I will never vote for a businessman again.

[lunatica]

Any businessman who runs for office is only thinking of the money. My experience with my business superiors has almost never been positive. Most of them are basically in it for personal wealth.

That’s the reason corporations are what they are. It’s the reason so many people are paid minimum or near minimum wage. It’s the reason unions exist. It’s the reason why social services suffer. It’s the reason poverty, inequality and disenfranchisement exist. It all goes back to doing business.

[meow2u3]

1. Businessmen are generally anti-democratic

They're used to giving orders and expecting that such orders be followed, no questions asked. Some bad bosses even expect the impossible from their subordinates. A me-first business mentality, especially when such business does illegal things, can never translate into running a government of the people.

[Wounded Bear]

2. The US has had several "businessman" Presidents...

generally, they suck.

[Pacifist Patriot]

3. My grandmother once said to me: "A successful businessman...

is a lousy statesman because government is not a business. A lousy businessmen is a disastrous statesman because government is not a business - and he's probably an idiot."

Cannot for the life of me remember who we were talking about since this was probably thirty years ago or more.

[Hekate]

31. Your grandma's right: "business" is a different paradigm from either governance or education...

...something I always think about when some yahoo says we have to run government or education "like a business."

That said, politics is something you learn in the job, and understanding that government is not business is the beginning of wisdom. First, is s/he running as a Dem? Second, does s/he understand the difference?

[hunter]

32. Government is not a business.

Simple, short, and truth.

Conflating business with government never ends well, communist or capitalist, radical left or radical right.

That petty officious technocrat who is telling you your reinforced concrete structure is inadequate, your bank accounts unsound, climate change real, your pharmaceuticals suspect... that dull guy just might be trying to save your worthless pathetic life.

[dchill]

52. +1,000,000.

[Rhiannon12866]

78. And anyone in government who continues to run a "business" as a first priority

Has no business being in government - and is bound to fail at both.

[TheRealNorth]

4. More RW Divide and Conquer trolling

Some RW hack tank probably saw the # of Dem candidate's coming from the business sector and thought this would be a good divisive strategy and unleaded the trolls.

Being a business owner does not automatically make you a bad candidate any more than being a teacher or veteran makes you a good one.

[lunatica]

5. LOL!

Look at my post count and call me a troll again!

[JHan]

6. first time I've seen you called a troll.

this is a momentous occasion.

[TheRealNorth]

29. It's pretty obvious

For example, Here in MN, we have 2 Democrats running in competitive Congressional races (MN 02- Angie Craig and MN 03 Dean Phillips) who happen to also be business people.

And then you come into a Dem website talking about how you are not going to vote for business people. Do you think keeping those seats staying red is the better option, which is what is going to happen if people follow your lead and don't vote for Democrats because they are also business people?

So I really do question your motives because the post itself seems out of nowhere. As others have pointed out, there are business people on the Dems side (and some probably on these boards). The purpose of your post seems unnecessarily divisive, which is how RW and Putin trolls operate.

[lunatica]

40. You don't know me at all

Being clueless is your choice to make though. More power to you.

[oberliner]

46. Happens to the best of us

Even with 50,000+ posts.

[LanternWaste]

14. I'm not convinced you know what the word 'troll' means.

Or 'divide.' Or 'conquer.' Or 'bad candidate.' Or 'divisive.' Or 'strategy.'

On the plus side, your use of "saw", "from" and "being" were accurate.

[oberliner]

48. You are, by far, my favorite poster on DU currently

Whenever I log in, it is with the hope that you have responded to one of my posts.

And, luckily for me, quite often you have!

I hope others to whom you respond appreciate you as much as I do.

[Caliman73]

30. Welcome to DU. We do nuance here.

There is a difference between being a business owner and a businessman. Business owners are typically people who wanted to provide a service, work for themselves rather than for a corporation, and then perhaps have become successful enough to consider the cost and sacrifice it takes to run for public office.

