"I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else."
You didn't succeed because you are smart or work hard does not diminish what people accomplish? I think we need an honest fact checker to look at that claim. Does the left really look at those statements and think there is no problem with them?
Read the HP Way, it tells the story of how Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started Hewlett Packard and helped to found Silicon Valley. During the height of the depression Dave Packard left a good paying job at GE to start a company building audio oscillators in their garage and baking the coils in their home oven. What Obama missed and what liberals in general tend to miss is that how smart they are or how hard they are willing to work isn’t really the issue it is how bold they are and their willingness to take risk that makes the diffidence. Most of take the safe 9-5 route where someone else is responsible for making sure the company succeeds and we keep food on our table. It is a hard and scary thing to strike out on your ownbut that is what drive our economy. But liberals look at two men like this who built one of the largest companies in world from nothing and they don’t say you succeeded becausenot because you were bold and innovative (not to mention smart and hard working) and able to inspire smart hard working people to help follow you but instead credit needs to be given to the government because they took some of your money and built roads with it. Yes we have to have roads and that is why republicans regularly vote for highway bills and why states like Texas are constantly investing in infrastructure but we understand that the infrastructure will attract the bold and we don’t try and take credit for their success or claim that they only reason they were able to succeed is we built the roads. the best we can do is take credit for creating and envrioment that rewards thier risk and attracts them to take those risk here.
Being capitalist we believe free markets create wealth and opportunity while liberals seem to think success is partially undeserved and being undeserving of the all of the credit for their success the successful really shouldn’t complain if we take more. That is why “You didn’t build that” resonates, the failure to understand that is why liberals go around saying dumb things like “ republicans shouldn’t drive on roads if they are against the government building things”. Instead they call letting the successful keep more of their money theft because in their minds that money really never belonged to them to begin with.
You didn't succeed because you are smart or work hard does not diminish what people accomplish? I think we need an honest fact checker to look at that claim. Does the left really look at those statements and think there is no problem with them?
Read the HP Way, it tells the story of how Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started Hewlett Packard and helped to found Silicon Valley. During the height of the depression Dave Packard left a good paying job at GE to start a company building audio oscillators in their garage and baking the coils in their home oven. What Obama missed and what liberals in general tend to miss is that how smart they are or how hard they are willing to work isn’t really the issue it is how bold they are and their willingness to take risk that makes the diffidence. Most of take the safe 9-5 route where someone else is responsible for making sure the company succeeds and we keep food on our table. It is a hard and scary thing to strike out on your ownbut that is what drive our economy. But liberals look at two men like this who built one of the largest companies in world from nothing and they don’t say you succeeded becausenot because you were bold and innovative (not to mention smart and hard working) and able to inspire smart hard working people to help follow you but instead credit needs to be given to the government because they took some of your money and built roads with it. Yes we have to have roads and that is why republicans regularly vote for highway bills and why states like Texas are constantly investing in infrastructure but we understand that the infrastructure will attract the bold and we don’t try and take credit for their success or claim that they only reason they were able to succeed is we built the roads. the best we can do is take credit for creating and envrioment that rewards thier risk and attracts them to take those risk here.
Being capitalist we believe free markets create wealth and opportunity while liberals seem to think success is partially undeserved and being undeserving of the all of the credit for their success the successful really shouldn’t complain if we take more. That is why “You didn’t build that” resonates, the failure to understand that is why liberals go around saying dumb things like “ republicans shouldn’t drive on roads if they are against the government building things”. Instead they call letting the successful keep more of their money theft because in their minds that money really never belonged to them to begin with.
Your version of Obamas comments redacts about a paragraph between the part you quoted and the "you didn't build that" remark:
There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me -- because they want to give something back. They know they didn’t -- look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something -- there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there.
If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.
"The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together. There are some things, just like fighting fires, we don’t do on our own. I mean, imagine if everybody had their own fire service. That would be a hard way to organize fighting fires.
"So we say to ourselves, ever since the founding of this country, you know what, there are some things we do better together. That’s how we funded the G.I. Bill. That’s how we created the middle class. That’s how we built the Golden Gate Bridge or the Hoover Dam. That’s how we invented the Internet. That’s how we sent a man to the moon. We rise or fall together as one nation and as one people, and that’s the reason I’m running for President -- because I still believe in that idea. You’re not on your own, we’re in this together."
If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.
"The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together. There are some things, just like fighting fires, we don’t do on our own. I mean, imagine if everybody had their own fire service. That would be a hard way to organize fighting fires.
"So we say to ourselves, ever since the founding of this country, you know what, there are some things we do better together. That’s how we funded the G.I. Bill. That’s how we created the middle class. That’s how we built the Golden Gate Bridge or the Hoover Dam. That’s how we invented the Internet. That’s how we sent a man to the moon. We rise or fall together as one nation and as one people, and that’s the reason I’m running for President -- because I still believe in that idea. You’re not on your own, we’re in this together."
The bolded section is the ACTUAL context you skipped; the italicized sections eliminate any doubt of Obamas meaning: Not denigrating individuals, but affirming American society over the "on your ownership" society.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
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Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
This message last edited by Joel on 01/09/2012 at 08:56:25 PM
Does Not a "WE [Not I] BUILT THIS!" Banner Concede Warren and Obama Were Right?
