The first night of the Republican National Convention was heavy with “we built that” references and small business owners who feel overtaxed by the government. But one featured small business owner, Phil Archuletta of P&M Signs, went off-message when he took the stage to rail against the government…for not giving him enough contracts:
ARCHULETTA: For the last 40 years, my company has built the road signs on the Forest Service road system. In fact, in 1984, I was fortunate to receive the national award from President Reagan for being the most successful minority business in the United States. In 2004, President Bush made it possible for our company to manufacture signs for all federal agencies. When President Obama came on board and pushed the stimulus, I believed my business was going to explode with work. Unfortunately, it never happened. … Today, we are barely hanging on with the orders from the state of New Mexico – thanks to Governor Susana Martinez – and the few orders still coming through the Forest Service from our very loyal customers.
Sorry bud, but the fact that the government didn’t accept your bid isn’t a sign that America’s a sinking ship. You aren’t entitled to the business. And, as Republicans rally behind their assertion that businesses are built without any help from government at all, Archuletta feels the need to complain that he’s not getting enough business from the government.
In fact, he might want to take his complaint up with the obstructionists he’s complaining to. It’s their fault he hasn’t had a chance to put in a second bid.
