Let's start with the notion that somehow Mr. Gaster has not paid a "fair" share of taxes. He surely started this business with not very much and built it up, paying federal, state, and local taxes on every dollar he made along the way. The taxes were assessed whether or not the business was successful, and only increased with the success of the business. As the business became more successful, Mr. Gaster was able to hire employees, making a positive contribution to the local economy and increasing his own tax burden in terms of employment and unemployment taxes.
Then there is this notion that the business succeeds because there are public roads, and public police and firefighters, and public education for Mr. Gaster and those who might work for him. But would not these things exist if Mr. Gaster not chosen to risk all of his earthly possessions to start his business? Of course they would, because society has decided that roads and schools and police forces and firefighters are things that are needed. They are provided to the extent that society can provide for them through taxation. Mr. Gaster, as a part of that society, paid for these things just as anyone else in his community had, so he has just as much right as anyone else has to benefit from roadways, water systems, waste water treatments, garbage collection, police forces, and any other things the community has provided for. Indeed, these type of services are touted by localities as reasons for those wanting to establish businesses to put their business in that area and not somewhere else.
Then we get to the laughable notion that reliable electricity has been provided by the government, as if the company actually generating and selling the electricity to Gaster Lumber was the government, and not a public utility regulated by a public utility commission. I think if you ask an employee of Duke Energy or American Electric Power who is paying them I do not think the response you get will be the government. Ask customers of Dominion Power how they feel about the response to the recent derecho. There you have a situation where the government tries to distance itself from the electric utility.
Finally, we get to the completely silly assertions such as the business is successful because of trade agreements, currency, access to radio waves, or internet access. As if there would be no business without trade agreements, currency, radio waves, or internet. Business existed before any of these things. The fact that they exist now does not mean that a business can succeed only because of these things.
We haven't even begun to discuss the things government does that hinder the expansion or even drive businesses onto bankruptcy. Obamacare is only the most recent example as government has been levying taxes and regulations on businesses for years. Businesses need to hire accountants and lawyers to successfully navigate the minefield laid for them by the government's various regulatory agencies and legal requirements. If a business somehow manages to successfully navigate all the these obstacles, they get the privilege of being demonized by the current administration, and the bonus of being labelled as greedy if they complain in any way.
So in short, when Obama says something as silly as "you didn't build that" then Ray Gaster and everyone else in his position has every right to tell him to "KMA" and I proudly support him.
