Obama Insults Small Business Owners

Ryt_Rick wrote: He fails to realize that without business, there is no government. Without successful risk takers, there is no infrastructure, there are no firemen or police, there is no country. To say that someone can't possibly become successful without the help of others really discounts the fact that some people have worked harder in school, or just worked harder in general to build a thriving business. People who put out more effort should be rewarded and admired, especially if they provide a living for others.

Unless of course the government was to own everything and we all work for equal pay... maybe that's a dream from his father.

See, I don't think that he fails to realize that without business there is no government - he said in his speech that roads and bridges were part of the "help" a business owner got (i.e infratructure, which comes, from taxpayer dollars and government bids to independent contractors - see the interconnectedness that he was talking about?). Of course, people who put in more effort will be more rewarded and admired, but that wasn't the point of his speech - it was that they can't do it all alone, we all work together to make something even greater.

Arlen wrote: So, what you think is "wrong" you equate to "lying". Can't a person be just wrong? Why demonize/depersonalize those with whom you disagree?

I agree, someone who is wrong from "your" ("your" general, not "your" to Arlen specifically) POV is not necessarily "lying" - you'd have to know that they absolutely know they are intentionally lying, and there's no way to figure that out on a forum such as this - and it's unnecessary to demean those with whom you disagree. In the Courthouse. If you feel that need, that's what The Ring's for!