DEMS: Don't explain, DOUBLE DOWN!

[kpete]

Mitt Romney seems to think that its the team owners who win championships and not the team.

THU JUL 19, 2012 AT 06:52 AM PDT
Don't explain, DOUBLE DOWN!
by brooklynbadboy
?1342705827
Photo by Tony Smallman

MITT ROMNEY: “The idea, to say that Steve Jobs didn’t build Apple, that Henry Ford didn’t build Ford Motor…to say something like that is not just foolishness: it’s insulting to every entrepreneur, every innovator in America, and it’s wrong.”

So Democrats may be wondering how to respond to the "you didn't build that" remark by President Obama that the Romney campaign is taking all out of context. Maybe some Democrats are complaining about being taken out of context. Well, welcome to presidential politics. Live with it.

If it were me in charge, I'd be DOUBLING DOWN. Yeah...YOU DIDN'T BUILD THAT!

Did Steve Jobs stand on an assembly line and assemble the iPod? No. Did Henry Ford attach motors to the Model T? No. Thousands of ordinary folks who get up in the morning and with calloused hands and sweaty brows...they are the ones who built those companies. Salesmen and customer service reps and repairmen and ordinary consumers. That's who built those companies. Mitt Romney seems to think that its the team owners who win championships and not the team. He seems to think its owners whose money matters, and not the fans. Any real businessman knows you'll never make a dime without your employees and your customers.

Its a numbers game when it comes to votes. I'll take employees and customers over owners any day of the week.
Please alert national Dems.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/19/1111638/-Don-t-explain-DOUBLE-DOWN

***********

Romney created PERSONAL WEALTH period
that point needs to be hammered home every single day!

ROMNEY was in the business of creating PERSONAL WEALTH not Jobs for the American people

[Xyzse]

1. I'd Have to Agree

The current method of having to explain that his position was taken out of context, and having to use more than a single sentence to do it will not do.

So, you're probably right.

[1StrongBlackMan]

2. Amen n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

3. This is where the national unions can add to the chorus

They represent the workers who "made" these companies. A company is only as good as the employees who bring it to life.

[Zalatix]

4. SPINE! SPINE! SPINE! SPINE! SPINE!

Democrats got one, now they need to KEEP IT!

[Scuba]

5. Sometimes you wonder if the Dems leadership's hiring criteria begins with...

"Experience writing concession speeches."

[flamingdem]

6. Double down is good advice nt

[RedStateLiberal]

7. Fantastic response!

Plus, Obama could easily use Romney's own words to prove that he actually agrees with him.

Mitt Romney:

I know that you recognize a lot of people help you in a business. Perhaps the banks, the investors. There’s no question your mom and dad, your school teachers, the people that provide roads, the fire, the police. A lot of people help

.

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/07/romney-makes-obamas-own-case-for-public-investment.php

Republicans are using a typical dishonest tactic of a straw man argument. They want people to believe Obama only thinks people are successful because of the government and help from others. In reality he's saying it's BOTH your own initiative AND help from others - and, as you can see from the quote above, Romney seems to agree with him.

Taking a sentence out of context to attack your opponent and then making the real point they were actually trying to make is about as dishonest as you can get. I dub that kind of spin the fLIEp-flop.

[RedStateLiberal]

42. Wow, the Obama Truth Team did just what I suggested.

Great minds think alike.

&sns=em

[BarbaRosa]

8. Some time ago, we tried our hand at a small business.

During the process we attended a short intro to business class. The very first the the instructor asked, after a short intro from everyone, was "what is your most important asset in a business". The answer of course was your customers.

It appears that people like mitt don't have customers, they have victims.

[patrice]

9. K&R

[Blue Meany]

10. Romney did not create personal wealth. He devised ways of taking it from

hard-working people who did create it. That is why I think the proper term for Bain Capital's industry is piracy.

[kpete]

11. you are right

He did not create wealth - He TOOK it.

[uponit7771]

23. +1

[cheapdate]

29. Excellent point.

[AllyCat]

36. He amassed.

[crazyjoe]

12. Of course I agree, you can't build a business on your own, that is obvious

I just question the thought process that Obama used in thinking this was a good thing to say.
He basically handed the repubs something to attack him with, and they are running with it. Romney's selling T-shirts for Christ sake!
I realize they took the whole thing out of context, but we are talking about the GOP here, this is just the thing they need to fire up the extreme right wing nut bags.
Now were on the defensive on this.

[RedStateLiberal]

18. The reason Obama was pointing out the obvious.

In full context he was pointing out how Republicans don't want to invest in the things that government does to help everyone have a chance to be successful and how they don't think the wealthy should pay a little more to give something back.

