An internet meme I can get behind:

[TCinVA]

907
908
909

[jstyer]

I couldn't believe what I read... Why the hell aren't his comments about entrepreneurs getting more media time???

[orionz06]

You didn't make this thread, somebody else made it happen.

[Kyle Reese]

I couldn't believe what I read... Why the hell aren't his comments about entrepreneurs getting more media time???

Because the American media has essentially become the propaganda wing of the Democrat Party. If someone with a (R) next to their name said this it would air 24/7 until the year 2045, perhaps even beyond.

Pravda has nothing on outlets like MSNBC.

[TCinVA]

Because the American media has essentially become the propaganda wing of the Democrat Party.


Slight correction, my friend: Always has been.

Anyone who doubts that can read Caro's latest book. NOTE: I do not recommend reading that book if you have high blood pressure. I wouldn't want someone to stroke out.

EDIT - No freeloading:

910

[BaiHu]

I'd donate to this internet meme just to keep these rolling :rolleyes:

[ToddG]

My Photoshop is weak, but one I thought of: Obama knocking over a sandcastle in front of a crying kid, shouting "You didn't build that!"

[TCinVA]

...or a picture of Obama's book saying "You didn't write that." Or a picture of Obama's girlfriend saying "You didn't date that."

Only it would actually be true in that case.

[SGT_Calle]

Rush Limbaugh (or whoever runs his FB) has been posting hilarious photos since the speech. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, etc...

[Firestickfilms]

Some context is usually helpfull...

“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help,” Obama said.*“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.”*

You can hate on Obama all you like (I certainly disagree with him about guns) but it doesn't make his point any less valid. BTW I'm a self employed entrepreneur and business owner.

[BaiHu]

Some context is usually helpfull...

“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help,” Obama said.*“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.”*

You can hate on Obama all you like (I certainly disagree with him about guns) but it doesn't make his point any less valid. BTW I'm a self employed entrepreneur and business owner.

I agree with the "context" point and I'd even say that he's 'right' in the aspect that others came before you to build a foundation (think founding father's or unions bldg roads/bridges/tunnels for all I care) so that you may build upon it, but his message is twisted and populace serving. He makes it sound like martyred angel govt slaves died providing evil men like Mitt Romney this Utopia. When, in fact, it was each INDIVIDUAL taxpayer's hard work and hard earned capital that was used to create this 'shining city' that everyone has access to.

Context? Check. Purposely flawed/twisted analogy? Check.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

[The_Dave]

The context makes it worse...

[Firestickfilms]

I think a better choice of words would be... "You didn't build all that, somebody else made your opportunity possible".

One concept that is propagated constantly is this sense of people pulling them selve's up from thier bootstraps.
This concept almost never exists in the way it's portrayed. If you were born to middle-class parents with jobs and high school diplomas then you're already significanly advantaged to be successful. Even more so if you're male, white and over 6 feet tall (like me). I volenteer at an inner-city high school from time to time and I see what it would really mean to pull ones self up out of that community and I can tell you it's rare for a reason.

I may own a business, but I was born into a completely different set of opportunities, I'm under no illusions that if I had been born in the "Hood" that I would be where I am today. Call it class warfare if you like but it only helps us as a nation to educate and empower as many citizens as possible and for that you need resources, taxes & bureaucracy. In other words society.

[ToddG]

So my success is invalidated because my parents came from good homes and worked hard to provide for me as a kid?

Dear President Obama,
If I didn't build my company, how come I'm the one who has to pay the taxes for it?

[Ray Keith]

So my success is invalidated because my parents came from good homes and worked hard to provide for me as a kid?


Yes Todd it is....your success is merely a powerful polemic to fire his constituency and feeds their desire to tax you more, after all why should they feel bad about taking away stuff from you that you didn't really earn anyway and practically stole from the world's underclass.

[ToddG]

Ray -- Thank you. Now I understand. :cool:

[jetfire]

Dear President Obama,
If I didn't build my company, how come I'm the one who has to pay the taxes for it?

I am SO stealing this.

[ToddG]

I am SO stealing this.

From a guy who drives a muscle car with a V6? Dick...

