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Obama is taking an interesting and dangerous approach on the campaign trail, telling successful business owners that they "didn't get there on their own", that their success is predicated in part on the labor and efforts (and taxes) of others. This gives the GOP an opening to say, "see, he hates business owners, we told you so."
On the other hand, it opens up a national conversation that I've never seen before, building on Elizabeth Warren's comments as she runs for office.
This tactic is flying right into the teeth of the GOP's strength, that business and employers are the key to economic success. He's betting that the GOP, so controlled by absolutists right now, is going to look anti-ALL workers, not just union.
Pretty brave, and I think it's a good conversation to have.
Obama Mocks Rich: 'You Didn't Get There On Your Own'
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How is this going to backfire?
First off Romney did not even come close to making it on his own. His parents and grandparents made it for him, and even they had to actually run a business.
The only businesses I know who make it on the hard work and sweat of their owners might be self owned and run businesses with no employees, but even they probably have help from friends, things like the SBA, the government, and they rely on their customers.
If mittens wants to claim he, and he alone, did it then the Obama campaign will have a field day showing his completely misplaced ideas, and that he doesn't care about anyone but himself, and certainly does not care about the people he trashed while at Bain.
It is actually a well planned attack. If Mittens tries to claim he cares about his workers they have some soundbites from him to run against pictures of people who's lives he destroyed at Bain. If Romney ignores it they can go along the line that Romney is way out of touch. If Romney's ego takes over and he declares he is the sole reason for his success they can slam him with the fact he inherited most of it and destroyed the people underneath him.