text: One of the most pervasive myths about Trump is that he's a brilliant businessman. He isn't. It's a man that started at third base while the real estate market hit a homer, convinced himself it was his brilliance, and STILL barely managed to escape financial ruin many times, only by the deft of his bankruptcy attorneys. 
  
  Four massive bankruptcies, hundreds of lawsuits by unpaid contractors, creditors, and labor groups, his real liquid income hidden under an abyss of real estate vehicles. Strip away his daddy's cash and his army of attorneys, and you have just an angry old white man that would probably be buying up gold bullion and gold-plated commemorative coins if not for his east coast pedigree. 
  
  The only thing that stands out more than Trump's poor temperament, is his astonishing business stupidity. Especially given he started with $200 million from his old man in the 1970s (which today would be closer to $700 or $800 million), which he still managed to lose several times over.