Obama caught being a smarmy douchebag?

[Dauphin]

You're just saying the same thing. Those are some of the specifics (like teachers) for the "not alone".

I know we are, but the "that" is different in our two interpretations. You say he's talking about the business, I say he's talking about the conducive environment.

Semantics I know, but then the whole conversation is semantics.

[Wiglaf]

It was quite clearly a counter to the stupid bastards who think that big business and the super rich shouldn't have to pay a fair tax rate and constantly paint their successes as if they were achieved without help from the nation as a whole.

Does any business person ever say they could have achieved their success without roads?

I know more than a few business owners who say tax rates could have killed their success, but none who have denied the importance of roads.

Roads are good. Romney 2012.

[Aeson]

I know we are, but the "that" is different in our two interpretations. You say he's talking about the business, I say he's talking about the conducive environment.

Semantics I know, but then the whole conversation is semantics.

I am saying that by "that" (and thus "business" which "that" is a pronoun referring to) he is talking about both the individual's actions and the environmental influences.

[Aeson]

Does any business person ever say they could have achieved their success without roads?

Many seem to disregard or downplay the inputs other than their own. Just because someone doesn't flat out state something doesn't mean it can't be implied.

[Wiglaf]

Ridiculous. If you think businessowners don't understand the very real impact of government on the success of their business, you are ridiculous.

The reason small business owners overwhelmingly support Romney is they think his "inputs" or lack thereof would be far better for their success than Obama's. Obama is so bad for business that he has to paint Romney as someone opposed to roads, which is very ridiculous.

[Dauphin]

I am saying that by "that" (and thus "business" which "that" is a pronoun referring to) he is talking about both the individual's actions and the environmental influences.

If that is what he meant, then he's making generalisations of no added value. He may as well say "nobody has ever done anything by themselves".

Or, "You can't have a society of one".

[Aeson]

Ridiculous. If you think businessowners don't understand the very real impact of government on the success of their business, you are ridiculous.

Most understand (to varying levels of imperfection) the impact that government will have on their profits (or their own personal gain). That is not necessarily the same as their success (which can be defined in many ways). It is certainly not the same as honestly appraising the inputs that lead to their success and distributing their profits accordingly.

[Aeson]

If that is what he meant, then he's making generalisations of no added value. He may as well say "nobody has ever done anything by themselves".

Or, "You can't have a society of one".

a) he's a politician, what do you expect?
b) there actually is potential value (positive or negative) to the generalization inasmuch as it leads to a different distribution of resources. (Which may or may not happen.)

[giblets]

Oh and since when the **** was Obama anti-business?

He wants slightly higher tax rates on the rich, less carbon dioxide emissions and universal health care. That makes him a Communist who wants to put businessmen up against the wall and execute them by firing squad.

[kentonio]

Good point.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Chicken or Egg

1 In the beginning Govt created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the economy was formless and void, darkness was over the surface of the ATMs, and the Spirit of Govt was hovering over the land.

3 And Govt said, “Let there be spending,” and there was spending. 4 Govt saw that the spending was good, and that it separated the light from the darkness. 5 Govt called the spending Investments, and this he did in the first day.

6 Then Govt said, “Let there be roads and bridges across the waters, and let dams divide the waters from the waters.” 7 Thus Govt made the infrastructure and the patronage jobs for eternity under the firmament from the Potomac which was above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And Govt called the firmament Washington. This Govt did on the second day.

9 Then Govt said, “Let the regulations and the guidlines under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the Bureaus appear”; and it was so. 10 And Govt called the Bureaus demigovts, and the gathering together of them He called AFSCME. And Govt saw that it was good.

11 Then Govt said, “Let there be police, and firefighters, and teachers according to their kind, for they will create more jobs”; and it was so. 12 And then Govt bade the void bring forth crime, and arson, and stupidity, that each would yield seed to bring forth more police, and firefighters, and teachers, and jobs. And Govt saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.

14 On the fourth day Govt said, “Let Us make the economy in Our image, according to Our likeness; let it have dominion over the cars of the road, over the appliances of the supercenters, and over the pet groomers of the strip malls, over all the clickthroughs of Amazon and over every creepy thing of the Dollar Stores.” 15 So Govt created the economy in His own image; services and wholesale and retail He created them. 16 Then Govt blessed them, and Govt said to them, “Be fruitful and use the multiplier effect; fill the land with jobs; thou have dominion over thy realm, within limits, as long and thou remember to get thy permits and tithe thy taxes, for they are good. Hope to see you at the fundraiser.”

