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Best “you didn’t build that” political cartoon

Best “you didn’t build that” political cartoon

A really good political cartoon sums up the absurdity of a situation without much verbiage.

This cartoon by A.F. Branco (original here, reprinted with permission) captures perfectly how out of touch Obama is when discussing the role of government in helping individuals succeed.

Sure, taxes (including from business owners) go towards building a common infrastructure, but government also imposes substantial barriers to success.

Contrary to Obama’s narrative, you do have to be smarter and/or work harder to succeed in order to overcome the regulatory and tax burden government places on success.  Most people understand this, just not the President.

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Comments

Perhaps the most brilliant statement in this cartoon is the fact that Obama is where he is today by riding the backs of others. Taxes have funded his paycheck. Bureaucracy has provided the activities for his “accomplishments.” Of course, the man thinks others are like he is and hitch-hiked to success.

jimzinsocal | July 25, 2012 at 1:20 pm

Government all in to help businesses everywhere..especially small business. Look how helpful!

http://www.nationalreview.com/sites/default/files/nfs/uploaded/u25930/2011/pic_corner_072512_PB_redtape.jpg

[…] Obama and his Hopium brigades do not understand that whether Obama was referring to small business o…in his statement the end product is the same. Silvia Woods, as we write below, had little […]

Always grateful for the variety in the human population.

I am glad there are people who can work on an assembly line for 20 or 30 years. It would kill me after the first week.

I am grateful for people who are risk-averse, because they give people like me great big opportunities to fill.

I have nothing whatsoever against the majority of people who choose to work for someone else BECAUSE they don’t care to take the risks of self-employment. Glad they are working, and I appreciate their contribution.

When you read Obama’s partial straw-man (“smarter”, “work harder”) you’ll note he carefully omitted the whole “risk” thingy.

It’s almost like that whole concept has never entered his lil’ head…

    TrooperJohnSmith in reply to Ragspierre. | July 25, 2012 at 2:33 pm

    He and all Democrats need to read, The Little Red Hen.

    All people who live off the system are risk-averse. That is our job.

    Our Risk. Their Reward.

    raven in reply to Ragspierre. | July 25, 2012 at 3:45 pm

    It’s entered his head — just as a threat. All human enterprise represents a threat to the Left. Because it exemplifies individual empowerment — the opposite of collective dependence. People who can think and act for themselves and who further demonstrate the will and wit to carve out opportunities and higher states of independence are the real “risks” to the Statist. The Left never tries to think beyond this deadening and dead-end rubric to speculate where tax money would come from if not from producers and generators of wealth. It doesn’t wasn’t them to disappear exactly, only to subordinate them, and all of us, under their controlling and invincible hegemony.

    Obama got caught sermonizing the basic “truths” of his own tribe, forgetting how they might otherwise be interpreted. These are the “risks” of living such an ideologically cramped life, and within a closed circle of people and ideas. He’s always been pretty skilled at semantically dissimulating his Socialism, but the arrogance occasionally gets the better of him. It did this time. It also reveals his contempt for the rest of us — either that we won’t understand or that he can skate past it. After all, he knows the media (95% of it) will cover for him.

    Ragspierre in reply to Ragspierre. | July 25, 2012 at 3:50 pm

    When you step into the role of employer, you are like the ideal army company commander…

    you don’t eat ’til your troops eat.

    Except as an employer, you are subject to a lot of laws to enforce that.

    What an outdated notion of diversity! 😉

LukeHandCool | July 25, 2012 at 1:42 pm

In the cartoon, all that’s missing are the Solyndra boys sunning themselves on some deck lounge chairs, surrounded by reflecting solar panels the way teenagers tanning in the 1960s would surround their faces with foil-covered double-album covers.

It completely boggles the mind that there is even one person that does not understand that every red cent the government spends, being local, State, or federal, comes from the private sector…

…let alone and entire class of people.

The only rationale I can think of for actively and boldly trying to destroy one’s only source of funding is ….

Never mind.

I can’t even think of something that irrational.

    SoCA Conservative Mom in reply to Browndog. | July 25, 2012 at 2:22 pm

    The sad scary thing is that they don’t get it. Remember the woman interviewed prior to the 2008 election stating Obama was going to give out “free” money and some of “his” stash. The takers don’t get it and doubtful they ever will.

    ThomasD in reply to Browndog. | July 25, 2012 at 4:29 pm

    It is even worse than that.

    At present roughly 40 cents of every dollar the government spends is borrowed. Backed by nothing more than a promise to pay the money back by extracting it from the income of taxpayers at some future point in time.

    Even though the majority of current taxpayers appear to have no tolerance for higher levels of taxation.

A good stiff wind behind those ears and you’ll have Obama high speed rail initiative…

With Gubmn’t Wind Power, a little luck, a crony capitalist special deal, some political kickback exemptions, and regulation waivers.
Then you’re really movin’ Obama style.

He is heavy. He’s my government.

