appreciate what you do.”

A Treasury spokesman explained that this month’s schedule was light because the secretary was supposed to be in Africa, on a trip that was canceled. He also took issue with the notion that Mr. Snow has been out of the spotlight, arguing that the secretary has indeed been vocal lately on a number of pressing issues.

To the untrained eye, however, Mr. Snow is not being pushed as the administration’s finance spokesman, even though there are a number of crucial economic issues being debated. According to Washington insiders who did not wish to be quoted, Mr. Snow agreed last fall to resign, and was expected to step aside earlier this year. A Treasury spokesman declined to comment on the issue. It appears that the White House has simply been too busy to find a replacement. Among those mentioned to possibly take his place is Chief of Staff Andrew Card. The administration may have concluded that the timing for advancing Mr. Card’s career was poor, and decided to wait for a bit.

All things considered, it seems a mistake not to have a vocal and influential secretary of the Treasury. It’s not as though there’s no interest in the economy. The new chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, has become a veritable financial chatterbox his first few weeks in office. His every comment is weighed and evaluated as investors try to determine what the government really thinks about the economy.

There are several reasons why this vacuum in the financial hierarchy is a problem. First, the Bush administration is badly in need of something to crow about. As one Washington observer pointed out, the White House is getting virtually no credit for the strength and stability of the economy. If anyone had projected that America would confront the worst natural disasters in its history, soaring energy prices, and the self induced headwind of 14 interest rate hikes and still produce steady growth in output and in jobs, they would have been laughed out of town.

Clearly, the economy is good news. Almost as clearly, the tax and fiscal policies of the administration can take some credit for the above-average performance. Sadly, with no credible financial spokesman, the Bush team is leaving a good deal of positive public relations on the table.

The loss is more significant than missed spin opportunities, however. If you go on the Treasury Web site, the first thing you’ll see is a description of the department’s duties. The list includes “formulating and recording economic, financial, tax and fiscal policies.” That seems an important set of jobs, doesn’t it? Here are some of those policies that are up for discussion: pension reform, making the tax cuts permanent, and revising the nation’s Social Security program. If the Bush White House wants to deflect a little heat on Iraq, it could focus on furthering its economic agenda.

Let’s review the Social Security situation. Have you ever heard a plan for moving the private savings model forward? Have you ever heard it described in any comprehensible way? According to Washington insiders, legislators in Congress are completely mystified by the administration’s lack of direction on this important task. The White House has seemingly been unable to put together a program for actually creating a bill and moving it through necessary channels, and therefore has made virtually no headway at all.

There actually is a problem with Social Security. Over time, there will be too many people receiving benefits, and too few paying taxes to support the program. The obvious solution lies in moving the retirement age higher, reflecting longer life expectancies, and implementing a wealth or income test designed to weed out people who don’t need Social Security income. That’s how the program will be repaired, and we all know it. The private savings idea is a good one, but the numbers are way too small to have any meaningful impact, and the administration has made a complete hash of trying to explain its virtues. Whatever Mr. Bush’s skills, articulating complex economic concepts is arguably not one of them. Maybe Mr. Snow would have done a better job.

How about making the tax hikes permanent? We know Mr. Snow is supportive of lower taxes, because he says so at nearly every opportunity. He lauded lower tax rates in his 11-line comment on the jobs report, and again before the workers at the Volvo plant.

This is an important goal of this administration at this time. Tax relief targeted at investment returns and capital spending is essential as the economy heads for slower growth and possibly weakening consumer spending. Corporations have been reluctant to spend, given the uncertainties of the past few years and the need to rebuild balance sheets. This is not a topic to delegate to the second string.

Finally, let’s talk about pension reform. Everyone is upset about the tendency of corporations to evade their pension responsibilities through bankruptcy proceedings. Legislation is being considered to shore up the ailing Pension Guarantee Benefit Corporation, whose director, Brad Belt, has just announced his impending departure.

These are serious issues that will impact the economy in America going forward. As will trade agreements, and health care costs. The Bush administration is making a serious mistake by not showcasing a credible, smart, and articulate Treasury secretary. A Snow job is not enough.