Are the Rich Responsible for Their Own Success? (President Obama Thinks Not)

I have in my hands an elephant repellant. I know it works because - no elephants are in my room. That's an ancient joke. I'll reference the joke in this way... I brush my teeth twice a day. I *CAN* make a ridiculous argument though a series of cause-and-effect scenarios that this act of teeth brushing benefits you. I can therefore leap to the conclusion that any success you experience is based on my efforts. Certainly, we both agree that my mere insistence doesn't make it so.

Likewise, we could be like Obama and advocate the pillaging of private wealth in order to employ armies of bureaucrats and enable the funding of massive slush funds... and then we can *claim* that any success that manages to escape our claws was due to the existence of the bureaucrats and slush funds. Again, insistence doesn't make it so, and it is equally likely that success happened *in spite* of Government's efforts.

I think people are confusing the ability to make an assertion with the ability to prove an assertion. If I manage to succeed despite the oppressive regulatory burden placed upon me, that does not automatically credit the burden for being responsible for the success. It's illogical and absurd. I think he only makes these statements because he knows no matter how absurd he is, there will be those who rush to make a case for it.

PERHAPS - it could be argued that the regulatory burdens provide a benefit to those who are not partaking in success. At least I would acknowledge there was a point to be made. But this wasn't the point he was making. What he said was ludicrous on the face of it, and it was said (it seems from their cheers) in order to pander to the audience. I presume they wanted some affirmation that their lack of success was just as good if not superior to others' success.

We live in very odd and jealous times, it seems. The extent to which success is being vilified is extraordinary. I presume it's a political calculation. Perhaps I hope that's all there is to it. And if it isn't for political purposes, for what purpose is this being done? I'm curious about these things. I'd like to know. Maybe you can explain why it is a good thing to vilify success and foment envy. It's all very Kristallnacht to me.