[jetfire]

From a guy who drives a muscle car with a V6? Dick...

That's a rental. Despite it being a pretty decent car, I could never have a muscle car with a V6.

[TCinVA]

In other words society.

A Great Society, perhaps?

My friend, if money taken from others and bureaucracy actually solved the problems of poverty, they'd be solved. The problems of poverty got worse and more intractable after all the "helping". That's not my opinion...that is a fact of history.

And that is the point. Obama's words are insults...rhetorical weapons used in a war against the only thing that offers real hope of a better life.

The "hood" is the "hood" because of people like Obama and his mentors.

He's not right.

He has no "point".

The "context" is the ongoing war against the human spirit that those of his ilk promote out of a particularly stubborn conceit that treats the rest of humanity as bit players in The Story of Them. The "context" is a man who's administration has been leaking important national security information to a thoroughly house-broken press to make him appear more masculine. Information that will probably get good men killed one day if it hasn't already.

...and then he has the audacity to stand there and talk about who deserves credit for accomplishment?

Sorry. I cede no ground to this man.

Certainly not on this.

Real success doesn't fall on people's head from the sky. In one way or another, they earn it. Michael Jordan was born with more athletic talent than most. He worked hard and pushed that advantage as hard as he could. People gave him opportunities...but they were just that: Opportunities. He had to do something with them. He had to carry the load.

[Firestickfilms]

It is not invalid, it just does not belong wholly to you. Also your parents paid significantly (adjusted for inflation) higher taxes than you or I do now, taxes that were used for our education and the infastucture that allowed them to provide for us and our current sucsess.

Look at it like this...

You (Todd) are very talented firearms instructor with a series of excellent classes and a website and forum to support the community. You worked hard to develop your skills, your curriculum and your following. You deserve all the credit and income from these endevours.

However, you did not invent:
The bullet, the firearm, training or teaching, the internet (that was Al Gore ;) or the software that your website and this forum runs on.

So to say that you could have gotten to this place solely on your own is not credible.
You were lucky enugh to be born into a home, community and a country that allowed you to pursue these endevours, and you could not have achieved them without the support of your parents, teachers, community, collegues, software developers and the internet.

So the point Obama's making is again "you didn't build that". "That" being the opportunities that afforded you your business success.

Now, where I think the real philosophical divide is, is who you believe the government should be trying to create those opportunities for? Those that have sucsess already or those in need of opportuinites for sucsess in the first place.

[Ray Keith]

Now, where I think the real philosophical divide is, is who you believe the government should be trying to create those opportunities for? Those that have sucsess already or those in need of opportuinites for sucsess in the first place.

No, the real philosophical divide is whether this is a legitimate role of government at all. Assuming arguendo that this is really Obama's purpose, which it isn't. Obama and his ilk need a permanent underclass, one that is beholden to them for subsistence, protection and now the ability to even stay in this country. If you are in such straits, you will be unthinkingly loyal to the power that provides these things, you will hate those who threaten these things and will easily believe anything that your provider says about them.

[Jac]

It is not invalid, it just does not belong wholly to you. Also your parents paid significantly (adjusted for inflation) higher taxes than you or I do now, taxes that were used for our education and the infastucture that allowed them to provide for us and our current sucsess.

Look at it like this...

You (Todd) are very talented firearms instructor with a series of excellent classes and a website and forum to support the community. You worked hard to develop your skills, your curriculum and your following. You deserve all the credit and income from these endevours.

However, you did not invent:
The bullet, the firearm, training or teaching, the internet (that was Al Gore ;) or the software that your website and this forum runs on.

So to say that you could have gotten to this place solely on your own is not credible.
You were lucky enugh to be born into a home, community and a country that allowed you to pursue these endevours, and you could not have achieved them without the support of your parents, teachers, community, collegues, software developers and the internet.

So the point Obama's making is again "you didn't build that". "That" being the opportunities that afforded you your business success.

Now, where I think the real philosophical divide is, is who you believe the government should be trying to create those opportunities for? Those that have sucsess already or those in need of opportuinites for sucsess in the first place.

