The 545 People Responsible For All Of U.S. Woes

[flyboy56]

"Her books provided wide-ranging parables of "parasites," "looters" and "moochers" using the levers of government to steal the fruits of her heroes' labor. In the real world, however, Rand herself received Social Security payments and Medicare benefits under the name of Ann O'Connor (her husband was Frank O'Connor).

As Michael Ford of Xavier University's Center for the Study of the American Dream wrote, “In the end, Miss Rand was a hypocrite but she could never be faulted for failing to act in her own self-interest.” "


http://www.alternet.org/story/149721...e_needed_them/

Other true believers of the Ayn Rand spewage refused to accept SS and medicare. But not Ayn herself..."Do as I say, not as I do?"

The author quotes Michael Ford of the "Center for the Study of the American Dream," saying, "In the end, Miss Rand was a hypocrite but she could never be faulted for failing to act in her own self-interest." (I suggest "own self-interest" is redundant. What other kind of self-interest is there?)

I found this odd since Rand had commented that people who are forced to fund government programs are NOT immoral for taking the benefits for which they paid. For instance, it is not wrong for people to attend government schools, which are funded with their tax monies, whether they like it or not. They have to start with a false premise: that Rand said receiving Social Security, that one is forced to pay for, was wrong. Without that false claim they have no charge of hypocrisy. They pretend she took a position she never took and then accuse her of violating the position she didn't take.

in 1966 Rand's Objectivist Newsletter said that not collecting from programs that one is forced to finance would be wrong. It said:
...the victims, who opposed such laws, have a clear right to any refund of their own money—and they would not advance the cause of freedom if they left their money unclaimed, for the benefit of the welfare-state administration.

http://freestudents.blogspot.com/201...nd-social.html

[OldBay]

The author quotes Michael Ford of the "Center for the Study of the American Dream," saying, "In the end, Miss Rand was a hypocrite but she could never be faulted for failing to act in her own self-interest." (I suggest "own self-interest" is redundant. What other kind of self-interest is there?)

I found this odd since Rand had commented that people who are forced to fund government programs are NOT immoral for taking the benefits for which they paid. For instance, it is not wrong for people to attend government schools, which are funded with their tax monies, whether they like it or not. They have to start with a false premise: that Rand said receiving Social Security, that one is forced to pay for, was wrong. Without that false claim they have no charge of hypocrisy. They pretend she took a position she never took and then accuse her of violating the position she didn't take.

in 1966 Rand's Objectivist Newsletter said that not collecting from programs that one is forced to finance would be wrong. It said:
...the victims, who opposed such laws, have a clear right to any refund of their own money—and they would not advance the cause of freedom if they left their money unclaimed, for the benefit of the welfare-state administration.

http://freestudents.blogspot.com/201...nd-social.html

Ayn Rand also insisted that heavy smoking did not cause lung cancer. Her treatment for lung cancer certainly cost much more than the little she contributed to medicare or any "refund of their own money". She would claim that anyone else who did what she did was morally weak.

http://atheism.about.com/b/2011/02/0...assistance.htm

[flyboy56]

Ayn Rand also insisted that heavy smoking did not cause lung cancer. Her treatment for lung cancer certainly cost much more than the little she contributed to medicare or any "refund of their own money". She would claim that anyone else who did what she did was morally weak.

http://atheism.about.com/b/2011/02/0...assistance.htm

More lies.

[OldBay]

More lies.

Really? Why didn't she demand that her cancer treatment be stopped as soon as the cost reached what she had paid in medicare?

No real surprise that she was a hero of Ryan - another hypocrite who collected SS benefits all his life and contributed nothing - but expects people who did contribute for 50 or 60 years to have their benefits cut.

[flyboy56]

Really? Why didn't she demand that her cancer treatment be stopped as soon as the cost reached what she had paid in medicare?

No real surprise that she was a hero of Ryan - another hypocrite who collected SS benefits all his life and contributed nothing - but expects people who did contribute for 50 or 60 years to have their benefits cut.

"The AlterNet smear also claimed that Rand said that the link between smoking and cancer was a hoax. She actually never said that. She said she was not convinced that the case had been made, and at the time it hadn't been fully made. She never said it was a hoax and she stopped smoking instantly when her physician showed her a dark spot on her own lung's x-ray."

I don't think Ryan expects anyone to have their SS cut. For 55 an older they would remain the same. Under, they would have several options, one being to keep the traditional SS. But eventually the system failing will demand those cuts.

You need to stop getting your info on Rand from the AlterNet.

[ms maggie]

Really? Why didn't she demand that her cancer treatment be stopped as soon as the cost reached what she had paid in medicare?

No real surprise that she was a hero of Ryan - another hypocrite who collected SS benefits all his life and contributed nothing - but expects people who did contribute for 50 or 60 years to have their benefits cut.

What astonished me is that there are grown adults who still take this charlatan seriously. Sure a lot of college kids go thru a Rand stage but they normally grow out of it. Still find it hard to believe.

[flyboy56]

What astonished me is that there are grown adults who still take this charlatan seriously. Sure a lot of college kids go thru a Rand stage but they normally grow out of it. Still find it hard to believe.

And most kids embrace the liberal party but they eventually grow out of it also. You too need to stop getting your information from AlterNet.