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Thomas Peterffy grew up in socialist Hungary. Even though he didn’t speak English, he knew he wanted that “American Dream” so in 1956, he immigrated to the United States. He worked hard and eventually started his own business that today employs thousands of people. Forbes Magazine estimates Mr. Peterffy’s net worth of $4.6 billion.
So?
Mr. Peterffy isn’t running for any political office. He’s not part of a super PAC or shadowy Spooky Dude. He’s not lobbying for or against any ballot measures. He’s a private citizen who’s afraid of what Socialism can do to our country. He’s also putting his money where his mouth is by spending $5-$10 million dollars on an Ad which is running now through Election Day on CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, and test markets in Ohio, Wisconsin, and possibly Florida.
And the Ad itself? It’s simply a plea for an end to what he sees as growing hostility to personal success – and to vote Republican.
“I grew up in a socialist country and I have seen what that does to people. There is no hope, no freedom, no pride in achievement,” he says with a soft Hungarian accent in the ad. “The nation became poorer and poorer, and that’s what I see happening here.”
“America’s wealth comes from the efforts of people striving for success. Take away their incentive with badmouthing success and you take away the wealth that helps us take care of the needy,” he says in the commercial.
Pretty powerful stuff. Check out the 1-minute Ad yourself:
Let’s hope thinking Democrats and Independents are paying attention. But even with such a winsome Ad, the Socialist Left in this country will never get it. They don’t want to “get it”. They say they’re not “against success”, they just want the successful to pay their “fair share”.
Oh wait, maybe that’s the Democratic Party. Sometimes I have trouble telling them apart.
Becca says: Wow! I have never seen a political add and felt anything at all. This is the add that explains exactly why I believe what I do. Thank you for your courage and candid explanation of why socialism does not work.
Janet says: Wow….best political ad by far!! Strong, powerful and really makes you think. Thank you Mr. Peterffy!
David says: I agree that this is the best political ad I have seen.
I am hopeful that Mitt Romney will win but our system, after 200 years, is not serving us very well. The underpinnings are broken.
I believe we need term limits, a balance budget amendment and mandatory public financing of politicians where no one is able to personally give them money.
It would be great if Mitt, should he win, realizes how fortunate he is to influence so many and truly does the right thing to fix the many issues that we talk about but never address. Unfortuately, this hasn’t happened because it requires a president to pull away from his own party and break the rules to truly make a difference instead of fostering the parties personal interests. The politician who doesn’t tow the line gets skewered, but you would think one of them would have the guts to say, “you only live once and I’m in such a position to make a real change”- but they just don’t do it.
Our politicians need constraints to do the right thing for us. Term limits to define how long they have to accomplish their objectives; a balanced budget amendment to proritize what they will spend finite resources on and mandatory public financing so that the only way to lobby them is through merit. Career politicians on a pedestal, focused on themselves and their party are getting nothing done. No matter how bad it gets, they fiddle while Rome burns. Given what our country is today, I think the founding fathers would like these ideas.
Lindsey says: If you really want change vote for a real change. Gary Johnson 2012!!!!
He was a great governor(I’m from New Mexico), but he wants to cut defense spending way too much, Vote Romney
Dana Pfeufer says: This is the perfect ad, and the best I’ve seen so far! YES!
MrsG says: Thank you so very much Mr. Peterffy. That ad is very poignant. Every day I thank my grandparents (who also came from Hungary) for their courage, determination. We have a wonderful free life here in the USA and need to keep striving to make it BETTER not increasingly weaker. Thank you!
JoAnn says: This is very powerful! We need more people to see it!! It is eye opening.
KD says: Thomas Peterffy did not grow-up in a socialist country. He grew up in an Oligarchy, where a few hold a large majority of the wealth and control most of the wealth of a country. Sound familiar? That is America today. It started 30 years ago and led to 30 years of flat wages for average americans (inflation adjusted) and a further erosion of the middle class. I get that you should not bash success, but do you really believe that super successful people should pay less on a percentage basis in taxes than everyone else? that’s fine if you do, but that’s an oligarchy, not a democracy.
Abby says: Awesome commercial!
