Would Donald Trump make a good U.S. President?

NO, he may be good at business, but would make a poor politician.

I think he might do alright in the Presidents seat. Maybe he would have a better chance of balancing the budget.

He isn’t even a good businessman! Our country is already seen as a joke thanks to the last clown-president. What we need is someone who can work with others, not try to manhandle them.

The president is the head of the executive branch which is deals with the military. Trump has no military experience. Trump would not be a good president. Boom, syllogism.

He has good ideas. That’s a good start.

He couldn’t do any worse than the current President.

No, because he is a completely selfish, biased, greedy, annoying, media-hungry, agenda-based person with a monumental ego and a problem with being honest (infidelity). And those are the worst people to become presidents.

I mean look at his hairpiece. He probably can’t even look himself in the mirror without it. Sad.

NOOO.. he’s a businessman not a politician.. a country is not a business as much as some people like to think it is.

All you need is executive experience and confidence.
The President is not Caeser.
Why not Trump? Truman was a haberdasher .
Anyway, he couldn’t be any more clueless than the current or the previous President.

He’s greedy, selfish, and power hungry.. I can hardly see how anybody like that can possibly do anything good for the American people.. you have to actually want to help someone other than yourself in order to be a good president.

@kheredia
They are all greedy, selfish and power hungry. Why do you think they find it so easy to spend your money and still sleep at night?

@josie I’m going to have to disagree with you.. President Obama did not come from the wealthiest 2% percent.. he actually came from the real America.. Mr. Trump has no clue what real Americans need.. If there is any hope for a president to do something that will benefit the real Americans it sure as hell won’t come from someone who has been fed with a golden spoon all his life.

he is too strict and unforgiving….so not until he gets some counseling… He has great self confidence as a plus

I can’t believe I even put an answer into this discussion. I can’t believe this is even a discussion.

….....Wait, yes I can.

I am willing to entertain the idea. I think he has a deep love of our country, and I think he would be less controlled by the party than most possible candidates. I like that he hates OPEC, is suspicious of the Saudi’s, is disgusted by the unfair trade balance, and knows the men in business in other countries who laugh at us, amd what they say.

He has withheld his views on social issues, as far as I know, like abortion, gay marriage, etc., so we don’t know where he stands on that. Even if he was not in line with my views, if he was willing to table those issues and veto anything trying to limit rights, I would consider him?

From what I remember he is a Republican, although, he does not follow the drumbeat of the Republicans, he simply identiies with them, and is a registered Republican, unless I remember incorrectly. Would he run as a Republican? If so, I can’t see him winning a primary. I don’t think he would run at all in actuallity. I don’t think he would win against Obama. I don’t think he could win as an independent. You never know though. Seems Romney is looking like a front runner again, and he could go head to head with Romney in many ways. Also, if Bloomberg ran, I doubt he will, then I think he would have a much better chance than Trump, and it would be pointless fot Trump to run, except for the fact that Bloomberg would likely run as an independent.

@talljasperman Where do you get strict and unforgiving from? I don’t find that to be true at all from what I have observed. Not that I really know him, I only know what I see on TV.

@JLeslie he has made it very clear that he does not favor gay marriage, and seeing as he is a conservative republican, he is most likely anti-abortion as well.

@kheredia FDR was born into wealth and served the Republic reasonably well. George Washington was very wealthy. So was Jefferson and Kennedy.
What are you talking about?

@kheredia Bush came from wealth also. Somehow he had people believing he was a good ol’ country boy, even though he went to Harvard like Kerry and Obama and others. Just that makes Republicans look stupid as a group unfortunately, part of the party extremely negative about the northeasten educated politicians. I firmly believe Trump cares about all of our citizens, and has shown himself to respect people at all levels. People who sweep floors to CEO’s. He respects a strong work ethic, and understands how every part of an organization matters.

@JLeslie Will you please post some links providing documentation of Donald’s alleged care and respect?

@ladymia69 He consistently states he is family first, his children agree although he was a busy man he always took their calls, even if he was meeting with important clients. He believes in second chances, and looks for the good in people. He does have zero tolerance for things like drugs and alcohol, especially drunk driving and things like that, but seems to allow the person to straighten out their lives, and start anew. And, disloyalty would be a big no no he would not tolerate. He was recently on Oprah, I am trying to see if the full episode on line, but having trouble. Where he worked along side witha bellboy and maid at one of his hotels. He spoke of respecting all people. I’ll try to look for some other links.

Why do you thik it isn’t true, because he says, “you’re fired,” on the apprentice? You assume he must be an asshole because he is rich? I don’t want to put words in your mouth, tose are just things I have heard before.

No, I don’t think so.

I don’t even think he makes a very good Donald Trump, for starters.

@JLeslie Disloyalty is a big thing he does not tolerate? He cheated on his first wife with socialite Marla Maples…does that not count as disloyalty?

