Obama: Limited Gov't... 'Doesn't Work. It Has Never Worked'

[CG6468]

Obama: Limited Gov't That Preserves Free Markets 'Doesn't Work. It Has Never Worked'
By Terence P. Jeffrey
December 7, 2011

(CNSNews.com) - In a speech delivered at Osawatomie High School in Osawatomie, Kansas, on Tuesday, President Barack Obama argued that while a limited government that preserves free markets "speaks to our rugged individualism" as Americans, such a system "doesn't work" and "has never worked" and that Americans must look to a more activist government that taxes more, spends more and regulates more if they want to preserve the middle class.

"'[T]here is a certain crowd in Washington who, for the last few decades, have said, let’s respond to this economic challenge with the same old tune. 'The market will take care of everything,' they tell us," said Obama. "If we just cut more regulations and cut more taxes--especially for the wealthy--our economy will grow stronger.

"Sure, they say, there will be winners and losers," Obama continued. "But if the winners do really well, then jobs and prosperity will eventually trickle down to everybody else. And, they argue, even if prosperity doesn’t trickle down, well, that’s the price of liberty.

"Now, it’s a simple theory," said Obama. "And we have to admit, it’s one that speaks to our rugged individualism and our healthy skepticism of too much government. That’s in America’s DNA. And that theory fits well on a bumper sticker. But here’s the problem: It doesn’t work. It has never worked.

Now can we call him a scumbag socialist?

[JohnnyReb]

Well, if limited government never worked, bigger government has worked even less.

[DefiantSix]

Apparently the first 125-135 years of our nation's pre-progressive history never actually happened, according to Big Brotha's Ministry of Troof an' Shit.

Who knew?

[NHSparky]

I seem to recall it working pretty damned well in the 1980's. 

Or perhaps Obama isn't familiar with the expression of Thoreau, "That government is best which governs least."

[DumbAss Tanker]

It was actually doing pretty well up until the mid-20th Century, when we walked away from it, under the incorrect impression that limitless expansion of the population and the economy would always be able to pay for the pyramid scheme necessary to support a nanny state.

[Freeper]

Americans must look to a more activist government that taxes more, spends more and regulates more if they want to preserve the middle class.

Makes me want to slap the shit out of anyone who calls him a moderate.

[Wineslob]

November can't come soon enough.

[Minky]

Makes me want to slap the shit out of anyone who calls him a moderate.

Yea, he's more like a terrorist that works from the very inside out. I was scared during his campaign, when he was elected, and I'm even more scared now because he's done exactly what I feared. It just makes me sick that there's a lot of people out there that truly believe that these are trying times because of Bush. Pay attention!

[ExGeeEye]

El Jefe: "But here’s the problem: It doesn’t work. It has never worked."

Well, here's the thing:  your perception of whether or not it works pretty much depends on what you're trying to get it to do.

A bone china teacup works wonderfully well as a vessel for holding and consuming Earl Grey.

It does not function nearly as well as a hammer.

If you want a limited government to provide a basic framework upon which people can use natural ingenuity, common sense and a healthy work ethic to build a nation that can save the rest of the world from itself three times over, while managing to raise the living standard of natives in the bush thousands of miles away, etc etc etc, then it'll work for that.

If you want it to provide a lower-middle-class standard of living, to anyone who applies, without expecting them to do anything but sit, eat, poop, procreate and vote for you every time you send a van to pick 'em up, then it's not going to work for you.

And that's just one example.

Put to its proper use, it is true that "that government functions best that functions least" or werdz 2 dat effeck.

[Eupher]

El Jefe: "But here’s the problem: It doesn’t work. It has never worked."

Well, here's the thing:  your perception of whether or not it works pretty much depends on what you're trying to get it to do.

A bone china teacup works wonderfully well as a vessel for holding and consuming Earl Grey.

It does not function nearly as well as a hammer.

If you want a limited government to provide a basic framework upon which people can use natural ingenuity, common sense and a healthy work ethic to build a nation that can save the rest of the world from itself three times over, while managing to raise the living standard of natives in the bush thousands of miles away, etc etc etc, then it'll work for that.

If you want it to provide a lower-middle-class standard of living, to anyone who applies, without expecting them to do anything but sit, eat, poop, procreate and vote for you every time you send a van to pick 'em up, then it's not going to work for you.

And that's just one example.

Put to its proper use, it is true that "that government functions best that functions least" or werdz 2 dat effeck.

'zackly. That's h5 worthy.

I guess it's good you didn't axe me whut I thawt. I woulda tol' you that the gubmint does my best thinkin' fo' me. It's a good damned thing, too, cuz I ain't shu-ah wheya mah nex' meal's comin' frum. Shee-it. Af'er all, I gotsta get me mah food stamps, cuz.