July 25, 2012
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Why I just can’t buy Obama’s rhetoric;
I’ve spent a lot of time discussing what Obama actually meant by “you didn’t build that” and I even posted a bunch of pics earlier this week. But a lot of people told me that I’m taking it out of context and I should watch/read the whole speech. So I did.
I’ve watched it a thousand times, tried to understand how it could have been mis-represented but I just don’t see it. The only thing I see him saying is “the government gave you what you have.
He say’s “we [government] created a lot of millionaires.” and “government research created the internet so these businesses could make a lot of money”
He blatantly discredits the hard work of everyone who’s build their own business and seems to mock them. It’s all the more infuriating because he seems to be imitating a preacher while people are literally shouting “amen” in the background.
Here’s the video, 100% left IN CONTEXT.
Don’t get me wrong, I get PART of what he is saying. He’s saying we are part of an amazing American system that is an incubator for business. I get it. The problem is the other things he’s saying. He’s discrediting hard working business owners across the country and mocking them.
Here’s a good video of someone who knows how to succeed, someone who knows how to give credit and take it. Notice the difference, the lack of mocking.
Comments (29)
I agree with you. The way Obama comes across is condescending.
first, rec for the power of convictions..whether or not I agree. next; I was watching TED video on the subject of taxes http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bBx2Y5HhplI and it covered why in a way the gig of having the wealthy pay more fine maybe they can and might some of them want to if all agree might help – but ultimately there is some ways of seeing the world that are erroneous. http://dj-ginsu.xanga.com/765995532/taxes-and-you-who-is-still-an-idiot/ I liked how in broader and more emphatic strokes how this piece covers why you ultimately could take it alll away at least personal wealth and it’s never going to make up what people think they’ve been cheated out of. and of course taxes while not overly joyous to anyone, lets look at them they exist everywhere – the concept someone riding the coattails for their interest another’s efforts. most howl at those who don’t put back….just take. and thus we have a good argument of points hopefully looking to the idea fine, you can ask more of those who have but please be polite enough to be asking. or at least this is the attitude… good manners if you want something say please and if you get it say thank you. but also be careful to notice that we all agree success isn’t to be a burden upon those who work for it….it’s supposed to be a good thing. however revenue collection
alright experience shows that raisin taxes makes us less competitive and companies seek to base their operations in more agreeable places..you know those who serve internationally the markets. hmn seems pretty obvious that enough people are saying by moving elsewhere that they do not wish to pay more. uh oh, best find a new way to generate the revenues or oh oopsie there’s no dough for the pro-grams
Yep. I’m seeing the exact same thing! Booo!!
I can’t really buy anything. I’m poor. :c
This is the result of his only experience in the private sector having been in a fast food joint. Perhaps after January, he’ll find it necessary to get more experience in the private sector.
Sorry you’re too blinded by your greed and racism to comprehend a very simple statement.
President Obama has praised business owners many times before and since this speech. this past week Mitt Romney said the same thing in New Hampshire but additionally tried to twist Obama’s message.
watch what Romney told Olympians a few years ago. it’s the same message, the same concept. the part in question begins after the 30 second mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zSWm2qZ8Oc
i don’t see what is so difficult to understand.
Yeah, you know, I keep hearing the “in context” argument, but I read the whole speech. I didn’t see where he ever corrected himself.
Yes, there are advantages to living in society. One of these advantages is free trade between individuals. Hey, Obama- everyone has the roads and the teachers and whatnot. Why aren’t they all Steve Jobs? Or could it be that there’s something special about him, something that not everyone can do and that deserves credit?
I see both sides of this now. Kind of. (What SKANLYN just said is ridiculous by the way). Anyhow my parents started a construction business 50 years ago without a dime in there pocket. My father worked on the St Lawrence seaway before he started his construction company. When he was working on the seaway the other employees went to the bar and had beer for lunch. My father stayed by the equipment and when the alcoholics left he jumped on the equipment during lunch break and taught himself how to operate the machines that he did not know how to operate.
Then he borrowed just enough money to buy his first backhoe. Started small jobs like working on someones house foundation. Scrimped and saved just enough to go into business and hired an engineer to bid on big commercial jobs. Hired another guy (who was a thief but still made a profit) to start another crew. And little by little built the company big and prosperous and saved every dime they have. My father had to shoot deer starting out in order to eat. They worked 24/7 like dogs minus sleep and eating. FOR 50 YEARS STRAIGHT! My father is 83 now and still works 24/7. He cannot shut it off now. Fucked his head up.