Another ball and chain, to make the political cartoon complete, would be labeled “Unions”

SoCA Conservative Mom | July 25, 2012 at 2:29 pm

Is it mean spirited of me to ask, “what have the net takers done to contribute to the building of the country?” When are we going to send a volley back to the “you didn’t build it” crowd with a simple, “what did you do to help out?” With almost half the country not paying taxes and a majority of those receiving some form of benefit that they did not contribute to, what have they done to build the country? And why would a tax paying business owner owe them anything?

Instead of a conversation about reforming gun control, it is time for a serious, adult conversation about entitlement reform.

I’m really feeling mean now. Time for some sunshine and hopefully my foul mood will mellow.

    TrooperJohnSmith in reply to SoCA Conservative Mom. | July 25, 2012 at 2:36 pm

    “I’m really feeling mean now. Time for some sunshine and hopefully my foul mood will mellow.”

    I’m right there with ya, mom! Let’s hang in there together.

    Resist & Resolve!

Henry Hawkins | July 25, 2012 at 2:29 pm

Business success comes despite government involvement, not because of it.

I researched all the variables for a long time, such as the customer base, location, marketing requirements, etc., calculated the best, probable, and worst case scenarios for one to three years out, made sure I had sufficient start-up funds, made sure I could handle losing every bit of it and then some, endured the licensing process, and worked 80 hours per week for the year prior to opening and the first year and a half before hitting paydirt (defined as enough business to pay all costs and to me a decent income), and moved on from there to add offices.

State and local government in particular threw up roadblocks and caused problems every inch of the way. They are helpful in one thing only – explaining how to navigate their ridiculous requirements – and still manage to screw a lot of that up as well.

This is so masturbatory. Ya’all create a strawman based on a blatant misreading and then kick the stuffing out of it. And you guys ride a high horse about what its like getting things done in real world… hmmm.

    Henry Hawkins in reply to jytdog. | July 25, 2012 at 2:52 pm

    Read the above post. My experience as a small businessman is a strawman?

    Obama’s context is clear. He’s stolen some HilarySpeak to declare:

    “It takes a village to build a business.”

    One cannot consider the entire speech and come away with a different context. There are a lot of liberal and/or minority small business owners out there, now contemplating the presidential urine in their breakfast cereal.

    Obama said it, he owns it, and you’ll play hell spinning it.

      Henry Hawkins in reply to Henry Hawkins. | July 25, 2012 at 2:55 pm

      Dang right, Henry. I say let ’em talk. It only helps when Obama or one of his proxymorons tries to explain the state of affairs they’ve imposed on our country.

      Sorry for using words you don’t understand.

      A straw man is a type of argument and is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent’s position.

      So when I say, “you create a strawman”, someone familiar with the word understands I am talking about what you are saying about Obama. Not what you are saying about yourselves.

      Clearly a bunch of idiots here… time to move on where there is intelligent life.

    Phillep Harding in reply to jytdog. | July 25, 2012 at 2:59 pm

    BT,DT. What have you succeeded at, Dog?

    I’ve also been in accounting for over 30 years. Can you even balance your checkbook?

    jimzinsocal in reply to jytdog. | July 25, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    By real world you mean the one that assumes “the private sector is doing fine”? Given that deluded mindset Ill continue along on my high horse. At least that “high horse” manages to keep its feet on planet earth and not drift off to the sort of ideology that finds its basis in the smoke filled dorm rooms of our finast schools.
    Its Obama’s intellectual arrogance that in large part explains why we find ourselves in the economic mess we “flat earthers” deal with everyday.
    Obama can do alot of things but he will never rewrite economic history that demonstrates he got it wrong.
    Only a “government is the solution” twisted ideology permits and advances something as hideous as the restructured GM. If GM is the left’s crowning achievement of its economic method? Thanks but no thanks.
    Ill stick with my high horse.

    Browndog in reply to jytdog. | July 25, 2012 at 3:11 pm

    Masturbatory – Medical Definition and More from Merriam-Webster
    http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/masturbatory
    mas·tur·ba·to·ry. adj \ˈmas-tər-bə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˌtȯr-\. Definition of MASTURBATORY. : of, relating to, or associated with masturbation

    Though you may find it totally appropriate to announce your sexual activity to the world, via this blog–most view it as a private matter.

    Since it appears social norms escape you, it is ill-mannered and inappropriate to reveal the extent of your stimulation while reading this blog.

    This is a family blog, and I for one would appreciate if what you do in your basement stays in your basement.

    Thank again.

    J. W. in reply to jytdog. | July 25, 2012 at 4:12 pm

    “create a strawman based on a blatant misreading”

    Feel free to post whatever amount of context you think is necessary and to analyze it for us, demonstrating conclusively that the going interpretation is a “blatant misreading” and that your interpretation is so obviously correct. Go ahead.

      TrooperJohnSmith in reply to J. W.. | July 25, 2012 at 4:24 pm

      Do what I did. I diagrammed the two main sentences for my Left of Lenin sister. It’s very clear. Noun – pronoun agreement they call it.

      The inescapable conclusion:

      (1.) President Obama is a poor public speaker, guilty of sending incorrect, confusing or mixed messages. Anything he says going forward is suspect.

