National Archives, Associated Press
Hoover and Bush were successful in business, but both crashed the economy.
Campaigning in Las Vegas yesterday, Mitt Romney shared an odd anecdote about presidential requirements. I'm still not sure if he was kidding.
The Republican referenced a suggestion from a voter he met recently, who wanted to see a constitutional requirement that presidential candidates "spend at least three years working in business before he could become president of the United States."
Romney didn't explicitly endorse the idea, but he seemed fond of the suggestion, telling his audience, "You see, then he or she would understand that the policies they're putting in place have to encourage small business, make it easier for business to grow."
If Romney's serious about this, it's worth appreciating what we know about history -- plenty of well-regarded modern presidents (Clinton, Reagan, JFK, Eisenhower, and both Roosevelts) were not businessmen before taking office. George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter were successful in business, but far less so in office.
Similarly, U.S. News noted that the three men "widely considered by historians to be the worst presidents of the modern era [are] Warren G. Harding, Herbert Hoover, and George W. Bush." All three "were successful businessmen."
I'm not suggesting there's a causal relationship here, but the point is it's foolish to assume that good businessmen make good presidents when there's so much evidence to the contrary.
Daniel Akst, a columnist for Newsday, consulted with Barbara Perry, a senior fellow at the University of Virginia's Miller Center, to determine the employment background of every president. His conclusion: "It's important to know whether a president has worked in business. It's important because having worked in business is associated with being a lousy president, at least in the modern era."
I don't imagine many voters are aware of the historical record at this level of detail, but for those who care about the facts, Romney's new talking point doesn't make a lot of sense.
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While we are "updating" that ol' Constitution, let us go back to the Founding Fathers Original Intent.
Only white males can be president!
Romney's new talking point doesn't make a lot of sense.
As opposed to which talking points do make a lot of sense?
SAD OLD VET for the win
When the topic,doesn't fit your view,divert to something else.
I think it's about the credibility of his claim about Business experience being the sole reason he is running for office.
As if Romney EVER makes sense ?
Bush was a successful business man? Didn't he bankrupt three oil companies only to be bailed out by his dad's cohorts. He may have been the only person in history to unsuccessfully search for oil in TX.
I think you should also take a look at Gov. Romney's jobs record in MA.
47th in the nation,is telling for a Business man.
I thought that was stretching the definition of "successful" too.
While we are discussing 'qualifications' for president, I believe the following should be absolute requirements:
1) Three years in bidness
2) Three years as a Baptist minister
3) Three years in the Peace Corp
4) Three years as a Mormon missionary (before or after being a Baptist minister)
5) Three years in the military as an 11 Bravo
6) Three years as a standup comic
And the 'qualified' candidate should be required to run for president as a mime. Naturally, the 'qualified' candidate has to sign Grover Norquist's pledge!
7) Three years as a Public School Elementary School Teacher
8) Three years as a Public School Middle School Teacher
9) Three years as a Public School High School Teacher
10) Three years as a Public School Administrator
Hey, don't forget experience as a vulture capitalist! That's super-big on the list! I like #6!
Three years roadying for Foghat, Molly Hatchet, or Blue Oyster Cult.
Three years sucessfully running a major non-profit corporation.
Romney has hands-on experience as a barber.
I'm feeling like that new show Continuum is upon us (great show, btw). The Corporate Congress, indeed.
George W. Bush wasn't "successful", every business he ran, he ran into the ground - he even left the state of Texas worse off after being governor! Romney may have "successfully pillaged" for his investors, but that same mentality is what we had with Shrub & Darth Vader - just think about it for round 3......Yep, thought you'd be afraid, very afraid!
You can bet that if Mitt were elected he'd be in the company of the three worsts: Harding, Hoover, GW Bush.
The man is both blind and stupid.
This would be OK if we were a company interviewing to hire a new CEO. Then we would probably want to see some business experience.
Sadly, this is another obvious example of how Romney sees the presidency. It's just another business job, and the only requirement and the only goal is to make money for the stockholders. That's all he knows how to do. And, in his case, his "stockholders" are people like Donald Trump and all the millionaires and billionaires who are financing his campaign. They own him, and they want to call the shots. And if you're not one of his "stockholders," good luck.
I think a better requirement would be at least three years as president of a smaller country. Show us what you can do, and work your way up.
But I wonder how I could find information about how many presidents grew up in a single parent working class home?
The only stipulation I might add to qualifications for president is one year homeless in Prospect Park.
Well at least he hasn't compared working in the private sector as "behind enemy lines". Only about 8% of the Obama cabinet have private sector experience, no wonder he can't create jobs. Reply with turn off Fox news in ...five....four....three
Do you suppose that he may have them in his staff for their experience. Oh by the way the Pres does not create jobs. Just Saying!
You said it! Shouldn't at least he have someone there that knows how business works, how can he create an environment that is favorable for job growth. I honestly think it's best if Gov't gets out of the way, but if they are going to get involved at least lets have then have THAT experience.
Like the job growth we've seen in the private sector for the last, what, 26 months? Under Obama's watch. Like that job growth?
Without lifting my glasses to my eyes, I can see Mitt Romney's myopia from here! -Kevo
If someone worked 3 years as a pizza delivery person, what a wonderful business experience!
Rmoney's vast experience of propping up small business rears it's empty head again I see...
That guy is a cracker's cracker.
What rank and offensive hypocrisy from Mitt Romney and the Republican Party. Mitt dodges his own record in business, making totally false claims about creating 100,000 or even one million jobs while having the temerity to condemn any discussion of his reputation as a job killer at Bain, then turns around and directly endorses a line of attack that cherry picks President Obama's record and says the president must own the results of a program created and operated by his Republican predecessor. That the GOP is forced to pull such ridiculous stunts shows how worried they are that Romney may actually lose this race. http://www.sunstateactivist.org
Romney is like a guy at a cocktail party who says, "Get a load 'a what I heard the other day! It's genius, I tell ya!" -- and everyone discreetly starts scanning the room for an exit.
And if you've got three years behind the counter at MacDonald's?
If elected president, I promise to ask Putin if he would like fries with those nuclear warheads!
No, you have to have owned Mickey D's. Never mind how -- inheritance is the traditional way -- but slinging burgers is for the lower classes.
So Mitt thinks Reagan wasn't good enough to be President?
What business experience did Reagan have? President of a Trade Union?
This one's easy -- it's pure BS, no deep thought necessary. To paraphrase an earlier description of Romney, if he had experience as a pirate and Obama didn't, he'd say the president should be required to have experience in piracy.
What do you mean, "if?"
DWIGHT DAVID EISENHOWER
No Business Experience.
This is an INSULT to a Great American, and Great President.
I wonder what Colin Powell would say?
DWIGHT D EISENHOWER
IKE as he was known to the nation didn't have the Business experience
This is an insult to a War Hero. I wonder what Mitt thinks about his presidency.
I wonder how much Business Experience Colin Powell had
As Mr. Obama so eloquently said for us, running a business is no qualification for the presidency of the United States. Running a business for a profit, especially like a vulture capitalist, requires very different attributes than a leader of a nation of many peoples and interests. The business people are out of control!
Three years dodging the draft, three years robbing people, three years...
Talk about psychotic! I say three years of psychoanalysis for all republicans and if they can be proven sane they can go home.