@JLeslie I think it isn’t true because of the reasons I posted above (did you read my post?) , observations of his behavior that I have read and watched over time. Not the reasons you are thinking of.

@ladymia69 Of course it counts as disloyal. But, disloyal to a wife does not necessarily translate to disloyal in business. Plus, as I said he believes in second chances. He does not walk around saying he was a better husband than others, and holier than thou. The hypocrisy is usually what bothers people most on things like that.

@ladymia69 Yes, I read your post. Probably most high level politicans have some of all of that in them.

He has a touching problem in that he won’t shake hands, and that could affect foreign policy somewhat, even if the other dignitary were briefed about it prior to a meeting. Imagine if he were to campaign and he didn’t glad-hand the constituents. Bad form. Bad form, indeed. Especially since the reason why we shake hands to begin with is a vestige of checking to see if the other guy has a weapon, so we associate being able to shake hands with the first level of trusting behaviours.

He has a thing about catching the germs of people that he doesn’t know and /or want to have sex with. I saw this first hand during my uni internship. He came to the set one day and refused to shake anyone’s hand, including the boss, but the boss knew this about him already and didn’t try to touch him.

He’s not quite the “great businessman” that everyone thinks he is (or that he has tried to portray). He has had to twice file for bankruptcy, and each time he has somehow walked away unscathed by negotiating a good deal for himself. If any successful businessman were to run, I wish it were Warren Buffett or Michael Bloomberg, but alas, they seem to know better.

@aprilsimnel He has a fear of getting sick from shaking hands, but always shakes hands when appropriate, and required. He would always follow ettiquette. He is not extremely phobic about it, just pissed someone who is sick doesn’t give a shit about spreading their germs. He said if he shakes hands and then realizes the person is sick, for the next three days he has in the back of his mind that he is waiting to see if he comes down with it. I am similar to him. He is not a an obsessive hand washer, he does not obsess about getting “germs” on his hands, he is just a little obsessed about getting illness causing germs on his hands.

@aprilsimnel However, I do agree that while campaigning the idea of shaking all of those hands in a crowd or holding a baby might be daunting to him. Might be a real deterent. But, if elected, meeting with heads of state would not be a problem in my opinion. He meets and does business with big businessmen around the world and meets political leaders now.

Haven’t we elected failed businessmen to the Presidency before? I don’t think it worked last time.

I think he would do at least as goo a job as our current presidink. He might not take quite so many vacations, he’s already been to all those places.

@JLeslie – I didn’t know he talked about it. Well, bully for him!

Aside from that, I don’t think Trump has sufficient gravitas to be president. I think he’s too vulgar, even for us, and is seen by many people as a joke. Obama may have a sense of humour, but he gave his serious side first, plus he had bona fides by serving in another capacity before he ran for president, as has just about every president before him.

For Trump to run without having served in any government office makes me think he’s running solely to further his ego and not because he cares about what happens to the country.

@aprilsimnel I don’t think he will run, or if he did I doubt he could win. I would worry about lack of experience in politics, I worried about that with Obama’s limited experience. But, Trump knows the heavy hitters, and probably knows the wheeling and dealing that does go on, since he himself probably is in on it now. I’m not trying to argue for people to support him, just giving my opinion.

He does openly talk about his dislike for shaking hands if someone asks him. I have seen him answer questions about it more than once. It stuck with me, because I feel so similarly. I have seen him several times on Larry King and Morning Joe talking politics and I think he is great. I am not sure if he would be effective, but I like how independently he seems to think on issues. I don’t always agree with him, but he seems to be forthright with information that others would not be.

@JLeslie I don’t know, with all the intimate knowledge you have about him, you could maybe write to him and ask to be his press secretary or PR person. He needs somebody to make his public image appear less laughable.

No, I dont do not think he would make a good president. Somehow, I could still see him being the president of our country though.

Why? Because Sarah Palin has been labeled the village idiot and yet still manages to become a millionaire. She’s still on television, isn’t she?

Also, in this country it took not only an earthquake but a tsunami in Japan to keep Charlie freaking Sheen out of the headlines for twenty minutes.

At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised with we somehow elected Kim Jong Il himself president of our country.

I digress. Trump? Thumbs down.

@JLeslie do you know any celebrities apart from T.V. ... I sure don’t T.V. is all most people have

No. It’s a myth that you can run countries like you run a business.

I think a bigger myth, though, is the idea that a president “runs the country”. I’m surprised to see you buying into that one, @mattbrowne.

@ladymia69 I don’t think you have seen him in many interviews. You are going on image I think, instead of listening to him respond directly to questions. What shows do you watch for politics? Have you seen him talk about the current issues?

@lleslie He was on a local radio show talking issues.