But you know what, I’m not going to see us gut the investments that grow our economy to give tax breaks to me or Mr. Romney or folks who don’t need them.  So I’m going to reduce the deficit in a balanced way.  We’ve already made a trillion dollars’ worth of cuts.  We can make another trillion or trillion-two, and what we then do is ask for the wealthy to pay a little bit more.  (Applause.)  And, by the way, we’ve tried that before -- a guy named Bill Clinton did it.  We created 23 million new jobs, turned a deficit into a surplus, and rich people did just fine.  We created a lot of millionaires.

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 point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/13/remarks-president-campaign-event-roanoke-virginia

He definitely should have worded that one sentence better but his point is valid and needs to be said to counter the Repub meme that the governent is good for nothing.

[crazyjoe]

53. I agree %100. This is politics, and campaigns love to chop one comment out of a great speech

so it sounds like something that has nothing to do with the original point.
With the money these speech writers and political advisers are paid, this should never happen.

[valerief]

13. I've had this discussion with RWers. "Why should rich people be taxed more?

They've earned their money."
"They couldn't have done it without people like us. Why shouldn't we share in the profits?"
<crickets>

They have no answer for that.

[phantom power]

14. He didn't even create his own wealth - he fucking *stole* it, Gordon Gekko style.

[phantom power]

15. This would be about the time the GOP would move to the next attack.

Once they're off balance, keep leaning on them.

[azurnoir]

16. I'd run with that Henry Ford remark

if memory serves didn't Ford hire thugs to kill and injure workers when they first tried to unionize?

so ya Herny Ford build Ford on the lives of the workers

[bluedigger]

17. However, the Keebler Elves did indeed do it on their own.

[stufl]

19. Double down? On what.

Dems permit the Republicans to say whatever their little minds imagine. Dems say NOTHING! What are we waiting for? Romney wins this thing and the 98% might just as well fall on their swords.

Obama....WAKE UP! Say something!

[demwing]

22. Wake up? You think Obama's been sleeping?

Have you missed the fucking BARRAGE of ads hitting Romney?

[stufl]

27. I've seen them...

but do they mean much to anyone beside you and me?

Romney lies constantly. He takes EVERYTHING out of context and even the Dem talking heads give him credit for a good campaign.

Why does NOBODY including Obama and his surrogates ever challenge Romney?

The campaign is tied. In fact, according to Huff Post, Romney is ahead nationwide by 47 to 46. That should not be. That, sir, is a travesty. Who in the world is running Obama's campaign? That a lying empty sack like Romney should be anywhere near Obama is sad.

Please explain. Is he saving it all for the last month? If so, it will be seen as desperation.

Obama will be considered a failure and Romney, without an inkling of a strategy will be the next Pres.

[SunsetDreams]

28. LOL Obama is just getting started

The GOP are going to wish they were still fighting friendly fire in the Primaries.

[stufl]

47. I hope you're right

but I fear that you are mightily disillusioned.

[SunsetDreams]

50. When

"but I fear that you are mightily disillusioned."

attempting to sting, perhaps you should find the right word.

dis·il·lu·sion (ds-lzhn)
tr.v. dis·il·lu·sioned, dis·il·lu·sion·ing, dis·il·lu·sions
To free or deprive of illusion.
n.
1. The act of disenchanting.
2. The condition or fact of being disenchanted.
disil·lusion·ment n.
disil·lusive (-sv, -zv) adj.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Disillusionment

If you would like to continue letting your disillusionment with Obama cloud you into thinking "Obama will be considered a failure and Romney, without an inkling of a strategy will be the next Pres." you go right ahead. I will not put myself in a camp who thinks "OMG, the attacks need to stop on Romney, they are not working" because of a few days out strategy. I don't buy it.

[stufl]

51. You don't buy that? Really! And in what hole do you live?

Forgive my smarminess...but I give what I get.

[demwing]

34. Why should I attempt to convince you?

You claim you've seen all the ads, heard all the arguments, yet you then quickly discount them and then circle back and ask if Obama is holding back till the last month, and continue to pretend that no one challenges Romney.

Well you obviously haven't seen all the ads that you claim to have seen--because if you had, you would know that your claim is false. Either that, or you've seen the ads and don't care, which means you're just looking to stir up shit. In either case, I'm not going to allow you to waste any more of my time beyond this post.

[stufl]

37. That is not the proper question. Whay aren't the American people convinced?

Obama criticizes Romney at Bain. Romney complains and the MSM picks up only the complaint.
Obama talks about shared responsibility between government and business. Romney calls Obama anti-business and the MSM picks that up.
A supermajority is needed for every meaningful bill in the Senate because Republicans have filibustered EVERYTHING since 2009 and nobody says anything about it (except in passing on Rachel or Ed).
The vote for election contribution accountability was 53 to 45 but the 53 lost.

Obama turned a monthly 800,000 job loss into a 50 to 200,000 job gain....every month. But Romney calls his policies a failure and the MSM picks it up.

The world is taking Romney seriously and Obama sems to be OK with that.