Businesmen (and this includes women as well) are often people who are CEO's of major corporations or of family businesses (Koch Industries) that think that running an administration is "just like running a business".

I am sure that there are business owners that have become decent public servants. There has not been a Businessman that has ever been a good President.

You are correct that being in a certain profession doesn't translate into being good or bad at anything else. The problem is, as I stated, that when you have the mindset of a CEO, who is adapted to making decisions based on maximizing profit and that is how you plan to approach government (efficiency and profit) then you have already dug yourself a hole. Government does not exist to turn a profit. While efficiency and cutting waste is important, government is not designed to be efficient, it should be designed to administer the public good and general welfare to the most constituents possible. Sometimes constituent groups have VERY different ideas about what that means and priorities pull you in many different directions. A good President has to know when to lead personally and when to surround themselves with the most qualified team of advisers and and cabinet positions and LET THEM DO THEIR JOB.

Democrats as a matter of history (especially in modern times) understand that the above is the function of government, whereas Republicans think that government exists only to secure the ability of businesses to maximize profits. They say that when businesses do well, the fruits of labor are spread out (by some miracle) to the populace. They are full of shit. As we have seen, when big business does well, the major shareholders do very well, the CEOs and vice presidents do well, but the average worker and society as a whole does not.

That is what is meant by "not voting for any businessman".

[bitterross]

7. Governments are NOT businesses. They have different purposes.

There is a basic fundamental difference between a business and government. One exists for profit, the other exists for the people who agree to be governed.

The rules are different and the businessmen do not adjust properly. Even if Trump actually was a good business person that would be no guarantee he could ever be a good President.

[lunatica]

8. Trump drives that truth home on a daily basis

His bad ass self promoting isn’t working so well now.

[NewJeffCT]

9. Donald Trump, George W Bush and Herbert Hoover

the last three "businessmen" that were president.

Three of the worst presidents in US history

[appalachiablue]

15. +1 Thanks for noting the worst 3 'businessmen' presidents.

[marybourg]

34. Harry Truman (albeit a failed businessman)

and Jimmy Carter (peanut farm, definitely a business)

[NewJeffCT]

35. Truman and Carter

did not run on their business acumen. Hoover, W and Trump did.

[marybourg]

79. I don't know that you're correct

vis-a-vis Truman. I think he presented himself as a self-made businessman.

[xxqqqzme]

36. Truman and Carter

were also veterans. President Carter has said he was planning on making the Navy a career but his father's health/death dictated otherwise.
Hoover, W and king con no military service.

[demigoddess]

10. most of the business men I have known up close, were losers. Lost their businesses,

many times for the dumbest reasons.

[ZeroSomeBrains]

11. Exactly

This goes too for if Bloomberg decides to try and run again. They only care about self-aggrandizement.

[PatSeg]

12. And look at Scott Walker

He certainly made money off of being governor of Florida.

And then there is Mitt Romney, though I think he was drawn to the power of presidency.

[LisaM]

13. And Snyder, in Michigan.

He's a terrible governor.

[PatSeg]

39. Oh yes, he is awful!

[clementine613]

44. Thank you for making me ineligible.

After all, I've worked in private industry for the past twenty five years. Customer service, sales, IT work.

[MagickMuffin]

19. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker

FL has Rick Scott

Easy to mix up since they are cookie cutter political hacks.

[PatSeg]

38. I know

I mix them up frequently. So confusing.

[QED]

23. And Ducey in Arizona

He knows ice cream.

He's a Kris Kobach clone, a Scott Walker wannabee, a Koch puppet.

[mainer]

28. And Paul LePage, Maine

worst and nastiest governor ever.

[PatSeg]

37. Oops

I meant Rick Scott!

[rurallib]

17. While I generally share your view, our candidate for governor

Fred Hubbell is million times better than his opponent non-business person and Koch subsidiary Kim Reynolds (Iowa).

Never say never. Reynolds and predecessor Terry Branstad have thrown a huge "fuck you" to this state that must be corrected.

