President Barack Obama's comments suggesting that government makes businesses happen are insulting to entrepreneurs across the country and reflect a lack of basic business and job-creation skills, former New Hampshire Governor John Sununu said Tuesday.
The president recently stumped to champion his policies and the government's role in the economy.
"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," Obama said recently, as reported by ABC News.
Editor's Note: Obama Donor Banned This Video But You Can Watch it Here
"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."
Taxpayers make those roads and bridges possible by funding the government, making entrepreneurs the engine of the economy — not Washington.
"The president has to learn the American formula for creating business," Sununu told reporters Tuesday on a conference call surrounded by small-business owners.
"The American formula for creating business is not to have government create business. The American formula for creating business that I wish he would be comfortable with is to create a climate in which entrepreneurs can thrive," Sununu told reporters.
"This country needs jobs. It is not going to get jobs when someone as unqualified as the president is in charge of the economic recovery," Sununu added.
"Those comments are insulting to the hardworking entrepreneurs who really do create jobs, who go out and start businesses, who take the second mortgage and take the chance and hire some people and get a business going."
One small-business owner agreed.
David Napier owns and operates White House Catering in Richmond Virginia.
"I have a small business and in our peak season we are 35 to 50 employees," Napier said.
"I don't think he understands that 100 percent of every dollar that the government receives comes from business activity. Not 99 percent, but 100 percent — mostly through payroll taxes but taxes on businesses directly also," Napier told the conference call.
"I feel like I built those roads, I feel like I built those bridges and I feel like I have a right to use them to try and make a better life of myself and my employees."
Turning to the president's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Napier said he is worried that expanding will penalize his business. Businesses with 50 employees or more will face tax hikes if they don't provide insurance for those workers, the new law requires.
"I want the current employees I have to be able to have a better paycheck," he said.
"I am very scared that once I cross that 50-employee threshold, I'm going to penalized for trying to grow my business," he said.
"I'm really excited at the thought of having Mitt Romney in the White House to correct these dangerous problems that we have."
Editor's Note: Obama Donor Banned This Video But You Can Watch it Here
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