Obama lists big government among vilified minorities

H/t Andrew Bolt

Those damn libertarians and Republicans have been vilifying big government for so long that the President has had to put his foot down. In his acceptance speech he seems to indicate that big government is now an unfairly targeted and vilified minority, which in this modern day and age should make it very chic.

… We don't think government can solve all our problems. But we don't think that government is the source of all our problems - any more than are welfare recipients, or corporations, or unions, or immigrants, or gays, or any other group we're told to blame for our troubles. Because we understand that this democracy is ours.

This video in ‘defense’ of big government in healthcare has been run here before, but warrants another run:


It seems surprising to see corporations listed among these groups, but perhaps he is attempting to be a little even handed in his approach being an election year and all. It is true that they have been unfairly vilified, and we have been told that they are to blame for all of our troubles, but mainly by him. With reports that his donation stream has dried up, he may feel the need to suck up to the Koch Brothers banks and Wall St.

But then, he seems to be putting out feelers to the Tea Party:

We, the People, recognize that we have responsibilities as well as rights; that our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which only asks what's in it for me, a freedom without a commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism, is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defense.

This is self-righteous twaddle from the master of that. There is no reason for assuming that without the ministrations of big government, people would be less charitable, or less willing to help others. They would have a choice, but that’s what a free society is all about. State compulsion will not make us more honorable, charitable, moral, or caring.

It probably makes us less of those under the welfare state, after all the government is there for that!