I have followed Trump for over 30 years ain real estate and have no problem with his intelligence but with his limited content, lack of ability to reason, and lack of morality. He has no morality of self interest. You need to understand the difference between holding oneself as a value in a rational hierarchical system of values and holding oneself as the standard of the good. His negotiating method is the same as mine and is very rational but it does not take a genius to pay attention to the other persons goals.

Rand would not have considered them as 'selfless heroes' but as 'selfish heroes' who have active thinking selves who do not say 'give me' or 'do this form me'. They are self directed, not me directed.

Then he just MAY make a remarkable CiC. We'll have to watch and see...

Unlike some people here, I have followed Trump since even before his days owning the New Jersey Generals. He is not an unknown quantity, and is extremely predictable once you understand his thinking.

What most people don't realize is his propensity for doing things to throw people off track. He is wily like a fox. He does this as a means of disarming his enemies. He has taken the most memorable line from The Godfather, and made it his own. "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

Sainthood would be looked down upon in the Gulch anyway, so I won't ascribe either sainthood or its opposite to him.

Or the worst. He IS an absolute unknown at this point, so I won't ascribe him to sainthood until he proves he's up to the job, doesn't become another Carter or W, or worse, a Roosevelt.

We'll see. I don't think he will be like either a Chamberlain or a Churchill. He will probably be more like Teddy Roosevelt (other than speaking softly - which TR didn't do either), someone whom I have very mixed opinions about but mostly negative.

Trump is a lot more intelligent than you or most people give him credit for.

As for morality, his morality is admittedly not the same as mine. His morality is consistent with what ever is in his self-interest.

Wow, His expertise as you describe it is all psychological and that in no way says he can perceive the facts of reality independently. I don't defeat myself I just make you be more precise.
I am a golf course designer and architect, and his Architecture is terrible. He has never used force but has been adept at political power. The real test is he a Chamberlain or a Churchill? One was a politician who believed he could influence the guy across the table to achieve his goals and the other a great writer and historian who knew he had to crush the other guy. And as Kennedy said, and Sorensen wrote, "Marshaled the English language and sent it into war" and to victory. As Hannah Arendt said, he brought the morality of the 19th century to rescue the 20th.
Trump is puny .but that doesn't mean he cant sign checks and fire people.

We'll see. He could be a Gail Wynand, but he might turn out to be the best US president in 200 years and likely will be at least the second best president in my lifetime.

Being an excellent observer of other people's weaknesses is part of being an excellent observer of reality. Moreover, being an excellent observer of other people's weaknesses is evidence of his being an excellent observer of human nature. You have defeated ... yourself.

He understands force very well. Just because he uses force doesn't mean he doesn't understand it (nor does it mean that I agree with his use of it).

You obviously have never played any of his golf courses, or else you would have a different opinion of his architecture.

We'll see with regard to Trump's foreign policy. Unless America is directly attacked, I think Trump will just let the Syrians kill each other off. If America is directly attacked, he will retaliate very quickly and decisively, albeit probably without sufficient forethought.

Think of him as a Gail Wynand; able to recognize talent and strong personalities but unable to be their moral or intellectual equal. This is when Trump tries to do good and finds out he doesn't know what it is or how to do it.

False: he is an excellent observer of other peoples weaknesses and value to him. He is a terrible observer of reality because he cannot form categories, has no morality, doesn't understand force and thinks knowledge is what is in his head. Syria will be his first test when Assad gives Putin title to land for a vast naval base that will allow the Crimea bases and the Syrian bases to cut Turkey in half for NATO. How will he confront China on the seven bases in the South China Sea and how will he "deal" with Castro.
AS for reality look at his Architecture. Its terrible schlock. He is a bottom feeder in ideas and art. and the reality that can elevate them to greatness.
Russia and Iran have strategic visions that meet in Syria which puts them both on the Mediterranean and splits Turkey. How will he cut a deal with two dictators who share a strategic vision? At worst Trump is just a 4 year obstacle to Putin.

Not that I would ever want to give this newspaper more readership, but I did find a related article here:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...

The Daily 202: Ayn Rand-acolyte Donald Trump stacks his cabinet with fellow objectivists.

Strange website. I hope the link works...

I think that view misses the point of what the book really said. Yes, it is about producers producing and enjoying the fruits of their labor etc. however it also highlights that humanity gains from those benefits as well.

Yes, if CEO's (not so much), inventors and visionaries (more to the point) are allowed to enjoy the benefits of their labors and ideas, and become wealthy because of those efforts, they put forth, all of humanity benefits as well through the creation of jobs and those things that make life better for everyone!

It is when you regulate and tax the producers to the point where there is no good reason to produce that the evil as highlighted in the book becomes evident! Overbearing government helps no one.

The premise is simple yet eloquent and readily apparent to those who understand the nature of overbearing, top down, command and control government and how the masses are manipulated by the thought that one can get something for nothing. Or that wealth is a "zero sum" game.

It is in this context that the contrast between producers and moochers is best demonstrated exacerbated by an overbearing, corrupt and out of touch government.

Therefore, if Tillerson has been so influenced, by this book, then there is hope that the forces of the market can again come into play such as was started in the 1980's where all benefited.

I'm starting to like this guy more and more! I think Atlas is shrugging!

My guess is he has read Fountainhead and others.

Plus he is not part of the CFR. I have heard that he knows Putin thru negotiating deals for XOM. I think that is a good thing. You don't get to be the top dog at ExxonMobil without being brilliant.
I am so happy as I have always wondered why the greatest country in the history of the world never had world class leaders. Now I can witness what this country can really be.

So....how is that relevant to the Sec. of State?

Rand was perfectly within her rights to reject any concepts she deemed unworthy of her approval. Let's hope God returned the courtesy of her views.
I never met Ms. Rand nor had the opportunity to discuss these "concepts" with her,;. you are indeed fortunate...

1) Rand rejected the concept of a deity.
2) Rand did not accept the unearned.

Trump actually is an excellent observer of reality, and especially of human nature.

My favorite movie(s) is the Lord of The Rings trilogy...that doesn't make me any less a realist.

Gotta pin some kind of label on the anti-Left crowd.

A good point for all the Anti-Trumpers to know. Gee, I wonder what Hillary's favorite book is.

Following that, he would then see himself not as Roark, but Thompson (or at least Cuffy Meigs)... looking for James Taggarts and Wesley Mouches as his cabinet appointees and hoping to find a Jim Taggart as SoS... I just don't see that. He may be a tough, no nonsense business man that may not be the worlds most likeable guy, but as to mooching from another to get what he wants? Doesn't seem like his style.

Just my opinions, BTW...

My dogs eat sticks. All the cats within a mile radius realize that I view them as a relaxation means, by watching them do the hurdles in the dryer, and don't hang around.

But they wont know what he means next month. He cant integrate ideas. He said his brain is his best advisor....AR would tell him to use reason and observer reality neither of which is he any good at. He is the ultimate Mr. Thompson, "I told those boys Mr. Galt that you would make a deal."