Facebook poster thinks she did it all by herself! [View all]

[Tennessee Gal]

Her post:

"I can't hold back on this sentiment any longer. Here's my rebuttal to Obama's comment about "I didn't build that". I've started two business just this year . . . on my own because it was my way to support myself and my family and not be a burden to anyone in society. No help from government and/or it's infrastructure. After paying into the 'system' for over 25 years, I was not entitled to an unemp...loyment claim when I needed to file because I showed no W-2 wages for last year. Never mind the past 24+ years!!!! I used what I had saved, I did make smart business decisions including surrounding myself with others as smart as myself, and I have worked damn hard. You tell me I didn't build it, and I'll debate you all day long. Don't even get me started on the constitutionality of recipients on welfare (or even unemployment for that matter) regarding drug testing."

I have not responded because she is only an acquaintance. I am considering posting something of my own rather than responding to her.

First of all, the entire quote is self-explanatory unless one little snippet is taken out of context, which is exactly what she did.

Here it is:

"There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me — because they want to give something back. They know they didn’t — look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. 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 that 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."

Every word of that is true. Nobody in this country succeeds at any endeavor without the support or assistance of someone at some point in their life. And there can be no denying that the government has a hand it this in various ways.

The poster on Facebook owns an advertising business and a local business journal type newspaper. Teachers (government employees) taught her throughout he educational process, government regulations and infrastructure are involved in the building that houses her business, fire fighters and the police (government employees) keep her business safe, her newspapers are delivered using the highway/road system (built and maintained by the government), government regulations keep the air safe to breathe and the water safe to drink where she works, the financial institution that provides services she is bound to use in receiving and dispursing funds for her business exists through governmental regulations, etc.

I am sure there are many, many more instances of benefits she is receiving through government rules, regulations, and works. I am too flustered with people like her to think clearly.

I would like to compile a list of benefits we all receive from governmental entities. If you can help, please post here.

Or if you have seen a good response to this insanity, please share it here.