Trump has a record of success in real estate. He is a master at branding, sales and entertainment. The real question is whether or not this will translate to other areas.
He does have a poor record related to several other sectors:
- Agriculture: Trump Steaks. Failed.
- Beverages: Trump Vodka. Failed.
- Casinos: Failed
- Education: Trump University. Failed.
- Finance: Trump Mortgages. Failed.
- Technology: Go Trump .com. Failed.
- Transportation: Trump Airlines. Failed.
You could argue that he has not been tested in politics. However, he does have a record of endorsing politicians who have "failed"
2012: He endorsed Romney
He has recently been criticized by Mitt Romney, who he attacked as a failed candidate. Here is Donald Trump endorsing Mitt Romney:
2008: He endorsed McCain but would have endorsed Barack Obama if "he selected Hillary Clinton."
Will the plans he endorses also be failures?
- Immigration - "build a wall"
- Health care - "remove the lines"
- ISIS - "take away their oil"
Are you willing to the future of America on someone who has demonstrated an inability to translate his success into many other areas? Whose, prior endorsements in politics have failed? Are you willing to be "Trumped"?
I think what many people may not like about Donald Trump is also what fuels his popularity.
Trump is the Chaos Candidate
Jeb Bush said it: He's the Chaos Candidate.
There really is truth to that saying. Chaos is behavior that is completely unpredictable, so much so that it appears random.
Why Experts Could Not Predict the Rise of Trump
Chaos Theory is a field of mathematics studying highly sensitive systems where small differences in initial conditions result in unpredictable outcomes. If Donald Trump is the Chaos Candidate, in a chaotic election cycle, then conventional prediction becomes nearly impossible.
Interestingly, one form of equation that demonstrates chaotic behavior is called a "Jerk System." No. I didn't make this up.
What Would a Trump Presidency Look Like?
This is what is scary to so many individuals. On a stage with Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio saying whatever comes to mind, without any filter, might get ratings and even votes. But what happens if you say the wrong thing to Kim Jong-un or to Vladimir Putin? Would a President Trump be willing to play the most dangerous game of Russian Roulette in US history? Perhaps his presidency would look something like this:
Preferring Chaos to Insanity
The contrast to Trump are the predictable candidates like Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush who people consider to be an untenable choice, in fact, an insane one. They are career politicians. They are similar to past politicians who have been voted into office. They are responsible for the dysfunctional Washington political system. There is an established pattern of voting for career politicians who bring us dysfunctional government. You know what they say about repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Insane, right? Therefore, voters may perceive voting for establishment candidates as insanity.
Chaos is Not Always a Bad Thing
Under the right conditions chaos, according to chaos theory can also spontaneously evolve producing a brilliantly synchronized system such as one found in neurons (everything is related to neurology) or fireflies, if you prefer. There is a chance that he will do some really great things. He is not beholden to special interests which has been blamed for a lot of the problems in Washington. He is unconventional. Perhaps, an outsider like him is what is needed to get things done. However, with higher potential reward also comes greater risk.
If you are risk averse, you might never vote for Trump. This level of unpredictability is scary. On the other hand Trump's unpredictable nature is a delight to the anti-establishment types. Trump's anti-establishment appeal is similar to the sentiment felt by the public during another well known campaign, run by another millionaire, that of Monty Brewster.
A vote for Trump may be more a vote against the predictable order in politics, than it is a vote for Trump, so to speak. Even if Trump were unqualified as a politician, it doesn't really matter because even the most qualified politicians are considered to be failures by the public. With this viewpoint, anything or anyone would be better than a traditional politician.
Disclaimer: Please don't interpret anything I write as an indication of who I support for President. I'm just writing about observations I have made.
References:
Donald Trump's Biggest Business Failures and Successes
About the writer: Dr. Michael Morgenstern is double board certified in neurology and sleep medicine. He is founder of the American Sleep Apnea Society. He is also the Director of the Cedarhurst Sleep Center, part of Five Towns Neurology in Long Island, NY, USA, where he treats patients with sleep disorders and other neurological conditions. To learn more about Dr. Morgenstern's neurology and sleep medicine practice or to set up a consultation visit DoctorMM.com.