This is just one more slash & burn piece to feed the envy driven "let's Trash Trump" frenzy. One of the most basic rules for entrepreneurs is that on average out of every 10 new ventures, 5 will fail, 3 will break even and the remaining two will be successful enough to more than offset the 5 losers. A good entrepreneur keeps trying new ideas, unfazed by the expected majority failures (which one will close down without hesitation) in the knowledge that the more ventures one launches, the more these statistics will work in ones favor. Here is a more balanced review of some of Mr. Trump's failures and successes. Look at the profits generated by the winners and one can readily see why he's way ahead over-all. http://time.com/3988970/donald-trump-...

Please excuse confusing typo above. It should have said:
Trump's failures are NOT from many years ago followed by a string of successes.

Can I say human without being called "speciesist"? I would hate to offend any worms.

There are a lot better choices of producers who have a record of success without looting.
Gary Johnson is one good example, and he is running for president, too.

What -ist does this describe?
"sustained himself financially by working "

I see that, but I would like to see a level of competence. Someone who can build things. The majority of our leaders, educated at the top schools, would probably be unable to profitably run a hot dog stand.

Senator George McGovern, after he left office went into business -- and actually learned something.

"After two and a half years that mixed pleasure and satisfaction with the loss of all my earnings from nearly a decade of post-Senate lecture tours, I gave up on the Stratford Inn. But not before learning some painful and valuable lessons."

http://www.inc.com/magazine/19931201/...

Comparing Trump to the losers in the Dem-GOP statist party is no compliment ;^)
otoh there is Gary Johnson running as a libertarian
"While a student at the University of New Mexico in 1974, Johnson sustained himself financially by working as a door-to-door handyman. In 1976 he founded Big J Enterprises, which grew from a one-person venture to become one of New Mexico's largest construction companies"

Keep in mind that Trump was involved in many businesses over the years, these have been cherry-picked as his failures. No one is talking about all of his successes.

I frankly find the idea of building major projects in New York City that are profitable as a very impressive resume. That's an incredibly complex environment to build in. I doubt seriously that any of the candidates could actually do that.

I know what you mean, Mamaemma. Voting for a looter clown who says things he never intends to do will not make things any better. But that is what universal suffrage gets us, sufferage of the productive.

Note that Trump's errors were all immediate without even slight success. Blockbuster was a success for many years. There is no comparison, (unless you want to discuss the rumors that some Blockbusters were washing machines for drug profits.).
Of course I wish government operated like a business... it would be so much smaller given the 95%+ failure rate of its stated objectives.
Sure many businessmen have some failures. they aren't running for president so their failures are not germane. Trump's failures are from many years ago followed my a string of successes. They show he is not a canny businessman, but one who fails and then fails to learn from the failures.

Freedom, today I waited in the checkout line behind a woman who I am pretty sure was an illegal alien, watched her pay for her groceries with an EBT card, then happened to be parked across from her as I was getting in my car. When she saw that I saw her lighting her cigarette, she pointed at me and threw her head back and laughed. The whole incident pissed me off so much, and I thought, now THAT'S why people are voting for Trump. It has nothing to do with his "business acumen". People just feel angry and hopeless.

What we are saying is that frequent failures are a part of business acumen. Recognizing failures is a big part of it as well. Politicians would not waste nearly as much of our money if they had the wisdom to do that.

Sometimes you start a business that meets a market need and later that need goes away. Blockbuster Video was a big business, but technology moved the market away from them. That doesn't mean that it was a bad business to start, just one that had it's market niche evaporate..

Well said.

The office of president is just another Trump experiment in failure at the involuntary expense of taxpayers.

Edison or Kennedy are not relevant since they are not candidates.
Comments are about Trump who claims he will make America great again and touts his business acumen as a reason to support him. He conveniently omits his frequent failures.

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. Thomas Edison.

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy

I am sure you know there are many more. How would you reconcile your comment above to the fact that to be a successful person one must accept there will be failures along the way?

And maybe Donnie shouldn't pretend he is a good businessman, since his track record is so mediocre.
i don't want a president who throws a lot of my money against a wall indiscriminately just to see what sticks. Especially since, as you noted, federal programs that fail are continued forever with larger and larger budgets.
Its clear from the results that there is not much wisdom in Donnie's brilliant operating procedure.

Anyone who actually knows about business knows that if you start a lot of businesses, a bunch of them will fail. According to the linked study, the average lifespan of a new business is 10 years.

So, starting many businesses and failing at a bunch of them does not mean you are a bad businessman. In fact I wish politicians would realize when their programs fail and close them down instead of adding more money.

http://www.businessadministrationinfo...