jobs created

“We Need a Businessman” (and we have 2 to pick from)

I laugh whenever someone justifies supporting Donald Trump by saying “we need a businessman in the White House.” That’s like saying, “we need an army general as commander-in-chief.” (In fact, our best wartime presidents – Madison, Polk, Lincoln, Wilson, and FDR – had no military service.)

But let’s grant for a moment that business experience and acumen might be a valuable asset in a president at this moment in history. Trump has a bunch of it, and we can argue all day whether he is a great businessman, a lousy one, or just a lucky one (or, more likely, some combination of all three).

Believe it or not, Hillary Clinton has her own business background that should not be overlooked. In the 1980s and ’90s, she served on corporate boards (most famously at Wal-Mart) and by all accounts was an outspoken advocate for better pay, greater opportunities for women, protecting American workers (she was a staunch supporter of an early “Made in America” campaign at Wal-Mart), and environmentally sound business practices. And since that company grew substantially during her Board years (1986-1992), adding 230,000 jobs during her tenure, you cannot argue that she has never created a job. Read More