No, the *real* philisophical divide is between those who believe that the government should be trying to create opportunities for anyone and those who believe the government has no business interefering in such matters.

[Firestickfilms]

The problem with the above analysis is that the underclass is a very unreliable electorate.
There is no "welfare state" in this country, most of what did constitue welfare as we concieve it was gutted in the 90s by Gingrich and Clinton. What exists today as welfare is only "livable" by those comitting fraud. They certainly exists but not in any numbers significant to presidential campaign.

As far as poverty goes, you can never end poverty just as you can never stop fires, but that shouldn't stop us from trying to put them out.

[Ray Keith]

The problem with the above analysis is that the underclass is a very unreliable electorate.
There is no "welfare state" in this country, most of what did constitue welfare as we concieve it was gutted in the 90s by Gingrich and Clinton. What exists today as welfare is only "livable" by those comitting fraud. They certainly exists but not in any numbers significant to presidential campaign.

As far as poverty goes, you can never end poverty just as you can never stop fires, but that shouldn't stop us from trying to put them out.

What then is the end game to the argument of "you didn't build that"? What is the therefore...? To continue the TLG thread since he threw it out there, "Todd you didn't build your business, someone else made that happen...therefore"... ? Todd is overwhelmed by the circular reasoning and breaks down in tears and says OKAY!! I give up! I am nothing without all of these other people offering me untold advantages that the underclass doesn't have!!!" What do you or Obama want from him?

[Jac]

As far as poverty goes, you can never end poverty just as you can never stop fires, but that shouldn't stop us from trying to put them out.

I hope you're not talking about forest fires; if you are, you've obviously never lived out west.

[Firestickfilms]

No, the *real* philisophical divide is between those who believe that the government should be trying to create opportunities for anyone and those who believe the government has no business interefering in such matters.

That is a concept both sides abandonded long ago, about the same time politicians started needing to buy air time.

[ToddG]

So to say that you could have gotten to this place solely on your own is not credible.

So in other words, this whole thing is about Obama stating the obvious? Because, yeah, the economy would probably not work if there was only one person on Earth. Hard to be an instructor (or doctor, or lawyer, or general contractor, or garbage man) if there were no other people. Thank God for other people!

:confused:

[Ray Keith]

That is a concept both sides abandonded long ago, about the same time politicians started needing to buy air time.

Which doesn't make it illegitimate any more than it makes the opposite legitimate. Franklin's fear is being realized. Government has become a goody dispenser, it's purpose is to provide stuff and apparently opportunity, economic reality be damned (or just unknown). I think however you can take great comfort in knowing that modern education and culture are churning out young minds with no concept of the concept of limited government, economics or much else-faux self-esteem perhaps. Your side is certainly winning, I think in a generation or two everyone will know what you've won.

[Jameson]

IMO, I have yet to imagine a context in which the comment sounds less disgusting.

Most of us that have taken risks, busted our asses, and made conscious decisions to strive for certain things in life that have proved to be difficult, would *not* agree that our success was the result of the 'Borg collective' or whatever picture Obama was attempting to paint.

[Firestickfilms]

What then is the end game to the argument of "you didn't build that"? What is the therefore...? To continue the TLG thread since he threw it out there, "Todd you didn't build your business, someone else made that happen...therefore"... ? Todd is overwhelmed by the circular reasoning and breaks down in tears and says OKAY!! I give up! I am nothing without all of these other people offering me untold advantages that the underclass doesn't have!!!" What do you or Obama want from him?

To acnoledge that there is a responsibility to create opportunity for others as was done for him. Now he may voluteer and give to charity and do this in many "personal" ways but he cannot build a public school, or public transportation or maintain an F22 Raptor.

To be clear the "That" in the statement is not reffering to Todd's business, (although bad syntax, makes it seem that way) it's the roads, schools & opportunities that afforded him his business. It's not denying him his accomplishments, just acknowledging that they come with responsibility.

[Firestickfilms]

So in other words, this whole thing is about Obama stating the obvious? Because, yeah, the economy would probably not work if there was only one person on Earth. Hard to be an instructor (or doctor, or lawyer, or general contractor, or garbage man) if there were no other people. Thank God for other people!