[VOX]

18. A democracy cannot be run like a private business.

A democracy requires checks and balances, so no one person or group has undue power over another, which Republicans have already done, and it’s ripping the country asunder.

A private business is by nature authoritarian. You don’t like someone or something, snap your fingers, it’s gone. Something shady needs money thrown at it, do it. As long as the board of directors approves, bingo, it is so.

Try running a representative democracy that way — and you suddenly have no democracy.

[StevieM]

20. Tom Steyer isn't thinking about money, he is thinking about saving the planet from climate change.

And he will absolutely get my vote in 2020.

I hope you plan on voting for him if he wins the Democratic nomination.

[lunatica]

41. I've supported him from the beginning

Yeah. I like and admire him.

[BumRushDaShow]

21. The current (D) Governor of PA owned a business

which had been established by his family over a 175 years ago, although he did eventually cash out of it, but still kept some non-financial ties. However he takes no salary from the state of PA nor does he live in the Governor's mansion, and as I understand it, he still drives his own jeep to work. He is definitely a strong progressive.

Moral of story - there are a few out there who "get it".

[TryLogic]

22. I agree with or accept almost everything that has been posted here.

Business and government are not the same and have very different goals.

Businesses are authoritarian structures. This makes business "men" dangerous to democracy.

Trump is the ultimate power/demand loyalty/self serving/profiteering business critter.

Be very careful when voting for a business "man".

Also, similar warning regarding highly religious folks. Their agendas are often religion based. Their organizations tend to be authoritarian -- they have a GOD in charge. And their objectives are based on religious dogma.

Be very careful when voting for a strongly religious person.

[lunatica]

42. I completely agree with you!

[seta1950]

24. trump is no businessman

He’s a conman who has at least 4 bankruptcies🙄

[pansypoo53219]

25. the moron is basically a high level custodian.

[maxsolomon]

26. Which businessman did you vote for?

Perot?

[lunatica]

43. No. I voted for Clinton

[maxsolomon]

67. so... you've never voted for a businessman, then?

I voted for a woman that has her own Urban Planning firm for Seattle Mayor.

I guess that's a "businessperson".

[Laura PourMeADrink]

27. I mainly know banking. There are definitely checks and balances

in that they answer to the board and to regulators.

But, after operating according to regulations, the prime focus is making money and keeping expenses down. The secondary focus is keeping the client happy which is done by trying to keep employees happy.

Being kind, and dignified and caring about people's welfare is a personal trait, IMHO.

Trump did whatever he wanted. He avoided taxes by seeking abatements and refused to pay casino taxes in NJ. He never had to answer to stockholders. He probably paid off inspectors. He didn't even have to act in a dignified way in his private life.

I would say, he wasn't even really a true businessman at all. Just a shyster skirting anything in his way.

[FreeRunning]

45. Indeed

Agree 100%

[gopiscrap]

80. welcome to DU

[SMC22307]

47. Ridiculous. Governor Tom Wolf (D) of Pennsylvania...

is a "businessman" and from what I hear he's doing a good job and leading his R opponent by double-digits.

[lunatica]

50. It's understood there are exceptions.

[SMC22307]

77. It's not understood in the least -- your OP is quite emphatic. (n/t)

[fescuerescue]

49. Jimmy Carter was a businessman

Id vote for him again.

I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with business and corporations.

Except for a stent on unemployment, my paychecks have come from businesses.

Heck the only reason that I work is for personal "wealth". (I use wealth in quotes since for me it just means groceries, rent, etc)

[lunatica]

51. I'd vote for him again too

He’s the furthest thing from the kind of businessman I’m referring too. Also he was much more than a businessman. He was a farmer who would have made the Navy his career, except for the death of his father.

[SCantiGOP]

57. He was a businessman

Your OP clearly says that you would have opposed him.
Your simplistic slur of an entire class of citizens is not what the Democratic Party stands for.

