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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Was Barack Obama Lying Then or Now?

We all learned yesterday that if you accurately quote Barack Obama’s speeches or fictionalized accounts of his life that he penned, you are automatically taking him out of context. And, as Kevin Eder noted on twitter, you’re racist.

Conservatives, such as myself, who dared quote Barack Obama’s Friday entry into grade school Marxism in Virginia are being attacked for taking him out of context. The quote supposedly being taken out of context is Mr. Obama saying, “If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.”

We supposedly took it out of context because the preceding sentence in the speech was, “Somebody invested in roads and bridges.” The morons at Media Matters and elsewhere would have us believe that Mr. Obama’s comments about building business had to do with government building infrastructure. Not only is that a nonsensical lie, to believe that one actually would have to take Barack Obama out of context.

In context, Mr. Obama started off saying, “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,” among other things. He was preaching grade school Marxism that those who have become the most successful got there because of the hard work of others, not their own hard work, and therefore they must have their private property confiscated by the government through taxes to be redistributed to others in the name of fairness. Go all the way to December 6, 2011, in Osawatomie, Kansas and the President has been sounding a consistent tone.

The focus on what Barack Obama said has missed out on perhaps the most important sentence of his entire speech. You just read it. Let me highlight it for you.

Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive.

On October 30, 2008, Barack Obama stood before a crowd of 35,000 at Missouri University. He said, “We are five days from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.”

Was Barack Obama lying in 2008 or was he lying Friday in Virginia. Why lying? Because it is hard to reconcile in 2008 his belief that he would “fundamentally transform the United States” with his 2012 statement that “Somebody helped create the unbelievable American system that we have.”

If he really thought the system was truly unbelievable, he couldn’t want to “fundamentally transform it.” The two only reconcile if you think Barack Obama believes he has fundamentally transformed American into an unbelievable system. And if he thought that, given his ego, you would think he would take credit for it instead of saying “somebody.” The two statements are not reconcilable.

But humoring the President, let’s pretend he does think he has “fundamentally transformed” America into an “unbelievable system.”

If that’s the case, we have a huge problem on our hands that the President of the United States thinks +8% unemployment, Canadians 20% richer than us, a growing number of people on food stamps, disability, welfare, and out of work is somehow the product of an “unbelievable system.”

I mean, I know it is unbelievable, but unbelievable not in a good way. That doesn’t seem to be what he was suggesting.

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COMMENTS

  • bob570

    That is about the best description of Obama’s statement I’ve heard so far. For that matter you apply Grade School, and Marxist to just about all of his statements, and actions.

  • almedadrtuten

    I don’t believe “caving” is the correct word here. I’ve believed all along that he would release his tax returns at a correct timing. For instance, closer to the election when it will probably be much more effective or when/if Obama provides a better opening..

  • clamdigger53

    We know what we have; 20×20 vision! What we dont have is a President who represents the working man,who represents the independent businessman.Rush called his followers ” Obamas Underachieving Army”. Bingo! The living dead who drag their feet around far and wide like a low budget Hollywood movie looking for something to steal ! If their forward momentum is not checked we have failed our children completely!

  • 6eorge Jetson

    and then all you had to do was lose your conscience and claim that you met its terms.”

    O &nbps; bstinate
    B &nbps; ankrupt
    A &nbps; uthoritarian
    M &nbps; ediocre
    A &nbps; dolescent

  • vamoose

    Obama has been lying to the country about his Marxist roots and beliefs behind a verbal veneer of pseudo Americanism for his entire political career. That makes both statements a lie as well as all the statements in between.

  • Robert Barker

    Yes, someone created “this unbelievable American system.” We usually call them the Framers.

    Maybe Barack has finally become an American exceptionalist.

  • hart65

    compared to Barack Obama’s “Fundamentally transforming the United States of America” is like comparing what a turtle and a bird have in common… they both can fly, except the turtle.

  • oduibhne

    Evidently the word parents doesn’t have much meaning in his experience.

  • ateam

    All they had to do was replay, over and over and over, his radio interviews in 1994 with the Chicago radio stations.

    When my friends and fellow conservatives were calling him socialist, I vehemently corrected them and outlined his marxist ideology.

    Do we really have that many “watered down, newly minted citizens” that really don’t care or are really wanting a marxist state?

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    hardworking gifted people to keep most of what they create so that in a future under an Obama system no one will create wealth because they won’t get to keep the fruits of their labor.

  • ontap

    President Obama’s comments regarding an individual’s acquisition of wealth is beyond the pale. My brother in law was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at an adult. Not one to let such a matter contract his ambitions, he began to train for the Iron Man circuit. Having successfully competed in several events, he created his own foundation which provides a wealth of resources for individuals and families effected by diabetes. His “wealth” was attained as a result of his medical condition. So in accordance with the President’s assertion, my brother in law’s wealth was given to him by the Divine.