They retired and decided to get into the stock market. I think my parents figured “we were successful at construction we will be successful at the stock market”. They got tied up with a “financial planner” SNAKE IN THE GROUND from there church and this church rat lost them 200,000.00 dollars. Then my father got scammed on another investment deal that lost him another couple hundred grand by a German guy in the Bahama’s who escaped to Canada.
Now they have (or had I should say) property that they started renting from people from there church. They got totally screwed on that by trying to be “good Christians” and not charging enough and never made a profit. In business if you do not make a profit you LOSE. There is no “break even” in business. So now they are out of the real estate business. There are obviously not the smartest people in the world but they work like insane dogs night and day to make up for there mistakes.
So who made them “wealthy”??? There insane night and day, saving every penny (living off dear meat) hard working skills??? Or did they just sit back on there fat asses and collect a check (Like SKANLYN says) and make a profit like crack dealers on easy street while the employees did all the work???
@TheSutraDude - I’m not entirely sure why you keep bringing up Romney, this article is not about him, it’s about the president of the united states.
@justfinethanku - because he and many others are offering up the same message. and it was the Romney camp who created the misleading ad. someone from the Romney camp admitted it’s misleading but added everyone does it and called it political art.
@WaitingToShrug - “why aren’t they all like Steve Jobs…? Lets say that Steve Jobs considered himself to be an entrepenur. He pushed a lot of people beyond their endurance and believe it or not was voted out of Apple. But Steve Jobs had money and was able to invest in stuff and made a lucky investment of Pixar and the other computer company.
Who thought of the ” walled garden concept”? Apple uses the walled garden concept to force folks to go thru apple to buy ITunes music and that concept leapfrogged his IPhone and IPad success.
I some cases Steve Jobs truly was a bastard. Damn am I glad that there are not more Steve Jobs out there.
@TheSutraDude - It was Obama who made the speech, you know, that guy who is supposed to be the leader of this country. I don’t care about the ads, I didn’t post a video of the ads, I posted what Obama said, in it’s context.
@PPhilip - I sure would miss my iPod. Developing products that improve quality of life is not a talent that should be dismissed lightly. I have no problem with paying for the music that I listen to and that artists have worked on either. The world could use more brilliant entrepreneurs who invest in great companies like Pixar that provide quality entertainment.
@justfinethanku - maybe i’m mistaken but i believe in your previous post about this same issue you began by mentioning the Romney ad. you then said you watched the entire speech and didn’t think the ad was misleading.
Obama is the leader of this country. Romney is trying to be. i think it’s important to compare what they say.
@TheSutraDude - here is my previous post: http://justfinethanku.xanga.com/765874881/you-didnt-build-this-updated-with-new-pics-hourly/
Not everything is Romney VS Obama, right now, in my blog I am discussing Obama and what he’s said. I care as much about Romneys point of view right now as I care about charlie sheen’s point of view. It’s just NOT part of this discussion.
Lets discuss the blog I wrote, otherwise feel free to tag me in YOUR blog and I’ll discuss the differences between Obama and Romney (spoiler… NOTHING)
i don’t see how what Obama said takes away from individual success at all. no self-made millionaire educated themselves, built their own public roads, purified their own drinking water, etc. i doubt anyone can be successful without basic amenities provided by the government. and let’s not forget the help they received from loyal employees.
honestly, i think the only people who would be upset with what the President said are simply too egotistical to admit their dependence on outside factors for their success.
@justfinethanku - thanks for the link. i’ll just say that quote was what was used in the Romney ad. i’m not here to convince you that it is taken out of context in an intentionally deceptive way but i think if someone from the Romney camp says it was intentionally deceptive that is pretty strong evidence in support of my point. anyway, best of luck to you and your business. i know how great it feels to set out to do something and be successful at it.
@TheSutraDude - Hey, in his last pulse, @justfinethanku stated that he found Obama and Romney equally loathsome. I agreed, except I find Obama just a little more loathsome. I voted for him, hoping he would get us out of the mess that Bush got us in–but he’s just made it worse. I’m highly disappointed. Don’t hand me the malarkey about the mess being too big to fix in four years. Although I’m a Democrat, I don’t go far enough left to love Marxist. I’ll hold my nose and vote for Romney.
