Business Experience?

What is there about experience in the business world that would lead you to be better qualified to serve as President of the United States? In the business world you do not run for office. In the business world you do not have to win the nomination of a political party. There is no where in the business world where you have to get agreement from a “congress” to implement policies. In the business world the goal is profit and increasing the value of the company. There is no “shareholder equity” when it comes to the job of President. In the business world, the CEO can make decisions who to hire and fire, the number of existing employees, or whether to hire new employees. The President can only make those decisions with regards to White House staff. Many of the President’s personnel decisions also require congressional approval. When Romney touts his MBA and his experience at Bain he needs to be asked just how that experience served him when he was governor of Massachusetts. If you look at his record during his single, four-year term, the state went from 36th in job creation to 47th. Also, Romney raised taxes and fees by $750 million per year -- leading to a higher state and local tax burden of $1,200 for every Bay-Stater. Over his single term, fees at public colleges skyrocketed by 63 percent, and during his first year, K-12 schools saw the second-largest percentage cuts, per student, in the nation. He left the state with the highest deficit in the state’s history. His singular accomplishment in the eyes of citizens of Massachusetts was the healthcare program everyone calls “Romneycare”. President Obama admits that program was successful and many parts of “Obamacare” mirror the Romney healthcare program. Romney, on the other hand, has disavowed “Romneycare” and has said he will repeal “Obamacare” his first day in office. One should also keep in mind that many of today’s economic problems and foreign policy issues were, in part, the result of policies by the last businessman to become President. As far as the history of business experience and the presidency is concerned, Abe Lincoln opened a general store in 1833 with a partner, went into debt to finance it and it failed a year later. Harry Truman opened a clothing store in Kansas city that went bankrupt. On the other hand, Warren Harding’s purchases of a newspaper allowed him the income to run for office, Jimmy Carter’s peanut business was hugely successful; and the senior George Bush made bazillions in the oil business. Bottom line: A history of running a business absolutely positively guarantees nothing when it comes to governing a country.