[lunatica]

58. Do you want links to my opinions too?

Among intelligent people nuance is implied.

[Caliman73]

68. You can refer them to my post #30.

Agreed. There are thousands upon thousands of decent, ethical, and generous people in the US who run businesses. There are even CEO's of major corporations who are likely decent and ethical people who might be good leaders. That is not who you were referring to. When a person has spent their life maximizing profit and approaches government like is is just another business, then they are very likely to be a poor government leader.

[lunatica]

71. Thanks! I really appreciate you taking the time to add your thoughts here! N/T

[Meadowoak]

53. Never voted for a businessman and never will!

[dlk]

54. Government and Business Operate Differently

A skill set in one doesn’t necessarily translate well to the other.

[dawg]

55. I own a business, but I understand the difference between running a business ...

and running a government.

I don't think it's a good idea to paint any class of citizens with such a broad brush. We're not all little "Trumps".

[lunatica]

60. My OP was not meant to be a treatise or all that fact based

It was an expression of frustration. But that should have been pretty obvious and was for most of the readers.

Having said that if there was nothing else known about any candidate except that he or she was a businessman, which happens a lot in local elections, I would not vote for them. Period.

[IronLionZion]

56. You're thinking of Republicans

Dems are more likely than Repubs to put people over profit. Trump is a prime example of all that is wrong with the GOP mentality.

There are plenty of liberal Dems in office who were business owners, especially at the congressional or local level.

US Senator Mark Warner co-founded Nextel wireless.
The Kennedys made their fortune in finance and real estate and other businesses.
Al Gore went into business after leaving politics.
JB Pritzker, running for governor of Illinois as a Dem, is of the family that owns the Hyatt hotel chain.

It takes money to run for office and win. Maybe we need campaign finance reform so that more middle class candidates can compete. And maybe we need public housing for congresspeople to stay in DC if they can't afford 2 homes.

[lunatica]

62. I'm thinking of a certain type of mentality

That is attracted to politics with their personal gain being the motivator. History is replete with them. In the same measure as wars, which are started by greedy people for self gain. People who never see battle themselves.

[ck4829]

59. K&R

[Efilroft Sul]

61. Business executives look at everything as a cost.

For example, you as a citizen and the vital programs you rely on are costs.

And costs can be cut.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

63. Frank Lautenberg and Herb Kohl were businessmen and reliable Democrats.

[lunatica]

64. Exceptions implied

I was referring to first timers mostly.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

65. We need to encourage businessmen and businesswomen to have social consciences.

Doing well and doing good shouldn't be mutually exclusive.

[lunatica]

66. We can encourage all we want

In the end, if you are of responsible age then you are accountable for your own thinking and actions or non actions. The hate in your heart is only yours.

[brooklynite]

69. How many Democratic challengers for the House/Senate are you excluding?

[lunatica]

72. Oh please!

As far as I know there aren’t any Democrats running who are doing it solely to get rich.

I wasn’t writing a damn treatise in case you didn’t notice.

[brooklynite]

75. You didn't say you wouldn't vote for someone who wants to get rich...

You said you wouldn't vote for any businessperson, because your stereotype says that every businessperson wants to get rich.

Meet J.B. Pritzger, our candidate for Governor of Illinois:

I’m an entrepreneur.

Not all that long ago, Illinois was way behind when it came to creating technology jobs — and we were missing out on the high-paying jobs those businesses create. I led the creation of a non-profit small business incubator called 1871, which in the last five years is responsible for creating 7,000 new jobs in Illinois, and we’re now ranked among the top ten tech hubs in the world.

Meet Cindy Axne, our candidate in IA-3

Following her graduation from the University of Iowa, Cindy worked in strategic planning and leadership development for the Tribune Company in Chicago and earned an MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. She and her husband John later moved to Wisconsin, where they started their small business. When their sons were 3 and 1, Cindy and John moved back to Iowa to raise their family in her home town.

