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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
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To: Soul of the South
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.

Congratulations! My wife and I also retired early. Some friends couldn't understand why. I hate government stealing from us. I did the math and figured we could easily survive on 40 percent of what we were making. After retiring, lots of deductions went away, as you stated. Lots of work-related expenses went away. And we were also debt-free and had savings. Been extremely happy since retiring years ago, and friends who still work say we are reverse-aging while they prematurely age.

41 posted on 11/07/2012 7:57:34 PM PST by roadcat
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To: plain talk

I think it’s time for another technological leap in automation, not just in light and heavy industry but in every industry that employs the people who want to do the bare minimum and let the rest of us keep them fed, closed, and housed. I think it’s time for a top-to-bottom look at the low-wage service industries and see what parts can be automated or centralized. As for the UAW, I wonder how well they’ll be able to compete against state-of-the-art robotics instead of the 1990-era stuff in there now. Maybe it’s time to find out.


42 posted on 11/07/2012 7:59:21 PM PST by Windcatcher (Obama is a COMMUNIST and the MSM is his armband-wearing propaganda machine.)
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To: Boiling point

“Undocumented Citizens”

They already exist and they are called sovereign citizens and the DHS has cross-hairs aimed on them. FYI


43 posted on 11/07/2012 8:00:17 PM PST by GraceG
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To: The Duke

[ 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. ]

Get the extra stuff and give it to others who are going Galt to make it an easier decision for them to “Go Galt”.

We need an Black Market exchange network like “Craig’s list” only something like “Galt’s List” where the crap taken from Government is given or traded to other Galters for other stuff, consider it an internet “barter bulletin board”.


44 posted on 11/07/2012 8:02:51 PM PST by GraceG
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To: Windcatcher

[ I think it’s time for another technological leap in automation, not just in light and heavy industry but in every industry that employs the people who want to do the bare minimum and let the rest of us keep them fed, closed, and housed. I think it’s time for a top-to-bottom look at the low-wage service industries and see what parts can be automated or centralized. As for the UAW, I wonder how well they’ll be able to compete against state-of-the-art robotics instead of the 1990-era stuff in there now. Maybe it’s time to find out. ]

We need to also look into human cloning, if we can clone people and use mind transfer tech to duplicate our numbers overnight we can take control of our destiny again.

Imagine a “clone army” of 50 million rugged individuals working and creating and voting to restore things. Just keep the damn tech away from the libs at all costs.


45 posted on 11/07/2012 8:10:00 PM PST by GraceG
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To: fanfan
Are they planning to just close their businesses?

Yes, but that means for one, liquidating present inventory, equipment, and real estate, and for the other, honoring existing orders placed with their European suppliers, and then trying to liquidate the goods from those suppliers..

Also, that one has thought of dumping the business, but working part time as a Consultant..Hard Choices.

BTW, one of these business owners woke up to find a communique requesting all future orders be paid at the time of ordering..It's always been in the past that they pay within 30 days of receipt from the European Suppliers/Manufacturers.

I take that as a sign, other countries think ours is going down the toilet ...within hours of Obama's re-election.. Coincidence?

46 posted on 11/07/2012 8:13:12 PM PST by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: GraceG

What you’re describing sounds like the Cloward-Piven strategy, only with the opposite goal. I have no idea where you get the knowledge that we’ll rise again to rebuild. Fair warning: lefties will blame collapse on the market and Republicans. If yesterday is any guide the pepper will trust them, and the Welfare State will become the More Welfare State, only with nothing to tax anymore.


47 posted on 11/07/2012 8:14:39 PM PST by Tublecane
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To: GraceG

What you’re describing sounds like the Cloward-Piven strategy, only with the opposite goal. I have no idea where you get the knowledge that we’ll rise again to rebuild. Fair warning: lefties will blame collapse on the market and Republicans. If yesterday is any guide the people will trust them, and the Welfare State will become the More Welfare State, only with nothing to tax anymore.


48 posted on 11/07/2012 8:15:06 PM PST by Tublecane
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To: GraceG

Overwhelm the system. Like Cloward and Piven, only on the right.


49 posted on 11/07/2012 8:18:02 PM PST by Boiling point (Socialism; Ideas so good they have to be mandatory.)
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To: Boiling point

You know, you’re right. I often forget that illegals and other people “off the grid” live in what used to be called freedom. The rest of us are riding the Juggernaut, ostensibly begging for a living whether employed or not.


50 posted on 11/07/2012 8:20:13 PM PST by Tublecane
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To: Tublecane

The only truly “free” place left on Earth is in Antarctica, and the only viable place would be on solid ground in a sealed habitat (Logan’s Run-style). Probably doable from a technical standpoint with the help of nuclear power, but still a depressing thought.