01/09/2012 02:45:52 PM
- 812 Views
It amazing how much the left doesn't get tis issue
01/09/2012 02:55:44 PM
- 544 Views
It is amazing how well every sentence but your last covers the "We [not I] built this" view
01/09/2012 03:29:27 PM
- 560 Views
let’s put it back in context
01/09/2012 05:23:01 PM
- 654 Views
Politifact already did.
01/09/2012 05:53:23 PM
- 741 Views
+1 - nicely said. The "built it" comment drives the left crazy, since they know.....
01/09/2012 04:25:52 PM
- 462 Views
Nope, it drives us crazy because it's an out-of-context fragment quote
01/09/2012 07:01:24 PM
- 452 Views
they all know what he said and context doesn't change it *NM*
01/09/2012 07:11:01 PM
- 267 Views
This is the kind of shit that makes me and my family not want to vote Republican.
02/09/2012 12:01:01 AM
- 543 Views
Interesting response....
02/09/2012 12:07:01 AM
- 449 Views
They're both acting normal (for politicians)
02/09/2012 12:12:31 AM
- 585 Views
I disagree; they both did something downright bizarre (again, for politicians; see link.)
02/09/2012 12:20:32 AM
- 527 Views
Heh.
02/09/2012 12:25:10 AM
- 563 Views
Bah, everyone knows Taxachusetts residents are mad, and tyrants to boot.
02/09/2012 03:04:57 AM
- 685 Views
Yes the GOP really need to make more effort into trying to win Massachusetts
02/09/2012 02:17:49 PM
- 523 Views
Exactly, the context doesn't help. Libs believe government knows all and makes all possible.
01/09/2012 08:25:51 PM
- 426 Views
Sigh... what words a quote contains is not a matter of "POV."
01/09/2012 09:01:17 PM
- 662 Views
Seriously. Like, I'm not debating policy here- I am saying that those are the literal words. *NM*
01/09/2012 11:53:39 PM
- 259 Views
I do not understand how that can be debated, yet it keeps happening.
02/09/2012 12:03:44 AM
- 483 Views
What should disturb you is what a bunch of unhinged hypocrites your party has become
02/09/2012 02:38:34 PM
- 536 Views
I have no party, and have already said mischaracterizing "corporations are people" is just as bad.
02/09/2012 04:15:01 PM
- 597 Views
Would you give a me link to where you created post upset about how Romney was being treated?
02/09/2012 09:10:03 PM
- 432 Views
Sure; the last time was about three days ago in response to you.
02/09/2012 09:20:55 PM
- 553 Views
are you on crack? that is a post of you defending the stupid Bain attacks on Romney
02/09/2012 09:30:00 PM
- 462 Views
You brought up Bain there; I merely responded and noted Romneys "corp." line was also misused.
02/09/2012 10:12:52 PM
- 701 Views
Joel. That's the thinking of a 12-year-old. You're better than that. *NM*
01/09/2012 05:17:25 PM
- 252 Views
Saying "you didn't build that" denigrates individuals is twelve-year-old thinking:I merely note that
01/09/2012 05:45:06 PM
- 425 Views
I know what Obama meant to say. If he said it to me I would want to punch him in his liberal mouth.
02/09/2012 12:23:47 AM
- 566 Views
Ok, I'll put this very naively.
02/09/2012 12:36:33 AM
- 823 Views
Obama had his chance.
02/09/2012 12:43:25 AM
- 559 Views
True, I think. I just wish the RNC had taken a more concrete approach like you did. Could fuck them. *NM*
02/09/2012 12:52:58 AM
- 330 Views
"The Democratic health care bill that bears Obama's name for no good reason"
02/09/2012 03:44:18 AM
- 542 Views
and you really want us to believe it is a few comments that are keeping you from voting republican? *NM*
02/09/2012 02:40:13 PM
- 249 Views
Your suggestion that what I floated to Tom is somehow antithetical to the GOP is laughable. *NM*
02/09/2012 05:29:33 PM
- 326 Views
In fairness to rt, that sounds a lot like a welfare state, which is pretty antithetical to the GOP.
02/09/2012 07:10:47 PM
- 531 Views
Most are willing to enter the debate, and give a measure of ground. Hence Romneycare. *NM*
02/09/2012 10:40:21 PM
- 694 Views
Fair enough, but once the show goes national we get Romneys pledge to repeal Romneycare.
02/09/2012 11:10:55 PM
- 538 Views
"If you don't want to root for your team, then you should get the hell out of the stadium."
02/09/2012 02:15:11 AM
- 517 Views
Your political philosophy seems based on ignoring the difference between voluntary & compulsory
02/09/2012 12:38:50 AM
- 595 Views
Yours seems based on ignoring the "WE THE PEOPLE" at the top of the document creating US government.
02/09/2012 02:48:45 AM
- 593 Views
I think there is something to be said for charitable interpretation.
02/09/2012 02:10:10 AM
- 495 Views
I am not sure what the best argument against the best reading of his argument would be.
02/09/2012 03:13:46 AM
- 516 Views
I don't think so
02/09/2012 01:47:03 PM
- 470 Views
True, but self-reliant individualism goes poorly with plural nouns.*
02/09/2012 04:18:22 PM
- 493 Views