Holy Ballz!

[John Galt]

I read this report and was honestly shocked.

“no one can earn a living in America or live an American life without protection and empowerment by the government.”

Rasmussen Reports™: The Most Comprehensive Public Opinion Site.

I'm going to go buy a giant red pen now.

[MalcolmSmith]

Originally Posted by John Galt

I read this report and was honestly shocked.

“no one can earn a living in America or live an American life without protection and empowerment by the government.”

Rasmussen Reports™: The Most Comprehensive Public Opinion Site.

I'm going to go buy a giant red pen now.

What's the problem? It's basic political science.

[Blitzgal]

If Only We Could Be So Lucky

Oh, yes please. By all means, let's give that "strike" a go. I'll tell you what, "achievers" -- you keep your Collateralized Debt Obligations, and we'll keep the food. You take away your energy futures trading, and we'll keep the actual power plants. You run off to your own private island with your structured corporate insurance derivatives, and we'll keep the automobiles, and the boats, and the oil, and the coal, and the grain, and the batteries, and the electronics, and the cows, and the roads and bridges, and the drinking cups, and the indoor plumbing, and the light bulbs, and the televisions, and the art, and the music, and the trees that grow the fruit, and the lumber, and the recycling centers, and the actual pills to cure what ails you, and the fishing lines, and the books, and the buildings, and the railroads, and the little metal clips that hold the little hydraulic lines that keep that gigantic, thundering airplane you're on in the air. We'll keep the borax, iron, salt, aluminum, and steel. We'll keep the corn, the soybeans, the lettuce, and the water. We'll spot you as many U-haul boxes as you need to pack up your money and your stock certificates, and then please, by all means -- teach us a lesson.

[John Galt]

@ MS

What's the problem? Well for me I was frankly astonished that so many people actually agreed with the statement, “no one can earn a living in America or live an American life without protection and empowerment by the government.” The problems I have with this statement and it's incumbent inferrences are legion, but in summary I would say that it takes the pussification of our country to a new level.

As far as your statement that, "It's basic polical science," I beg to differ. Webster's defines political science as "the description and analysis of political and governmental institutions and processes." The studies cited don't describe or analyze these institutions or processes, they measure public opinion about the role of govenment. Polling science, yes. Political science, no.

@BG

You're taking a very literal meaning to my forums name. While I did choose it deliberately, and while I did think it was a good choice since I'm not staying in Michgian because I'm moving with the FSP, I'm not advocating a strike. It's is interesting to me, however, that you respond so violently to the idea.

I would also point out, that removing one's labor or intellectual production from a leach-like government, does not mean ceasing work altogether, sitting on the couch amid boxes of fiat currency and eating bonbons. It might mean giving up property and leisure and choosing a harder life because you are unwilling to continue becoming a serf to the state.

Back to the topic, do you really think that it is impossible to make a living in America without the protecting and empowering hand of government?

[Zim]

Originally Posted by Blitzgal

If Only We Could Be So Lucky

Oh, yes please. By all means, let's give that "strike" a go. I'll tell you what, "achievers" -- you keep your Collateralized Debt Obligations, and we'll keep the food. You take away your energy futures trading, and we'll keep the actual power plants. You run off to your own private island with your structured corporate insurance derivatives, and we'll keep the automobiles, and the boats, and the oil, and the coal, and the grain, and the batteries, and the electronics, and the cows, and the roads and bridges, and the drinking cups, and the indoor plumbing, and the light bulbs, and the televisions, and the art, and the music, and the trees that grow the fruit, and the lumber, and the recycling centers, and the actual pills to cure what ails you, and the fishing lines, and the books, and the buildings, and the railroads, and the little metal clips that hold the little hydraulic lines that keep that gigantic, thundering airplane you're on in the air. We'll keep the borax, iron, salt, aluminum, and steel. We'll keep the corn, the soybeans, the lettuce, and the water. We'll spot you as many U-haul boxes as you need to pack up your money and your stock certificates, and then please, by all means -- teach us a lesson.

/giggles


So, which of these things do you do, Blitzgal? Since you've raised this argument of who and what might "strike," I think we should adhere to the Keith standards for qualification.

