Response Ad to "You Didn't Build That"

[druidp]

[teflep]

What s this?

[makemineadouble]

I love the angry faces. Like "Fuck you Obama, I never learned anything from a teacher and I never drove on one of your fancy government built roads."

Hysterical.

[soontobeka]

"I know that you recognize that a lot of people help you in a business. Perhaps the banks, the investors. There's no question your mom and dad. Your school teachers. The people that provide roads, the fire, and the police. A lot of people help."- Mitt Romney July 18, 2012 (5 days after Pres. Obama's "...built it" comment)

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1cgSXUQDTM0 (1:00 mark)

[lys]

We all enjoy the benefits of roads, bridges, education, but we are not all successful in our efforts. A SUCCESSFUL business is created by an individual and must compete with all the other businesses to be the best. Think great restaurant - compared to mediacre or poor. THe government did not make the restaurant successful., nor did the government take the financial risk, put in the hours, pay the taxes, payroll etc. Obama's statement takes away from the individual effort, creativitity and sacrifice required.
Far too many want the results without the hardwork required.

And for those contractors who build subdivisions --- they DO build the roads too!

[bqbride]

Jul 28, 2012 8:11:19 GMT -5 lys said:

We all enjoy the benefits of roads, bridges, education, but we are not all successful in our efforts. A SUCCESSFUL business is created by an individual and must compete with all the other businesses to be the best. Think great restaurant - compared to mediacre or poor. THe government did not make the restaurant successful., nor did the government take the financial risk, put in the hours, pay the taxes, payroll etc. Obama's statement takes away from the individual effort, creativitity and sacrifice required.
Far too many want the results without the hardwork required.

And for those contractors who build subdivisions --- they DO build the roads too!

Given that its pretty obvious what the sentiment behind his comment was, and that romney said the same damn thing just a few days ago, dont you think the people who are outraged are reaching just a bit?

[heightsyankee]

Jul 28, 2012 8:11:19 GMT -5 lys said:

We all enjoy the benefits of roads, bridges, education, but we are not all successful in our efforts. A SUCCESSFUL business is created by an individual and must compete with all the other businesses to be the best. Think great restaurant - compared to mediacre or poor. THe government did not make the restaurant successful., nor did the government take the financial risk, put in the hours, pay the taxes, payroll etc. Obama's statement takes away from the individual effort, creativitity and sacrifice required.
Far too many want the results without the hardwork required.

And for those contractors who build subdivisions --- they DO build the roads too!

[teflep]

Jul 27, 2012 23:46:04 GMT -5 @bunnybean said:

It's the "you didn't build that" that is a poor sound byte, but the sentiment is motherfucking true. I am not going to say much more because it's getting pretty class warfare-y in my brain.

I'm tired of this constant economic Calvinism we have going in this country. It's bullshit.

Is it a link? Why can I not see it? It is just a bunch of letters. Are you messing with my opening ceremony mind?? (but, I really can't see it)

I don't even care about the class warfare anymore. We are heading for a fiscal cliff in Jan, complete with sequestration. I am tired. So tired of this Washington bullshit, from both useless parties.

[ttt]

Jul 28, 2012 8:11:19 GMT -5 lys said:

We all enjoy the benefits of roads, bridges, education, but we are not all successful in our efforts. A SUCCESSFUL business is created by an individual and must compete with all the other businesses to be the best. Think great restaurant - compared to mediacre or poor. THe government did not make the restaurant successful., nor did the government take the financial risk, put in the hours, pay the taxes, payroll etc. Obama's statement takes away from the individual effort, creativitity and sacrifice required.
Far too many want the results without the hardwork required.

And for those contractors who build subdivisions --- they DO build the roads too!

So...successful businesses don't need roads or police or education? I do not understand your point here at all.

Good luck getting to or from your subdivision without using any public roads!

[MrsAxilla]

Jul 28, 2012 10:55:46 GMT -5 ttt said:

Jul 28, 2012 8:11:19 GMT -5 lys said:

We all enjoy the benefits of roads, bridges, education, but we are not all successful in our efforts. A SUCCESSFUL business is created by an individual and must compete with all the other businesses to be the best. Think great restaurant - compared to mediacre or poor. THe government did not make the restaurant successful., nor did the government take the financial risk, put in the hours, pay the taxes, payroll etc. Obama's statement takes away from the individual effort, creativitity and sacrifice required.
Far too many want the results without the hardwork required.