:confused:

He's a politician. Stating the obvious is what gets you (re)elected. More specifically telling a group of people that work for business owners that those business owners have a responsibilty to them is an easy crowd pleaser.

[SecondsCount]

Some context is usually helpfull...

“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help,” Obama said.*“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.”*

You can hate on Obama all you like (I certainly disagree with him about guns) but it doesn't make his point any less valid. BTW I'm a self employed entrepreneur and business owner.

You have to look this in an even larger context than the above statement. This is a man that thinks the United States Government is the greatest thing to happen to mankind.

[LHS]

Government has its place. It's job is to do things that individuals can't, and corporations shouldn't. Things like maintaining a standing army, building an interstate highway system, and creating critical infrastructure like bridges, water/sewage systems, etc. And in truth, we need these things to have the kind of environment where businesses can thrive. Think how much we as a civilization rely on things like mass distribution of water, gas, electricity, etc. We rely on roads for transportation of goods. We have built, over successive generations, an incredibly integrated system of shipping raw materials and finished goods around the nation. It behooves us to keep that system reasonably well maintained, and in the hands of people who are at least theoretically accountable to We The People. The answer isn't government monopoly, but it's not letting GE dictate the price of electricity alone either. We need private industry to keep dreamers grounded in reality, and we need regulations to keep competition alive between industrial corporations in order to prevent monopolization and price fixing. Like most things in life, there's an elusive middle ground that works better than the fringes.

There are a myriad of reasons to dislike Obama. I know I have several. But pulling quotes out of context and then raising hell over them doesn't help our efforts to vote him out of the White House. It only makes us, his opponents, look illogical and easily dismissed. I'd vastly prefer using Obama's attacks on Romney vis-a-vis his role in Bain Capital to revisit the Bill Ayers and Jeremiah White issues. After all, if Romney tacitly endorsed Bain's offshoring strategies in the early '00s by being a silent CEO, doesn't that mean Obama tacitly endorses leftist terrorism and virulent racism by silently standing by Ayers and White?

[Joe in PNG]

If I may use an analogy, no general can win a war by himself- no one person is able to fight an army on their own.
However, it is the general who is either credited or blaimed for the outcome of the battle, and very rightly so. A really good general (Stonewall Jackson, Von Lettow, Caeser) can fight against astounding odds to win victory, while a terrible general (Cardona, Cardigan) can somehow manage to somehow get defeated no matter how many advantages he should have.

[ford.304]

I think both sides are trying to support a nuanced difference in philosophy by torching straw men.

Everyone acknowledges that their lives and businesses would not be possible without the hard work of their ancestors to give them their initial opportunities, the hard work of their business partners and employees, or the whole system that allows the market to work and business to function. No one is disputing that. So why is he pushing the point in a speech?

Because the difference is how much emphasis is placed on the individual action within that framework. Does where you end up depend more on where you start or what you do with what you start? Moe importantly, does responsibility for your relative position lie with you or the environment. Conservatives are entirely willing to admit that a guy from a loW income family is going to have a harder time starting a billion dollar business... But whether you coast on what you were given or build something new out of it is entirely on you. You didn't build the foundation, or the road to get to the driveway, and the size of the house may have been limited by that foundation, but you sure as hell built the house. And you should be able to take pride in that, because a lot of people had the same opportunities you did and are still sleeping in tents.

[NETim]

I believe The One is a collectivist at heart. His comment is part of an ongoing effort to downplay and ridicule the notion of individualism.

All bow before the State.

A little government and a little luck are necessary in life, but only a fool trusts either of them. -- P. J. O'Rourke

[TCinVA]

914

By building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity." ~ Barack Obama statement on the death and life of Steve Jobs

My, how time changes things.

[fixer]

So to say that you could have gotten to this place solely on your own is not credible.
You were lucky enugh to be born into a home, community and a country that allowed you to pursue these endevours, and you could not have achieved them without the support of your parents, teachers, community, collegues, software developers and the internet.

So the point Obama's making is again "you didn't build that". "That" being the opportunities that afforded you your business success.