17 And on the fifth day Govt made an official Govt holiday, and headed off for a 3-day golf weekend at Camp David. But first Govt said to the economy, "you are free to eat from any tree in the garden, except the tree of Knowledge. There is a serpent in that thing, and thy health care does not cover it."

18 So when Govt was on vay-cay the economy set about the garden, plowing its fields and generating revenue for the glory of Govt. They obeyed the regulations and were not ashamed.

19 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the balanced, publicly-funded birds the Lord Govt had made to sing news to the economy. The serpent was on the AM band. He said to the retail sector, “Did Govt really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? ”

20 "Only yours, serpent," said the retail sector.

21 “Don't be a wuss,” the serpent said to the retail sector. 22 “For Govt knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will wise to Govt's scam.”

23 When she saw that the fruit was pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, and also free to download, she took some and ate it. She emailed a copy to her wholesaler, and he ate it; and then the wholesaler to the manufacturer, and he to the servicer. 24 Then the eyes of all of them were opened, and they realized they were being taxed naked; so they outsourced fig leaves to make coverings for themselves.

25 Then the economy heard the sound of the Lord Govt returning from vay-cay with the demigovts Osha and Tarp and Irs. It was the cool of the day, and they were hiding their profits from the Lord Govt among the trees of the garden. 26 But the Lord Govt called to the manufacturer, “Where are you?”

26 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid, so I sought a tax shelter.”

27 And Govt said, “Who told you that your profits were yours? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? ”

28 The man said, “The retailer made me —she has a thing for serpents.”

29 Then the Lord Govt said to the retailer, “What is this you have done?”

30 And she said to the Lord Govt, “Don't take that tone with me, fat boy. And why should I give you my profits?”

31 The Lord Govt was in wrath, and said, “For I am the Lord Govt, creator of Eden! 32 I gave unto you the roads and bridges, and schools and cops, brought unto you of gentle showers of Tarp and Stimulus and rivers of Subsidy, I am the purifier of the waters, cleanser of the air, without which you and your profits would not exist. Thus all that thou have created is created by Us. Thus ye shall render unto Govt what is Govt's, and this is the Word of your Lord.”

33 At these words, Solydra and Gm and Seiu and all the Cronyans and Laborites dropped to their knees in trembling fear and supplicated themselves before the Lord, presenting Him golden gifts of contributions.

34 Then the retailer said to Govt, “And who created you?”

35 In righteous anger did the Lord Govt again rise up and said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Tri-Delts and the Dekes, I am and have always been! I am the great cosmic turtle on which you and the entire economy rest.”

36 "And on whom do you rest, turtle?" said the retailer in blasheme.

37 "Do not mock me with your knowledge trickery, harlot!" said the Lord Govt. "I am turtles all the way down."

38 So the Lord Govt said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

“Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals!You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.39 And I will keep you from tenure and grants and the airwaves, and condemn you to the bowels of internet."40 Then the Lord Govt turned the retailer and the manufacturer and the wholesaler and all the servicers, and said,

“I will make your taxes and regulations very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to profit. You shall be afflicted with plagues of audits, the coming of Osha, and the trials of Irs.By the sweat of thy brow you will earn thy living until you return it to Me.You will suffer the droughts of subsidy and stimulus, and will thirst forever. You're welcome." 41 And so the Lord Govt banished the economy from paradise, and bade them go outsource to the Far East of Eden. And as the chastened economy slouched out of of Babylon He said unto them,

40 "How do you like them apples?"

[Lorizael]

Clever.

[Propaganda]

Does anyone know when Obama will finish writing "Dreams of my Mao: The Little Red Book edition"? Certianly hope Ogie's post will serve as a preface.

[The Mad Monk]

Cutter: Romney "Not Telling The Truth," Taking Obama Out Of Context
“Mitt Romney recently launched a TV ad that blatantly twists President Obama’s words on small-business owners and entrepreneurs. Romney’s not telling the truth about what the president said and is taking the president’s words out of context," Obama deputy campaign manager Stephanie Miller said in a new web video released today.

"Apart from the flagrant hypocrisy, these attack ads make you wonder, does [Romney] even understand how our economy works?" Cutter asks in the video.

"With the public and private sectors working together to create a climate that helps us grow," she said. "President Obama knows that."

http://realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/07/24/cutter_romney_not_telling_the_truth_taking_obama_out_of_context.html

Why yes, this is the same Stephanie Cutter who suggested Romney was a felon!