Comments on: Ayn Rand and the Tea Party Protests

By: Rich

Rich — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:55:09 +0000

I don’t agree with Rand on all things, but I think her book would be an excellent read.

Of course, she did *not* anticipate that the next FDR would be equipped the ability to make any dissenter into a “unlawful enemy combatant” just by saying he is, or with a concentration camp in Cuba for dissenters, or with the Patriot Act to strip away the rule of law, or with the Military Commissions act to authorize torture.

I think our future will be much darker than what she wrote.

By: solicitr

solicitr — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:03:06 +0000

Lia:

“Read Toffler’s latest book “Revolutionary Wealth” and realize that our “industrial age and educational programming” is coming to a not-so-dignified end.”

What was that about toting certain books labeling one a loon?

I suppose Paul Ehrlich is on your bookshelf as well.

By: Tracey Burger

Tracey Burger — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:25:23 +0000

http://www.redbubble.com/products/configure/9137331

By: Noesis Noeseos

Noesis Noeseos — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:13:34 +0000

Poster #39 makes some good points. There are aspects of Rand’s novels that show human relationships in a sterile, frigid light. It is also true that she was personally rather intolerant and tyrannical. But today, when “the world is perishing from an excess of self-sacrifice” and the moochers and looters have subverted the Constitution, Randian insistence on self-reliance, the rule of reason, and limited, classically liberal government might serve as a kind of antidote. But they will only become effective if they can convince a large number of the citizenry to forsake the entitlements to which they have become accustomed in the last seventy years, for in a democracy people get the kind of government and politicians they deserve.

By: njcommuter

njcommuter — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:31:32 +0000

“There is no native American criminal class, except Congress.” —Mark Twain

By: Pat

Pat — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:35:13 +0000

“Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Compared to most of the people living in the world, the average American is exceedingly rich.

But fear not, Obama and Congress are laboring to reduce Americans to the Christian standard of morality very soon.

By: Trouble

Trouble — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:55:36 +0000

If you are a Christian, you should be applauding Obama as the most moral President yet – total redistribution – total brother love!

“Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and render unto God what it God’s” = redistribution?

Uhhh… yeah.

By: lskdjf

lskdjf — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:43:24 +0000

Ray — I, for one, find it incredibly depressing that the Hsiehs do not have any children, apparently by choice. That’s the salient fact that always jumps out at me when I take a look at their sites.

By: Pat

Pat — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:46:57 +0000

Ayn Rand’s second-greatest achievement was her invention of a new morality – rational selfishness. In grounding her morality to man’s nature as the animal who must think, she proved that the moral is the practical.

And the immoral Christianity and every other religion that preaches self sacrifice and Mother Theresa brother-love – is always impractical. Just look at the collapse of our country right now.

If you are a Christian, you should be applauding Obama as the most moral President yet – total redistribution – total brother love!

You asked for it, brother.

By: Dana H.

Dana H. — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:41:22 +0000

Ray: It is far from evident that things would be better under McCain. He supported TARP, ranted against “Wall Street Greed”, explicitly attacked free speech (McCain-Feingold), and favors carbon taxes and/or restrictions. Just as the Republicans in Congress rolled over for Bush’s statist policies because he was one of them, they would have rolled over for McCain.

If you can look beyond the present moment, Obama’s election could be a long-term boon for freedom. The Republicans in Congress look like they might actually develop a spine (as they had for a short while under Clinton). Sales of Atlas Shrugged are booming and Ayn Rand’s name is popping up everywhere. As long as the Democrats remain in control, it will be very hard to blame the disasters they cause on capitalism. With McCain in office, fiascos caused by his own statist policies would smear capitalism’s good name, because the Republican party is widely viewed as pro-capitalist (yeah, right).