Monday, April 25, 2011

Why Isn't the Media Challenging Obama's Upside Down Statement?

Last week, President Barack Obama made one of the most colossally ignorant statements about successful people in our capitalistic form of economics that I have ever heard. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard anyone in our biased media challenge him on his basic premise.

In referring to successful people, Obama said, “Their basic view is that no matter how successful I am, no matter how much I have taken from this country, that somehow I now have no obligation to people who are less fortunate than me.”

I’d like to believe that Obama was just engaged in foolish campaign rhetoric comparable to the class warfare language Democrats have been using for decades.  If he really dose believe what he said, however, than this country is in big trouble because the President has everything upside down.

Successful people don’t take from this country.  On the contrary, they give plenty to this country, and many of them are becoming more and more contemptuous of our politicians. Obama’s ignorant statement is good indication why.

One of the most successful people I’ve ever known is my good friend Ray.  He is a semi-retired veterinarian who exemplifies how many people have started out in life with very little and built a great career through hard work and perseverance.

Ray worked his way through the University of Illinois, ultimately earning a degree in veterinary medicine.  He did it without any scholarship help from anyone.  After graduation, he worked a short time for an animal hospital in a near western suburb of Chicago, and then he moved to a far northwestern suburb of Chicago where he took a position with an animal hospital owner who was nearing retirement.

Ray and another veterinarian took out a loan and bought the practice and building from the retiring animal doctor, and they took what was an already successful practice and built it into a huge complex.  They had increased their clientele so significantly that they constructed an entirely new and larger animal hospital and leased out the older building to an animal grooming service.

To say that Ray has taken from this country is insane.  He and his fellow business partner have employed many people with good salaries and benefits.  It would be an understatement to say that his work in life has benefited our society and this country exponentially.  Ray would later take on another partner and eventually sold his share in the animal hospital complex for a good sum, so he could slow down a bit and enjoy the rest of his life.

After nearly four decades of employing people with his money, not taxpayer money, and after paying substantial taxes himself, he hears Obama accusing him of taking from this country.  It’s no great surprise that Ray has nothing but contempt for our politicians.  Like me, he believes that many in our political class use the taxes of our successful producers to buy the votes of unsuccessful people.  Those who are on the entitlement programs are the ones who are really taking from our country and contributing very little, if anything, in return.

So, Mr. President, instead of demonizing and vilifying successful people, like my good friend Ray, you should be spending every day applauding them for taking advantage of the opportunity available to all of us and forging a very successful life that has contributed so much to our society.  Without people like Ray, you have no money to run this country and to use for your social entitlement programs. How dare you accuse him and other successful people of taking from this country? Ray has contributed far more than you have and probably ever will.

2 comments:

  1. thanks jim for the recognition and eloquent statement of my feelings

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  2. Hey, Jim. Thanks for all the kind and very true things you said about Ray. I am very proud of my brother. He is a very caring vet.

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