By now, I think, it’s generally accepted that Trump ran as a publicity stunt and never expected to get this far. Does he even want to be President? I’m doubtful.
Two main reasons why someone might want to be President are:
(1) The person has serious opinions about proper policy for the U.S. and wants the opportunity to pursue them.
(2) The person would enjoy the personal power and prestige that accompanies the office.
But
(1) Trump isn’t really a political policy wonk. His vehement anti-trade and anti-immigration stances were intended to appeal to voters; they run counter to his own business practices. On some issues, his true beliefs run counter both to the GOP mainstream and what’s likely to be enacted into law — wasn’t he once a supporter of single-payer healthcare?
(2) He already has private jets and the other trappings of personal power. He has a large organization where he can say “You’re Fired!” at will. About 99.9% of Trump Organization employees will agree with whatever he tells them. When he’s negotiating a business deal one-on-one, he has devices available that would be unavailable to a President. For example, he could say “OK, I’ll just buy land in a different location.” A President can’t say “OK, I’ll talk to a different Prime Minister of Britain.”
Congress won’t do what he says; the bureaucracy won’t always do what he says. Instead of a 22,000-employee organization adhering to his every whim, he’ll only have, at best, his immediate White House staff. I say “at best”, because to have any chance of winning the election, or having a functional Administration, he’ll need to surround himself with competent insiders rather than yes-men. In a Trump Presidency, he might have only the choice between being a laughable figurehead or a laughingstock failure.
As a multi-billionaire Trump has a life of complete luxury and freedom. Why would he trade that for the constraints and aggravations of being slave to the Secret Service, Congress, etc.? Cynics say the Clintons did it in part to get wealth, but Trump is already wealthy. A good showing in this election has probably increased his brand value by a billion bucks, but four wasted years and the need for financial disclosures would just set him back.
Perhaps this question belongs in IMHO rather than Elections, but I for one will watch the campaign with this question in mind. Trump would rather lose 48 to 52 than a humiliating 40 to 60, of course — hence I expect him to appeal to the GOP establishment and to adopt saner positions. But I don’t think he expects or even desires an endgame where he takes the oath of office on January 20.
whats worse is if he gets elected it will be a cross between Nixon and Truman the imperalness od Nixon but with a do nothing congress like trumans which block 98 percent of every thing he does
It’s been an idea since the last time he ran that he was just doing it for attention, and for fun. It’s an ego trip. It is reasonable to guess that he never thought he would be this successful.
Is he enjoying the ride on a run-away horse? Or has he caught the tiger by the tail?
My guess is, while this is as much a surprise to him as it has been to everyone else, he’s having the time of his life. All those cameras; all those audiences.
It’s been discussed before but it’s rather more relevant now. I don’t believe that there is any law forcing Trump to disclose anything or put funds into a blind trust while running for President. It’s just something most candidates do, but Trump isn’t most people, I fully expect him to just shrug that off if asked, change the subject and go back to insults.
However if he actually wins, what legally does he have to do with his assets, what does he then have to disclose?
You’re right, it’s not a legal requirement. In fact, Obama doesn’t have his assets in a blind trust. In his case, he says it’s an issue of financial transparency; a blind trust would require the assets be kept secret. Instead Obama openly converted all his assets into Treasury Bonds.
Blind trusts for federal officials are covered under Conflict of Interest laws but the President and Vice President are specifically exempted. Apparently they are allowed to regulate themselves and determine whether or not they face a conflict of interest situation.
If running for president is an ego trip, think how awesome being president would be. Trump may not have expected to get this far, but there’s no way he gives up the dream now. Giving orders to generals and admirals, freeways shut down for his motorcade, his birthplace declared a national monument, and his own fucking theme song, and the OP thinks he doesn’t want to be president? He wants it almost as much as he wants air to breathe. Oh, maybe he’ll have to sign a law or two, but then he can sell the pens in the gift shop at the TRUMP Presidential Library (and Storm Door Co.)
I agree, and have wondered this myself. There was an article floating around recently about how, shortly after Obama’s election, Trump started showing signs of wanting to be considered a serious player in Republican party circles. He may have wealth and all its trappings, but for all his braggadocio about how everyone loves him, he knows he’s not taken seriously, and it rankles him. He can buy material things and pay people to suck up to him, but he wants to be a man of consequence, and he can’t buy that.