The question is...why is Obama permitting the Republicans to set the agenda. You are permitting your political preferences color your view of this campaign. So far it has been in Romney's favor and the tragedy is....he doesn't have to say anything about his plan (which we both know does not exist.)

Just because you agree with the ads does not make them a success. Romney should not even be in this campaign, but, as of now, he's likely to win.

[Doctor_J]

40. So what is the president to do?

Obama criticizes Romney at Bain. Romney complains and the MSM picks up only the complaint.
Obama talks about shared responsibility between government and business. Romney calls Obama anti-business and the MSM picks that up.

Correct. So what is your solution. BTW this contradicts your first point that Obama isn't saying anything.

[stufl]

48. I don't have a point nor am I nitpicking.

I don't want an argument nor do I want effusive overconfidence. The race is tied. Some polls have Romney ahead.

If you're happy with how things are going, then why are you here?

[stufl]

39. This is from Today's Huff Post. Read it and see reality.

"Obama Approval Rating Dragged Down By Economy, New Poll Shows"

"The presidential race is a dead heat, according to the newly released CBS/NYT poll. And for all the attention being paid to the attacks on Mitt Romney's record at Bain Capital and, more subtly, his wealth, the economy still appears to be the overriding factor."

Huffington Post, 7/19/2012

[SunsetDreams]

49. LOL reality from a poll?

from the media who needs to keep it a horse race?

[handmade34]

44. if you haven't seen

your not paying attention... just a sampling of ads

http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom?feature=watch

[stufl]

52. Congratulations....

I have removed DU from my startup sites. You may all continue to live in your bliss.

I have learned that mean Dems are no different from mean Republicans. I don't have time to read any of your further responses. I'm reviewing my options for my future residence....Canada or Costa Rica, perhaps Norway of Denmark.

Good luck to you all!

[Bluerthanblue]

20. excellent!! he's actually just a modern day

money changer.

The fundamentalists won't like or admit this but it is true.

[handmade34]

45. and we know what happened to the money changers...

[99Forever]

21. "I'll take employees and customers over owners any day of the week. "

Word.

[midnight]

24. Creating personal wealth is not the same as creating jobs...

[demwing]

25. "Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that."

THAT = "roads and bridges," NOT "a business"

In other words: "If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build the roads and bridges, somebody invested in that."

A poorly constructed sentence encouraged a nonsense response from evil fuckers who are desperate to manipulate stupid fuckers.

[Flatulo]

26. It might be useful to remind people that it was the G.I. Bill that

created the greatest generation of engineers and scientists. Government funded education set the US on a trajectory of technical achievement that we're still basking in.

Yeah, Steve Jobs grew Apple by conceiving products that people wanted to buy, but he stood on the shoulders of giants.

Having said all that, I do have great admiration for entrepreneurs, who often work 60, 80, or even 100 hours per week. In many startups, the founders often can't even pay themselves in order to meet payroll.

It's not a popular sentiment here, but labor can't do it without a founder's vision and startup capital.

[indivisibleman]

30. Beautiful.

I'm using that. That is exactly the point.

[Zen Democrat]

31. Wonder how many cars Henry Ford would have sold without ROADS to drive on!

Did Ford build all the roads in America? If the government had not brought electrification to the entire country, how much would appliance manufacturers have made?

[wandy]

32. More proof that Romney is clueless. The idea, to say that Steve Jobs didn’t build Apple....

He forgot this guy.........

Steve Wozniak
Wozniak met Steve Jobs when fellow Homestead High School student, Bill Fernandez, introduced them to each other. In 1970, they became friends when Jobs worked for the summer at Hewlett-Packard (HP), where Wozniak was working on a mainframe computer. According to Wozniak's autobiography, iWoz, Jobs had the idea to sell a computer as a fully assembled printed circuit board. Wozniak, at first skeptical, was later convinced by Jobs that even if they were not successful they could at least say to their grandkids they had had their own company.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Wozniak

Nobody makes it alone.

[lunatica]

33. They're desperate to put the Democrats on the defensive

Mitt and every other Republican know exactly what Obama was saying. They will even agree. But they want to take over the control of the talking points so Mitt goes all ballistic and blathering indignant for show.

[Zorra]

35. And all them rich folks (all 50,000 of 'em) singlehandedly whupped the Nazis during WWII.

And so many of them fought so bravely for the defense contracts, and the oil they stole during the Iraq War!

Fuckin' bloody heroes, they are!

Like the Bush Family Evil Empire


Amazin'!!! All hail our wise and glorious job creators!

[markpkessinger]

38. I'm happy to give Steve Jobs credit for building Apple . . .

. . . on the backs of Chinese 10 year olds!

[Doctor_J]

41. the dems in Congress are weak and appeasing

and there aren't any on TV or radio

[demwing]

43. Obama Answers

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101742474

[Progressive dog]

46. This is not taking it out of context, this is editing to change meaning, otherwise known as lying

Just call it a lie, it obviously is.