Years ago I delved into the fictional worlds of Ayn Rand’s works, one book was a notable favorite. Written in 1957 the dystopian Atlas Shrugged paints a vivid picture of self-motivated, individualistic business leaders and industrialists going on strike against a forceful and oppressive US government. The same government that in reacting to financial calamities in the country, go about blaming the very business people that drive the engines of economic success. Sound familiar? The heroes of the story refuse to let the bureaucrats of their day exploit them for the purpose of the ”greater good” thus following one of the main characters, John Galt to a secret location of arbitration. Thus the term ‘going Galt.’
For young minds and perhaps readers and thinkers open to different ideas, Rand’s works offer limitless potential. She propounds many solutions to today’s societal ills, mainly in that our government and culture have rejected the value of reason and the sacredness of the individual soul. Instead we have substituted these things with subjective reasoning, (moral relativism, multiculturalism), and altruism,( collectivism, socialism, statism, stigmatization of financial success).
Amazingly I found here that Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged recently was outselling the Obamanation’s latest book at the beginning of the year. Likewise with Mark Levin’s Liberty and Tyranny here, Americans are searching for solutions and answers – ethos’ and ideas that hearken back to America’s founding and our Great Experiment in governance that stood proudly for individualism – the pursuit of happiness.
I am jolted from a melancholy look-back to my discovery of Rand’s uniquely positive Way things ought to be whilst I sift through several stories of the day. This story here, “Obamanation Endorses Health Industry’s Goal to Rein in Cost.” The event was a miraculous meeting where The One, just by his Sheer Messianicness met with medical leaders and vowed to ‘save’ the US health care system from, not for America. 2 trillion bucks in savings over 10 years and all they had to do was shake hands! And the State-Controlled media echoes the talking points verbatim. The ultimate in Federal Government centralization, pols and cronies at the helm of life and death issues of individuals.The best analysis that I saw on the net of this here. The Obamanation yesterday in his own words – “Health care is (on an) unsustainable course that threatens businesses, government and families.” No, sir, you, Washington, and your elitists are the biggest threats to business, government, and families. Atlas Shrugging – Check.
Next stop, the Social Security ‘trust fund’, (never mind there is no such thing, just dusty IOU’s in a drawer), will become insolvent by 2037 here, four years earlier than expected. Likewise, and even more dire is the case for Medicare. The cause? The deep recession, trillions of dollars of deficit spending because of the financial crisis. The cure? More deficit spending, raising taxes for a bankrupt system, and chastising the very ones that pursue a ‘profit’ from the very business endeavours that the Obamanation and various cronies despise. Atlas Shrugging – Check.
Remember all of those poor folks that signed up for mortgages without knowing/reading the contract? Well it seems that credit card holders have done the same thing too. Obamanation on Monday (on credit card holders here) – “But they also have a right to not get ripped off by the sudden rate hikes, unfair penalties and hidden fees that have become all-too common.” Hmm, no they don’t. They have the right to not sign credit card contracts with crappy rate hikes, penalties and ‘hidden’ fees. They have the right to live within their means. They have the right to not have an authoritarian Nanny State looking over their shoulder, even if they do make financial mistakes. People learn from mistakes. Intrusive governments only subsidize financial problems and mistakes. Americans reduced to grovelling serfdom. Atlas Shrugging -Double Check
The Federal Leviathon’s tentacles seemingly encompassing us more each day, “Never let a good crisis go to waste” – Obamanation right-hand man Rahm Emmanuel. Senator Max Baucus letting the cat out of the bag : “Tax Hikes Likely to Pay for Health care.” The Senate’s top tax writer said Tuesday he is considering limits on the tax-free status of job-based health insurance to help pay for President Barack Obama’s plan to cover all Americans. Story here. In layman’s terms folks – all of those corporate workers out there, you teachers and such that are given health care as a ‘benefit’, well this may be taxed to pay for ‘health care for all.’ I wonder what the public will think of this? Atlas Shrugging – Triple Check
Next story here – “Obama Seeks Estate Tax Hike.” The proposals as described “take on what we believe are a series of unjustifiable loopholes, unjustifiable tax breaks that we simply can not afford,” – senior White House official. At stake? Exemptions for estates back down to $1 million and a fat 55% rate on estates above that. Work all of your life to create a business, a family and a legacy? Pay taxes at every point at over 50% of your income? Uncle Sambomination appreciates this upon your passing? Not quite, fork it over serf-boy, we found a way decades ago to double tax you. Constitutional? Funny, that old dusty document is so flexible by the Supreme Court these days that a session looks like a Gumby coming-out party. Atlas Shrugging – Quadruple Check.
5.12.2009
Ayn Rand, Dystopian Obamanation Shrugging
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7 comments:
I hate how the media keeps cramming the same crap down everyone’s throats. You didn’t even cover half of what you could. The government is in everyone’s pockets already on health care. It’s 1/3 of the budget. We can’t even calculate how much of our health care premiums are inflated to cover the margin losses of medicare and medicaid (since the government dictates what they pay instead of paying market prices).
You know how many of these bra burning hippies tried to over analyze Ayn Rand’s female characters? It’s funny when you think about it, because Ayn Rand was not only ahead of her time, she translates over very well to this generation. Especially since obama is doing everything in his power to make her predictions come true. But, then again, Who is John Galt?
CG – I agree, I am just now going the route of trying my best to stay abreast of the cramdown that the Dems are ramming through. I could post for months on why Socialized med is wrong.
Blue – Yes indeed. I was a huge fan when I was a kid.
Really great post. I will have to read that book after all. I saved as with that socialism graphic. Hope you don’t mind. Really good stuff.
opus – you are welcome, I was thinking that I might read it again, as well as Mark Levin’s book too, thanks for coming by here!
Ayn Rand was great and Atlas Shrugged is coming to fruition. Obama despises Ayn Rand: http://the-right-guy.blogspot.com/2008/11/obama-and-his-swipe-at-virtue-of.html, but I will say if you want a fair appraisal of Rand, good and bad, read Nathaniel Brandon:http://www.nathanielbranden.com/catalog/articles_essays/benefits_and_hazards.html
Right guy – I’m not sure if the quote from Obama is related to Ayn Rand but I am sure that he despises her, just as he despises any classical liberal. As to Branden, I am aware of his opinions of Rand and critisisms, I’ll check out the link….thanks
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