Posted on 07/28/2012 11:08:26 AM PDT by parisa
One cannot help noticing the struggle between Barack Obama’s natural instincts and the serene and benevolent persona he projects to the world. Beneath the visage of a cosmetically populist, post-racial, post-partisan reformer who wants to “perfect” America and to have “millionaires and billionaires” “pay their fair share” is just another condescending, self-important, sarcastic, academic liberal Democrat, who believes in false consciousness and in scholastic theories that success in life can be attributed to birth or luck or community but not to individual effort and grit. Obama may be talented at self-fashioning, but he cannot maintain his public face constantly. The mask sometimes slips.
The real Obama emerges. He lets loose in the self-consciously ironic and pretentiously omniscient argot of the American ruling class, lecturing audiences in what he, Elizabeth Warren, and the segment producers at MSNBC treat as the new catechism. The reaction to these gaffes is always the same. His remarks spark justified criticism. There is a frenetic effort to paper over his comments and restore the impression that he is just another dad who wants to take care of one big American family. He and his lieutenants and other members of the “truth” posse indulge in mock outrage. They say the president’s words have been distorted, that he did not really say what he said, that he meant something else entirely. The activity is convulsive and furious because David Axelrod and David Plouffe understand that an unplugged Obama will damage his brand. He is not actually likable at all. And he is liable to wreck years of hard work and mythmaking the moment he goes off script.
That is the “context” behind the president’s July 13 outburst in Roanoke, Virginia:
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. (Applause.)
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.
The focus has been on Obama’s words in the second paragraph: “If you’ve got a business—you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” But this misses the point. Whether or not “you didn’t build that” refers to the “roads and bridges” of the previous sentence is irrelevant.
Not flagged as excerpted, but it is. Click the link and read the rest of the article.
These are people who are so blinded by their own egos and simply cannot admit they made such a bad choice that they will continue to ignore what they can see and hear with their own eyes and ears. When the elephant is in the room, it is wise to find a way to get him out...or move! Staying in the room only means you will get trampled.
Yes, thank you! Please read the rest at the link. It is a good article.
His “didn’t build that” line in the second paragraph gets all the attention but the first paragraph is just as galling, especially when you take his snotty tone into account.
It is impossible to put those two sentences, those 2 thoughts, together, and not give the impression that you have intentionally left off qualifying words.
You didn't...somebody else did. That is awfully clear. It could have been, "Your business enjoys advantages because of our sytem." I doubt anyone would have even winced at that statement. But, "you didn't and somebody else did" pretty much suggests that the gov't was right there with you putting in 18 hour days in your shop.
Sounds like the Islam-o-fascists. They will even lie to each other.
“The” skidmark actually believes what he says because he never lifted a finger to get where he is, nor did Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farakhan, and many others. Most of his life was “made up” by the media.
Perhaps it’s just me, but I absolutely cannot stand Obama’s voice. I know to some it’s a very easy voice to listen to. But for myself it gives me an almost instant headache.
I would rather read his speeches than listen to him. At least then I can discern what it was he was trying to say without a headache making listening agony.
Thanks parisa.
And to all, a good day. My plan is, no more FR (other than tomorrow’s APoD) until Monday. Wish me luck.
I think the debates will be worth watching this time. Obama won’t be going up against a dottering old man that had spent so much time across the isle he didn’t know which side he was on. Romney is fast on his feet, well educated and knows his stuff and with any luck should be able to push Obama’s buttons.
Obama’s earlier measured baritone voice has become that of a Black Pastor, lecturing and preaching.
“Let me be clear, folks...”
It is creepy how he parodies people who did actually go to school.
Not only that, but even a worse waffler than Mitt (except Barack virtually always waffles the WRONG way).
Even worse, suggesting that the gummit broke its back there while you goofed off or were a minor gofer.
The amount of ego invested in this is so stupendous that people suspend belief. Those who grew up in communist cult of personality regimes can watch this and say “here we go again.” Americans who never heard a president talk like that are just dazed and half hope it’s hyperbole that will go away.
This is an overweening ego. No doubt about it. Says let us be clear then says something impenetrably foggy, hoping to intimidate.
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