Rep. John Cambell and Atlas Shrugged

Rep John Cambell and Atlas Shrugged

Washington Independent

Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.), who gives his departing interns copies of Ayn Rand’s novel “Atlas Shrugged,” told me today that the response to President Obama’s economic policies reminded him of what happened in the 51-year-old novel.

“People are starting to feel like we’re living through the scenario that happened in ‘Atlas Shrugged,’” said Campbell. “The achievers, the people who create all the things that benefit rest of us, are going on strike. I’m seeing, at a small level, a kind of protest from the people who create jobs, the people who create wealth, who are pulling back from their ambitions because they see how they’ll be punished for them.”

In Rand’s novel, creative people (the “Atlases” of the title) are hounded and punished for their labor by an oppressive, socialistic state. In response, they retreat from society to a hidden enclave where they watch civilization’s slow collapse.

WOW! That's amazing. He gives his interns copies of the book and he understands the times and the situation we are living in. The blogs are all discussing this report about Rep Campbell this morning. Their titles are that Rep Campbell says we are living Atlas Shrugged. I didn't use that title because it looks to me like he is saying we are headed that way ... but not that we are actually there yet.

Other threads on Atlas Shrugged -

Upper Income Taxpayers become John Galt

Atlas Shrugged Sales Rise

Upcoming protest teaparties -
Tax Day Tea Parties

At some of the recent tea parties there have been Atlas Shrugged and John Galt signs. People are starting to see the fact that we are going towards Atlas Shrugged. It's rather obvious.

(mods – if I’m not allowed to post the tea party stuff .. please delete)

There is no doubt in my mind that these reactions are taking place.

I'm seeing enough real life examples to know this is happening NOW on a scale I suspect to be huge.

Brace yourselves people. Things are getting worse by the minute.

Nice find, FF.

[edit on 5-3-2009 by loam]

I see the analogy -- and the one man lemming-leap into marxism that seems to be carrying the whole country is serious I agree -- but I think ambitious people are less likely to simply retreat, as to shift strategy... and perhaps begin putting any efforts elsewhere in focus or nation. Of course I guess that qualifies as retreating as an end-result, now that I think about it . . .

The kind of extremist hyperbole that equates a miniscule 3% increase in the top tax rate with a "lemming-leap into Marxism" is exactly why you guys lost the election: nobody in their right mind takes you seriously.

The top tax rate in the 1950's was what, 90%?

The policies of FDR were far closer to socialism than anything Obama is proposing.

But the mindset you guys have is anyone not in your ideological club is a "Marxist" or a "traitor."

The right is going off the deep end, acting more and more like a cult and less like a political movement, and you don't even understand how it alienates moderates.

Keep it up.

You won't be able to get anyone elected to head dogcatcher, let alone the Presidency.



[edit on 3/5/09 by xmotex]

reply to post by xmotex


If you think that the only manifestation of socialism in this country is "a miniscule 3% increase in the top tax rate", then you are wearing blinders, I'm afraid.

Joe Biden is addressing the unions today in Miami. Per order of the Obama administration, no press was allowed to attend. Why is that? It's because they were discussing Obama's promises to pass the card check bill, forced employer contributions to 401K accounts, and other confiscatory legislation.

Universal healthcare. Cap and trade. Attacks on private citizens and the conservative media. Increased consumer taxes. Decreased deductions for charity and mortgage interest.

Spending more than ever spent in history, and passing the check down to our kids.

Much much more than 3%.

Originally posted by xmotex
The kind of extremist hyperbole that equates a miniscule 3% increase in the top tax rate with a "lemming-leap into Marxism"

Top tax rate? What are you talking about? I think you're mixing something different in there. I didn't say a word about the top tax rate.

You appear to be taking one small specific detail and assuming my entire perspective is based wholly on that detail. Why on earth would it be? It's a much, much broader picture.

Of course, that logic is like saying, "All those problems with Jihadists are solely because a couple guys kidnapped that Terry guy. Come on, there's been larger groups of people doing badder things in the past." You can boil anything down to one specific example, and make reactions to a much larger set of circumstance seem out of proportion in response.

is exactly why you guys lost the election:

I think you're a little mixed up here again. I didn't lose the election. Nobody ran for me. Though I rather liked Ron Paul, despite a couple major disagreement points. I didn't campaign for him so I assume it's not my fault he didn't become president.

nobody in their right mind takes you seriously.

I think people in their right mind would say, "There's an aliased person on a message board, with an opinion probably worth what ya pay for it," and not confuse "All conservative politics" with an individual on the internet.

That's a form of hyperbole of its own. If you wish to address the official politics of a party you'd need to debate actual points of that party -- the Republican party is vastly more moderate than I am, so assigning my opinions to that party would be... inaccurate at best.

But the mindset you guys have is anyone not in your ideological club is a "Marxist" or a "traitor."

You are mixing topics again there. Perhaps you should only address one thing at a time. I said the Editor of the NY Times was guilty of sedition; I said that I perceive Obama as fundamentally a Marxist -- though I actually more implied it.

This is not merely because we disagree on some fundamental things, but because the fundamental things we disagree on are the base for two fundamentally different political systems. Calling him a marxist is not a stretch and is not, were he an ordinary citizen, any insult. It is simply a genuine concern given that he is now the leader of our democratic republic.

Peace,
PJ



[edit on 5-3-2009 by RedCairo]

Calling him a marxist is not a stretch and is not, were he an ordinary citizen, any insult.

Well, I was not replying to you specifically as much as the general tone of the thread.

However I suspect any real Marxist would laugh at you if you told them Obama is a "Marxist" - like (the clearly far more "socialist") FDR, he is trying to protect capitalism from it's own worst self-destructive tendencies.

Whether it's an insult or not is irrelevant, it's simply inaccurate.

However it just goes to show, if you're far enough to the right, the center looks like the extreme left, and if you're far enough to the extreme left, it looks just like the far right

[edit on 3/5/09 by xmotex]

Originally posted by xmotex
However it just goes to show, if you're far enough to the right, the center looks like the extreme left, and if you're far enough to the extreme left, it looks just like the far right

That we can probably agree on.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I recently had a long conversation with some of my coworkers at lunch the other day talking about starting and running businesses in Canada (where I live). Some of them had started businesses long ago but gave up because they were crushed under government regulations and taxes. Some of them had spouses who are business owners who are ready to throw in the towel because with each passing month more and more rediculous regulations pass through our city legislature.

I can't help to wonder how many jobs were lost just from the people in the room throwing in the towel. I can't help wonder what wonderful products and services we would have had these people been able to be left alone to succeed. It was truly depressing but at the same time I realized this was a form of protest. "Society does not want to allow me the ability to bring my vision to reality, I will simply grant them their wish. Society hates rich successful people so I will join them in mediocrity." This is what they are saying and I applaud them.

Let these cannibals who cry out "TAX THE RICH, TAX THE RICH!!!" see what happens when there are no more people willing to turn their ideas into reality.


[edit on 5-3-2009 by Cool Hand Luke]

People are beginning to give up and give in. Soetoro isn't going to stop until we're all living in housing projects and standing in welfare lines. What he wants more than anything is to see the "rich" (i.e. the productive) suffer as much as he perceives himself to have suffered. We are going to bear the full brunt of this man's pent up rage at and jealousy of the upper class. Oh well, who is John Galt?

TheAssociate