Recently I have embarked upon a project that in a very clear way drove home the point of how wrong President Obama is when he made his “you didn’t build that” speech. Before I go on, first the quote and some explanation:
“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 complete disconnect that it takes to say this blows me away every time I read it.
Those defending President Obama claim he is being taken out of context. They say that the “you didn’t build that” part referred to the roads and bridges. Personally, I don’t think so. I think the way he phased it makes it clear he was referring to the business. If he was talking about roads and bridges, then why not say “you didn’t build that” right after mentioning them, instead of moving on to another subject.
But, let’s assume for a minute he really meant you didn’t build the roads and bridges. Well, Duh. Of course not. But, we did fund them. It was our blood and sweat that generated the tax base that paid to have them built. We paid to create the level playing field that everyone lives and works on. Everyone has access to those roads, bridges, internet, and teachers. This is the point that Obama does not grasp. It is the individual initiative, creativity, and effort that goes into to creating a small business, which grows into a large business, that is far and away the most important part of the equation. A road, a bridge, or the internet does nothing, without the power of the individual. It’s not a partnership. Everyone is sitting on “Go”, but the power of our system comes from the ones who travel around the board and take chances. They create the jobs that far too many take for granted.
About five weeks ago I made a decision to start a website that would memorialize all of the people who went to my local high school, and who are no longer with us. It is called FallenBulldogs.com. I used the internet, which I did not create, but is available to everyone. A small business man would rent or buy a building that anyone else could rent or buy. He uses the roads and bridges that everyone else does on a daily basis. He makes use of the internet, which everyone else could have. He attended the same classes, with that same special teacher. But, he takes the chance on his idea.
I, not Barrack Obama, came up with the idea to create this site. Certainly I was inspired by something. Every business and every idea that has ever happened was inspired by something. But, the small business owner makes the very conscience and deliberate
“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 complete disconnect that it takes to say this blows me away every time I read it.
Those defending President Obama claim he is being taken out of context. They say that the “you didn’t build that” part referred to the roads and bridges. Personally, I don’t think so. I think the way he phased it makes it clear he was referring to the business. If he was talking about roads and bridges, then why not say “you didn’t build that” right after mentioning them, instead of moving on to another subject.
But, let’s assume for a minute he really meant you didn’t build the roads and bridges. Well, Duh. Of course not. But, we did fund them. It was our blood and sweat that generated the tax base that paid to have them built. We paid to create the level playing field that everyone lives and works on. Everyone has access to those roads, bridges, internet, and teachers. This is the point that Obama does not grasp. It is the individual initiative, creativity, and effort that goes into to creating a small business, which grows into a large business, that is far and away the most important part of the equation. A road, a bridge, or the internet does nothing, without the power of the individual. It’s not a partnership. Everyone is sitting on “Go”, but the power of our system comes from the ones who travel around the board and take chances. They create the jobs that far too many take for granted.
About five weeks ago I made a decision to start a website that would memorialize all of the people who went to my local high school, and who are no longer with us. It is called FallenBulldogs.com. I used the internet, which I did not create, but is available to everyone. A small business man would rent or buy a building that anyone else could rent or buy. He uses the roads and bridges that everyone else does on a daily basis. He makes use of the internet, which everyone else could have. He attended the same classes, with that same special teacher. But, he takes the chance on his idea.
I, not Barrack Obama, came up with the idea to create this site. Certainly I was inspired by something. Every business and every idea that has ever happened was inspired by something. But, the small business owner makes the very conscience and deliberate
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