I don't disagree with what he's saying but he could cast a wider net. None of us on here made it where we are alone and we could all pay more. There are even some poor who could pay something rather than paying no federal income tax.

Wouldn't Warren Buffet be one?

When Mr. Buffet writes his check to the IRS then I will believe him. Until then he's blowing smoke.

Sounds like the "it takes a village" philosophy.

 

Some folks subscribe to that, some don't. I do, but I realize that there a lot in the other camp.

 

I had to go find the more full statement on this.

 

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event in Roanoke, Virginia | The White House

"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."

 

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"If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help." Maybe, maybe not. This seems assume ALL successful businesses 'needed help'. That is not the case universally at all.

 

"There was a great teacher somewhere in your life." Again, maybe, maybe not.

 

"Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive." Its called individual freedom. The foundation is based in the Bill of Rights. So the 'somebody' is Franklin, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, etc.

 

"If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen." Is this talking about customers? i.e. the market that was served by a business? Or is this indicating that entrepreneurs only succeed with help (from the government)?

 

"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." I have news here for Mr. Obama. Electronic communications was well underway long, long before the internet. Communication protocols that allowed for emails, file transfer, etc. were all happening long before the modern internet existed and long before DARPAnet. The only real action of 'the government' in this area was establishing what became TCP/IP as the standard for research universities and thus setting a non-proprietary standard that took off. Government funded research got us to the moon for sure but the research and base technology of the internet was not an 'moon-program' like government project.

 

I am certainly disappointed in these comments. They seem to trample on the 'can do' American spirit and discount amazing efforts by small entrepreneurs and business owners as well as efforts of those who fund and manage large-scale venture capital efforts. The comments discount the challenges taken by those who start and grow businesses. And they certainly discount that starting a business is always a risk-filled proposition where the odds of long term 'success' are well less than 50/50. And yet people do it everyday. And they do it without help from the government in the vast majority of cases.

Sounds like the "it takes a village" philosophy.

 

This is exactly the point the President was trying to convey.

 

Some of his specific examples, in my opinion, were spot on (i.e. influence of teachers). Others, not so much (i.e. you didn't built that...somebody made that happen).

I think his message was clear. You the business owner put a lot into it and we count on you but you don't do it without help from the govt or teachers or...... You can't be completely free from govt involvement. Any business today selling online owes PART of their success to the thinking of the govt a long time ago. They put their capital up, they took the risk, they worked 8 days per week 25 hours per day but they USED technology developed and paid for by the govt.

 

Reading anything else into his total message is unwise and will lead one astray.

Disagree. He flat out said, "If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen". There's more to that message than what you you're claiming here. It's a "we did that for you" message. A "you owe we the government for what you have" message. I think he's giving most of the credit to those that put up no money, no hard work, no sacrifices, no risk and pretty much glosses over those that did.

I agree with Bluegrasscard, our forefathers are the ones that paved the way for people to earn their business, not today's intrusive government. If anyone other than the one that built the business deserves any credit, it's the free market system we have and the customers that buy the product, not the government. If anything, the government has made it harder and more expensive to do business.

So who paid for the roads the businesses didn't build, would it be the businesses who are taxed?

So who paid for the roads the businesses didn't build, would it be the businesses who are taxed?

 

Actually it primarily supposed to be the taxes on gasoline. Also bonds paids for by tolls, with a good example being the numerous parkways in Kentucky.

 

Although taxes on gasoline are much, much more than profits for the companies selling gasoline this a good tax as roads are key public benefit.

The railroads are a perfect example. It led to a boom in business across the land. It was partly paid for by the RR companies but they were greatly helped by land grants. That's the point. The RR didn't have to buy the land . The govt provided it BECAUSE it was a good idea.

 

Business owners, the citizens, and the govt all benefitted.

 

You cannot have business without some sort of govt involvement.

I think he's giving most of the credit to those that put up no money, no hard work, no sacrifices, no risk and pretty much glosses over those that did.

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Read his text and tell me what you base the above on.

Read his text and tell me what you base the above on.

I've read it, I listened to it. I think you need to do so again and really pay attention. Remember, he's a polished politician, give a real good listen.

The railroads are a perfect example. It led to a boom in business across the land. It was partly paid for by the RR companies but they were greatly helped by land grants. That's the point. The RR didn't have to buy the land . The govt provided it BECAUSE it was a good idea.

 

Business owners, the citizens, and the govt all benefitted.

 

You cannot have business without some sort of govt involvement.

As I said, some of what he said was ok. That's not all he's saying. Again, one very telling and offensive line. "If you've got a business, you didn't build that, someone else made that happen". His words, not mine. You're glossing over that part and I don't know why.

As I said, some of what he said was ok. That's not all he's saying. Again, one very telling and offensive line. "If you've got a business, you didn't build that, someone else made that happen". His words, not mine. You're glossing over that part and I don't know why.

 

I'm not glossing over anything. If that's ALL he said then he's fair game. You have to read it entirely. He said we're all in it together which shouldn't shock anyone.

I'm not glossing over anything. If that's ALL he said then he's fair game. You have to read it entirely. He said we're all in it together which shouldn't shock anyone.

Then you're blowing it off. I read and listened to it in it's entirety. No, when building a business, we're not in this all together. That's a load. Again, if I start a business and it fails, I lose. You don't, my neighbor doesn't, the president doesn't....

As I said, his message in my view is the government built that, not you.

The railroads are a perfect example. It led to a boom in business across the land. It was partly paid for by the RR companies but they were greatly helped by land grants. That's the point. The RR didn't have to buy the land . The govt provided it BECAUSE it was a good idea.

 

Business owners, the citizens, and the govt all benefitted.

 

You cannot have business without some sort of govt involvement.

So in your opinion had the govt not issued the land grants the RR wouldn't have happened? I don't buy that. It just made it easier and cheaper from the RR companies to complete. But if they didn't get the grants I'm guessing they would have purchased the neccessary land.

Then you're blowing it off. I read and listened to it in it's entirety. No, when building a business, we're not in this all together. That's a load. Again, if I start a business and it fails, I lose. You don't, my neighbor doesn't, the president doesn't....

As I said, his message in my view is the government built that, not you.

Agreed. My biggest problem with the message is any good was done away with by that one sentence.