Mili says: I couldn’t agree with KD more! This add is not only misleading it is really historically and factually wrong. Judging by Mr. Peterffy’s last name he grew up in Hungary which never had socialism, it was communism and communist oligarchy for 50 years. And I know because I grew up in what was more socialist country than communist country. Mr Peterffy is using ideology and misleading audiences saying that what he experienced was socialism. As KD explained, what US has developed into over the last 30 years or so, mostly under Republican lead government. I really think this add is making a huge disservice to American people trying to frighten them into voting for Romney with underlying tone that voting for Obama will make this country socialist. It plays into the same faulty rhetoric that Republicans are serving American audiences that Obama does not believe in business and private enterprise. But Obama’s policies do exactly the opposite. I am truly disappointed that so many people think this is a good add. This just show how powerful ideology is!
Martha says: I lived in western Europe for over 30 years. After six months back in the States it is truly wonderful to be’ back. I am so impressed by my country. It is truly the land of oportunity . Thank you Mr. Peterfly for reminding us.
Sherri says: Mr. Petterffy,
I wish you were running for president! How right you are. Your ad captivated my attetion, and relects what I see happening to the United States of America. Thank you for the courage to speak out.
I saw some comments stating that you are attempting to mislead the American people. No, that is what the current administration has done. God help America.
Craig says: What a joke. Obama is a middle of the road Democrat, not a socialist. The rest of the world is laughing its ass off at one mainstream America considers socialism. A desire to return to pre-Bush era tax rates does not make Obama socialist any more than it made Eisenhower America socialist. Health-care does not make America socialist anymore than unemployement insurance did not make America socialist. America is still the land of opporturnity, and I see that around me everyday in New York. Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook: All American. Do you think that was posssible in 1956 Hungary? Please.
marvin B says: i am SICK TO DEATH of seeing this commerical everytime i try to watch a YOUTUBE VIDEO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i’m a registered republican yet even i know that our country is a socailist one … MEDICARE , SOCIAL SECURITY , WORKMANS COMP , FOOD STAMPS , DISABLITY PAYMENTS, HUD , VA , the list goes ON AND ON AND ON …and it’s been like that since i was born !
I’m sorry that you can’t cope with the fact that our economy is about to impode America , but that’s what happens when you overspend for decades ….Every sitting president for the last 30 years along with both parties has helped to bring us to where we are today …
Face it ,American’s LOVE socialsm … because if we DIDN’T love socalism , we’d be willing to make the hard choices , cutting defence spending , cutting social security , medicade , work mans comp , the VA , food stamps and ever other program that Americans think they are “entitled to ” ……….
when the money runs out , your not entitled to ANYTHING , remember that .
Eliabet says: The best ad I have ever seen! I grew up in socialist Sweden and saw how the governmental programs ruined the Swedish economy. Thankfully, Sweden changed and adopted a more conservative fiscal policy and is now one of the strongest economies in Europe. Why not learn from history of the countries that went down that road and failed? Thank you for showing America that this is not the path for the “land of opportunities”!!
Robert says: This is by far one of the misleading articles and commercials I have ever seen. Socialism is not aimed to destroy everyone. The point of socialism is to level the playing field. I understand some people are successful; congratulations to you. Hard work should definitely be valued. However, it is extremely unfair for some children to be born into wealth and some to not. Just think, isn’t it easier to open a business and grow to a nationwide area if your family can afford daycare, summer camp, tutoring, private school, SATs, and college? This advantage is beyond unfair.
The “American Dream” is a myth. All the stories you hear about are replayed and talked about for ages. It is very rare to go from lower class to multi-millionaire, but the image presented to the world is that in America, you will succeed.
Leo says: Funny how you don’t see any of the impoverished 15% of America plastering their own stories across youtube. That’s probably because they know that many of the middle-class watching it would think them lazy parasites, forgetting that America feeds off a portion of its country living without basic needs. Sorry, that’s wrong–it’s because they don’t have time or money to make their own story heard because they’re struggling daily just to get by! I FORGOT. Long live American democracy and capitalism, eh?
Mr. Peterffly is 100% correct. I am a general contractor , revaluating an expired teachers’ certificate in a major southern state university. The teachers course for teachers of Social Studies is not only all Socialist, Its half Marxist! This is a dangerous precedent for our Republic and we must act to correct this infiltration in our public schools
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