Barack Obama has responded with an ad of his own to respond to those dishonest Romney ads which distorted a statement by Barack Obama about small business. Video above and text follows:
“Those ads taking my words about small business out of context; they’re flat out wrong. Of course Americans build their own business. Everyday hard-working people sacrifice to meet a payroll, create jobs, and make our economy run.
And what I said was that we need to stand behind them as America always has. By investing in education, training, roads and bridges, research and technology. I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message because I believe we’re all in this together.”
This follows responses from the Obama campaign which I noted yesterday. Obama also showed no patience for this dishonest attack at a fund raiser yesterday:
President Barack Obama said Tuesday that he’s losing his patience over the Republican attacks aimed at his “you didn’t build that” comment.
“I have to tell you, I generally have patience with what the other side says about me, that’s a requirement of this job,” Obama said during a $5,000-per-plate fundraiser here, according to the pool report.
“And if you don’t like folks talking about you, you probably shouldn’t run for president. The one thing I do have no patience for is this argument that somehow what I’m criticizing is success… I want to promote success,” Obama said.
DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse issued this memo regarding the planned Democratic response (emphasis mine):
In conjunction with OFA, we’re going to turn the page tomorrow on Mitt Romney’s trumped up, out of context fact-checked-to-death BS about the President and small business and set the record straight on how Mitt Romney has a horrible record on small business, a failed record on jobs and who is advocating for policies that are great for millionaires, billionaires, big oil and corporate America – but that would devastate small businesses and stifle job growth and small business expansion. We’ll being done this with on the ground events in states which are coming together as we speak and with a national press conference call which will include small business owners and others – including at least one person from MA – who will speak about Romney’s failed record and failed policies as well as President Obama’s record as a consistent advocate for small businesses.
Mitt Romney’s going to have to have more than manipulating video and taking quotes out of context to make up for his failed record on jobs and economic and small business development as Governor of Massachusetts and the policies he’s advocating for now that would roll back the investments and support small businesses and communities have always counted on to succeed. As governor of Massachusetts you need look no further than Mitt Romney finishing 47th out of 50 in jobs and manufacturing plummeting to know Mitt Romney’s tenure was a disaster for small businesses in the Bay State.
He left Massachusetts with the highest per capita debt in the nation and created or raised over 1,000 taxes and fees that came to $750 million a year – taxes and fees that fell largely on the middle class and small businesses.
If you’re the Governor that raised a fee on milk and attempted to impose a $10 fee for a state certificate of blindness, it becomes clear why Mitt Romney doesn’t want to talk about his record as Governor on jobs or the economy or budget and taxes.
And he slashed job training programs and cut the manufacturing extension partnership – both devastating to small business development.
What’s worse is that Romney wants to take his failed approach national where he’s pledged to slash the budget so deeply to pay for tax breaks for millionaires like himself he’d devastate the very investments needed for businesses of any size to succeed – especially small businesses. We know the Romney-Ryan budget would slash funding for education, training, research and development, scientific research, investments in clean energy, higher ed, student loans. He’d forgo new investments in high speed rail, broadband, road and bridge construction and repair. And of course – he would have let Detroit go Bankrupt.
Mitt Romney knows a thing or two about financial engineering for his own gain and off shoring money, outsourcing jobs and setting up Swiss Bank Accounts – but he clearly has little clue how the real economy works for small businesses or the middle class. If Mitt Romney thinks that communities and small businesses can succeed strictly on their own – he needs to acquaint himself with the real world where businesses depend on an educated workforce, R and D, and solid infrastructure – everything from broadband to road, bridges and rail.
No – there is only one candidate in this race who should apologize for his record, positions and attitude towards small business – and that’s Mitt Romney.
Obama and DNC Respond To Dishonest Romney Ads On Small Business #p2 #p21 #topprog http://t.co/XwvTxeYU
You say: “Obama was repeating a basic fact about economics–businesses benefit from government infrastructure such as roads and bridge. Businessmen did not build these. Nor did they build the internet, utilities, educational systems, and other government services which are helpful to their business”
As an engineer involved with infrastructure, I have some specific points to make:
1. The INTERNET is exclusively a private corporation. There is government regulation of it, but not ownership. There’s a difference.
2. Most of the transportation infrastructure was built through contracts funded by taxes. Taxes come from people and businesses. No businesses, no tax payers, no roads, bridges, etc. A government is not needed to build these — take note that the railroad system is privately owned. It’s just that the government is viewed as having deeper pockets, and tools to get the real estate needed. The work is funded by tax dollars, and largely carried out by contractors, save some routine maintenance….maybe.
Ergo, any government is, AT BEST, a manager of transportation infrastructure. Government is not self-funding, as it’s generally a not-for-profit operation. It’s a long stretch to say that “the government built it”. Even here in Washington State, projects funded through WADOT say “This [project] brought to you by your tax dollars.”
3. Utilities: Ron, that is so wrong. Communities tend to run their own water and sewage systems, but that’s not always the case. There are private water utilities. BUT…..virtually all of the other utilities (power, telephone, cable) are privately owned and operated by corporations. There are some exceptions to this (e.g., hydro-power and power distribution systems operated by Federal or state chartered corporations [Bonneville Power Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority]), but not many.
4. Public schools are the norm, but mostly through high school, and not always then (charter schools, for example). It’s just that many states view the education system as a government monopoly, an attitude encouraged by the NEA. Further, many of the universities and colleges are privately operated. So, nope, not accurate.
5. Government services: Which ones? Most “services” are either regulatory, tax collection, or welfare. How do those help businesses? Police, fire, medical might count, depending on the jurisdiction. How so? Ever work with volunteer fire departments? Rural fire departments? Did you know that the majority of firefighters in this country are volunteer? Hmmmmm! Who pays THAT bill? EMS, a lot of volunteers there as well. And not all jurisdictions have law enforcement at hand.
Sorry, Ron, but that statement is about as clueless as they come. Government is, by and large, overhead. The problem is that the overhead is bloated, and needs to be trimmed. Including Obama.
Romney may only slow down the rush towards the cliff, but that’s better than romping on the accelerator like “Thelma and Louise”.
Obama and DNC Respond To Dishonest Romney Ads On Small Business – http://t.co/CWdwt8QJ
Obama and DNC Respond To Dishonest Romney Ads On Small Business – http://t.co/CWdwt8QJ
Obama and DNC Respond To Dishonest Romney Ads On Small Business – http://t.co/k6ID8OfM
Obama and DNC Respond To Dishonest Romney Ads On Small Business – http://t.co/CWdwt8QJ
Obama and DNC Respond To Dishonest Romney Ads On Small Business – http://t.co/k6ID8OfM
Obama and DNC Respond To Dishonest Romney Ads On Small Business – http://t.co/CWdwt8QJ
The internet was developed with government money and support. Yes, the money came from taxpayers. That’s how government works. Governments generally pay private contractors for roads. Again, that’s how government works. I won’t waste the time to go through all of your rather nonsensical arguments, but I wish Romney would try to make such arguments. Even if some of these can be done without government, it does not change the fact that most have been developed with the use of government. Those of us who created businesses did not create these things which we benefit from in the every day operation of our businesses.
RT @ronchusid: Obama and DNC Respond To Dishonest Romney Ads On Small Business #p2 #p21 #topprog http://t.co/tmMugw3J
As for bloated government and Obama, the growth of government has dropped dramatically under Obama. The real growth in government came under Reagan and Bush.