The economy sucks, it's hot, we're overworked and crabby, and alot of us are once again stuck with a staycation this summer (arecent Manta survey finds that nearly half of small business owners responded that they don't havetime for a vacation this year).

So when President Obama makes a remark like, “If you've gota business — you didn't build that. Somebody else made thathappen,” chances are some people are gonna get a little testy.

Many small business owners are still fuming about thePresident's comments, which were delivered a full week ago in acampaignspeech in Roanoke, Va.

Here's the full paragraph:

If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you somehelp. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebodyhelped to create this unbelievable American system that we havethat allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges.If you've got a business, you didn't build that. Somebody else madethat happen. The Internet didn't get invented on its own.Government research created the Internet so that all the companiescould make money off the Internet.

I asked agents in several LinkedIn groups what they thoughtabout the quote and boy, did I get a virtual earful. From thepolite (“I would have to disagree”) to the vituperative (Obama is“an errand boy for the 'progressive' Alinski-ist agenda”), thecomments flew hot and heavy.

Before it was over (and conversations are stillsimmering), people were referencing John Maynard Keynes, AynRand, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, and everyone inbetween. (I was waiting for quote from L. Ron Hubbard inlight of the big TomKat breakup, but maybe people are worried aboutbeing added to the Scientology “enemies list.” (JOKE! Please don'thurt me!)

A sampling of the discourse:

• Businesses do not succeed because of government, they succeedin spite of government.
• Odumba has never had to work a day in his life…He panders toany person or group he can just to get a vote. He was a terriblesenator in Illinois (yes, I was living there) and he is even aworse President.
• Sorry, that is not what the President said. Just twisting a fewwords from his speech…He just underlined the fact that there is acontribution from government for the success of most privateventures.
• If customers do not support your business or product, will itbe successful? So yes, people help in your success! If I sell tiresand no one buys any, how successful would my business be?
• NASA advancement is in most corners of our house, and militaryinnovation made the Internet possible. We cannot slash the federalgovernment to the bone and expect to remain a top country.
• Who was he preaching to? It's a technically correct, irrelevantstatement.
• Knowing how the man thinks as respects to obviously wantingbigger government and tax upon tax and abuse of executive power anddownright sneakiness and outright lies…what would anyone with halfa brain negatively think about any of his statements? I take thatback. The ones with half a brain or less would keep him inoffice.
• I want the White House number that sends prospective clients tome that are guaranteed to purchase. And, even IF it was taken outof context by FOX news, they learned it from the pros: ABC, CBS,NBC & MSNBC.
• It's just more of the same victimization scam and closetedclass warfare this guy is known for. Only this time, it'smiddle-class business guys who are the ogre, and the politicalelites like Obama are the victims, because the small businessowners are pushing back against an Obama tax increase targeteddirectly at them.
• He said nothing to the context that Romney claims. Who wouldyou rely upon to pay people to teach your children, or pave yourstreets, maintain your infrastructure, or save your things fromfire? Your neighbor? Do you have any idea how much the technologyyou use to do your daily things costs? Would you prefer we go backto the 1300s like our extremist Muslim brothers?
• I think that is a spit in the face to anyone who has put theirblood, sweat, and tears into their business! So someone else didall the prospecting, spent money on the marketing, missed importantfamily engagements all to hopefully bring the American dream tofruition!? Cannot even believe it was said with a straightface!
• We succeed because someone else gave us an opportunity or wewere at the right place at the right time to exploit a newopportunity.

Whether or not Obama was being disingenuous or the quote wastaken out of context is by this time beside the point. To me, thereal issue is the level of polarization that's evident amongvoters, even in comments by a group of people sharing thechallenges of the same industry. When nobody will budge fromtheir opinions, we end up falling at each other's throats likea scene from “True Blood.” In Congress, it's the kind of thing thatcauses gridlock.

A big part of my job – the part I really love – is looking for,and finding, examples of creative thinkers who single-handedlylaunch a business, frequently against big odds, and succeed.

But any entrepreneur, no matter how independent, willeventually, because of his success, need to rely on othersto grow the business – whether it's hiring employees, looking for asmall business loan to do a merger, or leasing a bigger space. Whynot give credit where credit is due?

Here is my favorite comment, one that goes to the very heart ofwhy America still beckons the creative class:

My parents came here from Puerto Rico. They did not have a dimebut they did have a dream. They went to every bank in NYC whichrejected them. If it was not for a “government” guaranteed smallbusiness loan (which they paid in full within 3 years), they wouldnot had been able to build the million- dollar business they did.They had the right formula, but without assistance, people likethem would have never had the chance. For 30 years my father sleptless than 3 hours a night in order to build his business and he isthe first to say, yes, he is self made, but he had a community anda government that gave him the ability to produce, pay lots andlots and lots of taxes and employ 60 people. He is retired now andis often sad about how people like him are portrayed today!

This is the story our leaders should have foremost intheir minds, a story they should help make happen again and again.Corporations may wield the big PAC money, but start-ups andmiddle-sized businesses (like you and your customers) account for34 percent of all U.S. job creation, according to a2011 study from the Ohio State University Fisher College ofBusiness and GE Capital.

If we can agree on anything, it should be to hold ourleaders accountable to helping build that dream in anyway they can.