GOP Convention Speakers Laud Lee Iacocca — the King of Government Bailouts

From a synopsis in the New Hampshire Union Leader about speakers at the GOP convention last night:

"Ayotte's speech was followed by an address by Jack Gilchrist, the owner of Gilchrist Metal Fabricating of Hudson. Gilchrist has appeared in a Romney advertisement accusing Obama of 'demonizing' him and small business owners by saying earlier this month that 'somebody along the line gave you some help,' and, 'If you've got a business, you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen.'”

Gilchrist, who has acknowledged accepting government loans and tax-exempt bonds that helped his business expand, said during his speech that navigating a business through difficult economic and competitive environments is hard enough without the federal government's interference.

“I'm often reminded of what Lee Iacocca said: 'Lead, follow or get out of the way,'” Gilchrist said, referring to the former CEO of Chrysler Corporation. “Everyone who runs a business understands this. Everyone but our federal government. They won't lead. Their rules and regulations are too hard to follow. And they won't get out of our way.

“This administration is killing us out there,” he said.

I happened to be watching the live feed when Gilchrist was giving his speech.

What I am still trying to figure out is why Gilchrist would try to make a connection between Lee Iacocca and the government staying out of the business of business.

From Wikipedia:

"1979 Chrysler bailout the Dodge Aries, a typical K-Car

Realizing that the company would go out of business if it did not receive a significant amount of money for a turnaround, Iacocca approached the United States Congress in 1979 and asked for a loan guarantee. While some have said that Congress lent Chrysler the money, the government only guaranteed the loans. Most observers thought this was an unprecedented move, but Iacocca pointed to the government's bailouts of the airline and railroad industries. He argued that there were more jobs at stake in Chrysler's possible demise. Iacocca received the loan guarantee from the government, whose decision caused controversy."

Now maybe someone can help me to understand the logic of whoever allowed Gilchrist on that stage and did not proof read his speech before hand.

Gilchrist admitted that his company has turned to the federal government for financial help.

Then he invokes the poster child for government bailouts — Lee Iacocca.

Whoever was in charge of the speakers and vetting the speeches apparently is the only one dumber than Gilchrist ... what point was he trying to make?

A very smart person may be someone who is arranging the speakers and vetting the speeches at the upcoming Democratic Convention ... that person should book Gilchrist to provide examples of how government has been and will be needed to help business.

Obviously Gilchrist did not build it by himself, if he took government money.

And Iacocca certainly knew Chrysler could not make it on its own — and reinforces the fact that auto makers are still alive and people still have jobs, after Obama again helped bail them out.

Now I just wonder if Joe the Plumber went to taxpayer provided schools, LOL.