@12Oaks And, I see you at least liked his ideas, or that he seems to be thinking about the issues. That was the one thing I really disliked about Palin, I didn’t think she gave a damn or took any interest in international geopolitics before McCain asked her to run with him, and then it felt like cramming all night for a test to me. I actually don’t think Pain is stupid, just ignorant on those topics. But, I digress. Do you live with @ladymia69? Is that why you responded?

I have no idea who that is, I just responded to your comment. And please don’t think I am a Trump supporter.

@WasCy – In modern terms “running a country” involves modern leadership styles, separation of powers, decentralized political power and citizen empowerment.

@12Oaks I wasn’t assuming you are a supporter. I would not say I am a supporter, which now I realize it might be assumed I am. I just think Trump is more than a bad hairstyle and power seeking. I think he does have a bad hairstyle and is power seeking, but I also think he has something to contribute in terms of knowledge and ideas for national and internatiomal issues. Personally, I would prefer him off to the side in politics, talking on shows as he has done lately, and maybe being consulted from a business perspective when the government is discussing fair trade, and even oil.

A world leader should have a moral compass. I see no evidence of one in Trump.

There is no such thing as a “good” U.S. president. The presidency itself is a corrupt office completely in the employ of powerful interest groups. Trump will fail to achieve this office, however, because it’s too obvious that he is the embodiment one of those interest groups. That will cost him support with Republikan Party insiders who feel the need to project a populist/retarded image to the cretins who vote in Republikan primaries. What Republikans will probably look for in their next candidate is an affable stooge like Reagan or G. W. Bush who will do favors for connected interest groups without really having a clearly defined understanding or ideological purpose for doing so. Assuming primary voters don’t ruin it for them, as they did in 2008 with McCain (and McCain indirectly did with Palin), a victory will allow them to finally dispense with the “TEA Party” charade.

But it may no matter so much. They’re obviously power-hungry, and would prefer the White House back, but they probably don’t mind Obama as much as they let on. He’s essentially a Republican from yesteryear, and a combination of obstruction and negotiation has allowed much of the Republikan agenda to go forward.

The President is just a puppet on a string and is controlled by those powerful money bankers of the world. Like the Federal Reserve.

It’s largely controlled by a constellation of military, industrial, financial, and commodity interests. Financial is probably one of the least bad.

I agree. Who gives a damn who the president is. You’re a fool if you think anything will change…or that you have any control over what does.

@JLeslie You cannot tell anything about a man by what he says. Observe his actions and you will know all there is to know about what kind of person he is.

It does make something of a difference, but it’s more about damage control than expecting anything good.

It has gone beyond where we can fix it or even change the outcome. Things are going to have to go a certain way and it won’t matter at all who is in authority because we have gone past the point of no return.Things will happen now as they have been foretold and it will begin to increase until all things wrap up and the world evolves. So my answer to your question is Donald Trump, Bill Gates and anyone will do the same job as any other it is set in stone now.

@ladymia69 I can sort of tell if he has a brain in his head or not by what he says. You’re right, just because someone is smart does not mean they have the integrity we might want, but some people seem to think “family values” is more important than smart. That bothers me. I am not assuming any such thing about you, Of course these things are not mutually exclusive, we can seek smart, and integrity, and morals, all at once. But, when I hear people say having a Harvard education is a negative, I just don’t get it. I read an article about how some southerners hate the idea of their children going to a northeast Ivy League, that was shocking to me.

@JLeslie And highly disturbing. It’s almost like they want to keep their kids a certain shade of stupid. Education is a pretty neutral indicator, really. If someone has a degree from an Ivy league school, it isn’t really an indicator of much…they could go in any direction; there have been thousands of famous examples to attest to that fact. I mean, W. Bush went to Yale (and we all know how he got there, and what he did while he was there.). Intelligence is good, but I admire a warm heart, and someone who isn’t afraid to speak to and cater to the people in the middle and lower classes, and the impoverished, the ones who make up most of this nation. I am fed up with these ass-kissers who cater to the rich.

@ladymia69 I have a problem with the ass-kissers who cater to the rich also. Trump may be rich minded I’ll call it, but I would wonder how he really feels about people earning a decent wage, and healthcare, etc. I have no idea how he thinks on these topics. I have only heard him talk about the Middle East, China, trade, 9/11 and OPEC if I remember correctly. Warren Buffet and Bill Gates are in favor of higher taxes for better schools, balancing the budget, and supporting scientific research, etc. Trump, I would guess is less enthusiastic about taxation, but I really am not sure, just a guess.

True education is not necessarily a reliable indicator of how smart or capable someone is. But, as a generalization, it takes a good GPA and some commitment to get into and through Harvad or Yale. Just by being there you are going to learn something. Best of all, it is a positive on your resume, unless maybe you live in Po Dunk below the Mason Dixon Line. Even then, assuming you are pursuing a job typically sought by a Harvard grad, the people running those companies, even in the south, would likely consider the degree impressive.

