I’ve thought about that book a lot in the last several months. My personal views and political views certainly are influenced by it and it’s a book that sticks with you in a way that few do.

Consider it required reading.

I must confess I read the book and enjoyed it but reading that many pages gets to me. But what I did read I enjoyed. I thought the book was commenting about Government Control VS Capitalism. The US rail system today is still controlled by the Government. Too bad we could have used a modern train system in this country like Japan or Germany.

I have some other books to suggest.

“The Riches Man in Babylon” by George Clason

“Creating a World without Poverty” by Muhammad Yunnas, banker to the poor and Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize on Micro-Economics.

“Creative Capitalism” by Michael Kinsley

Isn’ t that what British food tastes like, anyway?

Alan Greenspan stopped being a disciple of Ayn Rand a long time ago.

Lest we forget, Alan (“I’m shocked”) Greenspan was a direct protege of Ayn Rand’s, basking in the glow of her wisdom from her personal inner circle. While it can be said his tenure as Fed Chair bought untold riches to a few, it also has bought about the worst economic downturn in decades and all he can say is “I’m shocked” and that he made a mistake thinking that the financial services industry would regulate itself in its own self-interest.

Let’s take this down to a more relevant, micro level. How many real estate professionals (mortgage people, Realtors, title companies) act out of unfettered greed to the detriment of the home sellers and buyers and, by extension, the housing market. Let’s not forget the home sellers and buyers themselves who are hard at work squeezing every penny out of the transaction to the detriment of an amiable transaction and, possibly, the completion of the transaction itself.

I am not a huge fan of the type of government intervention on the scale we see today. However, it seems clear to me that, left to act without restraint, large corporations and the few (mostly men) who run them will act without regard for the society at large. This will eventually lead to political and social unrest and upheaval. This is not something anyone wants (at least anyone on AG), I hope.

But, hey, what do I know? Let’s just those AIG whiz kids (those geniuses that came up with Credit Default Swaps) another several million to stay on the job. How many schools could you help with that money? How many roads/bridges? Nah.

Browse the web site for the Ayn Rand Institute at:

AynRand.com

Yep give a word picture to kids who don’t get it, grades was perfect for the kiddo’s in school to understand it.