'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years

Wall Street Journal ^ | January 9, 2009 | Stephen Moore

[PleaDeal]

But why do I see in that article only criticism towards the help plans of these days and nothing about the money spent on 6 years in Iraq? That is a righteous question, I think?

The "money spent" in Iraq was to FREE PEOPLE, not enslave them in exponentially rising debt and regulation. The two have absolutely nothing to do with each other which is why the author ignored the latter.

Our efforts in Iraq actually did help people and will continue to help them build a free society for decades to come. Only when their politicians begin to overtax, over-regulate and over control the population will they again be enslaved like we are.

Righteous indeed!

[bamahead]

Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!

[oblomov]

I see that you have absorbed your programming like a good citizen. Remember, it’s your obligation to report any communists (left-wing or right-wing) to the authorities. Thank you.

When you hear the chime, please step forward for your gold star and Starbucks(TM) gift card.

[oblomov]

Did not like the books themselves, or the dystopias they portrayed?

Like it or not, we are fast headed toward a dystopia of our own making.

[Larry Lucido]

Ayn Rand was very prescient, but had her moments of incoherence too (ragging on Ronald Reagan being one of them).

Nevertheless Atlas is shrugging and in fact has been.

[Red Badger]

Nevertheless Atlas is shrugging and in fact has been.

Shrugging, Hell, I think he's doing The Limbo!..............

[gargoyle]

...I think the term is rational egoism. I also read that she disavowed any connection to libertarian. Her philosophy was Objectivist and philisophical realism...

[Moonman62]

...I think the term is rational egoism.

A rose by any other name...

[gargoyle]

...genus (Rosa of the family Rosaceae, the rose family)...(-;

[gargoyle]

...I was aware of Rand being an Objectivist, and that she dis avowed any connection to libertarianism. Never read these excerps. They are eye openers or more so third eye openers. Bravo...

[CSM]

“This account has been banned or suspended.”

Why am I not surprised?

[Larry Lucido]

Could Bernie Madoff, via his scandal, have unwittingly created the same effect (catastrophic losses to the evil and guilty) as Francisco D’Anconia created quite intentionally?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2163284/posts

[Red Badger]

Yes, it seems so. Whereas Francisco wanted the “investors” to lose for good reason, Madoff was merely making money of his own of his “investors”. But the results are, essentially, the same. Full panic in the financial world................

[section9]

That, or good old American Capitalism will step up and the free market will produce privatized solutions to those problems... just as they used to.

Bollocks. We've always had a robust public education systm in this country. We've always had public works. The key is for government to provide a sound regulatory foundation for fair competition.

Without that, you get too many Madoffs. However, too much and every politician (like Barack, for example) becomes Ellsworth Toohey.

Best,

Chris

[elkfersupper]

We never had any tyranny except for the occupation by Germany.

Just a minor little inconvenience there.

If we hadn't mobilized to kick Germany's a$$, you would still have tyranny.

[ReignOfError]

Why do you think the Nazis never invaded Switzerland? Switzerland was surrounded on all sides by Nazi occupied territory yet they never dared enter because every man had a rifle in his home and knew how to use it.

And because the Swiss were more useful as money launderers than as yet another occupied territory.

[bamahead]

"(and no right to bear arms, thank God)"

Wow...you really were in the wrong place...Yank. Have a Zot on the house.

[Tired of Taxes]

Brave New World

IMHO, Huxley predicted the future accurately with that book, even though he himself criticized it later.

[Eric Blair 2084]

I read this in the morning in the WSJ.. Great piece.