Now, where I think the real philosophical divide is, is who you believe the government should be trying to create those opportunities for? Those that have sucsess already or those in need of opportuinites for sucsess in the first place.

I think you have an extremely naive perspective on what was being implicated by Obama. It is obvious that technology always advances. The advances that come "before" us logically and naturally did not come from us.

What Obama was implying was that success can not happen without daddy government. And that because of this, if some are more successful than others, then they owe more back to government.

[NETim]

http://didntbuildthat.com/

[digiadaamore]

thanks for the new avatar, but uh that website, you didnt build it

[ToddG]

What Obama was implying was that success can not happen without daddy government. And that because of this, if some are more successful than others, then they owe more back to government.

http://makombat.com/images/slides/FlawlessVictoryPromo-Slide.jpg

[NickA]

What Obama was implying was that success can not happen without daddy government. And that because of this, if some are more successful than others, then they owe more back to government.

I'm pretty simple minded but I fail to see how I owe the government anything when whatever they provide comes from MY tax money.
Side rant: Obama was just here for a couple of campaign fund raisers. He didn't build Air Force One, and I get cranky when the employees start using the company jet to raise money for themselves, much less charging the owners for the privilege of an audience with The One.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

[NETim]

It was now Mr. Thompson who was yelling into the microphone in his briskest and folksiest manner: "And I stay to you: Kick them in the teeth, all those doubters who're spreading disunity and fear! They told you that John Galt would never join us, didn't they? Well, here he is, in person, of his own free choice, at this table and at the head of our State! Ready, willing and able to serve the people's cause! Don't you ever again, any of you, start doubting or running or giving up! Tomorrow is here today-and what a tomorrow! With three meals a day for everyone on earth, with a car in every garage, and with electric power given free, produced by some sort of a motor the like of which we've never seen! And all you have to do is just be patient a little while longer! Patience, faith and unity- that's the recipe for progress! We must stand united among ourselves and united with the rest of the world, as a great big happy family, all working for the good of all! We have found a leader who will beat the record of our richest and busiest past!! It's his love for mankind that has made him come here to serve you, protect you and take care of you! He has heard your pleas and has answered the call of our common human duty! Every man is his brother's keeper! No man is an island unto himself! And now you will hear his voice-now you will hear his own message!... "Ladies and gentlemen," he said solemnly, "John Galt- to the collective family of mankind!"

The camera moved to Galt. He remained still for a moment. Then, with so swift and expert a movement that his secretary's hand was unable to match it, he rose to his feet, leaning sidewise, leaving the pointed gun momentarily exposed to the sight of the world- then, standing straight, facing the cameras, looking at all his invisible viewers, he said:

"Get the hell out of my way!"

[Ray Keith]

To acnoledge that there is a responsibility to create opportunity for others as was done for him. Now he may voluteer and give to charity and do this in many "personal" ways but he cannot build a public school, or public transportation or maintain an F22 Raptor.

You I guess would concede that your premise above is not at all what Obama seeks?

[Kyle Reese]

To acnoledge that there is a responsibility to create opportunity for others as was done for him. Now he may voluteer and give to charity and do this in many "personal" ways but he cannot build a public school, or public transportation or maintain an F22 Raptor.

To be clear the "That" in the statement is not reffering to Todd's business, (although bad syntax, makes it seem that way) it's the roads, schools & opportunities that afforded him his business. It's not denying him his accomplishments, just acknowledging that they come with responsibility.

So you support President Obama's statement, then?

Not trying to appear snarky, just asking you to clarify your position.

[ford.304]

To acnoledge that there is a responsibility to create opportunity for others as was done for him. Now he may voluteer and give to charity and do this in many "personal" ways but he cannot build a public school, or public transportation or maintain an F22 Raptor.

To be clear the "That" in the statement is not reffering to Todd's business, (although bad syntax, makes it seem that way) it's the roads, schools & opportunities that afforded him his business. It's not denying him his accomplishments, just acknowledging that they come with responsibility.

