A Different Beat on "Sound Bites"

Carl Petersen, the “Different Drummer", claims that three Democratic politicians were "victims of creative quote shortening". I commend Mr. Peterson, or the Different Drummer (DD) for bringing a greater picture of what the three individuals stated. However, rather than positing that their statements were mishandles, DD inadvertently confirms the folly or the moral bankruptcy of those three politicians and their statements. 

“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.”

-President Obama

President Obama veers from “someone” to “government”, and those two things are not the same. One of the basic problems with liberal arguments such as this one rests on the assumption that "The Government" is a beneficial, stable entity. DD distinguishes federal from local at the outset: more than "the government". Furthermore, state, county, and local governments are parsed into many agencies, filled with individual who fail in their tasks or successfully execute them.

President Obama said: "You didn't build that." He was indeed referencing the business and the businessman. The government did not build the business, and in many cases government regulations actually hinder the installation and expansion of businesses. Apart from diligent parents and teachers, "the government" did not educate the individuals who formed or furnished those businesses. There are even stories in which successful business entrepreneurs failed high school or dropped out of college.

Yes, individuals do receive information, skills, and training from other people, places, institution. This transmission of knowledge and identity is called "culture", not government. The argument of "The Government" as the source of essential/existential support is insupportable.

"You've heard about the controversies within the bill, the process about the bill, one or the other. But I don't know if you have heard that it is legislation for the future, not just about health care for America, but about a healthier America, where preventive care is not something that you have to pay a deductible for or out of pocket. Prevention, prevention, prevention -- it's about diet, not diabetes. It's going to be very, very exciting.

But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.”

-Nancy Pelosi

Peterson comments that lawmaking is like sausage-making.  Exactly, and that's why many lawmakers dress up legislation in a cloud of controversy or pass legislation late at night: like Obamacare, with its kickbacks, vote-buying; the hundreds of pages of unread legislation, onerous regulations, unconstitutionality, and Obama claimed that it was not a tax . . .

Contrary to Peterson’s assertions, Pelosi wasn’t exuding excitement. She mumbled her words as soon as she spoke them. Meet the Press' David Gregory called her on the statement. Even President Obama has unilaterally delay/ignored portions of the law without Congressional approval. Apparently, he doesn’t like what's in the law, either. And in this case, both Obama and Pelosi (and their Dem colleagues) "built that".

 “With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest? Or was it because of guys out for a walk one night and decided they would go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make? It is our job to figure out what happened and do and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again, Senator. Now, honestly I will do my best to answer your questions about this, but the-the fact is that people were trying in real time to get to the best information. The I.C. has a process, I understand, going with the other committees to explain how these talking points came out.

But, you know to be clear, it is from my perspective, less important today looking backwards as to why these militants decided they did it, than to find them and bring them to justice, and then maybe we'll figure out what was going on in the meantime.”

-Hillary Clinton

In order to figure out what happened and to prevent future attacks, it makes a big difference what happened. It also makes a difference whether the State Department ignored the consulate’s pleas for more security or not. It also makes a big difference whether the talking points regarding investigations were scrubbed, and why. Not just Republicans, but Democratic lawmakers felt that it made a big difference. And 50% of Democratic voters want further investigation into Benghazi.

Obama, Pelosi, and Clinton meant what they said, and said what they meant. As lawmakers dedicated to upholding the Constitution, they have not been faithful 100%. The context of their statements does not diminish the unthinking or unreflective nature of their comments, but rather encourages greater, critical scrutiny into their motives and ideology.