And for those contractors who build subdivisions --- they DO build the roads too!

So...successful businesses don't need roads or police or education? I do not understand your point here at all.

Good luck getting to or from your subdivision without using any public roads!

How many successful business are run out of residential subdivisions?

[ttt]

Jul 28, 2012 15:02:36 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

Jul 28, 2012 10:55:46 GMT -5 ttt said:

So...successful businesses don't need roads or police or education? I do not understand your point here at all.

Good luck getting to or from your subdivision without using any public roads!

How many successful business are run out of residential subdivisions?

Residential subdivisions with private streets running to all their customers!

[batsteph]

Jul 28, 2012 15:02:36 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

Jul 28, 2012 10:55:46 GMT -5 ttt said:

So...successful businesses don't need roads or police or education? I do not understand your point here at all.

Good luck getting to or from your subdivision without using any public roads!

How many successful business are run out of residential subdivisions?

DH and I each run a successful business from our home in a residential subdivision. We have lots of friends who do as well. No idea what percentage of small businesses are home-based, but there are plenty of us out there. No sense spending money on office space (which is hella expensive) unless you absolutely have to.

[marynjoe]

I know a great many small business owners that run successful businesses out of their home.

[marynjoe]

Jul 28, 2012 10:55:46 GMT -5 ttt said:

Jul 28, 2012 8:11:19 GMT -5 lys said:

We all enjoy the benefits of roads, bridges, education, but we are not all successful in our efforts. A SUCCESSFUL business is created by an individual and must compete with all the other businesses to be the best. Think great restaurant - compared to mediacre or poor. THe government did not make the restaurant successful., nor did the government take the financial risk, put in the hours, pay the taxes, payroll etc. Obama's statement takes away from the individual effort, creativitity and sacrifice required.
Far too many want the results without the hardwork required.

And for those contractors who build subdivisions --- they DO build the roads too!

So...successful businesses don't need roads or police or education? I do not understand your point here at all.

Good luck getting to or from your subdivision without using any public roads!

I *think* her point was that we all have access to roads, bridges, education, police, etc. And, we all paid the taxes to pay for them. She's not saying successful businesses don't need roads or police or education. She's saying that since they are there for everyone, there's still something else going on that builds a successful business: initiative, hard work, financial risk, and sacrifice.

Lys, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

[lys]

Marynjoe - you got it right.
If you look at what Obama said in his whole speech, the attitude and tone was very anti business IMO. (As have been many of the acctions of his administration)
Roads are not enough - even Poland has roads.
It is FREEDOM and personal initialtive that make the difference.

[bqbride]

Funny, DH and I run 3 successful businesses together, and we don't feel that acknowledging the help we've received along the way takes away from our accomplishments at all. I guess if people are looking for something to be offended over, then they'll certainly find it.

[y4m]

"You didn't build THAT roads and bridges" is not a sentence. Wouldn't he have said "those" if he was referring to roads and bridges?

[Deleted]

Jul 30, 2012 13:53:03 GMT -5 asdfjkl said:

Jul 27, 2012 23:46:04 GMT -5 @bunnybean said:

It's the "you didn't build that" that is a poor sound byte, but the sentiment is motherfucking true. I am not going to say much more because it's getting pretty class warfare-y in my brain.

I'm tired of this constant economic Calvinism we have going in this country. It's bullshit.

Every time I listen to this quote, I am more and more sure that the "You didn't build that" is a reference to the roads and not the businesses, but either way, you didn't build it *alone*. I agree with the sentiment and the last thread on this topic sort of clarified that even taking his message for what he "meant", people fundamentally disagree on that principle. So it really doesn't matter what he said. We know what he believes and there is a true division in this country as to the applicability of that philosophy.

Jon Stewart did a great bit about how "that" referred to roads and bridges.

It was unfortunately worded, no doubt. And I do find the "you didn't build that" meme online to be funny.

But yeah, if you listen to whole speeches from both Romney and Obama on the issue, it's pretty clear that they're saying essentially the same thing: you didn't get there alone.

This has been blown way out of proportion because OOOOOH SHINY! is easier for people to understand than actual differences in economic policy proposals. I mean, who wants to look at actual facts and figures in policy proposals when we can talk about what we FEEL a candidate means.

