Romney Campaign Press Release - The Context Is Clear: Government Didn't Build Our Businesses

"President Obama could not have been more clear when he told small business owners that they shouldn't take credit for building their businesses. Now editorial boards around the country have weighed in, and they couldn't be more clear, either — President Obama's comments 'demeaned' and insulted hard-working Americans." —Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

Editorial Boards Across America Agree That President Obama Has Little "Sympathy For The Plight Of The Small Business Person":

Foster's Daily Democrat: "President Obama Has Little Understanding Let Alone Sympathy For The Plight Of The Small Business Person — The Singularly Largest Driver Of Jobs In The United States." "These words, delivered a week ago to supporters in Roanoke, Va., have been seen by some as an insult to the small business community — dismissive of what really goes into making a business successful. Working for a newspaper that has survived through good times as well as bad times over five generations of family ownership, it is hard for the editorial board here at Foster's Sunday Citizen to accept any argument to the contrary. It has been apparent for some time now that President Obama has little understanding let alone sympathy for the plight of the small business person — the singularly largest driver of jobs in the United States." (Editorial, "Presidential Ignorance Is Bliss ... And Dangerous," Foster's Daily Democrat, 7/22/12)

New York Daily News: "The President Demeaned The Qualities Of Initiative, Industriousness And Ingenuity That Drive America's Ladder-Climbers." "Regardless of whether Obama was talking about 'roads and bridges' or about 'a business' when he said, 'you didn't build that,' there is no question that as he extolled the virtues of government — the government he claims Romney would dismantle — the President demeaned the qualities of initiative, industriousness and ingenuity that drive America's ladder-climbers." (Editorial, "President Obama Distorts Mitt Romney's Record And Ignores His Own," New York Daily News, 7/22/12)

Chattanooga Times Free Press: "Listen To This Speech And You Know Exactly How This President Feels About The Private Sector -- And The Role Government Should Play In All Our Lives. The Dominant Role." "It's going to be interesting to see how the president's spinners explain this one away. The comment about somebody else's being responsible for your success, Mr. Business Owner, wasn't taken out of context. Though there was a lot of context in this speech. An awful, boring lot. This president's speeches about the economy aren't measured in minutes but light-years. Listen to this speech and you know exactly how this president feels about the private sector -- and the role government should play in all our lives. The dominant role. (He gave the speech in Roanoke, Va., last Friday." (Editorial, "Obama's Disdain For Success," Chattanooga Times Free Press, 7/19/12)

Albuquerque Journal: "[President Obama's] Off-The-Cuff Comment Devalues The Importance Of Effort, Sacrifice, Dedication And Hard Work. And It's Not How It Works Outside D.C." "It's been a tough week to be an American entrepreneur. President Barack Obama told campaign supporters 'if you've got a business — you didn't build that.' At minimum, his off-the-cuff comment devalues the importance of effort, sacrifice, dedication and hard work. And it's not how it works outside D.C." (Editorial, "President Discounts U.S. Small Businesses," Albuquerque Journal, 7/20/12)

The Columbus Dispatch: "Obama Simply Doesn't Understand That Government Is Not The Source Of American Prosperity ... The Driver Is The Individual With A Dream And A Passion..." "Obama simply doesn't understand that government is not the source of American prosperity; it is simply a supporting player. The driver is the individual with a dream and a passion, such as Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, who revolutionized personal computing by building the first Apple computer in a garage." (Editorial, "The Dream Devalued," The Columbus Dispatch, 7/19/12)

Richmond Times-Dispatch: "People Who Succeed In Business Are Not Just Lucky Winners Of A Lottery. ... They Did Indeed Build Something Of Value. For The President To Suggest Otherwise Is Insulting — And Revealing." "People who succeed in business are not just lucky winners of a lottery. They are not passive recipients of government programs. They are, in fact, the people who pay the bulk of taxes that underwrite such programs, and they expect a return on that investment, not a lecture from a politician about why they need to do even more. They did indeed build something of value. For the president to suggest otherwise is insulting — and revealing." (Editorial, "Obama: Slamming Success," Richmond Times-Dispatch, 7/18/12)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: "[President Obama] Clearly Believes ... That Business Owners Who Risked It All For A Better Life Aren't Responsible For Their Own Prosperity." "Without a record of economic recovery to run on, President Barack Obama is taking a startling gamble this summer. He clearly believes that not only do Americans lack such entrepreneurial dreams, but that business owners who risked it all for a better life aren't responsible for their own prosperity." (Editorial, "Diminishing Entrepreneurship," Las Vegas Review-Journal, 7/20/12)

Daily Oklahoman: "In Obama's World, Your Success Isn't Really Your Success. The Government Deserves Credit." "After slamming Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's business record for weeks, President Barack Obama gutted his own attack ads with just two sentences: 'If you've got a business — you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen.' In Obama's world, your success isn't really your success. The government deserves credit. Business owners were surprised to hear Obama was responsible for their accomplishments." (Editorial, "Obama's Arguments On Business Creation Hurt His Attacks On Romney," Daily Oklahoman, 7/22/12)

San Diego Union-Tribune: "[President Obama] Offered Hosannas To Genius Entrepreneurs Like Steve Jobs In His Prepared Remarks, But When Speaking Off The Cuff Betrayed His Faculty-Lounge View Of The World."  "He took office at a time when the U.S. economy was on its worst slide in 75 years, but pushed policies using borrowed money that were more meant to preserve government jobs than broadly help the private sector where the great majority of Americans work, ensuring the jobs crisis continued. ... He offered hosannas to genius entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs in his prepared remarks, but when speaking off the cuff betrayed his faculty-lounge view of the world, saying of businesspeople, 'if you've been successful, you didn't get there on your own.'" (Editorial, "Presidential Busts: The Worst Of All: Barack Obama (2009-?)," San Diego Union-Tribune, 7/22/12)

The New Hampshire Union Leader: "President Obama Has Transitioned From 'The Private Sector Is Doing Fine' To 'There Is No Private Sector.'" (Editorial, "Obama To Entrepreneurs: Your Success Belongs To The State," The New Hampshire Union Leader, 7/16/12)

The Wall Street Journal: "The President Who Says He Wants To Be Transformational May Be Succeeding—And Subordinating To Government The Individual Enterprise And Risk-Taking That Underlies Prosperity." "Beneath the satire is the serious point that Mr. Obama's homily is the soul of his campaign message. The President who says he wants to be transformational may be succeeding—and subordinating to government the individual enterprise and risk-taking that underlies prosperity. The question is whether this is the America that most Americans want to build." (Editorial, "'You Didn't Build That'," The Wall Street Journal, 7/17/12)

Chicago Tribune: "We're Troubled ... By The President's Decision To Stoke Resentment Toward The People Who Have Taken Risks And Succeeded In This Nation." "We're troubled, too, by the president's decision to stoke resentment toward the people who have taken risks and succeeded in this nation. 'If you've got a business, you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen,' Obama said Friday." (Editorial, "The Roar Offshore," Chicago Tribune, 7/19/12)