You can thank many people.
- The Founders and patriots who took the risks and set us on the course of a republic
- The slaves who through blood, sweat and toil helped build wealth and trade with the world
- The tradesmen, farmers, shipbuilders, merchants, workers of all kinds who built the economy
- Public workers, teachers, police and others who provide vital services and educate us
- The pioneers who risked life and limb expanding the Country
- The scientists and inventors who moved us ahead
- The entrepreneurs who started new businesses and new industries
- The immigrants doing the above
- The robber barons despite their methods, abuses and greed
There are many contributors to success. Some contribute more than others, some reap greater financial rewards, but without all the pieces, this mosaic outstanding in the world would not be a pretty picture.
We (by that I mean certain politicians) should keep that in mind before deciding who we pick and choose to demonize, blame or scapegoat pitting one group against another.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
Back on July 13, 2012, in Roanoke, Virginia, President Obama stated, “Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that.”
Yes, America is a mosaic. Yes, the invisible hand works wonders as all of us pursue our goals, hopes and dreams – which will differ widely, but as we have seen over the past 240+ years, there is apparently room for all of us, and even some more legal immigrants.
However, that “somebody” that President Obama references are American taxpayers – and no, it is not the politicians who may forego some of their taxpayer funded salaries – most are net, net recipients of taxpayer dollars.
And, no, nobody “allowed” you to thrive. It is not as if you needed permission.
Regular, everyday, wage earners and business owners are the people who create the general revenues for federal and state governments. For building and maintaining roads and bridges, in case President Obama was interested in knowing, last I looked, the majority of such revenue was in the form of income taxes and use taxes like gasoline taxes – other taxes, like payroll taxes to fund Social Security and Medicare, and real estate taxes are mostly dedicated to other endeavors.
So, if you are a business owner or a wage earner and if you pay income taxes and gasoline taxes, take a bow, you built that, you did build that, you did “build” America. It wasn’t some stupid government bureaucrat hack who has spent a lifetime being paid with your tax dollars or through taxpayer subsidized charitable organizations all his/her life (like most of our recent presidents). And, remember, a few of them have benefitted greatly from the spoils of the offices they held. As of 2020, over half of the members of Congress were millionaires and the median net worth of members was approximately $1 million. However, many, perhaps most did not come to Congress having become a millionaire through private enterprise, net of the taxes we all pay.
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