My point has nothing whatsoever to do with breaking the rules. The simplest way I can put it is this: if you tell me someone who started out rich and has been bankrupted several times is also a business genius, I will be extremely sceptical.
And we're back to a problem of perception and inflated stigma. Donald Trump hasn't filed bankruptcy. Companies owned by, or where he's owned a principle interest in, have. If you own a business today as -- for example -- an LLC. Let's say it's... I dunno... "MySpace"... You operate that business for five years but despite massive investment, "Facebook" comes in and takes off. Your "MySpace" effort never pays off and -- because of the massive investments, that business will be in debt. Since the business and your finances are legally and wholly separate, you cannot pay off the debts of the business without making yourself criminally liable (violating the LLC aspect of the business model), so... Said business has to file bankruptcy to discharge the debt. Your own personal finances however remain unaffected. The fact that people can't distinguish between "Donald Trump filed bankruptcy" and "his company filed bankruptcy" is a matter of liberal media bias and reporting.
I don't have a problem with bankruptcy. I have a friend who many years ago had to go that way. She wasn't a bum or a thief. SHe worked hard but just had bad luck. No, the problem with trump and his 4 (I think) bankruptcies is that he's playing a game. he's a rich guy that was born privileged. And he just continues that Privilege Game to his advantage and to the disadvantage of everyone else. There's nothing to respect there.
So it seems. =) I never claimed he had. You started off by saying there is nothing wrong with filing for bankruptcy. I agreed, with the caveat that if you are a serial-bankruptee with a reputation as a business genius, I would be sceptical of that reputation (at least until shown otherwise). Now you tell me he hasn't filed for bankruptcy at all and that would render the previous discussion moot but it wouldn't change my point. --EDIT-- FWIW, I have no idea whether Trump has or hasn't and don't care enough to check.
Hey Escher! Yo, when you're done with that building back on page 2, I could really use your help furnishing it. I went by IKEA and picked up a few things.
