The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
A couple of weeks ago, Pat Sajak wrote an incisive post about why President Obama's anti-entrepreneurial riff was such a damaging defining moment: it confirmed what the electorate already believed.
And yet I'm surprised at how lasting the damage is with this. My apolitical acquaintances are still joking about it and the Obama campaign must be picking up on the problem in their focus groups or polling. I don't think campaigns that are going well do stuff like this:
President Obama sought to directly explain to voters what he meant by a comment about small business that has reverberated through Republican attacks on his re-election.
The new ad, “Always,” which will air in in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Iowa, and Nevada, argues that Republicans were mischaracterizing a comment he’d made that seemed to suggest that small businesses weren’t solely responsible for their own successes.
What I find interesting about this is how ill-equipped the left and their media supporters are when it comes to understanding why this comment resonated with people.
All of my reporter friends keep saying that the comments were taken out of context. It's laughable. The comments actually sound much worse the more context that is provided.
And NBC says that Mitt Romney said the same thing as Obama a few years ago before the Olympics:
[I]n 2002, during his speech at the Opening Ceremonies at the Winter Olympics -- the games in which Romney was lauded for turning around the management -- Romney made a similar argument about Olympians.
"You Olympians, however, know you didn't get here solely on your own power,” said Romney, who on Friday will attend the Opening Ceremonies of this year’s Summer Olympics. “For most of you, loving parents, sisters or brothers, encouraged your hopes, coaches guided, communities built venues in order to organize competitions. All Olympians stand on the shoulders of those who lifted them. We’ve already cheered the Olympians, let’s also cheer the parents, coaches, and communities. All right! [pumps fist].”
Are you freaking kidding me?
Does NBC really think that parents, coaches and communities are equivalent to the government? The sad truth is that they obviously do! And that is why they don't even begin to understand the reaction against Obama's comments. The confusion over the difference between Mommy and Daddy and The State does not bode well for our country, though. Our elites seem not to understand how society is ordered, much less the importance of the family and voluntary institutions.
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Jun '12
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Remember: "It Takes A Village."
And as I like to paraphrase one of my favorite sci-fi TV series, "The State Is Father, The State Is Mother."
Dec '11
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Romney’s remarks were asking the crowd, after honoring the athletes for their achievement to recognize the contributions of those who helped the athletes achieve.
The President’s remarks were dismissive of business owner’s success as they couldn’t have achieved anything without government (read: him).
Had Romney said “we shouldn’t have cheered the Olympians, we should only have cheered the parents, coaches and communities. All right!” Then, NBC would have found an apt comparison.
Mar '12
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
A friend of mine likes to say "Government is just a word for things we do together". Many in our great country are more than happy to have the government right along side of, or even a replacement for, the family as the core of our societal structure.
NBC, like President Obama, was caught in a movement of honesty with their comment and I don't expect too many people are shocked and/or stunned by it.
Edited on July 25, 2012 at 5:22pmJan '11
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Agreed.
It also rankles when you remember that Obama (and Elizabeth Warren before him) were making this argument so they could raise taxes. They weren't just making a banal point about ♫ people ... people who need people ... are the luckiest people ... in the world ... ♫ They were justifying raising taxes to their own supporters.
That argument might make sense if small business owners had never contributed to the building of roads and infrastructure, had never paid for education, or had never paid any taxes before. Or, to make a point, if they hadn't paid as much as Obama's and Warren's supporters. But small business owners already paid far more in taxes than anyone else in the room. Not only were they paid as part of the individual's income tax (at an already progressive rate), but also as part of corporate taxes (that are already the highest in the world).
The people who paid the most for the infrastructure were indeed the people who were most benefiting from it. If anything, the 50% of the population who don't pay taxes at all are the ones who should be grateful for the "free" roads and schools.
Sep '11
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Okay--so NBC News is publicly denouncing something that one of their biggest advertisers is spending millions of dollars--on NBC!--to promote?
http://www.thankyoumom.pg.com/thank-you-mom
Barack Obama didn't find a coin laundry in the middle of Virginia at 2 am to wash saddle pads, and get a combatatively-sleepy fifteen-year-old out of bed to make a 7:00 am dressage time; the federal government didn't buy the truck and the trailer, they didn't pay the entry fees, they didn't drive tens of thousands of miles. And, after a disastrous crash, neither Barack Obama or any federal official held my daughter as she lay strapped to a back board, waiting to hear the results of an MRI from the neurologist.
My oldest daughter was in the developmental program for the U.S. Equestrian Team--she got there because of incredible talent, discipline, focus, and bravery; she also got there because of more than a little support from her family.
What Mitt Romney said was absolutely true.
What Barack Obama said was absolutely revealing.
Jul '11
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Yeah, they are intentionally misinterpreting Romney (gee whiz). Romney was imploring the athletes to have humility and be humble in victory (a virtue I should think).
