"You didn't build that."
Brian
7,618 Posts
Discuss.
Brian
7,618 Posts
Comments
Or did I dream that?
It was Limbaugh who made that claim.
For a second I forgot my own poast and thought this was some rightwing retort to MLK, LOL.
Obama is obviously right about the success of big business in the US being a sum of many parts and not a singular achievement of which the benefits are to be hoarded by individuals.
Bain capital is a private equity firm of the type that specializes in relocating jobs done by American workers to new facilities in low-wage countries like China and India.
Since it is now part of Romneys campaign to bemoan the loss of American jobs he'd prefer to deny his involvement in these practices. Which is why he lied about the length of his tenure at Bain.
Heres a pic of Romney and his Bain capital cronies celebrating their imminent joining of the 1%
It is patently obvious that Romney is just what America needs.
Dont take my word for it - read the Washington Post
There's method to their dumbfuckrightwingfacistgreed I guess.
Obama FUC*ED up!
It was not out of context.
That was one of the most un-American things a president could ever say.
Good luck in November.
I imagine Obama was trying to seize on the popularity of this statement by Elizabeth Warren, but then he flubbed it.
You really don't think he's talking about roads and bridges?
Pretty much ever statement here is false.
Business did not exist before government. That is a basic historical truth.
The first civilizations everywhere in the world were built around governments, not business.
Calling Warren Pocahantas is a classy bow on this shit pile of a statement from you.
Let's dissect this load:
1) Considering that the US economy is and has been the world's top economy for the past 50+ years, it's difficult to see how the US govenrment couldn't be an overall positive. Love to hear you try to explain how it isn't. Did we get to the top in spite of the government? Yeah, no. US has been consistetnly ranked in the 5 or 6 in that time as most business friendly in the world. So, you're just plain wrong.
2) Can't speak for all of history, but in this country, there was no business before the government. Can you name one? Why do you think Jamestown was founded? A vacation spot? Further, it's not the private sector is incapable of funding infrastructure, it's that they are unwilling to do the heavy lifting it takes to get major projects off the ground. See: The Internet. Once the government does the heavy lifting, and the private sector sees that they can make money off it, only then do they get involved.
3) Warren and Obama's statement make no such claim. It's not even implied. You're seeing things that aren't there to fit your personal construct of what government in the US is.
Yes.
But when did they get those roads? 10 years ago, forty years ago, 180 years ago?
Were those roads built with any plan in mind, do they properly connect with the freight and rail system?
Are they safe to drive on?
How much congestion is there?
How often are they maintained?
Who maintains them?
The road alone isn't enough, its how the road is managed that also plays a big role in the functioning of the economy.
Precisely.
Yes exactly!! You need to follow your logic on one more step though.
Think about it, the business owners (PLURAL) = many owners. Theoretically, the owners of Microsoft and the taxes they pay, make it possible for the owners of Apple to be so successful.
Its quite simple, the business owners and the people pay the Government to do manage public goods (i.e. roads, ports, parks, communications etc) on their behalf. These collective resources are used to create the conditions whereby businesses can flourish.
This isn't about the government saying "hey give us all the credit for your success".
Its about saying, you wouldn't be successful on your own. Without the help of us, and the resources of others, you wouldn't be able to make it.
You benefit from the efforts of others! So please don't complain when you are asked to give something back.
Actually, the US spends a mere 2% of GDP on roads. That's about 50% less than what was spent 50 years ago. Europe spends 5% and China spends 9%. So, business owners aren't paying lots of taxes for that stuff. It's spent on other things like stupid wars and subsidies to corporations (amongst other things).
You pay taxes and use the roads.
I pay taxes (most likely significantly more) and use the roads.
What does that have to do with me starting and maintaining a successful business?
No. Not at all. Everyone uses the roads and everyone pays.
Its about making creating a series of conditions so that it is possible for for you to set up and manage a successful business if you wanted to. That is what public infrastructure is for.
Roads, ports, legislation, internet, clean water, airports postal service, educational faculties, hospitals, police, fireman etc etc all add up to make an economic environment that encourages and sustains business and innovation.
It is what makes America a world leader in so many things.
Sick of corporate whining, and bitching about success being punished...its bullshit.
If you think the "greed" is coming from the workers and not from the plutocrats at the top you are delusional and a fucking asshole.
The largest employers in thIs country also have the lion's share of minimum wage workers...meaning these "job creators" can't even pay living wages. This means these minimum wage workers via their "job creators" put a strain on food stamps, Medicaid, etc. Pay them more and then the tax burden can come down because less people will have to use the programs. Of course that means the profits(which are at a 50 year high) will be less. Boo hoo, one less ivory backscratcher for the CEO.
I'm not sure the world could handle that after the banks and mega-corps got greedy and destroyed the world economy. Just how much power do government, workers, and unions hold? Everyone knows that government can't make any meaningful decisions that will hurt big business as the big businesses put the winning party in power and call the tune. It seems to be common knowledge as well that politicians make their megabucks from work outside of politics. Are unions holding the tax payers to ransom for billions like the banks did? I sure as shit know that workers don't have any real influence when wage disparity has never been higher. But they're the greedy ones, aren't they?
This sounds like the way the rightwing press in the UK likes to point the finger of blame at the unemployed and talk about how much they cost our economy. Yeah, it would be great if there was no unemployment, and some of those people could and should be working. But the cost to the economy is less than ten percent of the cost to the economy that mega-corps cost us in tax avoidance. The super rich have never been taxed less. But lets ask the people least able, to make the biggest sacrifices, because it's their own fault that they are where they are.
Having typed all that I'm now debating if it's even worth poasting, but what the hell, it's a slow day at the office...