Jack Gilchrist OWES President Obama and TAX PAYERS An Apology
Star of Romney Ad Did Receive Government AssistanceIn a Mitt Romney ad last week, a stern Jack Gilchrist of Gilchrist Metal Fabricating tells President Obama that his family -- and not the government -- built his company.
But John DiStaso reports Gilchrist "did receive some government help:
MONDAY, JULY 23, UPDATE: HE GOT HELP. In the Mitt Romney campaign web and television ads that received national attention last week, a blunt Jack Gilchrist of Gilchrist Metal Fabricating in Hudson tells President Barack Obama that he, his father and his son _ and not the government _ built his company.
But as it turns out, Gilchrist did receive some government help for his business, albeit a long time ago.
In 1999, Gilchrist Metal received $800,000 in tax-exempt revenue bonds issued by the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority “to set up a second manufacturing plant and purchase equipment to produce high definition television broadcasting equipment,” according to a New Hampshire Union Leader report at the time.
The federal government allocates to each state a certain amount of tax-exempt bonding capacity each year for business and housing loans.
Because the bond buyers do not pay federal taxes on the interest, the interest rate for the borrower is typically lower than that of standard bank financing.
Last year, Gilchrist Metal also received two U.S. Navy sub-contracts totaling about $83,000 and a smaller, $5,600 Coast Guard contract in 2008, according to a government web site that tracks spending.
“It was a loser and I wish I had never done it,” he said. “I bought some equipment with it.”
But he did not shy away from the fact that he has utilized government programs.
He also said his company received a U.S. Small Business Administration loan totaling “somewhere south of” $500,000 in the late 1980s.
He said his business has also received matching funds from the New England Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (NETAAC), which is federally-funded.
Gilchrist said about 10 percent of his company's contracts are defense-related.
“It's a small piece,” he said. “But we do business with a plethora of industries and certainly defense is one of them.
“Defense business is a good way to help the economy. But the President wants to cut the crap out of the defense budget.
“I'm not going to turn a blind eye because the money came from the government,” he said. “As far as I'm concerned, I'm getting some of my tax money back.
“I'm not stupid, I'm not going to say 'no.' Shame on me if I didn't use what's available,” he said. “As a matter of fact, right now, I'm driving on a road.
“So, no,” said Gilchrist, “I don't feel as though I've compromised anything or misled anybody.”
The Romney campaign also stands by the ad.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Typical Jack mind:
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A REPUBLICAN
By John Gray
Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot
full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for
minimum water quality standards.
He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His
medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure
their safety and work as advertised.
All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers
medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their
employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares
his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe's bacon is safe to
eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing
industry.
Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is
properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents
because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting
on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and
takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree-
hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our
air.
He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to
work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation
fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public
transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a
contributor.
Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay,
medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some
liberal union members fought and died for these working standards.
Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't
want his employees to call the union.
If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he'll get a worker
compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn't think
he should loose his home because of his temporary misfortune.
It's noon time, Joe needs to make a Bank Deposit so he can pay some
bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some
liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who
ruined the banking system before the depression.
Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below
market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that
Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and
earned more money over his lifetime.
Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at
his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to
dad's; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal
fought for car safety standards.
He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live
in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers
didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electric until
some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and
demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republicans would still
be sitting in the dark)
He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social
Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could
take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to. After his visit with dad
he gets back in his car for the ride home.
He turns on a radio talk show, the host keeps saying that liberals
are bad and conservatives are good (He doesn't tell Joe that his
beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit
Joe enjoys throughout his day). Joe agrees, "We don't need those big
government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I'm a self-made man
who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I
have."
One wonders whether they are that clueless or they do it on purpose figuring no one will call them on it? 
You are arguing against something that NO ONE SAID. That one little sound clip is as naked a case of "out of context" as it gets, sawing one part of a sentence off from the rest.
Given your business success, it's unlikely you're a stupid man or that you didn't understand the point the president was expressing. The candidate you're supporting said the very same thing to Olympic athletes a few years ago.
So if you understood what was said ("you didn't build that (infrastructure)"
but are still starring in an ad that pretends he said "you didn't build that (your business)", then you are a liar. Nakedly.
