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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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1 posted on 11/07/2012 4:44:14 PM PST by neverdem
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To: neverdem

Unfortunately, I don’t think Colorado is the state it was in Rand’s time. Maybe Idaho.


2 posted on 11/07/2012 4:45:39 PM PST by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: USNBandit

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!


3 posted on 11/07/2012 4:47:55 PM PST by yorkiemom
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To: neverdem
"The people want stuff -- they like politicians to tell them they can have stuff."

And when they don't have the stuff they think they should have, they like being told its your fault they don't have it. Not their fault, not practical reality, not simple cause and effect, but someone else's fault.

4 posted on 11/07/2012 4:50:17 PM PST by marron
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To: yorkiemom

So true. The takers overtook the makers. Too bad that they are bleeding the host to death.


5 posted on 11/07/2012 4:50:22 PM PST by pnut22
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To: neverdem
"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.

I understand. The truth is these people will have jobs and more "stuff" under pro-growth conservative policies than bloated big government socialist policies. That case has not been effectively made. We offer them more - materially - than dems. Since it is not a program we have to find people that can explain this to these people.

6 posted on 11/07/2012 4:51:18 PM PST by plain talk
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To: neverdem

Probably just as hard to get a variance to build a giant dollar sign as a Nativity scene


7 posted on 11/07/2012 4:54:00 PM PST by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
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To: neverdem

Spoke to two of my friends today who are small business owners. One is planning on going Galt in the next 90 days.

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.


8 posted on 11/07/2012 4:59:42 PM PST by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: plain talk

The problem is that our way requires work and is not guaranteed. Why would they vote for us when they can get what they want (or so they think)for nothing?


9 posted on 11/07/2012 4:59:58 PM PST by NotSoFreeStater (If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice)
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To: pnut22
So true. The takers overtook the makers. Too bad that they are bleeding the host to death.

And the parasites will have no other host to move to when we are dry.
10 posted on 11/07/2012 5:00:46 PM PST by yorkiemom
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To: neverdem

“numb with dread”...seriously?


11 posted on 11/07/2012 5:05:52 PM PST by stuartcr ("When silence speaks, it speaks only to those that have already decided what they want to hear.")
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To: neverdem

“numb with dread”...seriously?


12 posted on 11/07/2012 5:06:04 PM PST by stuartcr ("When silence speaks, it speaks only to those that have already decided what they want to hear.")
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To: sockmonkey; stephenjohnbanker; null and void

Are they planning to just close their businesses?


13 posted on 11/07/2012 5:11:18 PM PST by fanfan ("But if Muslims were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion there would be war.")
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To: USNBandit

I’m there, now. Problem is, our invisible force-shield is down. I think Odungo can see us.

I left Kali when I figured out how I was being used there (hadn’t even read A.S. yet), but I knew a mortgage I was never going to pay off was just a chain around my neck. Now the federal situation is intolerable.

I suppose I’m too chicken to actually go Galt, but I find I can no longer stomach giving 70K a year to the likes of Odungo.

I am thinking of some kind of a half-assed Galt arrangement where I’ll get just a little more than what I need to survive (and use my own resources), so that I’m not really paying much, if any, taxes, and see if I can outlast these bastards.

Best of luck to you.


14 posted on 11/07/2012 5:12:47 PM PST by Empire_of_Liberty
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To: yorkiemom

I moved away from Wyoming because of the long, cold winters. Now I want to go back. I’ll take the cold to live amongst self sufficient, freedom loving people.


15 posted on 11/07/2012 5:15:04 PM PST by VegasCowboy ("...he wore his gun outside his pants, for all the honest world to feel.")
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To: neverdem
Navy and Mrs. Patriot are going Galt.
16 posted on 11/07/2012 5:19:02 PM PST by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it, and the Constitution and law mean what WE say.)
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To: NotSoFreeStater
The problem is that our way requires work and is not guaranteed. Why would they vote for us when they can get what they want (or so they think)for nothing?

That's another aspect but that is not what I am talking about. They do NOT have to work any harder. Vote Republican, let us cut taxes and reduce regulations and obstacles, businesses will grow and hire and free markets will do their thing. They have to do nothing but cast a vote. They lose some worthless programs and regulations which many of them don't even benefit from. I submit that our approach will put more money in their pockets, get them employed and help them stay employed. We are offering them money and material security.

To your point, yes if they work harder they can make more money but that's their choice.

17 posted on 11/07/2012 5:19:25 PM PST by plain talk
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To: plain talk

No, you don’t understand, they don’t want to work for their stuff, they want the gov. to just give it to them “free”.


18 posted on 11/07/2012 5:20:46 PM PST by Coldwater Creek (He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadows of the Almighty Psalm 91:)
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To: Empire_of_Liberty

What is going Galt? I am familiar with the saying and the book but never read or asked.


19 posted on 11/07/2012 5:21:31 PM PST by GoCards (I am a Hobbit)
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To: neverdem

This is why the Government last year was using drones over farms in the midwest last year. They want to test the technology to find John Galt. Need to get that engine working to mask your valley.


20 posted on 11/07/2012 5:22:56 PM PST by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, Democrats believe every day is April 15th.)
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