I love this trend. The only thing I worry about is the progressives asserting that the all Ayn Rand supporters just want to take their superior economic position, leverage the value offered by the US (of course in their minds and words, offered by the sacrifice of the proletariat) and hide out in luxury.

Many of us, including me, would say this is just fine if it is the only way to demonstrate the futility of socialism. However, I am not there yet.

Hopefully, "Going Gulch" can not be used to paint us as simply opportunistic and lazy. If this becomes a real term, we need to make sure it describes hard work, capability, perseverance and Objectivism.

I agree. America owes a huge debt to the British for colonizing this continent. We'd never have gotten as much freedom as we once had without them.

Not quite yet -- but I still believe he intends to keep promoting riots until he can use one as his "Reichstag fire" and promote himself to dictator for life.

I wonder if anyone has ever considered charting a specific course of correcting social and economic problems through relief from legislation. I mean micro-economics, not macro economics. Such a course would be interesting to consider.

The guy that sells the Palm Beach Report from Florida that touts the "Invisible Account" that thousands of prominent people have used to "disappear " from view of the government including dozens of presidents, etc, is using the "going Galt" theme. The "Invisible Account" used to be called the 777 Account until it got exposed as a scam.

But he is pulling in people by portraying it as thousands of prominent people "going Galt".

HBO is not a socialist.
He's a fascist.
He lets you think you own something, but the rules he makes controls what you can do with what you "own." Far more insidious than mere socialism.

I doubt that a substantial percentage of that 52% even know what socialism (as a political agenda) means. Fumbling around with the word to define it, it might well be first contrasted against individualism. In that light, socialism may well just mean something like friendly, generous, helpful, or part-of-the-team to these people. That kind of mass ignorance is even more frightening to ponder than the idea that they know what it means and actually want it. It's not as though the public schools and the media do a good job of informing them.

Just think of how long it takes the average person to embrace "selfishness" as a virtue when they were not exposed to the idea in childhood. When all context is missing, how can anyone adequately judge the meaning of a word?

I think 52% of registered Democrats is about 15% or so of those eligible to vote. That may not be sufficient reason to Go Galt, but then occupancy of the oval office is probably not the criteria for making that call.

Silly Marxists. Marx and Engels believed that the transition from feudalism to capitalism to socialism and ultimately communism depended upon the wealth and capital first created by capitalism. The serious fallacy overlooked by them was that the capital would ultimately be used up and everything would collapse. Margaret Thatcher — 'The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.' This is the blind spot of many of today's Democrats. If only enough of us could go Galt and let them suffer the consequences without harming our own well being...

you are correct as can be. I think she actually saw this happening and knew it would not be stopped.

If we are going to vote in someone not alive then why not Ayn Rand at least there is a sound philosophy behind it. Or John Galt

Yep. Those Kenyans are a whole lot smarter than we.... HEYYYY!!!

Ok, tribal chief, although the Kenyans might be too smart to let him rule longer than a week.

It just seems like an uphill battle for people to realize that the practical side of socialism is bankrupt. Its just NOT a workable system in practice.

I agree with you on that. When I was 17 and in high school, my dad asked me "son, have you thought of where you are going to live when you get out of school?" Best thing he ever said to me. I had NOT thought of that. Went on to MIT and made a life for myself after that. This stuff about staying at home at 26 years old is not a good idea. Send them out earlier so they learn how to make it on their own.

I think that you, term2, and Wm both have important insights into the 'why' of the magnetic attraction to socialism. I will add my tidbit of observation in that the depth of affluence in the US is deep enough that cause-and-effect are obscured. 'Of course' socialism works here - we are engaged in it and everyone is still rich. No, actually, it just takes a long time to use up all the gain that capitalism has made and show that socialism is economically dysfunctional.

Jan, finds socialism to be repugnant too

Even Obama's brother said that it might have been better if the colonial powers had stayed another couple of generations. Not only would they have improved the infrastructure, but it would have taken about that much longer to break the tribal system and get local people who had been educated in Western schools into all levels of the government.

Africa would resemble South Africa a lot more if that had happened.

So what Africa needed was not less colonialism, but a bit more.

Jan

bsmith may provide an analysis of Obama's ration-
alization of his actions, but I think kevinw's is the
one that hits it on the head.

we have been living in a socialist world for many, many years and it has just become more and more obvious to many of you.

I agree. Socialism is a slacker's paradise and appeals to folks who resist growing up.

So, the way to fight socialism is to make "growing up" either so attractive and full of rewards that everyone seeks to be responsible for him/herself or mandate it and at a certain age, cut folks off the proverbial "tit".

LOL!

I could almost agree with that but "warlord" implies a certain amount of balls and I don't think his have dropped yet.

Childhood, for most people, is essentially a socialist world. You don't have to earn your food, clothing or shelter.

Then you go to school. The educational system is highly socialist. Teachers generally get paid based on their level of education and, short of doing something really dreadful, what they do has no effect on their compensation.

With the long educational path and access to educational loans -- one can make it to the mid twenties without ever having to face reality.

After 25 years of someone taking care of you, it seems natural.

I would vote for Col. Sanders in a second!