Why Obama is wrong when he says business needs the government

[Quantum Windbag]

History is full of examples of the government taking on projects that are huge because they believe they wouldn't happen otherwise. History is also full of examples of projects that businesses took on because they were needed. My favorite example of the latter is one of Obama's talking points when he claims that the government is indispensable.

So we say to ourselves, ever since the founding of this country, you know what, there are some things we do better together. That’s how we funded the GI Bill. That’s how we created the middle class. That’s how we built the Golden Gate Bridge...

Turns out that the government actually did everything it could to stop the Golden Gate bridge, and that, ultimately, it was built because of one man.

In fact, it was the ‘One Percenters’, as is the term coined of the rich and powerful these days, that built the Golden Gate, not government. More importantly, it was government that posed more obstacles for the building of the bridge than any other entity and if the Department of Defense had their way it never would have been built at all.

Some basic research into the building of the bridge indicated that the original architect of the bridge, Joseph Strauss (who also designed a bridge to be built over the Bering Strait) faced numerous obstacles from government after his original proposal to them in 1921. Several years earlier the government had done a study about building a bridge in those waters and had come to the conclusion that it was impossible to build a bridge from the city to Marin County. San Francisco City Engineer Michael O'Shaughnessy had requested the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey to make soundings of the channel bottom. The U.S.S. Natoma completed the sounding of the channel in May 1920, and after receiving the Natoma's survey data, O'Shaughnessy consults engineers from around the country about feasibility and cost. Many say it cannot be done, and if it can be the cost would exceed $100 million. The idea was then shelved until Strauss comes forward with his design.

A second problem in 1929 when the US Stock Market collapsed made for more problems. The Golden Gate committee now has trouble issuing the bond needed for the construction of the bridge, even though the citizens of the surrounding area had put up their own personal lands and farms as collateral. It takes 3 more years and the wealthy President and founder of Bank of America, A.P. Giannini, to personally buy the 35 million dollar bond which he then finances through the bank. Without the bank and the intervention of private industry fueled by personal wealth, again the bridge would not have been built. By 1937 the bridge is completed—and Strauss delivers the bridge 1.7 million UNDER budget, using local non-union labor and private contractors.

www.thomas-purcell.com: Obama's Golden Gate Sized Error

Want to know what else got built without the government?

 

[hortysir]

I've seen several posts bemoaning what Obama said about businesses.

I just haven't seen where he was, specifically, talking about government.

He merely said they didn't get there on their own.
They didn't.
Without a demand and a customer base there wouldn't have been a reason to start their business.

I've been wrong before.....ask my wife.
But I just don;t see where he was giving government the credit.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I've seen several posts bemoaning what Obama said about businesses.

I just haven't seen where he was, specifically, talking about government.

He merely said they didn't get there on their own.
They didn't.
Without a demand and a customer base there wouldn't have been a reason to start their business.

I've been wrong before.....ask my wife.
But I just don;t see where he was giving government the credit.

Are you trying to tell me that when he starts listing all those projects, like the Hoover Dam, the highways, and the railroads, and claims that they were not built by business, he wasn't trying to give government the credit? How, exactly, do you come to that conclusion?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

When he specifically mentions that the Internet was a government funded project he is not trying to give government the credit?

Even rdean can see it Horty, stop bending over backwards to give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[saveliberty]

By this statement then, Obama is willing to stay out of smaller businesses? Doubtful.

 

[Lakhota]

Why Obama is RIGHT when he says business needs the government

http://www.usmessageboard.com/politics/228521-what-good-is-government.html

 

[Vel]

I've seen several posts bemoaning what Obama said about businesses.

I just haven't seen where he was, specifically, talking about government.

He merely said they didn't get there on their own.
They didn't.
Without a demand and a customer base there wouldn't have been a reason to start their business.

I've been wrong before.....ask my wife.
But I just don;t see where he was giving government the credit.

You have to look at what he said in the context of what he was discussing..or rather orating about. He said," And that somebody includes the government: public investments in roads, bridges, schools, the Internet, etc. — “this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive,

His intent is to say that since the government helped YOU be successful, you owe government something more than people who don't have that success.

 

[saveliberty]

Good government protects the rights of its citizens without imposing winners and losers in the process.

 

[Vel]

Why Obama is RIGHT when he says business needs the government

http://www.usmessageboard.com/politics/228521-what-good-is-government.html

What Obama doesn't realize is that government needs business far more that business needs government. Commerce has existed in the world whether government is present or not.

 

[saveliberty]

I've seen several posts bemoaning what Obama said about businesses.

I just haven't seen where he was, specifically, talking about government.

He merely said they didn't get there on their own.
They didn't.
Without a demand and a customer base there wouldn't have been a reason to start their business.

I've been wrong before.....ask my wife.
But I just don;t see where he was giving government the credit.

You have to look at what he said in the context of what he was discussing..or rather orating about. He said," And that somebody includes the government: public investments in roads, bridges, schools, the Internet, etc. — “this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive,

His intent is to say that since the government helped YOU be successful, you owe government something more than people who don't have that success.

I don't owe the government anything. They owe me protection of my rights and an opportunity to pursue life, liberty and happiness. The fruits of that opportunity are mine and mine alone.

 

[Annie]

When he specifically mentions that the Internet was a government funded project he is not trying to give government the credit?

Even rdean can see it Horty, stop bending over backwards to give him the benefit of the doubt.

and it wasn't 'government created either.' The government, through DOD financed the precursor to internet, for defense reasons. Now the president wants to spend more 'spread the wealth money,' and cut defense drastically.

ARPANET - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[8537]

I would love to see the business climate if government didn't enforce physical or intellectual property rights.

Rightwing nirvana!

