The problem is, as Ayn Rand stated in her non-fiction books and in Atlas shrugged, that the dominant moral code in the country is based on Altruism; a code that holds that man has no right to exist for his own sake and must serve others to justify his existence. Ayn Rand has proven it beyond doubt in her books. You see it everywhere in TV shows, news commentary, schools, books and newspapers, in politicians speeches and in government programs. It is taught every Sunday in churches all across the land especially, although in a different form. The fundamental premise is exactly the same as that of socialism and Marxism and of the Nazis and every malevolent dictator who has ever lived. It is drummed into us from our earliest memories in children’s shows and Sunday school. And don’t get me started on college campuses. What chance does someone who wants to put into practice John Galt’s philosophy have to get elected in that environment when even most conservatives, including the vast majority of the TEA party, have bought into the lethal premise of Altruism? None. Barack Obama is the logical product of that philosophy and even his staunchest enemies accept his basic moral premises. It will all have to come crashing down just as it did in Atlas Shrugged. Hopefully there will be plenty of john Galts around to rebuild it under a different code. The one the country was originally founded on which is the fictional John Gault’s philosophy.
I get what you are saying on an intellectual level, but altruism is part of human nature. We are built to work with each other. We are made for each other. We are social creatures. The key is to balance altruism with individualism. Rand’s philosophy does not allow for this simple reality, and that’s why Objectivism never works in the real world.