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BoyNextDoor
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“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, when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together."
Now that the statement is in context, it makes a lot of sense. The United States is not just a bunch of individuals.
E Pluribus Unum
"The point is, when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together."
Now that the statement is in context, it makes a lot of sense. The United States is not just a bunch of individuals.
E Pluribus Unum
JustSkye
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The statement he made, if taken correctly, is that no one does absolutely anything alone, and that involves becoming successful. That you had others helping to pave the way. You may have had great ideas, prototypes of whatever you were doing or building, but you did not do everything alone. You had others helping. Period.
JustSkye
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Thank you.
Bert Notorius
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A Marxian Slip. Have a Cuban cigar.
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Sean Renaud
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We are dwarves standing on the shoulders of giants. I didn't found America. I know you're old, but did you Vette? I didn't invent the car that takes me to work, I didn't build the roads that I drive on, I didn't design the computer that lets me do my job. I didn't invent the internet, I didn't start my first business as my first job and I didn't start it because I was rich. Doors were opened for me that I could not have opened on my own. The way for my sucess wasn't paved by me. How far I've walked is on me, anything I improve from here out is at least in part on me but I am not so arrogant as to claim that I am the Alpha and the Omega. Nor am I so cruel that I don't look to make sure that the road behind isn't damaged by my actions. The ones who come after me should make it farther than I did, and with less effort because knocked down what I could and I took paved the way as far as I could.
JustSkye
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Read the second paragraph of the article.
Skye: I posted aircraft for you, and you didn't give a shit.
I never saw them. Sorry.
BotanyBoy
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You're gonna go faaaaaaaaaaar.....
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JAMESBJOHNSON
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The antithesis, of course, is: YOUR FAILURES ARE NONE OF YOUR DOING, EITHER. And here is where Obama's proposition falls apart.
Redatlit
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I own a business. He's right I didn't build it alone, but he acts like I didn't pay for that "help". I paid contractors, employees, fees, and fees and fees and more fees, and licenses, and more fees. I paid for equipment. And what I didn't pay with $$$ I paid with no sleep, lots of worry, and some great big balls.
I took out huge loans. My house and everything I own is at risk. I pay taxes on the goods and services I sell. I pay taxes on my property, on everything I buy. That teacher that helped me learn? Yeah, she was paid. My work ethic? Free of charge courtesy of my parents. The roads I use? I pay state and local taxes, along with excise taxes on gas to help with the infrastructure.
His lecturing me that I should be grateful and willing to pay more, like I don't know what it takes to build a business or that I have no concept of economics and history is insulting. He acts like I'm some arrogant greedy bitch who needs to be taken to task for holding onto my business by my fingernails during this recession. He acts like I don't feel an enormous amount of responsibility because my employees depend on my business staying whole so they can survive financially too. He acts like I don't take cuts so they don't have to. You own a business? Well then you don't care about people, your community, the environment or anything but the almighty dollar.
His POINT is that he's making it ok for others who haven't taken the risks I've taken, who haven't worked the hours I've worked, who haven't sacrificed the time with family that I've sacrificed, to feel justified in demanding that I give more because I OWE them. If you own a business you're a greedy, ungrateful, heartless asshole who got there by stepping on someone else. Nice message, Mr. President.
He had my vote during the last election but if he doesn't change his tone when he starts talking about business and "successful people" he's not going to have it this time.
* And spare me the fact that after he spends most of his time lecturing he throws in a "it's great that you're successful" or a "yes, it takes individual initiative" to cover his condescending arrogant has no fucking clue what it takes to produce goods and services in this country ass.
I took out huge loans. My house and everything I own is at risk. I pay taxes on the goods and services I sell. I pay taxes on my property, on everything I buy. That teacher that helped me learn? Yeah, she was paid. My work ethic? Free of charge courtesy of my parents. The roads I use? I pay state and local taxes, along with excise taxes on gas to help with the infrastructure.