As for the premise of your post, 'The Left' doesn't understand what family is. They have run around for decades telling people that 'family' is what you choose it to be, not what it is. It is a natural extension of this misconception to assume that government is no different from family.
May '10
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
"Always" - how original.
Jun '10
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Frank Gillespie: A friend of mine likes to say "Government is just a word for things we do together". Many in our great country are more than happy to have the government right along side of, or even a replacement for, the family as the core of our societal structure.
NBC, like President Obama, was caught in a movement of honesty with their comment and I don't expect too many people are shocked and/or stunned by it. · 9 minutes ago
Edited 6 minutes ago
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Hey! I resemble that remark!
Apr '11
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
John Murdoch:Barack Obama didn't find a coin laundry in the middle of Virginia at 2 am to wash saddle pads, and get a combatatively-sleepy fifteen-year-old out of bed to make a 7:00 am dressage time; the federal government didn't buy the truck and the trailer, they didn't pay the entry fees, they didn't drive tens of thousands of miles. And, after a disastrous crash, neither Barack Obama or any federal official held my daughter as she lay strapped to a back board, waiting to hear the results of an MRI from the neurologist.
My oldest daughter was in the developmental program for the U.S. Equestrian Team--she got there because of incredible talent, discipline, focus, and bravery; she also got there because of more than a little support from her family.
I did not have one fifth the riding talent of your daughter, but everything you wrote about showing is so true. For me, too, it was Dad doing the AM rousing and the tack cleaning and the driving and the paying, paying, paying.
I hope your daughter is well and, quite literally, back in the saddle.
Jun '12
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
John Murdoch:
My oldest daughter was in the developmental program for the U.S. Equestrian Team--she got there because of incredible talent, discipline, focus, and bravery; she also got there because of more than a little support from her family. · 11 minutes ago
Congrats both to you and your daughter. :)
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.:
All of my reporter friends keep saying that the comments were taken out of context. It's laughable. The comments actually sound much worse the more context that is provided.
Ha. Looks like someone else agrees with me.
Jul '11
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
The Washington Post Fact Checker (I know, it's Pravda on the Potomac) gave Romney three Pinocchios ("Warrens"?) for taking Obama's words "out of context."
Anyone think they'll get lathered up about the wholesale misinterpretation of Romney's remarks?
Sep '10
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Schadenfraudilicious the way people who are moral relativists in their workaday world and continually redefine the constitution in line with some gnostic hermeneutic key -- to which only President Obama's transcript holds the key -- suddenly believe there's an objective reality that is being violated in the way King Barack of Taxalot's comments are being interpreted as his penumbra continues to emanate.
May '10
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
I'm always stuck by people who think Olympians are athletically gifted...there are a lot of athletically gifted people out there... ;)
Jun '12
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
That comment needs a warning about not having liquids in one's mouth when reading.
Mar '11
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
The parents of Olympic athletes did some good for the athlete that could only benefit that one individual. Paying for your daughters private lessons/workouts does not benefit the person who lives down the street.
Government activity is supposed to benefit everyone not just one specific athlete.
These two comments bear nothing in common
Sep '10
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Since sacred scripture says Satan is still the god of this world then to take things to its logical conclusion....
The People's Court
Doug Llewellen.....Kevin Nealon
Judge Wopner.....Phil Hartman
Vonda Braithwaite.....Rosanna Arquette
Mephistopheles.....Jon Lovitz
Vonda's Mother.....Jan Hooks
Bailiff.....Andy Murphy
[ open on shot of Vonda Briathwaite and her Mother entering the courtroom and preparing themselves at their bench ]
Doug Llewellen V/O: This is Vonda Braithwaite, the Plaintiff. She sold her immortal soul to the Devil in exchange for success in her hairdresing business, but now claims that the Devil cheated her. She seeks nullification of the contract, plus damages.
[ image of Vonda and Mother is raised to the top of the screen, as "VONDA BRAITHWAITE PLAINTIFF SUING FOR: Nullification of Contract Plus $1,800" is typed across the bottom of the screen ]
[ cut to Mephistopheles entering the courtroom and preparing himself at his bench ]
Doug Llewellen V/O: This is Mephistopheles, the Devil. He claims that he did keep his part of the bargain, and that the Plaintiff is simply trying to wuelch out of her legal committment. He seeks the soul, plus court costs.
Oct '10
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
Corporation is a word for things we choose to do together. Government is a word for things we do together at the point of a gun.
Feb '12
Re: The Barely Perceptible Difference Between Family And Government
To answer your questions:
I receive daily updates from the Rachel Maddow Show, and they just did a 10-minute segment expressing the same view as NBC (you can watch it here). And they think of themselves as intellectuals over there.
Edited on July 25, 2012 at 9:34pm