The Horrors of an Ayn Rand World: Why We Must Fight for America's Soul

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Or Ayn Rand? How come it seems those Ruskies have so much influence on US political thought?

Saul Alinsky, btw, is well known among Poli-Sci types, and admittedly influenced several leaders on the Progressive Left.

While the Left will continue to defend Saul Alinsky, I don't know of anyone defending Ayn Rand of note on the right.

Ayn Rand is best known for her novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. The ideas behind them — her philosophy — have sunk so deeply into our political thought, most people don't even recognize them as her ideas anymore.

But Rand does have important admirers, like House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. Recently, House Speaker John Boehner channeled Rand when he said, "Job creators in America basically are on strike."

Underpinning that statement is a philosophy Rand introduced through her best-selling novel Atlas Shrugged.

....

Wallace asks Rand how her philosophy applies to politics and government. And his question reveals a journalist's assumptions about the America of that time — with Eisenhower in the White House and Leave It to Beaver on TV:

"One of the principal achievements of this country in the past 20 years, particularly — I think most people agree — is the gradual growth of social, protective legislation, based on the principle that we are our brothers' keepers."

Like welfare. Social Security. Fair labor standards. Public health programs.

"How do you feel about the political trends of the United States?" Wallace asks.

"I feel that it is terrible that you see destruction all around you, and that you are moving toward disaster until and unless all those welfare state conceptions have been reversed and rejected," Rand answers.

These programs are destroying individual liberties, Rand says, especially the freedom of producers, entrepreneurs, businessmen. The government has no right to take their property, she says.

"I imagine that you're talking now about taxes," Wallace says. "And you believe that there should be no right by the government to tax. You believe that there should be no such thing as unemployment compensation, regulation during times of stress."

"That's right," Rand replies. "I am opposed to all forms of control. I am for an absolute, laissez-faire, free, unregulated economy."

By now, these ideas should sound familiar.

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/14/142245517/on-capitol-hill-rands-atlas-cant-be-shrugged-off

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Before Rand, the Republican Party did NOT have an anti-government agenda. The true Conservative stood for tradition and the tried and true. That's why some of the most prominent Republican presidents in history would never be excepted by the modern Right Wing extremists who despise such pragmatism and acceptance of government being able to do good things, as a RINO.