      OR…

      (2.) The president said exactly what he means and was very clear about it, which is a hallmark of his speaking style, especially when haranguing a crowd that is giving him feedback like this one was.

      Rock. Hard Place.

    TrooperJohnSmith in reply to jytdog. | July 25, 2012 at 4:16 pm

    Mon ami… unlike President Obama, Ms. Warren, et al, we have been in the real world (Not the MTV version) where we took risk, created our vision, made a payroll, sacrificed and grew something from nothing. All the while, we dealt with regulations (like the ones Obama ignores), paid our fees, taxes, licenses and deposits on time with all the proper paperwork.

    Now, take this as an honor that you, as a troll with no real argument or opinion whatsoever, received a coherent, fact-based answer from folks posting here.

    Go back to mom’s basement, smoke a bowl or two and go play some online games. I hear they have a new ‘Left for Dead’ site up and running in Finland. Oh, and he sure to vote for President Obama on November 13th.

Phillep Harding | July 25, 2012 at 3:03 pm

Never thought of all the lefties who own things like health food stores, who worked their butts off, and voted for Obama. LOL. I really hope they take a long look at what the Zero said.

On another front, the cartoon could be translated into any language on earth (and probably off) and have every person who started his own business saying “Damned straight!”

    One of my sisters is a mental health professional who built a private practice over the years with much time and effort. She’s also a flaming liberal. I’d love to ask her what she thought of Barry-O’s statement but in the interest of peace in the family politics is off-limits to us.

      Phillep Harding in reply to creeper. | July 26, 2012 at 4:58 pm

      What? You don’t try to see how fast you can make your sister start shooting steam from her ears?

      Loads of fun. With a running start.

Hillarious thread I’ve stumbled upon from Dumbocrat Underground.

Jul 21, 2012, 07:00 PM
Is It Time To Leave America?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002994471

Gaah, persecuted and its all because of right-wing politics, gay hate, violence and ignorance.

Look at the UAW poster who finds England more inviting and wants to take their Chevy with them…
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002994471#post114

Reply
MADem (75,320 posts)
163. The steering wheel will be on the “wrong” side and you’ll go through hell getting the MOT for the thing because they will go over it with a fine-toothed comb. Plus the vehicle excise duty will probably roll your eyes back as well. Once you’re “in” with a MOT testing garage you’re ok, usually

>–Hey ignoramus, find the loophole, the criminal hook up!!

I won’t even go into the price of gas–if you don’t have tax free coupons or a place to buy it on a military installation, you’ll be stunned at the cost of a fill-up. That’s the truth throughout Europe.

Try northern Maine. You can pop over the border to Canada any time you’d like, the air is pure, the people are decent and mind their own business, and the pace is slow and easy. Also, you can buy a house and a bit of land for not too much money, particularly in the more remote areas.

AHHH slow an easy in Canada, a country with a total $1.4 Trillion GDP… folks sit around and yammer about when the next government job creation scheme will be coming down the pike.
Some of these posts are pure comedy gold.

    OcTEApi in reply to OcTEApi. | July 25, 2012 at 3:54 pm

    If you’ve got an ol banger with a tank full of petrol, you didn’t fill that… you had help from gov’t coupons or a military fuel pass.

    creeper in reply to OcTEApi. | July 26, 2012 at 11:13 am

    “Is It Time To Leave America?”

    Yes. yes, Yes, YES!

    Here, let me help you pack. Got your tickets? Passport and visa? Don’t forget lots of cash. What time is your flight? We want to leave for the airport early to be sure you don’t miss it.

    Bye. Enjoy your new life. Don’t hurry home.

theduchessofkitty | July 25, 2012 at 3:54 pm

A lot of small business owners “get it”, as in what The One really said and Really meant, and are rallying against him in 24 cities.

theduchessofkitty | July 25, 2012 at 3:56 pm

Let me add one more thing: The One really, Really, REALLY stepped in it this time! He can try to walk it back, but he will never recover from this one.

I Hope. HOPE. Heh-heh-heh!

Maybe he was thinking about the $300,000 per year salary for three years that his wife made, after he did the heavy lifting to obtain a million dollar earmark? That was work, as he knows it. His conclusion would then be at least half-right in that instance.

LukeHandCool | July 25, 2012 at 4:36 pm

Cartoon in my mind:

Obama’s and Warren’s distant ancestors, laying a guilt trip on the inventor of the wheel. He invents the wheel and starts the first wheel-making business.

G-G-Grandma Warren: You invented the wheel and built this wheel business?? Good for you!!

Inventor: Thank you!

G-G-Grandpa Obama: You didn’t build this business!

Inventor: What?? She just said …

G-G-Grandma Warren: You moved your wheels to the market on … on … this … this … thingie that the rest of us …

Inventor: You mean these vast, flat plains??

G-G-Grandma Warren: Yes, that thingie. The plains.

Gratitude to the Lord of the Manor is one thing, but wait until someone tells them about the joys of droit de signeur!

I like this cartoon. It pretty much sums up conditions people have to face when starting and running a business in the private sector.

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