Has Atlas Finally Shrugged?

Some time ago…..like a real long time ago, I read a book by Ayn Rand entitled “Atlas Shrugged”. The Cliff Notes version of it was about the economic carnage caused by big government run amok. It was/is a work of fiction that should be required reading. But is it fiction any longer? Several things make me question whether or not the author was actually insightful and sent a warning. The Wall Street Journal said “with each successive bailout plan and economic-stimulus scheme out of Washington, our current politicians are committing the very acts of economic lunacy that “Atlas Shrugged” parodied in 1957, when this 1,000-page novel was first published and became an instant hit.”

The Wall Street Journal went on to say, “For the uninitiated, the moral of the story is simply this: Politicians invariably respond to crises — that in most cases they themselves created — by spawning new government programs, laws and regulations. These, in turn, generate more havoc and poverty, which inspires the politicians to create more programs . . . and the downward spiral repeats itself until the productive sectors of the economy collapse under the collective weight of taxes and other burdens imposed in the name of fairness, equality and do-goodism.”

JAC and I had an interesting conversation the other day bout North Korea and China and where should the USA be today. It spurred some thinking about where we really are and do we, as a country, have a moral obligation to the world or do we have an obligation to preserve our old traditions and culture and quit trying to be everything to everybody. So, I took Rand’s book and applied it to today in economics AND cultural reality. Wealth re-distribution is alive and well and the blatant attempt of the left to turn the US into a socialist European flavor is well on its way. So, let’s take a look.

BY 2008, we had the $700 billion “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act” and the “Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act.” Obama immediately followed that up with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. It took George Bush 8 years to spend 1.5 trillion but Obama took only 100 days to spend 1 trillion and by the end of his term, he managed to add another 15 trillion. The more incompetent you are in business and government, the more handouts the politicians will bestow on you. That’s the justification for the $2 trillion of subsidies doled out already to keep afloat distressed insurance companies, banks, Wall Street investment houses, and auto companies — while standing next in line for their share of the booty are real-estate developers, the steel industry, chemical companies, airlines, ethanol producers, construction firms and even catfish farmers. With each successive bailout to “calm the markets,” another trillion of national wealth is subsequently lost. Yet, as “Atlas” grimly foretold, we now treat the incompetent who wreck their companies as victims, while those resourceful business owners who manage to make a profit are portrayed as recipients of illegitimate “windfalls.” The Robin Hood approach, doncha’ see? Destroy the good for the bad. Too big to fail.

Former President Obama, promised… to raise the income tax “for purposes of fairness”. Interpretation…..to destroy the very foundation of our economic structure. But, as Rand wrote, it is already being done by the countless politicians that are on the “take.” It is all sides of the aisle. The great experiment in Europe is failing….might as well bring the United States along with it. Why can’t we see this and learn from it. The elitists and the socialists have destroyed a once vibrant continent in Europe…..are we next?

So, what do we need to do? Perhaps it is time to protect our Western heritage and Western Culture as Trump put it in his speech in Poland. It is time for the world to face their own obligations and costs. America should be first, Mr. President…we owe the world nothing. We are hurting right here. Our middle class is being forced into the poor class. When profits and wealth and creativity are denigrated in society, they start to disappear — leaving everyone the poorer. When political correctness replaces common sense, culture disappears. When you create a society of takers….society loses. For the want of a nail………………………………………………………..