[/caption]Carol Forsloff - The organization devoted to Ayn Rand’s philosophy addresses the current budget crisis as caused by those who seek handouts and who should be ashamed of their contribution to the collapse of industrial America by taking from productive members of the culture,
The diatribe against those takers of personal freedom begins with the view taken in Atlas Shrugged, which was the Ayn Rand tome that became the Bible of the Art of Selfishness, which was the orientation and philosophy of the author and her devotees.
The press release reminds us of the prophetic nature of Atlas Shrugged, that “ portrays the collapse of industrial America as a war between producers and expropriators—just what we see in America today.
"To solve the debt crisis, productive Americans must declare to every elected official that they have a right to their own lives and the fruits of their labor; that government has no right to redistribute their wealth; and that other Americans should be ashamed of themselves for trying to steal it," says Edward Hudgins of The Atlas Society www.atlassociety.org . "Productive individuals would reject government handouts and thus governments would not run up debts that will destroy the productive."
After pointing out the philosophy according to Rand with respect to producers and those seeking handouts, the Rand view is described as one that encourages producers to seek happiness and prosperity by the creation of goods and services. These same producers seek justice and protection but otherwise want to be left alone to earn a living. Those who wish to expropriate from them by government means are working against what is best for society, and now those productive people have awakened to what is called a “moral obscenity” inflicted upon them.
In other words, no bailout, no debt ceiling, no compromise. Producers are the capitalists who create the value and “paternalistic politicians” are involved in taking from them through bailouts and free healthcare and stimulus money. What are these handouts? Student loans, expanded health care and Social Security, the Ayn Rand group explains.
Rand belief is based on the notion that “your highest moral purpose is the achievement of your own happiness” Altruism is a word and idea she decries, as the true purpose is not to save others but to maintain one’s own well being and that if everyone sought this same direction, then there would be no need for saving anyone.
As the two political parties struggle over the mounting debt crisis and decide whether or not to raise the debt ceiling, it is important to recognize that many of those leaders were educated in their early years during a popular wave of Ayn Rand materials. Those who favor the Ayn Rand direction in politics promote capitalism, production and individualism. They see Social Security, welfare and other programs designed to help the elderly and handicapped as unnecessary in a productive society where people seek to create material wealth. It is that art of selfishness that is echoed in the halls of the Congress by those who believe that wealth will “trickle down” in some unique way so that everyone benefits from those who prosper.
A similar doctrine to Ayn Rand is this: “We believe most Americans do not want out-of-control spending in Washington, bailouts, government controls of private businesses, socializing of Americans' health care and other non-essential government-run services,” the signature statement from the Tea Party organization.
