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Going John Galt
American Thinker ^ | November 7, 2012 | James McAlister

Posted on 11/07/2012 4:44:09 PM PST by neverdem

Many of us are numb today. Numb with the implications of what happened last night. Numb with dread.

Endless days and countless lines of print will be expended in the post mortem of the election, from a conservative perspective. Romney's failures and shortcomings will be examined with electron microscopes. Why didn't he do this? Shouldn't he have done that? "For all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these..."

But these things don't really amount to much. Because the real reason for our election results were neatly summarized by Bill O'Reilly at about 7:00 last night, as the faint shape of events to come began to emerge.

"The people want stuff -- they like politicians to tell them they can have stuff."

And that about sizes it up. The majority of the electorate, even many who voted for Romney, will base their vote on protecting or acquiring "stuff" -- goods or perquisites to which they feel entitled by virtue of rights or precedent. The feckless "Obamaphone" enthusiasts and the otherwise responsible, kindly grandmother make common cause in "revenge" voting when they sense or are told their stuff is threatened.

That's why politicians rarely stray from veiled inferences or broad outlines, and why any hint of specificity can expect to be the target of fearmongering. The modern social contract is one of positive rather than negative rights, about actively offering stuff rather than creating the conditions (by suppression of external threats) under which stuff can be obtained.

The deals that have already been made regarding "stuff" are being fulfilled with fictional money, based on a global confidence game in which countries supply fake money to each other in a circular dance that dares not reach a finale, yet is beginning to do so at the frayed edges of...

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS:
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To: neverdem

             

21 posted on 11/07/2012 5:24:43 PM PST by tomkat ( <shrug>)
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To: GoCards

“Going Galt” means you opt out of the system. You take care of yourself and other like-minded individuals. If you are a business owner, you shut yourself down. This affects the gov in two ways: one, the goods or services you produce leave a gap the gov’s gotta fill. If enough in your field go Galt, the gov is screwed. Two, you laying off your employees has an effect on the gov, as in more people either making themselves self-sufficient (as hoped), or putting more strain on the social service handouts of the gov. Going Galt is one way to get the gov’s attention, and use it to either flip the gov off or negotiate an equitable situation. I’m just a worker bee, so for me to go Galt is barely a drop in the bucket. But for a company that employes 50 people and produces a non-common but needed resource, it’s curtains for that sock-monkey* in the White House.

Use of the term “sock monkey” hurts me, as I love sock monkeys. but Dude, have you seen 0’s ears????????


22 posted on 11/07/2012 5:38:52 PM PST by blu
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To: neverdem

Am definitely considering early retirement. That’s because of the left-wing legislation over the past 30 years which takes away my career future anyway, and takes away my incentive to work. Under the new rules I can be legally discriminated against because of my race and gender; I can be sued and lose my job for off-hand comments which make someone “uncomfortable”; and any money I do make can be stolen by the government in order to “spread it around”.


23 posted on 11/07/2012 5:48:38 PM PST by Siegfried X
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To: neverdem

I can already envision four years from now:

Chris Matthews: Obama’s not to blame for the mess we’re in...the racist white Republicans went Galt on him! And you know why? Nothing to do with Rand. They wanted him to fail, that’s why! They just couldn’t stand the thought of him talked about as one of the greatest leaders this world has ever known. C’mon, you know it’s true.


24 posted on 11/07/2012 5:48:59 PM PST by Humbug
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To: neverdem

The producers need to stop producing and we need to boycott ALL businesses that have been supporting Obama.

It is time to turn this country completely upside down and spoil this rotten apple cart!


25 posted on 11/07/2012 5:51:30 PM PST by surfer (To err is human, to really foul things up takes a Democrat, don't expect the GOP to have the answer!)
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To: GoCards

Oh, and going Galt is also a pretty good way to shut down the faux-economy. No more monopoly money, cash and gold are king. You want that new tv? Ya gotta have the CASH to pay for it, no more putting it on your EBT card.

It’s a drastic, drastic measure. I think it’s time has come. I dibs on Colorado!


26 posted on 11/07/2012 5:52:49 PM PST by blu
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To: yorkiemom
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming. Few electoral votes so they are sparsely populated. And most of who is there already has an individualistic freedom-loving way of thinking. If only it wasn’t so cold!

Shhhhhh. Don't tell too many people about WY. Sure as hell they will ruin it

27 posted on 11/07/2012 5:55:14 PM PST by paul51 (11 September 2001 - Never forget)
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To: blu

Everyone with a 401k should change their contribution to 0% for a month and see how that works out. Since we’re obviously not paying our fair share.


28 posted on 11/07/2012 5:56:07 PM PST by paul544
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To: GoCards

Going Galt means to withdraw from society, or minimize your income so the parasites can’t feed off you.


29 posted on 11/07/2012 6:01:34 PM PST by mark_interrupted
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To: plain talk

they want the stuff they don’t have to work for. you know, the stuff they can take from the ones who work for it


30 posted on 11/07/2012 6:02:02 PM PST by paul51 (11 September 2001 - Never forget)
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To: GoCards

http://www.atlassociety.org/atlas-shrugged/going-galt


31 posted on 11/07/2012 6:02:47 PM PST by Osage Orange ( Liberalism, ideas so good they have to be mandatory.)
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To: GoCards

“Going Galt,” or what is better termed “shrugging” is refusing any longer to contribute to the economic system so long as the fruits of your productivity are going to be stolen. Either you hide out in the mountains at your own Galt’s Gulch, or you work below your abilities. Galt himself invented an engine that runs in static electricity or something and was employed at a gas station or something (I forget). I believe there was a professor of philosophy who became a short order cook.


