The following is a short description of Objectivism
given by Ayn Rand in 1962
Ayn Rand® Institute (ARI)
[...]
My philosophy, Objectivism, holds that:
[... 1, ... 2, ...]
3. Man -- every man -- is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life.
4. The ideal political-economic system is laissez-faire capitalism. It is a system where men deal with one another, not as victims and executioners, nor as masters and slaves, but as traders, by free, voluntary exchange to mutual benefit. It is a system where no man may obtain any values from others by resorting to physical force, and no man may initiate the use of physical force against others. The government acts only as a policeman that protects man’s rights; it uses physical force only in retaliation and only against those who initiate its use, such as criminals or foreign invaders. In a system of full capitalism, there should be (but, historically, has not yet been) a complete separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church.
Copyright © 1962 by Times-Mirror Co.
In other words, modern day Tea Party translation:
"Big Government -- Keep your Hands off, My Medicare!"
What the Tea Party Movement Must Stand For
aynrand.org -- Speaker resources
On April 15, thousands of Americans will gather for modern day tea parties, proudly named after the Boston Tea Party of 1773. Like our revolutionary ancestors, we are protesting against growing government power, a government that increasingly oppresses its citizens instead of protecting them. But what are we fighting for? Have we earned the right to call our protests by the same name the Founding Fathers used?
[...]
No, the colonists were driven by a certain view of the proper purpose of government, which the Tea Act repudiated. That view, which would reach its full expression in the Declaration of Independence, was that the role of government is to protect individual rights -- to protect the sovereign individual’s right to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.
[...]
But over the past two centuries, the ideal of individual rights has all but disappeared from public discourse. In its absence has emerged today's massive regulatory-welfare state, which taxes away nearly half our income, tells us what medicines we can take, what kind of light bulbs to buy, and is rapidly consolidating control over America’s banks, insurance companies, and industrial giants like General Motors.
In other words, modern day Tea Party translation:
"Government Motors -- is just another Socialist Boondoggle.
When they should be trying to Create Jobs!"
A Call for the Separation of Economy and State
aynrand.org -- Speaker resources
[...]
But being against today’s government is not enough. What are we for — and why? A “free market”? Free from what, exactly?
“Limited government”? Limited to what, exactly? When freedom is at stake, neither vagueness nor platitudes will do.
At the Ayn Rand Center, in the spirit of Atlas Shrugged, we stand for a separation of economy and state.
That means:
-- A truly “free market” -- a market fully free from government interference.
-- A truly limited government -- a government strictly limited to the protection of the individual rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.
In other words, modern day Tea Party translation:
"Government should get out of the way of Free Enterprise and the Job Creators. And government should do something about those Speculators -- driving up the price of Gas, and impinging on my pursuit of happy family Road Trips."
A Call for the Separation of Economics and State
Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights (ARC)
In “Tea Parties” across the country, Americans are rebelling against the government’s explosion of spending and controls since the onset of the financial crisis -- and it’s about time. [...] All of this boils down to one question that the Tea Party protestors must answer if they are to take a real stand: As a matter of principle, what role should the government have in managing our economic lives?
At the Ayn Rand Center, we believe that the only answer consistent with individual rights, prosperity, and progress is: none.
[...]
The government should have nothing to say about how each of us conducts our economic lives.
In a sentence: we seek a full separation of state and economics.
Here’s a glimpse of how state-economics separation would address some of our economy’s biggest problem areas. Under state-economics separation:
-- Planning for old age is your right and responsibility. You are free to save and invest your money as you judge best. There is no Social Security to seize 12% of your income every year and tell you it’s for your own good—or someone else’s. [...]
-- Individuals pay for their health and its care. You are free to search out the best, most affordable services from doctors, nurses and other producers, who are free to offer and charge for them. There are no government restrictions on the supply of medical professionals [...]
-- There are zero government obstacles to starting a business. If you want to, say, start a new restaurant, you can lease or buy a space, hire staff, advertise, and succeed or fail on your merits. You don’t have to seek approval from government health inspectors. [...]
-- Individuals and banks are free to choose what money they use. This is an especially controversial, but absolutely essential, component of a truly free society. The government may not force us to use infinitely-inflatable, green pieces of paper. [...]
[ ... more ... ]
In other words, modern day Tea Party translation:
"Er, ah. Say does this mean I can't collect Social Security, or use my Medicare when I need it? BUT -- I was going to Retire in a few years!?
Hey wait a second we didn't sign up for this!
We're all for investing in a little gold, and keeping Taxes low for the Working People -- But we don't want to go back to the Days of Hoovervilles and endless Souplines ..."
We like getting a Good Wage and a Pension, and a Paid Vacation. And Health Care. And FDA Food-safety Inspectors ...
Who is this Ayn Rand person again? And why should we care?
Very good Questions, Tea Party working stiffs --
Who is Ayn Rand? and why should we care? Indeed.
Just because Grover Norquist says we should?
Perhaps we need a Tea Party Movement that's based on workers pulling together, and NOT on one with workers tearing each other apart?
Maybe each Person is NOT an Island?
Maybe were all in this Economy-thing, all-together -- as One Nation?
When they said it was time for each of us to "Sink or Swim" on our own --
Well I really didn't think they meant -- ME!?
Think again Tea Party Patriots. When the poet asked For whom the Bell Tolls? ... well, it tolls for us all. It brings Austerity for us all. Together we stand, or Together we shall one day sink, too. The choice is ours.
Maybe we are destined to be our Brother's Keeper, afterall?
Maybe we really are just a Nation of poor souls -- and Not a poor, soulless Nation, afterall?
At least that's what we always thought. We all pitch in to get the job done. Whatever the Job is -- Americans just Get-er-Done! That's the way it's always been. That's just the way it should be.
Who is Ayn Rand again?