Time magazine (December 16) introduces Mitt Romney’s new TV campaign commercial as follows: 

“New Mitt NH TV spot hits twin goals: Romney as economic savior and Romney as a man who can relate to working people. Romney: "We’ve got to get this economy going again. *At the foundation of everything good is a very strong economy*." 

I’m interested in the expression, “*At the foundation of everything good is a strong economy.* "

Is “At the foundation (base) of everything ＋adjective is (predicate) a popular idiom, or just a set of words? 

Can I say conversely “At the foundation of everything bad is a very bad economy (management, waste of money, a person, e.g. you, president of a company) without being felt awkward?