I'm not entirely sure about that. I don't know that it would have gotten the crowd reaction it did if that's all it was saying. Unless the people listening were unaware of how taxation actually works - every business owner who hasn't been taking direct subsidies already pays back way more than the cost of the infrastructure they use.

[BaiHu]

I'm not entirely sure about that. I don't know that it would have gotten the crowd reaction it did if that's all it was saying. Unless the people listening were unaware of how taxation actually works - every business owner who hasn't been taking direct subsidies already pays back way more than the cost of the infrastructure they use.

That's what populist people think like and that's why Obama gets the applause-they don't understand that they're all losing at 3 card Monty and he's the dealer. Populists infect a nation when poor or no leadership is present.

[orionz06]

Here's a funny picture. If it needs moved to a funny picture thread I apologize...

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d157/Gatordonald/debt%20star/Construction_of_the_Death_Star3.jpg

[RoyGBiv]

It is not invalid, it just does not belong wholly to you. Also your parents paid significantly (adjusted for inflation) higher taxes than you or I do now, taxes that were used for our education and the infastucture that allowed them to provide for us and our current sucsess.

Look at it like this...

You (Todd) are very talented firearms instructor with a series of excellent classes and a website and forum to support the community. You worked hard to develop your skills, your curriculum and your following. You deserve all the credit and income from these endevours.

However, you did not invent:
The bullet, the firearm, training or teaching, the internet (that was Al Gore ;) or the software that your website and this forum runs on.

So to say that you could have gotten to this place solely on your own is not credible.
You were lucky enugh to be born into a home, community and a country that allowed you to pursue these endevours, and you could not have achieved them without the support of your parents, teachers, community, collegues, software developers and the internet.

So the point Obama's making is again "you didn't build that". "That" being the opportunities that afforded you your business success.

Now, where I think the real philosophical divide is, is who you believe the government should be trying to create those opportunities for? Those that have sucsess already or those in need of opportuinites for sucsess in the first place.
If it has to be explained, it's unlikely it'll ever really be understood, IMO... FWIW...

I fully acknowledge and appreciate that my starting point in life was on the shoulders of everyone who came before me and their accomplishments. It's a given. An indisputable fact. Undeniable.

The most important (to me) predecessors are my family (parents) and being blessed to live in a country where I am free to pursue my own destiny, whether it be as a drug addicted prostitute or the next Bill Gates or Mahatma Gandhi or..... I would give my life to protect my family or my country. As many here have done, I stood hand in hand before God with my wife and took a vow, and I stood in front of a flag, raised my hand and swore an oath.

But we must recognize that in America, every foundation, every brick, every joist, every truss and every shingle that came before us was laid by "We The People". "Government" can take NO CREDIT. We have a government "of The People, by The People", or at least we should (I'll leave that tangent for another time). The accomplishments of Government are not separable from the accomplishments of my ancestors, they are one in the same. I stand on the shoulders of the government that my ancestors helped to create. It is MY government. Mine to change if I and those who feel similarly may choose to do. To try and make a distinction between the accomplishments of our government and it's citizens ignores the foundation upon which our Government was laid. Our founding documents capture, in both spirit and in words, that it is our Creator from which we derive our freedoms, that our Government derives its mandate from those it serves and that those who govern are nothing more than servants to The People. The moment the majority of us come to believe that our future depends upon government to lead, allow, enable or "show us the right way" is the moment when our doom is sealed.

A President that would suggest otherwise is not worthy to hold that office.

Our current President is certainly not speaking to me in this speech. He's talking to his base. He's trying to make them feel better about their lot in life. This kind of talk plays well with rich folks who feel guilty about their success. This kind of talk plays well with poor folks too. "You are not solely responsible for your lot in life. The Government helped those rich folks get rich. They didn't do it on their own. We can help you too." Pity our country if The People are swayed by this bullshit.

If the creative, the risk takers, the great and hard-working among us are held back by the lazy, the short sighted, the "unwilling to do the necessary work", the mediocritites, it will be our end, or the beginning of a march to the next Civil War. This President is doing nothing but driving a wedge in our House, and a House divided against itself cannot stand.

He is unworthy, but he did not elect himself.

