How She "Built It": Fox's RNC Theme Undercut By Key Speaker's Business Success

From Caitlin Ginley - Media Matters
republished by Paddy Ryan

The experience of a small business owner who will be promoted at the Republican National Convention sharply diverges from the right-wing media myth her speech is intended to promote.

Sher and Eli 'we built it' Valenzuela

On the day that the GOP convention will tout Fox-fueled myth "We Built It" as its primary theme, Delaware Lt. Gov. candidate and small business owner Sher Valenzuela is slated to deliver a speech about small business issues. But contrary to the evening's theme, Valenzuela's company, First State Manufacturing, has received millions of dollars in federal loans and contracts. Valenzuela has not only attributed her success in part to this outside assistance, but urged other small business owners to follow the same strategy of seeking government funds.

The "We Built It" convention theme is based on Fox's distortion of comments made by President Obama, who remarked that business owners succeed with the help of "this unbelievable American system" that includes government spending on infrastructure and education. The right-wing media has deceptively edited Obama's comments to suggest that the president was insulting small business owners, an attack promptly adopted by Republicans; according to FoxNews.com, Valenzuela's speech is "meant to directly contrast" Obama's remarks.

In fact, much as Obama suggested, Valenzuela appears to have succeeded through a combination of her own entrepreneurship and government assistance. She has in the past explained that government assistance was a vital factor in the success of her company. Earlier this year, Valenzuela gave a presentation on her small business success, crediting the use of "millions of dollars in secure government contracts."

The presentation notes that small business owners should start with a "secret weapon" -- the "no-cost/low-cost resources that you, the taxpayer, have already paid for."

Indeed, Valenzuela's company has received more than $2 million in federal loans and more than $15 million in federal contracts.