More Recommended Reading

If you're really interested in what Trump's doing wrong when it comes to a president achieving his objectives, spend the time to read this piece by Ezra Klein.

Put simply, it's that Trump is oriented towards the "big win" in every battle. That was always the raison d'être of business dealings. He's never been as interested in the deal that's a win/win for both sides as he is in the one that's a Big Win for Donald Trump and a humiliating defeat for the other guy. (Anyone remember how loudly he bragged about getting the advantage over Merv Griffin on that casino deal? The one which eventually turned out to be a lose/lose for both men?)

Whether that works in the business world is a separate argument but as Klein notes, citing the works of author Frances Lee, it sure doesn't work for someone in the White House. Merely by being president, you become The Enemy of an opposition party whose votes you need to get anything passed these days…so they oppose your win and it doesn't happen. As Klein explains, it's a lesson Barack Obama had to learn and one which Trump, by his personalization of every issue, probably can't.