During the campaign, one of the most frequent arguments by supporters on behalf of the current ruler was that he's a businessman.  The idea that we could run the government like a business is one that businessman-candidates have always made, and it found more approval than ever before.  Despite the fact that the businessman in question had a record in business that was more image-making and hype than reality, with bankruptcies and legal difficulties aplenty.  Despite the fact that businessmen caused the Great Recession.  And he may even be broke, and in hock to some unsavory Russian characters (which may explain why he consistently praises Putin while he derides almost everyone else.)  We can't know for sure, but it's clear from his total lack of transparency that he has something to hide.

Still, the idea of a businessman in charge appealed to many-- though not quite half.  But the thing is, government is not a business.  The purpose of business is to make money.  The purpose of government is to spend money-- on public goods that people want.  Even those in the GOP who talk a lot about "small government", or who utter pseudo-libertarian or quasi-anarchistic nonsense.  Even they, or especially they, still want a large military and a robust justice system that includes well-populated prisons.  And I hope they want infrastructure.  These things cost money, and we need to be adults for a change and pay for them.

Here's another way government is not a business.  In business, the boss is a virtual dictator.  But in government, the President is not.  If he makes himself one, he can and should be impeached for it.  We should keep that in mind over the next few years.  And it may come soon.  Let's hope the GOP Congress will be statesmen for once, rather than sniveling enablers.

Sincerely,

Stephen Van Eck