[ttt]

Jul 30, 2012 13:27:22 GMT -5 lys said:

Marynjoe - you got it right.
If you look at what Obama said in his whole speech, the attitude and tone was very anti business IMO. (As have been many of the acctions of his administration)
Roads are not enough - even Poland has roads.
It is FREEDOM and personal initialtive that make the difference.

I would like to ask you which specific actions of the Obama administration have been anti business but I know you have no answer and won't reply.

[cookiemdough]

Jul 30, 2012 13:59:35 GMT -5 @angryharpy said:

Jul 30, 2012 13:53:03 GMT -5 asdfjkl said:

Every time I listen to this quote, I am more and more sure that the "You didn't build that" is a reference to the roads and not the businesses, but either way, you didn't build it *alone*. I agree with the sentiment and the last thread on this topic sort of clarified that even taking his message for what he "meant", people fundamentally disagree on that principle. So it really doesn't matter what he said. We know what he believes and there is a true division in this country as to the applicability of that philosophy.

Jon Stewart did a great bit about how "that" referred to roads and bridges.

It was unfortunately worded, no doubt. And I do find the "you didn't build that" meme online to be funny.

But yeah, if you listen to whole speeches from both Romney and Obama on the issue, it's pretty clear that they're saying essentially the same thing: you didn't get there alone.

This has been blown way out of proportion because OOOOOH SHINY! is easier for people to understand than actual differences in economic policy proposals. I mean, who wants to look at actual facts and figures in policy proposals when we can talk about what we FEEL a candidate means.

Or the latest talking point...it is about his "world view"!!

[emisi]

Oh hey look, the star of that ad received millions in government loans and contracts. abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/star-of-romney-my-hands-didnt-build-this-ad-received-millions-in-government-loans-and-contracts/

[y4m]

Jul 30, 2012 17:56:02 GMT -5 emisi said:

Oh hey look, the star of that ad received millions in government loans and contracts. abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/star-of-romney-my-hands-didnt-build-this-ad-received-millions-in-government-loans-and-contracts/

Erm. That's not the ad we're discussing.

Also...why do we care that that guy's business competed for and won contracts, or took out government loans he was eligible for? That doesn't disqualify him from feeling Obama's comments minimized his own contribution to the business.

[marynjoe]

Jul 30, 2012 13:47:14 GMT -5 @bqbride said:

Funny, DH and I run 3 successful businesses together, and we don't feel that acknowledging the help we've received along the way takes away from our accomplishments at all. I guess if people are looking for something to be offended over, then they'll certainly find it.

You don't have to answer this, but can I ask why type of help you received? Do you mean financial, family pitching in, a loan, SBA, a mentor...?

[marynjoe]

I'm intrugued at the view that a successful business owner is seen as superior and a non-business owner as seen as inferior. I've never heard this before. As I've said, I'm friends with many small business owners and I network with even more, and I've never seen this attitude. Some people want to own a business; some don't. That's pretty much about it. That doesn't mean one is somehow better than the other.

[Deleted]

Jul 30, 2012 22:04:09 GMT -5 marynjoe said:

I'm intrugued at the view that a successful business owner is seen as superior and a non-business owner as seen as inferior. I've never heard this before. As I've said, I'm friends with many small business owners and I network with even more, and I've never seen this attitude. Some people want to own a business; some don't. That's pretty much about it. That doesn't mean one is somehow better than the other.

Well, I think the fact that the outraged business owners in question can't even credit those who worked for them as contributing to their success, says worlds about how they feel about non-business owners.

[marynjoe]

Jul 30, 2012 22:22:22 GMT -5 sandsonik said:

Jul 30, 2012 22:04:09 GMT -5 marynjoe said:

I'm intrugued at the view that a successful business owner is seen as superior and a non-business owner as seen as inferior. I've never heard this before. As I've said, I'm friends with many small business owners and I network with even more, and I've never seen this attitude. Some people want to own a business; some don't. That's pretty much about it. That doesn't mean one is somehow better than the other.

Well, I think the fact that the outraged business owners in question can't even credit those who worked for them as contributing to their success, says worlds about how they feel about non-business owners.

I was really addressing the superior/inferior issue before Obama's speech. I've never heard that before and was wondering if that was a common train of thought.

FWIW, many of the small business owners I know don't employ people, work from home, never took out loans, and do all the work themselves. But they don't think they are superior to anyone. They do what they do because they love it.