The classic Ayn Rand novel "Atlas Shrugged" is the story - 500 pages too long - of the relationship between Dagny Taggart and John Galt. The economic and political crisis of 2016 is fairly similar to the economic landscape of Chapter 1. Government departments of Science rule by political consensus. The "People's Republic" bash the Top 1%ers and government theft through taxation and the politicalization of corporations is destroying the economy. Government rules and regulations limit profit and attempts to "spread the wealth around." The "common good" is crippling the entrepreneurs to the point where John Galt walks away from his kinetic energy machine that could save the world because he refuses to be a party to the system of theft.
Dagny Taggart runs a trancontinental railroad company and she is continually frustrated by over-restrictive rules and regulations that prevents her from doing her job of keeping the railroad running and the schedule on time. The insanity of policies - like "Cap and Trade" makes it hard for her to contract and buy new steel because the Science institute hasn't approved the new steel. Why not? Because the new steel has never been tried. That's right. You can't try something because it's not approved because it's never been tried. Welcome to government bureaucracy.
The 2016 election is the pivot point on the road that Obama has taken us. Obama loves gun control, yet his administration sold guns to Mexican drug dealers through the fast and fusious scandal. Obama's IRS tied up the approval of numerous Conservative groups. His "if you like your doctor you can keep him" rhetoric lead to double digit rate increases ever since the enactment of Obamacare. His economic stimulus resulted in the first presidency to never achieve 3% growth in GDP in ANY year of his presidency. His FBI concluded Hillary Clinton committed felonies while Secretary of State, yet decided not to prosecute.
Chapter 1 was a pivot point for Dagny Taggart. If she were alive in 2016 she'd be a reluctant Trumper. The Donald has flaws - too numerous to list - and he's not someone for who you would put out a lawn sign. The alternative is Hillary Clinton, the unconvicted felon who used the office of Secretary of State to create a Pay-for-Play scheme through the Clinton Foundation, lied to the families of Benghazi victims after leaving those in Benghazi to die without reinforcements. Her "reset" with Russia resulted in the annexation of Crimea. The Red Line Obama drew and ignored in Syria while she was Secretary of State led to the creation of ISIS and the Syrian immigration crisis in both Europe and America.
Meanwhile, John Galt is a Never Trumper. He walks away and enters the underground economy, refusing to back away from his ideals . His vote, the the currency of his underground economy can only be purchased by something of value. Trump is not a constitutionalist. He's not a conservative or libertarian. He's a thin-skinned narcissist who criticizes anyone who criticizes him, and creates unprovoked wars on Twitter.
2016 is the pivot point for America. The economic decline and decay will continue under Hillary. The partisan politics of the Federal government will be complete if Hillary is elected. So, the choice is clear. You can give up on America and join the ranks of the Never Trumpers. That would make you John Galt. Or you can decide on the margin and do what's best with what options you have in front of you. With that, you'd be Dagny Taggart, fighting the insanity of government regulation and redundancy so that perhaps maybe tomorrow will be a better day.
The Never Trumpers represented by John Galt. The Reluctant Trumpers represented by Dagny Taggart. Who are oyu? Do you believe in your principles or do you believe in America? Will you vote your conscious for the absolute best or vote at the margin with the best option available.
Fifteen months ago when the debates began, I would have never predicted this. But I took a long hard look in the mirror. And looking back, I saw the face of Dagny Taggart. |
