Obama: "If you've been successful, you didn't get there on your own".

[Auburnfan91 1,408]

I'm surprised nobody has posted this yet. I guess I'll go ahead then.

http://www.realclear...hat_happen.html

Obama: "If You've Been Successful, You Didn't Get There On Your Own"

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: 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. (Applause.)

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.

This from a guy who reminds everyone that he saved GM and got Bid Laden. How ridiculous..........

[Grumps 3,706]

The more Obama speaks, the more he exposes himself as a lunatic. He REALLY thinks that this country will be best when the government controls everything.

According to Obama, "trickle down economics" does not work if you are referring to wealth being passed down from the wealthy to the less wealthy, but he seems to think that it DOES work if wealth is being passed down from the government to the less wealthy.

[RunInRed 16,994]

I've seen the clips and read the transcripts and I understand the point he's making.

Now, we can debate about the degree to or the extent to which we owe back for these opportunities but to deny our country's role in our collective OR individual successes - particularly, as a means to defend the position of 'self responsibility' and 'hard work' is beyond drinking the ideological Kool-Aid, it's not even remotely logical.

[au2004ece 30]

I've seen the clips and read the transcripts and I understand the point he's making.

Now, we can debate about the degree to or the extent to which we owe back for these opportunities but to deny our country's role in our collective OR individual successes - particularly, as a means to defend the position of 'self responsibility' and 'hard work' is beyond drinking the ideological Kool-Aid, it's not even remotely logical.

All the same can be said about poor Americans (who are rich by world-wide standards) and for rich Americans.

Everybody knows that there are very rich people who didn't have to do much to get rich. There are other very rich people who have provided great benefits to us all.

The problem with Obama's philosophy is that it is hypocritical in that it affects the middle class and upper middle class way more than the super rich. The "get something back" that he wants from the rich will definitely be a net negative for jobs, but what is far worse is that he is creating an environment that is hostile to business and hard work itself. His ideas reach many people and lead them to believe that they have no chance and should not try to reach higher themselves. His idea is a lie that ruins nations.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

Yeah, he's right. Hell, I'd push it a step farther and say, as a general rule, you received more help than just public works or assistance from the government. Very likely, someone actively helped you. I know that's true in my case. It was true when I was a kid, and it is true about the new job I'll start next fall. In my experience, successful people caught breaks.

[au2004ece 30]

Yeah, he's right. Hell, I'd push it a step farther and say, as a general rule, you received more help than just public works or assistance from the government. Very likely, someone actively helped you. I know that's true in my case. It was true when I was a kid, and it is true about the new job I'll start next fall. In my experience, successful people caught breaks.

They had to be good enough when the potential break came along that they were a match for whatever was needed.

And they had to try enough times until the break came along/not give up before the break came.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

True. Very true. Look, I find that it's easier to speak about things we know, and frankly, I'm not an expert on much beyond myself. I know a thing or two about my own life. In my case, I'm smart (thanks mom and dad!) and stubborn, which in my case translates to competitiveness and hard-work. When breaks were presented to me, I've taken advantage. I have been blessed (outside my control) and have achieved (inside my control). I wouldn't be where I am without BOTH components. Obama's comments didn't discount personal responsibility ("The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together."). He just made the accurate point that success is not entirely dependent on the individual.

[au2004ece 30]

True. Very true. Look, I find that it's easier to speak about things we know, and frankly, I'm not an expert on much beyond myself. I know a thing or two about my own life. In my case, I'm smart (thanks mom and dad!) and stubborn, which in my case translates to competitiveness and hard-work. When breaks were presented to me, I've taken advantage. I have been blessed (outside my control) and have achieved (inside my control). I wouldn't be where I am without BOTH components. Obama's comments didn't discount personal responsibility ("The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together."). He just made the accurate point that success is not entirely dependent on the individual.

Right. But he is making the point under the general philosophy that the rich owe more than others -- and not just the more than others that they already pay, even more.

Why should a super-rich man pay 40% income taxes when I pay 20% income taxes? Because he can afford it? Well I could afford it, too, if I lived in a smaller house and bought a cheaper car, etc.

