I Am No Trump

The Detroit News published an interview of me discussing some aspects of the Trump campaign compared to my own experience running for Governor. On the surface there are similarities. We both entered the campaign late and ran as outsiders. We both were dismissed as celebrity candidates and still won against the establishment candidates. Both of us are outspoken. I think the similarities end there.

Unlike Trump I earned my fortune and I earned it defending the rights of my clients rather than inheriting wealth and cheating people.

Unlike Trump, I received no financial support from the Democratic Party, while Trump is getting a lot of financial and logistical support from the RNC.

Trump is an empty suit – he has no real policies on most of the important issues, and the ones he has announced would benefit only the richest Americans, or change almost daily. On the other hand, I proposed specific plans to rebuild Michigan infrastructure, and lower taxes on working families. I had a plan to increase medical insurance coverage while reducing premium costs long before Obamacare was conceived.

Unlike Trump, who is proposing a massive expansion of government and government control, I proposed decreasing the size of Michigan government and expanding the rights of citizens to be free from government mandates. Unlike Trump, who changes his position depending on his audience, my policies and speeches were published and consistent.

So let me share a little wisdom I learned during my brief foray into politics. While I sympathize with his outsider status, and appreciate the “showmanship,” I also know there is a difference between not being politically correct and hate speech, and the fact that words mean something. One can be angry at injustice without creating injustice. Having a moral compass creates consistency and predictability. And finally, it’s how you treat other people that defines your character, not the size of your bank account.