Looters

I recently plowed my way through Atlas Shrugged, starting in late November and ending the 1200-page missive a few days ago. While recognizing the quality of the book, it would have been even more effective at half the size. One speech within the book lasted 60 pages alone. Ayn Rand tends to the verbose.

However, the central concept was brilliant. It explored what could happen if people were forced to create a society in which everything was fairly (and artificially) redistributed by central planners. It removed the morality of achievement and ownership, and replaced it with the capriciousness of men in power who lacked any moral compass at all. Although their mantra was "fairness", they pursued this in a corrupt fashion as they lacked a moral compass. Once the rules started changing, the situation devolved into chaos. The planners, educators, and scientific community - whom Ms. Rand labeled as "looters" - sucked the producers dry until the golden goose eventually died. They were smart enough to loot wealth, but not smart enough to generate it!

This book, written in 1957, casts a negative light on current events, and exposes the "looters" who threaten us today. The health care bill nationalizes 1/6 of the economy even though only 32% of Americans express support for it. Passage was obtained by buying votes (another form of looting since it came from our taxes). Cap and trade is another form of looting, i.e. forcing the producers to pay for some ill-defined concept of global fairness (aided by scientists on the "payroll"). The stimulus bill and TARP funds are another example of "central planners" counting on you to pay the freight.

In short, Atlas Shrugged is a bit scary. It bravely calls for individual excellence and individual rewards in a society in which leaders naturally stray toward their own (artificial and self-serving) vision of utopia.