His lecturing me that I should be grateful and willing to pay more, like I don't know what it takes to build a business or that I have no concept of economics and history is insulting. He acts like I'm some arrogant greedy bitch who needs to be taken to task for holding onto my business by my fingernails during this recession. He acts like I don't feel an enormous amount of responsibility because my employees depend on my business staying whole so they can survive financially too. He acts like I don't take cuts so they don't have to. You own a business? Well then you don't care about people, your community, the environment or anything but the almighty dollar.
His POINT is that he's making it ok for others who haven't taken the risks I've taken, who haven't worked the hours I've worked, who haven't sacrificed the time with family that I've sacrificed, to feel justified in demanding that I give more because I OWE them. If you own a business you're a greedy, ungrateful, heartless asshole who got there by stepping on someone else. Nice message, Mr. President.
He had my vote during the last election but if he doesn't change his tone when he starts talking about business and "successful people" he's not going to have it this time.
* And spare me the fact that after he spends most of his time lecturing he throws in a "it's great that you're successful" or a "yes, it takes individual initiative" to cover his condescending arrogant has no fucking clue what it takes to produce goods and services in this country ass.
BotanyBoy
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BoyNextDoor
I hate liars
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All he is saying is that contrary to assertions of the loyal opposition, infrastructure projects are a public good that facilitate growth. Like you said - you paid your taxes and got an education and roads got built. The loyal opposition is saying 'let's not pay taxes let's not build roads and let's not educate'.
As a small business owner I hope you are equally as angry that the Congress voted for a 33rd time to repeal ACA rather then on tax relief for new hires for small businesses.
Wrong Element
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I fail to see how the mere mention that no person is completely self-made is an "attack" on business, or on successful people in general. It's sort of a banal point, which only has to get made because Silver Spoon Willard fancies himself an up-from-his-bootstraps builder instead of a vapid rich kid who got richer shuffling money around.
Would we have won World War II faster if we had sent a bunch of preppy businessmen in after Hitler, instead of government employees?
I haven't spent much time here addressing Obama's comment, because I think almost everyone knows what he actually did say, and is just passing along the cropped version because they somehow believe that the average doofus will fall for their spin. Either you know what Obama said and realize it was nothing inflammatory; or you know what he said but you hate him, and what's the truth when there's an election to be won; or you don't know what he said but you'll swallow anything busybody says about it because you're a dumbass. Either way, I would just be wasting my time.
Would we have won World War II faster if we had sent a bunch of preppy businessmen in after Hitler, instead of government employees?
I haven't spent much time here addressing Obama's comment, because I think almost everyone knows what he actually did say, and is just passing along the cropped version because they somehow believe that the average doofus will fall for their spin. Either you know what Obama said and realize it was nothing inflammatory; or you know what he said but you hate him, and what's the truth when there's an election to be won; or you don't know what he said but you'll swallow anything busybody says about it because you're a dumbass. Either way, I would just be wasting my time.
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Comshaw
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Ishmael
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To ALL of the above posters. Yes, there are a lot of smart people out there. And Yes, there are a lot of hard workers.
Workers are called employee's, just that simple. Owners are the ones that take the risks and 'risk' is the operative word.
They are the ones that borrowed the money to start the business. And if there's anything left over after the employees, the bank(s), and the government(s) are paid, well, that's what they get. And with their 'get' they can decide how much to plow back into the business or put in their pocket. Those that pocket the most tend not to be in business for very long.
The government is not my partner, nor my enabler. They are an obstacle for me and my employee's. If I go bankrupt the government is NOT there to file along with me. My losses are my own, but they dare to proclaim that without them I couldn't succeed. How ridiculous!!!
Every piece of pavement, water line, sewer line, or any other service the government provides was bought and paid for with my businesses tax money, right along with the individual property owner. I OWE the government nothing, nor do you. Disabuse yourself of the notion that you 'owe' the government anything, you don't. You bought it, all of it. The question is how much are you willing to pay? And whether you are willing to demand your money's worth.
Prior to the instantiation of the Dept. of Education this nation was 6th in the world educationally. We are now 30th. Would you dare call this 'effective management'?
