[1]Obama tells Michael Phelps “You didn’t win that!”
By Guest Opinion,
Rumor has it that after USA Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps won his 19th gold medal (most in Olympic history) President Obama called him to congratulate him and remind him “You didn’t win that!” This was in continuation of his famous campaign speech where he told an audience that business owners “Didn’t build that” and that American entrepreneurs owe their success essentially to a much unthanked government. Obama surely reminded Phelps that it was government that paved the roads that allowed him to get to the swimming pool and the government of Great Britain who allowed London to host the Olympics. It surely was not Michael Phelps hard training or his personal triumph over ADHD or his coach or single parent mother’s inspiration. It was government.
Obama makes the point that government has a hand in everything we do in life therefore please make way for more government hands so government can meddle their way to more success. Most people would think when it comes to government influence, especially in business, that it is often government as the single most destructive force in ruining a businesses. It is not like Multnomah County tried to shut down a 9-yera old girl’s lemonade stand for not having a permit (oh yeah I guess they did do that). Then again, government only takes credit and no responsibility for what it does.