People on all points of the political spectrum seem to find something off-putting about President Obama’s “you didn’t build that” gaffe—of all the smug, stupid, petty things he’s said, this one is—so far, anyway—the biggest jaw dropper.

Many people of all political stripes think this may be the death-blow for re-election: the President might have handed Mitt Romney everything he will need to become President in 2013.

And why not. For those who lean to the right, the comment is a complete insult to the millions of hard-working business people who not only built their businesses, but actually paid for the infrastructure for which Obama takes fulsomely undue credit. For those who lean left, the comment was a total gift to the Romney campaign, who has at long last moved one stat point ahead in the polls as word of the comment gets around; now, our friends on the left will admit, was the worst time to say something so bone-headed. And for those in the center, the comment makes no sense; why on Earth would the President reuse a debunked and ultimately ridiculed speech by Elizabeth Warren, and then so clearly make a bizarre statement that makes it worse. And for all three camps, the President’s refusal to amend, retract, or clarify his statement is even more puzzling at such a critical point in his campaign.

But it reveals something about President Obama’s core beliefs, which he cannot on principle deny: that a centralized federal government is the sole reason anything gets done. He really does believe that the Federal government, and not local governments, educated you, built your roads, and provide you police and fire protection. In his world view, this makes sense to him. Unions execute the work, the government conceives it, and you—like any welfare recipients—are the grateful, thankful, and happy beneficiaries of this boon.

If somehow you become rich outside of politics, your job is to pay your dues by donating, tithe-like, as much as you can in taxes to foot the bill for the next generation. And since the rich keep getting richer as a result of this solid governmental infrastructure, there is no end to the money.

In fact, the President reveals, the only reason we have debt is because of politics on the Right. They have this toxic notion that taxes are somehow too high—as if ersatz charity can ever be too profitable—and that government is too big. And because government is good, any attempt to reduce the size of government is therefore not good. It is evil.

And you know this, the President assumes, in your cold, black right-wing hearts. The government has given you everything you need to become successful, and you would deny that to others?

You owe us, the President believes. And you owe us big.

Americans, however, are taking a dim view of this position, and think one of two things: the Right is thinking the President is completely wrong about who owes whom. And the Left is thinking that the President owes them plenty of unfulfilled promises. And so you see the so-called Independents starting to shift.

Given that the Romney campaign is planning to launch its major offensive in a matter of weeks, this comment could not have come at a better time for Romney.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.