Unless you count man-made islands, which have problems of their own (no resources).


51 posted on 11/07/2012 8:26:35 PM PST by Windcatcher (Obama is a COMMUNIST and the MSM is his armband-wearing propaganda machine.)
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To: Boiling point

Why would Cloward-Piven ever work in our favor? Collapse is a lefty’s best friend. That’s why they say “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Government has only ever grown in downturns since the New Deal, with perhaps a couple exceptions.

You may argue next time our credit will have run out, and we won’t risk hyperinflation to save ourselves by monetizing the debt. Well, since when doesthe Welfare State need wealth to survive? What’s that we’re always saying about income equality being equality in poverty? The fledgling Bolshevik government nearly died stillborn from inflation and civil war. There was a respite with the New Economic Policy, but after that it was 70 years of the worst suffering outsude of other communist countries. All it took was not to care tens of millions would die.

Now, we won’t go that far. But that makes it the easier.


52 posted on 11/07/2012 8:42:07 PM PST by Tublecane
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To: USNBandit; yorkiemom

What if you had a Galt’s Gulch 2012. What would that look like?

What if the state refused Obamacare, and, piece by piece every federal dollar it possibly could?

It took care of it’s own schools, no federal dollars; handled it’s own welfare without federal funds - primarily by taking back the whole idea of charity from the government. On the community level, with churches and true charity.

It had an incredibly robust barter system, with high tech, and a barter currency, converting more away from fiat dollars to real goods.

Patients contracted with doctors on a retainer basis, and an independent true insurance cooperative along the lines of Woodmen of the World.

The state and the community operated on the philosophy of self reliance and independence from outside government. It accomplished this mostly by doing the things that citizens, mistakenly, abdicated to government piece by piece.

It’s citizens and leaders found incredibly creative ways to remove the federal government from having power over their lives.

Off the Federal Grid.


53 posted on 11/07/2012 10:59:55 PM PST by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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To: sockmonkey

The other is strongly considering it, but is torn by feelings of “they won”, and torpedoing a business that was family built from the ground up.””’

Scale down the business & keep it open with only the husband and wife working there.


54 posted on 11/08/2012 6:07:53 AM PST by ridesthemiles
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To: plain talk

Those of us here on FR were taught to work hard and to enjoy the fruits of our work.

Those to whom you are referring have been taught to have their hand out & demand. That is THEIR JOB. Most of them will never be employable. They have ditched school & only want to whine. I would not hire a single one of them to do anything here at my small ranch. Not one. Not even to dig post holes for fences.


55 posted on 11/08/2012 6:31:26 AM PST by ridesthemiles
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To: GoCards

I cannot stress enough that you need to read the book. It is long, but it is powerful.


56 posted on 11/08/2012 6:32:44 AM PST by ridesthemiles
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To: GoCards

I cannot stress enough that you need to read the book. It is long, but it is powerful.


57 posted on 11/08/2012 6:33:38 AM PST by ridesthemiles
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To: ridesthemiles
I would not hire a single one of them to do anything here at my small ranch. Not one. Not even to dig post holes for fences.

This statement interested me as I have been having trouble finding young people to work on our ranch too. We have some rentals and have chosen a few "potential" out of work tenants to help in lieu of rent. Cut brush, cut firewood (which we pay $10 an hour and give a percentage of the sale too!) They don't last, aren't EVER on time and show up only on the 6th or 7th day of the month to work off rent.

These are white males late 20's early 30's, will not find a job, have food stamps and free health care. I encouraged both of them to not vote.

58 posted on 11/08/2012 6:46:45 AM PST by thirst4truth (www.Believer.com)
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To: surfer

I am already boycotting any persons I know who have suported Obama. Someday they might guess why I did that.


59 posted on 11/08/2012 6:51:39 AM PST by ridesthemiles
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To: Windcatcher

You raise interesting points. If one extrapolates these sociiast trends the end result is frightening. As socialism increases more and more people become dependent on govt who extract resources from a decreasing pool. Eventually resources are consumed and the businesses go belly up and got has to take over the functions to avoid mass starvation.

I see no way to avoid an eventual one world communist top down model of slaves providing work for the greater good (supplementing robots) in exchange for being allowed to live and being fed, clothed and housed. I actually think many of these idiots would be good with that.

Of course the wild card in this is whether successful revolutions by the achievers prevent this from happening. However if they have the big weapons and larger numbers then I don’t see how we could win in conventional battles. We would go underground using guerilla warfare but not sure that would stop this monster from happening.

Have a nice day.


60 posted on 11/08/2012 7:55:20 AM PST by plain talk
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