That article I had read quoted a young man who said he was kind of treated like a sell out going to Harvard by his home town community. He went on o say that he was one of the people right of center of his peers while at Harvard, but he loved that people would discuss issues, were interested to hear his opinions. That is my biggest gripe in the south, people many times don’t even want to hear the opposing side.

Nah, I think it’s that way everywhere.

@ladymia69 Meaning people don’t want to hear all sides of the issue everywhere? You’re wrong. No matter where you go sure there are some people who want to have a discussion, and some who don’t. But, some parts of the country are more likely to enjoy debate, want to understand the thought process behind an opinion. Just culturally, think about it, the old joke get 10 rabbis in a room and you get 10 different interpretations; then think Evangelical, don’t think, follow the book, don’t question, right and wrong, black and white, no room for grey. Just right there, totally different atitudes those two groups are raised with. Northeast, Cali, Miami, lots of Jews, compared with the bible belt. Of course I am making generalizations, I don’t mean every Jew is the same or every Evangelical is the same, but I am just saying in general as a group.

I don’t think you can really generalize about any particular area. I live in the South and there are as many close-minded people as there are people breaking out of the mold. I don’t think you have a very comprehensive idea of what the South is like.

@ladymia69 I live outside of Memphis. Used to live in Raleigh, NC. And, I have lived in MI, MD, NY, and FL. Have you lived outside of SC? I am not saying there are not any open minded people in the south, I am just talking averages.

Yes. I have lived in Iowa, NC, FL, and SC. No matter where you go there are people who are completely stuck in their own opinion.

What part of FL?

Jacksonville.

@ladymia69 Jacksonville is still the south, and still the bible belt. Iowa I guess might get you out of the bible belt, enough Catholics there I think for it to have some influence, probably depends on the city.

@JLeslie Sigh. I guess you are worldly enough to know how everyone thinks everywhere. I cede to your sphere of knowledge.

@ladymia69 I never said that. I am generalizing, which means I know not everyone will fit my generalization. Everyone has their own mind, and is an individual.

Generalizing is boring.

Just thought I would come back and say I am disgusted Trump has brought back the birther discussion. I saw him on The View and he had an opportunity to speak to a lot of women who may not have seen him on other political shows about his business and international knowledge, and he fucked it up. Very dissappointing.

If that is all we need than I know several people who would make a great president. They never filed bankruptcy and are very personable. Personally, Donald isn’t personable to me. He is an obnoxious blow hard and lets not forget all his bankruptcies. He isn’t rich. He’s in the same predicament as the rest of the US. He owes more than he makes. Banks just can’t afford to shut him out because they would like to see some of their money come back. That is what happens when you owe tons of money. I just wish the man would go back to the carnival side show he escaped from. Somewhere there is a carnival side show missing a huge, badly wigged buffoon.
Oh, wait there are carnival shows with him as the King buffoon and his fellow carnvial clowns.
Guess he’s not missing. :D

Some comedians would love him to say that is running because he is so ridiculous. That is not good

He just had egg on his face (april 27) because the birth certificate disproved his claim, and yet he says “I am proud of myself” blah blah blah No shame. Just one of many reasons.

@flo we already knew he has no shame and is delusional because he wears that godawful excuse-for-a-hairpiece.

delusional because he thinks it makes him look good.

Well since he’s all up on President Obama’s personal business and he already showed his birth certificate, I want to know when Trump is going to show his income tax forms.. Didn’t he say he would show them once President Obama showed his birth certificate? So bring it Trump.. let us be all up on your business now.. hahaha!!

@ladymia69 . The fact that Obama’s goes on all these shows (raising the shows’ profiles) is far far from helping. It reduces the office of the presidency and it reduces him.

I don’t watch TV or pay attention to the president, so I have no idea what goes on.

@flo Did you mean Obama or did you mean Trump?

@ladymia69 the Obama couple were on Oprah. on The View, Michelle was on Regis and kelly. He has been on Jon Stewart twice. I don’t know where else. Jon Stewart showed the clip where Obama was saying we have better things to do (than to deal with the birth certificate thing) and then he played the clip of when they were on Oprah. So you see? It is sooooo unhelpful I have heard people saying he is looking desperate. Hard to disagree. A president should only be answering questions in a press conference and longer time maybe. Otherwise he is just providing huge free publicity for the networks. Even Rumsfeld on “The View” is wrong, never mind the President. Those offices are too important.
I don’t think Trump is reduced by these let’s just say ungood shows.

I don’t understand your last sentence.

@ladymia69 I don’t like those shows.

@flo I meant with you saying “I don’t think Trump is reduced by [those shows].”

@ladymia69 I have no use for Donald Trump either.

Oh good. I was hoping that’s what you meant. :)