@dsullivan - well, it took Reagan more than four years to get us out of a much less severe recession…a piece of cake recession compared to this one. the Reagan administration even quietly added the military to employment figures for the first time since employment figures were tracked, in order to make the figures look better. Reagan was not faced with the party of no in Congress and the record number of republican filibusters we’ve seen these past two years, refusing to even vote on job creation proposals and ideas that were originally their own. Reagan also left office with a big budget deficit which is why after famously promising “Read my lips. No new taxes” Bush Sr. raised taxes. in spite of all this the economy is better. there have been millions of private sector jobs created. the firing of teachers, police and firefighters has been done on the State level. the U.S. auto industry was rescued and GM is now the worlds leading auto maker. Bin Laden, the man who took his place as leader of Al Qaeda and over 20 other top Al Qaeda leaders are gone. what have republicans in Congress done? Boehner keeps asking “Where are the jobs?” but in what has come to be typical fashion republicans came back from the 4th of July holiday and proceeded to put one bill on the floor to limit abortion and another to repeal healthcare reform for the 33rd time. this is the reason why since the summer of 2011 Congress’ approval rating has hovered around 10% which is where it was as of last week.
It’s dishonest or delusional to listen to “The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together.” and take it as “you can’t take pride in hard work”.
@firetyger - How is saying “we’re in this together” condescending? I think you just hate the man and can’t help but see anything he says through that lens.
@CuddlyKat - How? How is acknowledging the reality that nobody succeeds in a vacuum offensive?
@RighteousBruin - And a civil rights attorney, law school professor and director of a non profit organization*
@WaitingToShrug - He didn’t correct anything because he didn’t have to – he never said what conservatives put in his mouth. And I find your comment highly offensive, you said of obama “Or could it be that there’s something special about him, something that not everyone can do and that deserves credit?” That’s incredibly racist. And don’t go pretend it’s not racist, nowhere in your comment did you correct this racist statement.
@flapper_femme_fatale - “You Olympians, however, know you didn’t get here solely on your own
power. For most of you, loving parents, sisters or brothers encouraged
your hopes, Coaches guided, communities built venues in order to
organize competitions. All Olympians stand on the shoulders of those who
lifted them. We’ve already cheered the Olympians, let’s also cheer the
parents, coaches and communities.” – Mitt Romney. Apparently mitt romney HATES athletes and thinks they’re pussies. Isn’t he so condescending?
@dsullivan - Marxism is the abolition of the right to own private property you idiot, and the country is as a matter of fact better off than it was when bush left office – unless you think gaining jobs (but not as fast as you’d like) is worse than losing close to a million jobs a month.
See my latest blog. I’m sure you’ll be deeply offended.
@agnophilo - Idiot? That’s typical of Liberals to start name-calling when someone disagrees with them. I was tempted to call you a numbskull, but I won’t. Calling @WaitingToShrug a racist because she dared to criticize Obama was also typical. But what scares me is that Liberals are so brainwashed that they actually believe the malarkey about the country being better off since Obama took office.
And no matter how bad it gets, you’ll believe your idol when he tells you how good it is. You guys are so bedazzled by Obama that you cannot see the truth. You’re like the guy on MSNBC that felt warm stuff trickling down his leg when Obama took office.
Of course Obama hasn’t stepped in and immediately confiscated all private property. Marxists don’t work that way. It’s “two steps forward and one back.” If he’s re-elected, and he may well be, you’ll see him speed up the process.
@agnophilo -
“It’s dishonest or delusional to listen to “The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together.” and take it as “you can’t take pride in hard work”.”
agreed. why not take pride in the fact that we live in a country where people can benefit from what other people do? i find pride in that, far more than i find pride in rich people telling everyone else to fuck themselves.
@agnophilo - It’s not my fault you’re ignoring his tone. The way he pauses. The -entire- speech. I don’t hate Obama. Never have said that. Ever. But keep telling me what I believe like the elitist you are.
@TheSutraDude - What good is praising someone if you then do everything to cut their guts out?
President Obama is a Bolshevik. That means he will do anything, say anything to achieve and maintain political power.
In his speech President Obama made it crystal clear that everything anyone does is community property. That is the EXACT meaning of his speech.
That means the government owns everything: the labor, the capital, the ideas, and the laborers themselves.
Obama is a Communist.