His whole premise, that having rich people paying the same percentage and even paying the current higher percentage is not enough, is wrong and the opposite of the fairness he wants to so vigorously proclaim he is interested in.

[AUloggerhead 2,356]

Please. When someone starts a business and risks their hard-earned money to get it off the ground and sacrifices to make it succeed, there is a always a risk of failure that is never shared with the bridge/road builders, teachers, community organizers ignorant of basic economics and fire departments around the country. The reward for taking that risk & overcoming it is success and making a profit. Do it long enough and you can accumulate wealth. Entreprenuership is the key to our economic system, and is at the heart of the American Dream.

[TexasTiger 13,559]

Obama was a little sloppy in trying to say what Elizabeth Warren has said:

I hear all this, oh this is class warfare, no! There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. You built a factory out there -- good for you. But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn't have to worry that maurauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory... Now look. You built a factory and it turned into something terrific or a great idea -- God Bless! Keep a Big Hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along.

[au2004ece 30]

Obama was a little sloppy in trying to say what Elizabeth Warren has said:

I hear all this, oh this is class warfare, no! There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. You built a factory out there -- good for you. But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn't have to worry that maurauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory... Now look. You built a factory and it turned into something terrific or a great idea -- God Bless! Keep a Big Hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along.

A flat tax would do what the conclusion states.

[RunInRed 16,994]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: My country has given me more (freedom, security, an education, opportunity, and a tangible and non-tangible infrastructure to prosper) than I've ever given her. And so,I will forever be grateful and gladly carry the burden to contribute, give back and make sure we securely pass these same opportunities on to future generations.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Interesting, he says all these people are successful because they got help. But in all the examples of help he listed, they're all available for the unsuccessful people too.

To marginalize one's own self-determiniation, skill, or ability is fairly short-sighted. And it is comments like his that make him sound like a socialist.

I understand what he's trying to say but "If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. " Come on, man. That's just...wow...

[AURaptor 1,137]

Govt didn't build dick. It was private business that was contracted to do all the work. This spin by the left is beyond absurd.

[RunInRed 16,994]

His opponents will pick his words apart and as TexasTiger said, they were sloppy, but the underlying premise about how we've all benefited from our American system and share obligations, holds true, IMO.

[au2004ece 30]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: My country has given me more (freedom, security, an education, opportunity, and a tangible and non-tangible infrastructure to prosper) than I've ever given her. And so,I will forever be grateful and gladly carry the burden to contribute, give back and make sure we securely pass these same opportunities on to future generations.

Everybody agrees with all that. A flat tax would accomplish what you say you want, so why all the fighting for more progressiveness? Same percentage means each person pays according to what they have received.

[AURaptor 1,137]

RR, that's not barrys point- at all. At some point, HE thinks someone else has made enough $, and HE wants to be the one who decides how much that is, and how much we all " get " to keep. Not his choice, and not the govt's choice either.

[TitanTiger 20,708]

I get most of what Obama was saying with this, but that particular line about how you didn't build a business on your own was dumb. That was a bad misstatement at best. Yes, there are things about the society and business environment you decide to start a business in that you didn't do yourself and required the help of government and other people. But in many cases, people did essentially build a business from scratch and such language is insulting to them.

[BamaGrad03 0]

I get most of what Obama was saying with this, but that particular line about how you didn't build a business on your own was dumb. That was a bad misstatement at best. Yes, there are things about the society and business environment you decide to start a business in that you didn't do yourself and required the help of government and other people. But in many cases, people did essentially build a business from scratch and such language is insulting to them.

This.

That commentary is completely insulting to the people who came from nothing, had nothing, and build a business out of nothing. The whole commentary just seems really out of touch. And it also seems incredibly uncaring in regards to whom it would offend or misrepresent.

It's not the kind of stuff you need to be saying if you want people to think you're anything but a big government homer.

[au2004ece 30]

I get most of what Obama was saying with this, but that particular line about how you didn't build a business on your own was dumb. That was a bad misstatement at best. Yes, there are things about the society and business environment you decide to start a business in that you didn't do yourself and required the help of government and other people. But in many cases, people did essentially build a business from scratch and such language is insulting to them.

