Obama's war against business heats up (UPDATED)

In case you missed this being covered on your local affiliates, King Obama decided on Friday to lay into those of you who've worked hard to start and maintain a business:

President Barack Obama addressed supporters in Roanoke, Virginia on Friday afternoon and took a shot at the business community. President Obama dismissed any credit business owners give themselves for their success:

There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me -- because they want to give something back.  They know they didn’t -- look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own.  You didn’t get there on your own.  I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart.  There are a lot of smart people out there.  It must be because I worked harder than everybody else.  Let me tell you something -- there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there.  (Applause.)

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. 

Think on this for a moment.  All that Obama is, he is because of someone else.  He didn't work hard.  He isn't all that smart.  People around him made him what he is today.

So naturally the man is going to suggest that any one else who's succeeded in life couldn't have succeeded on his own. 

Naturally.

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to listen to the man on the TV and not chuck a heavy object in the general direction.

Increasingly more difficult to especially have to sit through and listen to people attempt to defend this guy and what he's doing to America.

God grant me patience, gentleness and self-control.

UPDATE: Mark Shea has had an about face of sorts on this and it's well worth a read:

A number of people (including John C Wright, no fan of Obama) are arguing that he is making the common sense point on behalf of solidarity: that no man is an island. Fair enough. As when Randian and related lunatics argue for subsidiarity, he is right as far as that goes. No man is an island. Nobody is an atomized individual who relies on nobody and nothing to pull himself up by his bootstraps to success (which is why Randian are lunatics to say so and why their cardinal error is to completely ignore solidarity).

He's got more and it's cause for pause.  Check it out.

Comments

[Walter Cronanty]

Obama's "rule" can be stated as follows: "If you're successful, it's because of somebody else; therefore, you should pay a ton more in taxes in order to pay that somebody back and/or help others become successful." This leads to two corollaries.
The first is: "The only proper avenue for showing your gratitude to those who help you and/or to help those who need help is through paying taxes to the government."
The second is: "If you are unsuccessful, it's not your fault. It's because somebody, somewhere hasn't helped you. Therefore, take all the government benefits you can until you magically become successful."
Obama's "rule" and its corollaries are perfect rationales for those who support government socialism instead of private charities, for those who wish to avoid personal responsibility for their choices in life, and for those who wish to sit on their asses and suck off the public teat.
Thus, the "rule" and its corollaries play to just about all of the various special interest groups Obama depends on for support. Brilliant!

[Darren Tioga]

This hardly seems controversial. Almost all business rely on effective communication systems, efficient roads, respect for property rights, social order, transparent and accessible system of justice, reliable power etc. etc. That kind of infrastructure and support most certainly did not originate with the individual business - they benefit from the labors of others, including government.

Another made up controversy by lazy journalists, impressionable voters, and a pathological liar who even John McCain despised enough to reject him for Sarah Palin. Romney - a winner in the lucky sperm club sweepstakes - has lost the ability to be truthful about anything.

[Rick]

Quick question Darren... Would you be willing to call Obama a pathological liar?

[chuck aka xtnyoda]

I've been trying to remember the last time I saw a government worker with a shovel in his/her hand, and using it? (other than at a photo opp for a ground breaking)