I wasn’t saying financial products aren’t real. I was only drawing the distinction, that running an investment firm generally requires quite a different mode of thinking than, say, running an innovative entrepreneurial business from the ground up—such as creating a Ford Motors, or an Apple, or what have you. I’d believe the latter to possess superior working understanding about how the “real economy” works and what really it takes to create jobs, etc.
I’d place Romney somewhere around a 7.5 on your scale.
Oh, and as far as the rest of the candidates, I don’t know—I presume they’re all much lower than Romney FWIW. But good businessmen don’t necessarily make good politicians; both domains require rather different skill sets and natural talents to be successful.
Apologies, wasn’t trying to put words in your mouth. I think that score’s about fair. Curious where you’d rate the others or who at least you think is the next best. I suspect it’s extraordinary as compared to the pack of lawyers and government careerists that we typically get.
I hope that whoever the candidate is that they get more real business into government positions (hopefully those looking for impact vs. a revolving door). If a candidate doesn’t eliminate the Department of Ed, I hope that they put someone from industry in charge of it a la Intel’s Andy Grove. Basically someone who knows the types of minds we need to compete and ruthless enough to push for the change.