 

[saveliberty]

I would love to see the business climate if government didn't enforce physical or intellectual property rights.

Rightwing nirvana!

The government doesn't enforce those rights. They determine who has them and what damages are due through litigation brought by businesspersons.

 

[swizzlee]

The MAIN reason Obama is wrong...........

What he fails to realize is that the "government" IS the people. The "government" could not build those roads without the TAXES those small business owners and millions of others paid to the "government."

We would not have a DOD who would "create" computers and the internet without the TAXES paid by those same taxpayers to create a military to defend this country.

Obama would not receive a paycheck without those TAXES being paid by those same taxpayers.

Perhaps Obama should be thanking the American people for HIS success rather than claiming those small business owners aren't paying their "fair share."

The man is not wrapped too tight and that's unsettling.

 

[8537]

I would love to see the business climate if government didn't enforce physical or intellectual property rights.

Rightwing nirvana!

The government doesn't enforce those rights. They determine who has them and what damages are due through litigation brought by businesspersons.

So when someone breaks into a store and steals physical property, the people you call to reclaim your merchandise and catch the thief, the ones carrying guns and tasers, aren't government employees?

I'm not sure which country you live in, but here in the United States the police are government employees funded by tax dollars. YRMV.

 

[BlindBoo]

I've seen several posts bemoaning what Obama said about businesses.

I just haven't seen where he was, specifically, talking about government.

He merely said they didn't get there on their own.
They didn't.
Without a demand and a customer base there wouldn't have been a reason to start their business.

I've been wrong before.....ask my wife.
But I just don;t see where he was giving government the credit.

You have to look at what he said in the context of what he was discussing..or rather orating about. He said," And that somebody includes the government: public investments in roads, bridges, schools, the Internet, etc. — “this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive,

His intent is to say that since the government helped YOU be successful, you owe government something more than people who don't have that success.

I don't owe the government anything. They owe me protection of my rights and an opportunity to pursue life, liberty and happiness. The fruits of that opportunity are mine and mine alone.

But in reality you do, unless you're not a citizen. Ever heard of the Selective Service, or the draft? Thousands of Americans have been forced into the armed service and gave their lives for the government. How about taxes? Are you saying you don't pay taxes to any government entity?

 

[saveliberty]

I would love to see the business climate if government didn't enforce physical or intellectual property rights.

Rightwing nirvana!

The government doesn't enforce those rights. They determine who has them and what damages are due through litigation brought by businesspersons.

So when someone breaks into a store and steals physical property, the people you call to reclaim your merchandise and catch the thief, the ones carrying guns and tasers, aren't government employees?

I'm not sure which country you live in, but here in the United States the police are government employees funded by tax dollars. YRMV.

I stand by my prior reply.

 

[8537]

The government doesn't enforce those rights. They determine who has them and what damages are due through litigation brought by businesspersons.

So when someone breaks into a store and steals physical property, the people you call to reclaim your merchandise and catch the thief, the ones carrying guns and tasers, aren't government employees?

I'm not sure which country you live in, but here in the United States the police are government employees funded by tax dollars. YRMV.

I stand by my prior reply.

So those cops enforcing the law aren't government employees in your area? Which crazy state do you live in?

 

[saveliberty]

The police don't track down people that aren't reported by the businessowner. They also can't prosecute in most cases without a complaint from the businessowner. Citizens can also arrest people. See your generalized statement has a few flaws.

 

[Claudette]

History is full of examples of the government taking on projects that are huge because they believe they wouldn't happen otherwise. History is also full of examples of projects that businesses took on because they were needed. My favorite example of the latter is one of Obama's talking points when he claims that the government is indispensable.

So we say to ourselves, ever since the founding of this country, you know what, there are some things we do better together. That’s how we funded the GI Bill. That’s how we created the middle class. That’s how we built the Golden Gate Bridge...

Turns out that the government actually did everything it could to stop the Golden Gate bridge, and that, ultimately, it was built because of one man.

In fact, it was the ‘One Percenters’, as is the term coined of the rich and powerful these days, that built the Golden Gate, not government. More importantly, it was government that posed more obstacles for the building of the bridge than any other entity and if the Department of Defense had their way it never would have been built at all.

Some basic research into the building of the bridge indicated that the original architect of the bridge, Joseph Strauss (who also designed a bridge to be built over the Bering Strait) faced numerous obstacles from government after his original proposal to them in 1921. Several years earlier the government had done a study about building a bridge in those waters and had come to the conclusion that it was impossible to build a bridge from the city to Marin County. San Francisco City Engineer Michael O'Shaughnessy had requested the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey to make soundings of the channel bottom. The U.S.S. Natoma completed the sounding of the channel in May 1920, and after receiving the Natoma's survey data, O'Shaughnessy consults engineers from around the country about feasibility and cost. Many say it cannot be done, and if it can be the cost would exceed $100 million. The idea was then shelved until Strauss comes forward with his design.

A second problem in 1929 when the US Stock Market collapsed made for more problems. The Golden Gate committee now has trouble issuing the bond needed for the construction of the bridge, even though the citizens of the surrounding area had put up their own personal lands and farms as collateral. It takes 3 more years and the wealthy President and founder of Bank of America, A.P. Giannini, to personally buy the 35 million dollar bond which he then finances through the bank. Without the bank and the intervention of private industry fueled by personal wealth, again the bridge would not have been built. By 1937 the bridge is completed—and Strauss delivers the bridge 1.7 million UNDER budget, using local non-union labor and private contractors.

www.thomas-purcell.com: Obama's Golden Gate Sized Error

Want to know what else got built without the government?

Truth to tell I'll bet business would be happy if Govt was gone, gone and gone.

Ask anyone who's trying to start up a business or run one. I'm sure Govt is nothing but a big fat pain in the ass for them.