Facebook poster thinks she did it all by herself!

[Tennessee Gal]

Her post:

"I can't hold back on this sentiment any longer. Here's my rebuttal to Obama's comment about "I didn't build that". I've started two business just this year . . . on my own because it was my way to support myself and my family and not be a burden to anyone in society. No help from government and/or it's infrastructure. After paying into the 'system' for over 25 years, I was not entitled to an unemp...loyment claim when I needed to file because I showed no W-2 wages for last year. Never mind the past 24+ years!!!! I used what I had saved, I did make smart business decisions including surrounding myself with others as smart as myself, and I have worked damn hard. You tell me I didn't build it, and I'll debate you all day long. Don't even get me started on the constitutionality of recipients on welfare (or even unemployment for that matter) regarding drug testing."

I have not responded because she is only an acquaintance. I am considering posting something of my own rather than responding to her.

First of all, the entire quote is self-explanatory unless one little snippet is taken out of context, which is exactly what she did.

Here it is:

"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. 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. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet."

Every word of that is true. Nobody in this country succeeds at any endeavor without the support or assistance of someone at some point in their life. And there can be no denying that the government has a hand it this in various ways.

The poster on Facebook owns an advertising business and a local business journal type newspaper. Teachers (government employees) taught her throughout he educational process, government regulations and infrastructure are involved in the building that houses her business, fire fighters and the police (government employees) keep her business safe, her newspapers are delivered using the highway/road system (built and maintained by the government), government regulations keep the air safe to breathe and the water safe to drink where she works, the financial institution that provides services she is bound to use in receiving and dispursing funds for her business exists through governmental regulations, etc.

I am sure there are many, many more instances of benefits she is receiving through government rules, regulations, and works. I am too flustered with people like her to think clearly.

I would like to compile a list of benefits we all receive from governmental entities. If you can help, please post here.

Or if you have seen a good response to this insanity, please share it here.

[TeamPooka]

1. societyy's help doesn't just come from the governement either...

Banks and credit card companies allow small start ups capital to operate and buy supplies.
Consumers are part of your society too if you want them as customers...

[JHB]

9. Regulations on those (and there still are some)...

...let her conduct transactions with some expectation that she's not being swindled.

[tk2kewl]

2. she uses no ifrastructure in her business huh?

No internet? Doesn't drive on roads to get staples? Doesn't send mail?

[RockaFowler]

3. Why did she need Unemployment??

She's a little off on the Unemployment part, but if she was so against it, why did she try to file??

[ProfessorGAC]

14. You Sure She's Off UE?

Or is this an unwarranted rant with made up "facts"? Not saying for sure, but no real way to know. Anybody can pretend to be a business owner on Facebook.
GAC

[RockaFowler]

22. Got that right

When you call them on their BS - their only quote back is you're jealous!! Oy!

[malaise]

4. I think we should bombard GEM$NBComcast with theObama quote

and ask them why they are playing what Rmoney said without playing what Obama actually said.

Fuck all of them.

Good response

[democrat_patriot]

5. Response: "You did not understand what the president said."

"The President said business owners didn't build 'that bridge or road' they used to get to work" Not sure why you think he is attacking business owners. Unless they own a company that builds bridges or roads."

About all you can do.

[Ian David]

6. Here: Joe Conservative

Also:

[TlalocW]

7. There was a story - don't know if it was true

But it kind of took the form of a man being interviewed. He was a successful businessman who was retiring and leaving the business to his son. The father, could see the big picture - could see that a new tax to pay for a highway meant he would be able to build a store on that highway, meaning more customers for him, etc. but the son was of the mindset that every tax is a bad tax, etc. and how that attitude was already affecting the company negatively.

I don't do it justice. I wish I had saved it. Maybe someone knows what I'm talking about?

TlalocW

[The Doctor.]

8. "Can you please get the quote where Obama said that?"

That's how I deal with every piece of bullshit wingnuts post. They live in a sea of lies and must be made to see it as often as possible.

[sinkingfeeling]

10. Wonder what type of businesses she started that use no infrastructure? Must be

home businesses cause she ain't using the roads, bridges, or sidewalks. But they can't be mail-order or internet businesses cause they use government established media.

Also she's complaining about not getting UE when she didn't receive any wages, which would lead one to believe she had no employer. I don't think self-employed people collect UE.

[Ikonoklast]

11. Just subtract anything and everything taxes support, or government regulates to her benefit

that have either directly impacted or are tangential to her success.

The list gets pretty small of what she actually did all on her own.

She also makes the mistake of thinking that she is the only one in the world who "works hard".


But, here's a few more reasons...

Building codes that make for a safe workplace.
Zoning codes won't let a slaughterhouse be built next door to her office.
Tax codes that let her write off business expenses (without which, most small businesses would fail, trust me on this one)
The legal system where she can sue those that refuse to pay.


I wonder, though, if she fails, will she take the entire blame upon herself?
Most small businessmen I know personally that have failedl ALWAYS BLAME THE GUBBAMINT.

[Tennessee Gal]

12. Thanks to you all for your posts.

You have given me a lot to think about.

[progressivebydesign]

20. Check out Statgirl's post down a few from this one, that is the best response. His actual quote. n/t

[ProfessorGAC]

13. Tell Her Not To Use My Roads

Or my post office, or my ATC system, and don't deduct any depreciation on those two amazing businesses of hers.

What a tool she is.

GAC

[chowder66]

15. It's long I know but......

Here is what I would ask her;

Did she apply for a business license or did she create one and put in a drawer? Did she file said business license with a government agency (state and/or federal)?

Did she file any paperwork to protect the name of the company, trademark? Where did she file these? Was it NOT a government agency/office?