That said, running for president and being president are very different, and I see no evidence that he understands that. If he somehow got elected, I think he’d be like the pre-9/11 George Bush, the president known chiefly for taking vacations. He’d flit in and out as his attention span permitted, and the actual job of governing would be left to subordinates. Which, frankly, may be the only consolation to the prospect of a Trump presidency.
If he’s impeached before he finishes his first term does he still get a presidential library?
You know the White House would be a step down in living arrangements for Trump, maybe he’d only use it for Oval office or lawn speeches and reside somewhere else. Although the prospect of him redecorating the White House to his and Melania’s taste is somewhat amusing. :eek:
I submit that Trump does want to be president, and I believe his overriding motive is based on a determination to do economic battle with other countries and to straighten out the U.S. economy in ways he believes it needs to be straightened out. I came upon the following video about an hour ago and in clips over the last 40 years or so Trump has been remarkably consistent about how other countries are screwing the U.S, what bad economic policies the U.S. has been engaging in, and about how he didn’t really want to be president but would consider it if things got bad enough. I think his entire modus operandi is cynically geared to manipulate people into voting for him for a variety of other reasons which he knows will resonate with them, but what he really wants to do is get into office and kick butt economically. It’s an interesting video and well worth the time.
I submit that Trump does want to be president, and I believe his overriding motive is based on a determination to do economic battle with other countries and to straighten out the U.S. economy in ways he believes it needs to be straightened out. I came upon the following video about an hour ago and in clips over the last 40 years or so Trump has been remarkably consistent about how other countries are screwing the U.S, what bad economic policies the U.S. has been engaging in, and about how he didn’t really want to be president but would consider it if things got bad enough. I think his entire modus operandi is cynically geared to manipulate people into voting for him for a variety of other reasons which he knows will resonate with them, but what he really wants to do is get into office and kick butt economically. It’s an interesting video and well worth the time.
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Seems that he is becoming what he complied about in that last line now. Anyhow, it seems to me that he is grossly ignoring what many economists are pointing out.
of course he does, tho not because government is his thing. Like other moguls, its plus ultra for him with politics. Ne plus ultra without politics. Clearly, he loves his name on things, buildings, shows, etc. What’s bigger than “The Trump Administration,” the “Trump White House,” and of course, “President Trump,” “President Donald J. Trump,” “Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States.”
I believe that much of this is along the line of what I was talking about when I said that he appears to be telling people what they want to hear in order to get himself elected, to, from his perspective, save the country. He likely feels that things are in such bad shape and he’s the only one who can do anything about it, that he’ll go to any lengths, honest or dishonest, mean or nice, to get himself elected because the consequences otherwise are just too dire.
In other words, I don’t think Trump is serious about a great many of the things he’s been promising. He’s just saying things that will resonate with people and get them impassioned about his candidacy. Economics is both mysterious and boring to most of the electorate, but when they hear him talking about how China and Mexico have been screwing us for decades and if he gets elected he’s going to hit them with huge, punitive tariffs, it resonates with them. But I don’t think for a minute he really intends to go that far. He knows better and it’s all for show.
It’s all starting to make sense now. Conservatives voted for establishment Republicans, expecting them to go to Washington and pass laws that promote conservative principles. But the establishment let them down, and didn’t do anything they promised. So conservatives are angry, and as a result, will vote for Donald Trump, because he promises to make America great again by building a wall, deporting illegals and sticking it to China. Is that about right?
Answer me this: Why did conservatives vote for establishment candidates, and why do they think they are not making the same mistake in voting for Trump? Haven’t they proven they lack the judgement to decide which candidates will actually implement their conservative principles?
Or is the problem not with the candidates, but with conservatism itself? Is it, at the heart, an unworkable, doomed-to-fail, dead end ideology that will always disappoint its adherents?
The definition of conservative is a person who does the same thing over and over, expecting a different outcome.
I originally thought he wanted to be VP, but I never thought he was running as a publicity stunt. I later learned that Trump made previous enquiries to the Republicans about running for President, so I’m confident that he meant it seriously this time around.
Most people support politicians in the hope that they’ll keep the promises they made while campaigning. Trump is the first presidential candidate to gain support from people hoping he’ll break them.
Trump supporters aren’t happy with the people they voted for while they were mad, so now they’re voting for someone while they’re furious and expecting him to be better.