This.

That commentary is completely insulting to the people who came from nothing, had nothing, and build a business out of nothing. The whole commentary just seems really out of touch. And it also seems incredibly uncaring in regards to whom it would offend or misrepresent.

It's not the kind of stuff you need to be saying if you want people to think you're anything but a big government homer.

He wants people to think he is a big-government homer. That is his voting coalition.

[RunInRed 16,994]

I get most of what Obama was saying with this, but that particular line about how you didn't build a business on your own was dumb. That was a bad misstatement at best. Yes, there are things about the society and business environment you decide to start a business in that you didn't do yourself and required the help of government and other people. But in many cases, people did essentially build a business from scratch and such language is insulting to them.

Even if you did build your own business 'from scratch', your success still likely depended on external American factors:

- Access to an educated workforce

- Roads, bridges, ports and other infrastructure to be able to move your goods and services

- A secure and stable financial system to facilitate transactions

- Protection from fire and crime

- And on and on...

In fact, I can't think of one example where one could achieve success truly in a vacuum.

Regardless how much some deride their government and want to beat their chest about 'self-reliance', the simple fact is, if you've succeeded in this country, you didn't do it all on your own. Period.

[au2004ece 30]

I get most of what Obama was saying with this, but that particular line about how you didn't build a business on your own was dumb. That was a bad misstatement at best. Yes, there are things about the society and business environment you decide to start a business in that you didn't do yourself and required the help of government and other people. But in many cases, people did essentially build a business from scratch and such language is insulting to them.

Even if you did build your own business 'from scratch', your success still likely depended on external American factors:

- Access to an educated workforce

- Roads, bridges, ports and other infrastructure to be able to move your goods and services

- A secure and stable financial system to facilitate transactions

- Protection from fire and crime

- And on and on...

In fact, I can't think of one example where one could achieve success truly in a vacuum.

Regardless how much some deride their government and want to beat their chest about 'self-reliance', the simple fact is, if you've succeeded in this country, you didn't do it all on your own. Period.

But... Those that are successful are paying for their portion (and more) of those services through taxes. Those that are not successful are having their portion of those services paid for by others. Unsuccessful people get the same benefits as successful people while contributing nothing back in return.

So, starting with the same baseline of government benefits...can't you admit there is something extra the successful people are doing to make themselves successful?

To turn Obama's argument on its head: Does it make sense for those are not contributing to society to receive the same services (and more) that those that do contribute receive? Shouldn't a contribution (something beyond existence) be required for participation in the general social contract?

[RunInRed 16,994]

That gets back to my original point ... this is really not an argument about 'building success on your own' -- it's easily proven no one can claim they've done this ... it's about the degree to or the extent to which we should each have to contribute back.

As for our current progressive tax structure, I agree it has some flaws but I also think the notion that the more you succeed, the more you should have to give back is directionally correct. As for every one contributing, absolutely, we're in agreement.

[Auburn85 434]

I get most of what Obama was saying with this, but that particular line about how you didn't build a business on your own was dumb. That was a bad misstatement at best. Yes, there are things about the society and business environment you decide to start a business in that you didn't do yourself and required the help of government and other people. But in many cases, people did essentially build a business from scratch and such language is insulting to them.

Even if you did build your own business 'from scratch', your success still likely depended on external American factors:

- Access to an educated workforce

- Roads, bridges, ports and other infrastructure to be able to move your goods and services

- A secure and stable financial system to facilitate transactions

- Protection from fire and crime

- And on and on...

In fact, I can't think of one example where one could achieve success truly in a vacuum.

Regardless how much some deride their government and want to beat their chest about 'self-reliance', the simple fact is, if you've succeeded in this country, you didn't do it all on your own. Period.

Then, why is it ok for Obama to take full credit for the economic activity of a Dollar General being built in rural Alabama, while the owners of Dollar General didn't do this on their own?

[Auburn85 434]

Look at all of this stuff the Obama campaign were happy to let Sarah Jessica Parker say:

He did this, he did that...

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