Idea of businessmen presidents better than reality By Luke Perry
Pundits have struggled to find a good historical match for Donald Trump compared to previous presidents. A more helpful comparison may be similarly inexperienced and charismatic GOP businessmen candidates, such as Ross Perot and Herman Cain.
Their basic pitch has broad appeal- government is broken and could be run more efficiently like a business- but governing is not campaigning or business management. Trump’s vanity has plagued his presidency.
Photo from Time
W. Bush didn’t concern himself with inaugural crowd sizes and conspiracy theories after a narrower victory and much scrutiny. Trump’s belief that Democrats would applaud James Comey’s firing was staggeringly miscalculated; his disclosure of highly classified information to Russian diplomats stunningly reckless.
Perot’s charts, Cain’s 9-9-9 tax plan, and Trump’s branding (“Crooked Hillary,” “Lyin Ted,” etc.) were simple and direct. Now America is experiencing what a Ross Perot presidency would have been like. The abstract idea is much better than the reality.
Luke Perry (@PolSciLukePerry) is Professor of Government at Utica College