Did she file for an EIN? How did she do this without help of anyone? Where did she file it. Where did she get the form and the instructions? Who wrote the rules and requirements? Did she?

Does she think she would have a business without these steps/filings/licenses?
If no, then she is not doing this alone

Is she the only person buying her product?
If no, then she is not doing this alone.

Is she the only one running the operations?
If no, then she is not doing this alone

Did she build the building she is running her business out of?
If no, then she is not doing this alone.

Does she own the building or rent?
Either way, she is not doing this alone.

Does she do all maintenance required on the building and on products uses to run her business.
If no, then she is not doing this alone.

Did she invent all of those products she uses to run her business?
If no, then she is not doing this alone.

Does she deliver everything herself or pick up everything?
If no, then she is not doing this alone.

Does she have business insurance or any other kind of insurance whose rules and regulations follow some if not all of the same business requirements as her business and that the government sets forth?
If yes, then she is not doing this alone

Did she create all of the papers necessary to file, necessary to employ a person.
If no, then she is not doing this alone

Did she build the road she uses to get to work?
If no, then she is not doing this alone

Did she create and generate the electricity needed to run her business.
If no, then she is not doing this alone

Does she own a phone company? Electric or Gas company.
If no, then she is not doing this alone

Does she use a computer and does she own the ISP?
If no, then she is not doing this alone

Does she have a website. Does she own the web hosting service?
If no, then she is not doing this alone

Did she invent the internet?
If no, then she is not doing this alone

Does she have employees who are educated and or trained or have previous experience prior to ever meeting her?
If yes, then she is not doing this alone

Did she go to school?
If yes, she did not do this on her own.

Without an education of any kind does she think she would have been able to start this business.
If yes, she is lying. She would not know the answer to this and the likely-hood would be no.

Does she have customers? Without the customers (those who are buying her product) how would she do in her business? Same question for vendors, banks, government entities relating to business filings, legal services…shall I go on?

Who does she think that the papers needed to form a business, the structures (tax, compliance, regulatory, etc) came up with those so a person here in the U.S. can start a business?
She is not doing this alone.

Does she file taxes? Has she heard of something we call the IRS?
If yes, she is not doing this alone.

Where did her money to start the business come from? Did she earn it at another company? Did she get investors (friends, family, bank loan) to start up? Did she print her own money. Does she use banks?
If yes, she is not doing this alone.

Does she use recordkeeping? Does she use accounting software or a ledger book? Is she or the person doing the bookkeeping trained and educated?
If yes, she is not doing this alone

Does she know where the accounting practices come from? Does she know who designed them. She might want to take advantage of that thing we like to call education.

If there is a fire will she be putting it out. If there is a break in, will she investigate, prosecute, etc?
If no, she is not doing this alone.

Does she have a lawyer?
If yes, she is not doing this alone.

Has anyone helped her with any single process before she opened her doors (other than the many already involved - I.e. vendors, utilities, real estate, etc.).
If yes, she is not doing this alone.

Does she have business cards, logos, does she contact others to advertise, does she use google or any other marketing service for advertising her business?
If yes, she is not doing this alone.

And last on the list: If she stops using all the products she needs to run her business, all utilities, fires all the employees, stop making customers pay, would she have a leg to stand on in her argument?

If yes, she is in denial and her Pride and Ego have surpassed any moral or ethical foundation she may have had. She will have lost site on what it is to be a decent American.
____________________________________________________


The President was making a point about how we actually work together and how that is an American value. Those who want to start a business have a path to do so. Those who want to help businesses prosper have a path to do so as well (to clarify in words this acquaintance would understand….Those who want to help are employees, consumers……. you know, those who burden others).

She says she went into business to not be a burden on anyone. Does she tell her customers that do not own their own business that they are a burden. If not. Why? Aren’t they a burden to her and if so why would she accept that burden which would in turn make her burdensome? Has she considered dropping all customers to release her burden?

The really funny thing is that her reasoning makes her a burden to society. That kind of thinking is what is causing so much economical and societal fracturing. It’s amazing she was able to get out of bed this morning….(but hey, she’s got hers).

[StatGirl]

16. If you want to stay friendly, your best bet is to just give her the context

She's just taking her talking points from Fox; she probably has no idea what he really said. So I suggest posting this:

Here's the actual quote: "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. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet."

And then you could add something like "Pres. Obama didn't say you didn't build your own business. You've been lied to."

[progressivebydesign]

18. we should all put that quote on our facebook pages, with no comment. n/t

[progressivebydesign]

17. I would ask her why she had to file for UE if her biz was so successful...

she totally blows her whole point.

Once again, a moron that did NOT listen to the whole speech or context.

I am a small business person, and I DID get help from mentors, the infrastructure, a decent tax code in my state, non-usurious interest rates, the fact that a pig farm was not allowed to open next door to my business, and from SCORE, and SBA.

geez. I'm so sick of people like that who fly off the handle and claim that no one helped them. Where did she get her first investment? Did a parent not help her? Or did her spouse's income not help? he wasn't only talking about the Govt, but they just froth over these sound bites.

[Swede]

19. Tell her to start up her business in Somalia.

nt

[young_at_heart]

21. I sent a letter to NBC News complaining of their out-of-context quote

Your story is proof that the MSM contaminates the truth. I used to trust NBC---no more!!!

[KansDem]

23. She had help...

...surrounding myself with others as smart as myself.

She didn't do it herself, so what's her point?

[Marr]

24. What sort of business did she start?

I started my small business just out of college, and I'd be the first to say I didn't do it in a vacuum. I depend on mail, the internet, roads, certain tax policies, electric power, an educated population to buy what I'm selling, and that's not to mention the education loans that got me through college to begin with.