Most people would never accuse President Obama of memorizing Milton Friedman under the covers at night. Yet the patron saint of laissez-faire probably would not take as much exception as many Republicans have to Obama’s comment in Roanoke three weeks ago that “if you’ve got a business – you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.”
Republicans have given Obama quite a rhetorical thrashing for that gaffe, and the attacks show little sign of letting up. That’s because his remarks are not only extremely convenient to the GOP; they also reopen an ideological fault line that goes back decades.