  • Paul Seale

    I am not shocked Media Matters and other Obama mouth pieces (politifact is sure to me not far behind) are in full CYA mode.

    However the quote, just like the joe the Plummer incident from 08, is verbalization of what we’ve gone through the past four years. If you do not believe me, check out how many times president obama has said the election will be about those who want to leave to to fend for your selves vs someone (govt) who will be there to help you.

    It all fits a pattern.

    With that said, I hope this incident acts as a gut check for Romney. If it does not, nothing will.

  • msctex

    BHO has never in his life been exposed on a long-term basis to the type of individual willing and capable of creating and building something on their own. His career path, for lack of an applicable term, has been predicated upon a series of handouts and any number of actions which could gently be described as “Affirmative,” and more than likely a few easily termed illegal. The sort of men and women who generate wealth and move the world would simply have no reason whatsoever to be anywhere near this man.

    In other words, the poor SOB may well not know any better. Not meant as an excuse, just an observation of a possible truth.

  • jakee308

    His lips are moving.

  • irishpol

    You’re right; it wasn’t the government that built our businesses, but I believe we err by suggesting that it was us. We can do nothing without the help of God, and if we don’t acknowledge that, then our error is greater than Obumer.
    Irishpol

  • Common_Cents

    ?Barack Obama?s attempt to denigrate and diminish the achievement of the individual diminishes us all.?

    Also Romney added, who pays for all that government help?????

    Romney is really on to something with this as well:

    Obama is campaigning to save his own job, not doing anything to save your job!!!!!!

  • nepanyrush

    As another poster noted, you don’t use the word “that” to refer to “roads and bridges.” You use “those.” On the other hand, as part of the sentence as used, ‘that” clearly refers to “a business.”

    You are spot on when you state: “The morons at Media Matters and elsewhere would have us believe that Mr. Obama?s comments about building business had to do with government building infrastructure. Not only is that a nonsensical lie, to believe that one actually would have to take Barack Obama out of context.’

    Media matters and other Obama propagandists don’t care at all for truth. I read “Rules for Radicals,” a major component is that the ends justify the means. Thus, lying and obfuscating is totally acceptable to those propagandists.

  • paxcat

    First, if “us” didn’t create it or build it, then why is “us” paying the taxes for it????? Send the bill the DOT!

    Second, how did people 100 years ago succeed in business when they had no “infrastructure” to speak of? My great grandfather made the front page of the Stockholm newspaper and the Seattle newspaper for building and launching the first boat out of Bremerton, WA shipyards. My grandmother is christening the ship! He lived in Seattle and he had no DOT ferry service to Bremerton then, so I wonder how he did that??????

    Finally, kudos to the poster who said, “it was the framers!!!!” Like DUH! But, obviously, he probably missed that day in Social Studies!

  • lineholder

    The facade that Progressives/Liberals have been trying to hide behind for years is finally slipping away to reveal the TRUE character of who they are, what they believe, and what kind of “fundamental transformation” they are hoping to accomplish and achieve.

    President Obama made what is likely to be the most critical error of his entire political career last Friday by undermining the accomplishments of hard-working business owners.

    This may very well be the best thing that could have happened, because now that the truth is coming out, it will provide an opportunity to focus on what may be the most important question of all….

    Where do we want to go from here, America? Do we really want this nation to become a society of people dependent on government from the cradle to the grave? Or do we believe enough in ourselves to choose a brighter future for this country?

    This is one time I can honestly say a word of genuine thanks to Barack Obama.

  • wumingren

    Obama’s supporters are all claiming that he didn’t mean what he said about successful business people not making it on their own. In his own defense (off teleprompter, of course), he might be expected to say, “Hey. No big deal. I say a lot of things I don’t mean.”

  • Kudzu

    argument today and this was the response I got on Facebook:
    My earlier post:
    ” He’s speaking in very broad terms that allow you to get by with the most amateur tactic of saying “of course someone helped”. Yes, someone did, but they didn’t create that business. It wasn’t their intellect that got the capital to get it off the ground, not in every successful business.”

    My FB friend’s response:

    “No he was taking bout everything everybody who had a hand in making roads, bridges, internet ,etc we all r n this together and some people paid the price for us to succeed.”

  • ihateliberals

    he hasn’t told the truth but one time since running for President and that was that he was going to change America and that he has done. We use to have a good credit rating now we don’t. we use to have a good health system and now we don”t. we use to have respect around the world and now we don’t. We use to be the greatest Nationo n the Earth and now we aren’t. yes he told the truth that time. His hope and Change came true. he hoped he could change us into a broken socialist nation and that is where he is headed and these dumb little twerps that think he is taking us to Euphoria just don’t get it. That is wht the Russians thought with Marx and Lennon, the Germans thought with Hitler, The Italians with Mussolini. The young uninformed brain wash youth always lead the country into despair. then it takes eons to overcome it if ever.