The list goes on in virtually every sector of life or the economy. We are getting less and less for ever more taxes.
You call yourself a free people while you're busily enslaving yourself for no other reason than the thought of enslaving those that don't agree with you.
Ishmael
Workers are called employee's, just that simple. Owners are the ones that take the risks and 'risk' is the operative word.
They are the ones that borrowed the money to start the business. And if there's anything left over after the employees, the bank(s), and the government(s) are paid, well, that's what they get. And with their 'get' they can decide how much to plow back into the business or put in their pocket. Those that pocket the most tend not to be in business for very long.
The government is not my partner, nor my enabler. They are an obstacle for me and my employee's. If I go bankrupt the government is NOT there to file along with me. My losses are my own, but they dare to proclaim that without them I couldn't succeed. How ridiculous!!!
Every piece of pavement, water line, sewer line, or any other service the government provides was bought and paid for with my businesses tax money, right along with the individual property owner. I OWE the government nothing, nor do you. Disabuse yourself of the notion that you 'owe' the government anything, you don't. You bought it, all of it. The question is how much are you willing to pay? And whether you are willing to demand your money's worth.
Prior to the instantiation of the Dept. of Education this nation was 6th in the world educationally. We are now 30th. Would you dare call this 'effective management'?
The list goes on in virtually every sector of life or the economy. We are getting less and less for ever more taxes.
You call yourself a free people while you're busily enslaving yourself for no other reason than the thought of enslaving those that don't agree with you.
Ishmael
bra_man69
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BotanyBoy
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I guess the question is, how many years are encompassed in " the near future?"
Depends on how narrow one's perception of time is.
1) I want to know what infrastructure Obama has been on about lately....I'll answer it for you...NONE. It's all been money exchanging hands at the taxpayers expense in the name of "social programs" and "going green" that aren't really any better than what we had. "I'm going to spend more on education but keep no child left behind!" WTF???
50 million dollar light bulb that uses technology already in use, it's not a pay back for campaign contributions!! it's going green!!!
2) The opposition is NOT against infrastructure....EVERYONE loves roads and highways. What they don't like is re-paving the interstate 4 times a year to inflate next years budget from the fed while city streets are filled with potholes.
3) Education....no one hates it, what they do hate is sending 350 to 500k per class room per year and having the schools tell them they can't teach kids basic reading/writing/arithmetic better than Zimbabwe because of the lack of funding.
Meanwhile at the private school that cost 1/2 as much per kid they are receiving top notch education.
Or better yet an EU school that spends the same and is getting far better results.
*sniff* You smell that? It's the bullshit dripping off all the "this is to help/protect you we just need 1 more percent of your income" legislation.
There is a difference in paying for something and getting something out of it, and just flat out being ripped off.
I'm not pissed about obamacare because I'm against socialized medicine, but because he didn't stop big pharma and insurance from having carte blanche to charge WHATEVER they want. I'm pissed because he didn't stuff those weasels and broker a good deal with them on the behalf of the american people. Nope...he didn't even try, he just opened a whole new arena for them to fuck us in whole new ways since now they have to cover pre fucked up people and are still allowed to charge whatever they want. Big pharm and insurance were happy about it....if you want to know why follow the money.
That old bag of wind? pffft please.....he was from a different era, just like the constitution nothing he said applies to today unless it's to my benefit.
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about_average
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And nothing better illustrates your lack of understanding of context. than the above.
First, Obama never said a successful business is not the result of the owner's efforts (in spite of what the fools on the Right would have us believe).
Second, the Right thinks government is the reason business's fail. You can't have it both ways.
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JAMESBJOHNSON
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I heard what Obama said: YOU DIDNT DO THAT! SOMEONE ELSE DID IT!
That said, I did the math and extracted Obama's intended message: IT TAKES A VILLAGE! But even this message is wrong, cuz most of us are compelled to struggle with government and elites and dum luck to make substance outta imagination. Success has 1000 fathers, failure is an orphan.