32 posted on 11/07/2012 6:19:01 PM PST by Tublecane
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To: neverdem
Rather than simply shutting down and not providing food for the social parasites, what about taking the next step and actually WORKING to become one of those parasites (aka "unionized government worker")?

Not only would that accelerate the collapse, but you could get your own (already paid for) share of "free stuff" along the way.

33 posted on 11/07/2012 6:20:30 PM PST by The Duke
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To: neverdem

Why is everyone calling it “going Galt”? I always knew it as “shrugging.” That sounds better, and it’s less verbose.


34 posted on 11/07/2012 6:21:44 PM PST by Tublecane
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To: GoCards

The easiest way to explain Atlas Shrugged to those who haven’t read it is to point out that its working title was The Strike. It’s the producers for once who go on strike rather than the laborers.


35 posted on 11/07/2012 6:25:03 PM PST by Tublecane
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To: neverdem

I went Galt three years ago. Got laid off, stayed laid off. Wife went to part time. Farm was paid for. We cut our reported income to the poverty level. Purchased a 2000 gallon fuel tank just this morning since all our vehicles are diesel.
HERE IS HOW TO GO GALT BIG TIME! You want to really starve the beast? This would take some planning and organization.
Stop having babies in the hospital. Whaaah? Get health care professionals sympathetic to the cause to help us birth at home, just like our grandparents did. NO BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND NO S.S. NUMBER! Home school the child and teach them trades that can be done for cash. Imagine a plumber that doesn’t have to pay for a license, pay S.S. or taxes, abide by any labor laws, ADA, OSHA, or EPA. They would be wildly successful, to the point that they could hire other “undocumented citizens”. Those of us already on the books can help with things like vehicle registration. If they get stopped and ticketed, don’t show up for court, after all, you wouldn’t exist!. Millions of illegals live perfectly normal FREE AMERICAN lives every day! Freer than US! In eighteen years, a new generation of free citizens would exist. Sound too far off? Eighteen years ago we were fighting BILL Clinton! Afraid they wouldn’t have the right to vote? You have the right to vote, how’s that working out for you? Just will them your registration card.


36 posted on 11/07/2012 6:28:05 PM PST by Boiling point (Socialism; Ideas so good they have to be mandatory.)
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To: Siegfried X

“Am definitely considering early retirement.”

Retired September 1 in my late 50’s. I was tired of paying nearly 60% of every dollar I earned to various government entities not to mention the mandatory corporate United Way mandates. Plus the corporate bureaucracy BS and political correctness.

Fortunately my wife and I prepared for early retirement. We saved aggressively by adopting a lifestyle far below what our income could support and remaining debt free. We are now divesting possessions and downsizing to a smaller home so our cost of living will be dramatically reduced. This frees up funds for travel and hobbies. We can smell the flowers and see the country at a low cost by staying in the trailer we pull behind our truck. Our stress is gone and our quality of life is already dramatically improved. It is amazing how inexpensive life can be when you have no debt and can distinguish between wants and needs. True happiness comes an intimate relationship with God as well as a nurturing family and network of good friends. Life can still be good in America if you adopt the right lifestyle.


37 posted on 11/07/2012 6:43:46 PM PST by Soul of the South
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To: Soul of the South

BINGO


38 posted on 11/07/2012 7:01:28 PM PST by maine-iac7 (Christian is as Christian does.)
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To: Coldwater Creek

Yes there is an element of that in a lot of people. But Obama and the dems are not really giving them very much. Some crappy programs that not everyone uses. trinkets. it’s an illusion that they will get all this stuff and stick it to the rich. What stuff?

Screw the scum that really want someone to buy them homes & feed them. write off those people. what I am saying is that we must focus on the masses of voters who want jobs, homes and the ability to buy stuff with their own money. they have been fooled by these dems’ ponzi scheme that turns into Greece. we offer economic growth which provides them lower taxes, jobs and security in that we are saving jobs, social security & medicare. Our side is offering tangible material benefits & security that has not been effectively communicated by our side.


39 posted on 11/07/2012 7:47:45 PM PST by plain talk
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To: Tublecane

“Going Galt,” or what is better termed “shrugging” is refusing any longer to contribute to the economic system so long as the fruits of your productivity are going to be stolen. Either you hide out in the mountains at your own Galt’s Gulch, or you work below your abilities. Galt himself invented an engine that runs in static electricity or something and was employed at a gas station or something (I forget). I believe there was a professor of philosophy who became a short order cook.

To hell with going Galt, “Go Galt Overdriven”, become a parasite, take everything from the system it will give you and ask for more with the full knowledge that later you will rise up to rebuild.

Stockpile the extra crap you get and give it to the others who have Gone Galt already to make it easier for them to go Galt, create a support network to support the Galters, increase the rate of collapse of the top heavy system.


40 posted on 11/07/2012 7:56:44 PM PST by GraceG
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