Meet Jayne Reybould, our candidate for Senate in Nebraska:

A fourth generation Nebraskan, Jane Raybould helps run the grocery business her parents started more than 53 years ago. B & R Stores Inc and its 19 locations of Super Saver and Russ’s Markets across the state employ more than 2,000 Nebraskans and was one of the very first employee-owned companies in the state of Nebraska. As Vice President and Director of Buildings and Equipment, Jane oversees the company’s capital investments and all real estate developments, remodels and construction, and property management.

[Agschmid]

73. Disagree.

[lunatica]

74. That's fine with me

I was just venting my frustration mostly.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

76. Jimmy Carter, Harry Truman

Jimmy Carter
....

Farming

Earl Carter died a relatively wealthy man, having also recently been elected to the Georgia House of Representatives. However, between his forgiveness of debts and the division of his wealth among heirs, his son Jimmy inherited comparatively little. For a year, Jimmy, Rosalynn, and their three sons lived in public housing in Plains; Carter is the only U.S. president to have lived in subsidized housing before he took office. Carter was knowledgeable in scientific and technological subjects, and he set out to expand the family's peanut-growing business. The transition from Navy to agribusinessman was difficult because his first-year harvest failed due to drought; Carter was compelled to open several bank lines of credit to keep the farm afloat. Meanwhile, he also took classes and read up on agriculture while Rosalynn learned accounting to manage the business's books. Though they barely broke even the first year, the Carters grew the business and became quite successful.

Harry S. Truman
....

Truman was born in Lamar, Missouri, and spent most of his youth on his family's 550-acre farm near Independence. In the last months of World War I, he served in combat in France as an artillery officer with his National Guard unit. After the war, he briefly owned a haberdashery in Kansas City, Missouri, and joined the Democratic Party and the political machine of Tom Pendergast.
....

Early life and career
....

After graduating from Independence High School in 1901, Truman enrolled in Spalding's Commercial College, a Kansas City business school; he studied bookkeeping, shorthand, and typing, but left after a year. He made use of his business college experience to obtain a job as a timekeeper on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, sleeping in hobo camps near the rail lines. He then took on a series of clerical jobs, and was employed briefly in the mail room of The Kansas City Star. Truman and his brother Vivian later worked as clerks at the National Bank of Commerce in Kansas City; one of their coworkers, who also lived in the same rooming house, was Arthur Eisenhower, the brother of Dwight and Milton. Truman returned to the Grandview farm in 1906, where he lived until entering the army in 1917 after the beginning of the Great War. During this period, he courted Bess Wallace; he proposed in 1911, but she turned him down. Truman later said he intended to propose again, but he wanted to have a better income than that earned by a farmer. To that end, during his years on the farm and immediately after World War I, he became active in several business ventures, including a lead and zinc mine near Commerce, Oklahoma, a company that bought land and leased the oil drilling rights to prospectors, and speculation in Kansas City real estate. Truman occasionally derived some income from these enterprises, but none proved successful in the long term.

Truman is the most recent and only president since William McKinley (elected in 1897) who did not earn a college degree. In addition to having briefly attended business college, from 1923 to 1925 he took night courses toward an LL.B. at the Kansas City Law School (now the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law), but dropped out after losing reelection as county judge. He was informed by attorneys in the Kansas City area that his education and experience were probably sufficient to receive a license to practice law. However, he did not pursue it, because he won election as presiding judge.

[ecstatic]

81. Too much of a broad brush, IMO.

Take each candidate on a case by case basis.

[Whiskeytide]

82. I get what you're saying, but ...

... i think it depends on the business - case by case. I might propose that it would be more accurate to say that we should never vote for a candidate that intends to run government “like a business”. Even to suggest it demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of what government is and should be.

But we should always be suspicious of politicians from the corporate world generally. Like republicans, corporatists despise government, don’t respect it, and want it to fail. I think this is the reason trump's Admin is so corrupt. They look down on government and the responsibility it requires.