  • sidramone

    Donate

    Was Willard lying?

    Was Waffling Willard lying for the first forty or so years of his adult life when he called himself a liberal and a progressive, or is he lying now calling himself a conservative?

  • renl57

    …for going even further than Obama did:

    Warren: “You didn?t have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory? Now look. You built a factory and it turned into something terrific or a great idea ? God Bless! Keep a Big Hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along.?

    All Obama did was rip off her remarks and didn’t even do as good a job articulating them.

    No one on the Left said that *her* remarks were being taken out of context. Instead, they all think what she said was magnificent–even though it’s even more extreme than what they’re claiming are Obama’s out-of-context remarks.

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/09/20/1018700/-Warren-Tells-It-Like-it-Is-No-One-in-This-Country-Got-Rich-on-his-Own

    The Left is being totally duplicitous here: When a Leftist like Elizabeth Warren says something that’s way out of left-field, privately they applaud her for it–while simultaneously insisting to everyone else that she didn’t really mean it that way.

    That’s why it’s worth it to read the left-wing blogs like Daily KOS and Paul Krugman. You get to see what the left is thinking when they know the CNN cameras aren’t on them.

    “I could scare the hell out of Middle America”
    — George McGovern, liberal Dem candidate for President, 1972

  • wumingren

    My liberal acquaintances were miffed and demand that I “give him a chance.” Only the most obnoxious of them are still saying, “Give him a chance.” The rest, I haven’t heard a peep out of.

  • ceili_dancer

    He’s our candidate and there is nothing you can do about it. Consevatives in the primary and Republicans in the general. Primary season is over sparky,

  • funwithknives

    my wholehearted agreement and “Second the Motion”.
    (Can you tell I’m kinda’ simpatico with you?)

    How often in our lives have we heard the time-honored axiom that some people are just too ‘smart’ for their own good?

    “The Smartest Guy In The Room” just stepped on his own privates and GAVE Mitt and the GOP an anvil to forge the tools needed.

    Let us all encourage this using-of-a-gaffe, in full measure.

    I have stated here time and again that Progressives opening their mouths would give uas all the intellectual ammunition we would ever need, or want. Well, it’s here at last. Handed to us on a platter.
    Mitt, fer cryin’ out loud, use the sucker….and don’t back off.

  • littlehouse18

    The schools and TV are constantly promoting ‘teamwork’ while completely de-emphasizing individual achievement.

  • checkmate2012

    trying, not for winning. Individual accomplishments are no longer rewarded when it’s all for one and one for all. Teamwork has it’s place but not at the cost of an individual.

  • http://www.periodictablet.com superamerican

    I don’t believe Barack Obama is lying, I think he is simply ignorant. He is clueless (and knowledgeless) about American history and capitalism. He is driven by emotion from his family and abandonment by his father.

  • avagreen

    (>.<)

  • lineholder

    Let’s suppose that Barack Obama does indeed comprehend more about how capitalism works than he has been inclined to display…that his life has been influenced by things he learned at a much younger age about the so-called evils of capitalism, to the extent that it plays a part in his choice to support the political philosophy that he has chosen, and that what he learned has carried forward into his life today, influencing his attitude and actions.

    If that is true, then he does indeed know and understand that capitalism can be and in many cases is a means of independence that allows people to be self-reliant of government as much as possible. Given what his chosen political philosophy supports, then his comments have to be considered not only in the context of lies but also in the context of lies with the intention to be deceitful.

    It is part of the left’s mentality to support the belief that the end justifies the means. As such, they don’t see anything morally or ethically wrong with lying or being deceitful if it will allow them to accomplish and achieve their goals. This justification of dishonesty is the type of action that sears a person’s conscience, and within that context, we can’t simply give them the benefit of the doubt of genuine honesty in their attitude or actions.

    Do you believe that an individual has a personal responsibility to guard against being deceived? To question what there might be in a situation that they could be deceived by? That’s what it comes down to in this case…simply recognizing the possibility that efforts to be deceitful can play into the situation at hand and defining to what extent we should guard against it.

  • sidramone

    Donate

    Was Romney lying

    Was Romney lying for the first forty years or so of his adult life calling himself a progressive or liberal, or is he lying when he calls himself a conservative.

  • tnfriendofcoal101368

    no text

  • tnfriendofcoal101368

    Lying when he said he loved dog meat. Has anyone seen Bo lately?

  • gekster

    What are your thoughts.

  • ceili_dancer

    As a Moby you’re not very good.

    3, 2, 1….

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    .