@dsullivan - I apologize for calling you an idiot, I’ve just dealt with the same stupid nonsense mindlessly repeated over and over again and got frustrated. And abolishing the right to own private property was the first step toward a communist state according to marx’s ten “planks” of communism. As I have said, 8 out of ten of the amendments in the bill of rights refer to socialized government institutions the founders intended for us to have. Government isn’t the same as communism and socialism isn’t the same as authoritarian, absolute socialism. Upwards of 90% of everything the government does is done by private companies. Obama is not a communist, there is zero evidence whatsoever to suggest that he is other than the mind numbing extremist rhetoric of conservatives that call anyone a communist who so much as mentions the government (which they work for). Second, I called waitingtoshrug racist disingenuously to prove a point about semantics, a point you didn’t get at all. And third, the “sure he’s never advocated communism in his life and he’s been in office 4 years and not done one communist thing – but his evil plan is to get re-elected and do terrible things!” stuff is insane. What did bush do in his second term he wasn’t already doing in his first term? It doesn’t work that way in the real world, people get elected and advocate their beliefs and interests. He’s not a sleeper cell, he’s the president of the united states.
@flapper_femme_fatale - Well said.
@firetyger - Silly me, I was basing my opinion of the speech on the actual words that came out of his mouth, when I should have been waiting for him to pause to reflect and imagined him thinking “lets see, how can I insult business owners in a way that is in no way insulting to them” and “how can I sound like I’m saying how great community is and how much we need each other but really be spitting on people”. Yeah, you’re not viewing him through a lens at all. You’re being totally objective. It’s all in the pause.
@agnophilo - You seriously can’t see the forest for the trees. You CANNOT watch that video and not walk away feeling like Obama wasn’t trashing business owners.
The problem is, there is no arguing with people like you because you agree with every word the guy says. You believe in the idea of redistributing wealth and communal property. You don’t believe millionaires deserve what they have and your convinced that Obama is actually helping this country with the BS he is spouting.
And about that post I was supposed to be deeply offended by, have you noticed I don’t go onto other blogs calling people delusional idiots? Also, have you noticed I don’t give a shit about Romney?
@justfinethanku -
“You seriously can’t see the forest for the
trees. You CANNOT watch that video and not walk away feeling like Obama
wasn’t trashing business owners. “
For saying they didn’t build roads? “Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business – you didn’t build that.” He was talking about the roads, not somebody’s business. It’s not my fault your reading comprehension sucks. He explicitly says “The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together.” a few sentences down. To take it as him saying “nobody can be proud of individual hard work” is dishonest or gullible, one or the other.
“The problem is, there is
no arguing with people like you because you agree with every word the
guy says.”
No, I just can’t find fault with this speech when taken in context. Again read my latest blog.
“You believe in the idea of redistributing wealth and communal
property.”
No, I believe in living in a civilization. My philosophy of the role of government comes from republican abraham lincoln:
”The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do at all, or can not so well do, for themselves in their separate, and individual capacities. In all that the people can individually do as well for themselves, government ought not to interfere. The desirable things which the individuals of a people can not do, or can not well do, for themselves, fall into two classes: those which have relation to wrongs, and those which have not. Each of these branch off into an infinite variety of subdivisions. The first that in relation to wrongs embraces all crimes, misdemeanors, and nonperformance of contracts. The other embraces all which, in its nature, and without wrong, requires combined action, as public roads and highways, public schools, charities, pauperism, orphanage, estates of the deceased, and the machinery of government itself. From this it appears that if all men were just, there still would be some, though not so much, need for government. ”
What a commie!
“You don’t believe millionaires deserve what they have and your
convinced that Obama is actually helping this country with the BS he is
spouting.”
Where did I ever say anything about rich people not “deserving” what they have? I think that if you benefit from living in a society you should pay for the maintenance of that society. And I don’t think rich people should be getting tax cuts at the expense of de-funding meals on wheels or homeless shelters, especially when their taxes are pretty much the lowest they’ve been in a century. I also think we should pay for wars the way we used to, by jacking up taxes on the wealthy, not by putting it on the credit card of the middle class and sending the poor to die. If we did we’d have a lot fewer wars and none of them would cost a trillion plus dollars and last over a decade.
“And about that post I was supposed to be deeply
offended by, have you noticed I don’t go onto other blogs calling people
delusional idiots?”
What does that have to do with the post?
“Also, have you noticed I don’t give a shit about
Romney?”
That’s kind of the point. Obama says that rich people didn’t get there on their own and you write two blogs fuming about it. Romney says olympic athletes didn’t get there on their own (using the exact same logic almost word for word) and you couldn’t give two shits.