Did He Really Say That?

You’re undoubtedly heard the hub-bub over the remarks of President  Obama’s two weeks ago that  people are successful because they have help from the rest of us.  It was as if the President was suggesting that there’s nothing special about financial success.  It’s just good luck.  [So, of course, they should pay more taxes.] 

Naturally, the Obama people are claiming that he was quoted out of context.  Read the relevant sections yourself.

          “There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me that 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 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. 

           The point is, that when we succeed we succeed because of our individual initiative but also because we do things together.”

No, we don’t live in a state of nature.  We all are able to benefit from services, infrastructure, and education.  Call it the floor of civilization.  We all should – as able – pay for its cost.

But some rise further off the floor than others.  Why is that?  Sure, some are brought into this world with more advantages.  That may be health, wealth, muscle and brain power.  But what you do with your advantages -- and about your disadvantages -- is largely up to you, isn’t it?  Luck usually plays but a small role, if any.

The plain truth is that most of us are not smart enough, aren’t willing to work hard enough, aren’t committed enough to attain success.  But some  are.    

That America is a land of opportunity is more than a hollow cliché.  For those who doubt that, ask someone who wasn’t born here.  So why does President Obama say what he does about success and his supporters clap loudly their approval? 

Because they truly don’t understand the not-so-secret keys to success.  Know what you want, learn what you need to know, work hard for it and use your head in its pursuit. 

So the question implicitly posed by Barack Obama is:  If you attain financial success, should you pay a special penalty (tax) assessed against those in your category (top one, five or ten percent)? 

Of course you should, says the president.  He has made it clear that just because you’re smart and hard working bestows no special credit to you for your success. 

Yes, he credits individual initiative as a contributor to one’s success, but adds that “we do things together.”  And don’t forget “If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that.”

So what can he mean other than this: we should all share in the successful person’s bounty since we all made it possible?

Is it any wonder that conservatives ask whether President Obama is inclined toward socialism?