What do you do? I maintain nuclear reactors.
Do you give a shit? Yes.
Are you sober? Yes.

While I'm not suprised by the statistics in the article, I do agree that it indicates a rising tide of Americans who have abandoned the idea that they can do for themselves better than someone else can do for them. Shameful shit.

[Blitzgal]

I didn't write the paragraph. It's a rant from Daily Kos in response to the increased number of conservatives who are now threatening to "go Galt" in response to Obama's marginal income tax hike. One of their tactics apparently will be to join Medicaid early, which to me sounds like they haven't actually read OR understood the book Atlas Shrugged. I'm pretty sure the entire premise of Randian philosophy is to avoid governmental influence.

Google the phrase "going Galt" for a laugh. It's definitely a fringe movement, but it's very entertaining.

[Zim]

Originally Posted by Blitzgal

I didn't write the paragraph. It's a rant from Daily Kos in response to the increased number of conservatives who are now threatening to "go Galt" in response to Obama's marginal income tax hike. One of their tactics apparently will be to join Medicaid early, which to me sounds like they haven't actually read OR understood the book Atlas Shrugged. I'm pretty sure the entire premise of Randian philosophy is to avoid governmental influence.

Google the phrase "going Galt" for a laugh. It's definitely a fringe movement, but it's very entertaining.

Fair enough, but since you didn't use quotation. I hold you to the statement as if it were your own.

[Blitzgal]

Originally Posted by John Galt

It's is interesting to me, however, that you respond so violently to the idea.

(snip)

Back to the topic, do you really think that it is impossible to make a living in America without the protecting and empowering hand of government?

Not violent; I'm just particularly amused by the name because I've been reading a lot of hysterical blog posts by conservatives claiming that they're going to "go Galt," as I wrote in my above post. I thought perhaps you were proclaiming your devotion to this new wingnut fantasy currently exploding across the internet. I'm not angry, I'm laughing as I send in my posts.

Now back on topic, my main issue with Randians and Objectivists is that they live in a fantasy world. Their beloved Galt's Gulch is a pipe dream. I saw this comment in the Daily Kos thread and liked it a lot:

Let's forget for a moment about the politics, her philosophy of greed, her logical fallacies, or the emptiness of categorical tautologies (that'd be "A=A"). Let's take a look at the magical fairyland of Galt's Gulch.

It's contains every natural resource required for an industrial society. It's populated by magical supermen who are able to cast, machine, and assemble aircraft and oil refineries by themselves. I suppose the latter is helped when the oil is literally dripping from the cliff walls -- perhaps the rocks refined it into gasoline. Everything is built with a magical metal that we only know is greenish, partly copper, and has properties not unlike the Unobtanium that the craft in The Core was made from. And to top it off, the whole place runs on Galt's Motor: a free energy device.

I guess I'd give people like that a lot of deference too. I'd also ask if they could give my kid a unicorn for her 16th birthday.

Or here's the shorter version:

When your entire philosophy can be refuted by a 10 hour video game, it may be time to move on.

Bioshock kicks ass, by the way. I would totally recommend it if you haven't played.

[Blitzgal]

Originally Posted by Zim

Fair enough, but since you didn't use quotation. I hold you to the statement as if it were your own.

The title is a link to the actual blog post. I wish links were clearer in these forums, but oh well.

[MalcolmSmith]

Originally Posted by John Galt

@ MS

What's the problem? Well for me I was frankly astonished that so many people actually agreed with the statement, “no one can earn a living in America or live an American life without protection and empowerment by the government.” The problems I have with this statement and it's incumbent inferrences are legion, but in summary I would say that it takes the pussification of our country to a new level.

As far as your statement that, "It's basic polical science," I beg to differ. Webster's defines political science as "the description and analysis of political and governmental institutions and processes." The studies cited don't describe or analyze these institutions or processes, they measure public opinion about the role of govenment. Polling science, yes. Political science, no.

Maybe your problem is you're reading about political science in a dictionary? Get yourself a used high school textbook off of ebay. The statement is basically just referring to the social contract. Without it, things would be all Lord of the Flies up in here. Maybe if you translated your "incumbent inferences," we'd have some idea what's got you so worked up. I don't really see any pu$$ification in it. I think you're reading that into it.