[MDS]

915

After high school, I watched my beloved cousin and closest friend devolve into the crack-addicted felon he is today. Learning history and watching the news is like watching the same thing happen to my beloved country. We can't blame Obama, any more than my cousin can blame the crack. He chose, time and time again, crisis after crisis, like the only cure for his crack problem was more crack. One day some time ago, he hit Rock Bottom, and not for the first time. For whatever reason, this time he decided that's enough, he got serious about NA, and so far he's been doing the hard work of putting his life back together.

We the People have also chosen, time and again, for a long time now we've been choosing, like the only cure for our government dependency is more government dependency. I don't know how many times we'll have to hit Rock Bottom, before we find the courage to say that's enough, and begin the hard work of putting our country back together. Until then, all I can do is vote my conscience in November.

:(

[Kyle Reese]

After high school, I watched my beloved cousin and closest friend devolve into the crack-addicted felon he is today. Learning history and watching the news is like watching the same thing happen to my beloved country. We can't blame Obama, any more than my cousin can blame the crack. He chose, time and time again, crisis after crisis, like the only cure for his crack problem was more crack. One day some time ago, he hit Rock Bottom, and not for the first time. For whatever reason, this time he decided that's enough, he got serious about NA, and so far he's been doing the hard work of putting his life back together.

We the People have also chosen, time and again, for a long time now we've been choosing, like the only cure for our government dependency is more government dependency. I don't know how many times we'll have to hit Rock Bottom, before we find the courage to say that's enough, and begin the hard work of putting our country back together. Until then, all I can do is vote my conscience in November.

:(

Well said, Sir.

[RoyGBiv]

An intelligent discussion with Neil Cavuto..

http://video.foxnews.com/v/1743707109001/

[ford.304]

I thought Julian Sanchez' article on it was interesting http://www.juliansanchez.com/2012/07/19/what-follows-from-you-didnt-build-that/. Drops a little of the outrage, and hits more on the intellectual emptiness of it.

[RoyGBiv]

I thought Julian Sanchez' article on it was interesting http://www.juliansanchez.com/2012/07/19/what-follows-from-you-didnt-build-that/. Drops a little of the outrage, and hits more on the intellectual emptiness of it.

I think he's still outraged, just at a simmer rather than a boil.. ;)


..........., but what is the point supposed to be? That we need to “do things together” to succeed? Well, obviously. But as Aaron Powell and Jason Brennan rightly ask, why should we assume that “we” and “together” has to mean “through government”? Why can’t “we” do things “together” by… well, forming businesses? Clubs? Civic organizations? Churches? If we’re assigning credit for past achievements—and implicitly, the debt we owe for them—why the federal government and not, say, our fellow citizens directly, or state and municipal authorities, or the whole of humanity engaged in mutually enriching global trade?
........................
As it turns out, we generally think we are entitled to control, or have rights over, a whole lot of things that are not (as Robert Nozick put it) “deserved all the way down” in the sense that we’re completely responsible for them—since, at the end of the day, nothing is “deserved all the way down” in that sense. It’s not that the “you didn’t build that” argument is wrong as a factual matter—it’s that it’s true about everything, and therefore doesn’t get you much of anything.

It's hard for me to read something from the "Cato Institute" without thinking.... :D
http://s3.media.squarespace.com/production/465215/5307116/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/hornet.jpg

[JMS]

If the creative, the risk takers, the great and hard-working among us are held back by the lazy, the short sighted, the "unwilling to do the necessary work", the mediocritites, it will be our end,

That's the truly diabolical part; by insisting that NObody's success is the result of their own effort (and not noting the sublime, profound difference between "somebody did that for you" and "teamwork"), the we-want-to-control-your-life types on both sides of the political aisle have something against which to leverage the continued attempt to downplay, negate, and forestall the efforts of the individual: that, if you are not successful, somebody else is to blame for it...and most likely that somebody to blame is someone with a functioning work ethic, who expects....results. *gasp of horror*

[Shellback]

http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/8782/gov.png

[ToddG]

http://injennifershead.com/?p=4097

I've never heard of this chick before and only saw it because Tam posted it on her blog (http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/). But just... EXCELLENT.