Ron Paul has read all of Ayn Rand's novels

[retrorepublican]

I just heard it in an interview. I've been wondering all this time if he had. I couldn't help but smile when I heard him say it.

For all of you that haven't read her novels pick up the Fountainhead. Be warned though, your thought process will never be the same. For me it was revelation, confusion, libertarianism, doubt, revelation, then Ron Paul ; ) I swear I had to scrape out half of what I used to think from morality to politics... and I'm glad I read that book at the right time.

[cujothekitten]

Well his son is named Rand.

[kylejack]

Yes, I credit Ayn Rand with making me a libertarian, even though she hates libertarians. ;)

[retrorepublican]

Yes, I credit Ayn Rand with making me a libertarian, even though she hates libertarians. ;)

Yes, it's a very odd relationship we have.

[beermotor]

What's that Lew Rockwell article from a few years ago? "It all starts with Ayn Rand." It does - but doesn't stay there long, thankfully, heh.

[beermotor]

[snipped, accidental post]

[Broadlighter]

I was already Libertarian in my political views. Ayn Rand simply validated what I already believed.

A friend of mine published this bit from Atlas Shrugged on his blog Witnit.org (http://www.witnit.org/archives/2007/03/francisco_dacon.php) .

I really enjoyed this.

[Kandilynn]

My husband and I are both Objectivists (sorta). I love all of Ayn Rand's writing. I love that Ron Paul is a Rand fan, although I'm not surprised at all.

[propanes]

There is a remarkable 1954 television interview between Mike Wallace and Ayn Rand.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Ayn+Rand+Mike+Wallace&search=Search

[ARealConservative]

Well his son is named Rand.

I named my second daughter Ryanna D. (she was dangerously close to being called Dryanna)

[Shmuel Spade]

My husband and I are both Objectivists (sorta). I love all of Ayn Rand's writing. I love that Ron Paul is a Rand fan, although I'm not surprised at all.

Small "O" Objectivists ;)

[ARealConservative]

I named my second daughter Ryanna D. (she was dangerously close to being called Dryanna)

ps. in sticking with objectivism, my kids were named after that which is most important to me.

So the first born was named after me. "Rational Self Interest" :D

[Kandilynn]

Small "O" Objectivists ;)

Not exactly, we started out being Objectivists, but we don't agree with all Rand's views. Ayn Rand had a tendency to declare something immoral because of her personal views on the subject. So, for the most part we don't agree with Rand's morality, but other than that we completely agree with the philosophy.

Anyway, a group of Objectivists who we know decided to make a split with the philosophy and created a branch of the philosophy which we call Reasonism. They have a website dedicated to this branch. The website is www.reasonslight.com
Go check it out. I've been trying to convert these guys to Ron Paul fans, but so far I haven't had a heck of a lot of luck at it.

[Broadlighter]

I think the reason more Ayn Rand fans are not with Ron Paul may have to do with labels. Free thinkers don't like to be labeled.

Keep trying. Keep giving out the message. Once they see what else is out there, they'll know who they can trust.

[Shmuel Spade]

Not exactly, we started out being Objectivists, but we don't agree with all Rand's views. Ayn Rand had a tendency to declare something immoral because of her personal views on the subject. So, for the most part we don't agree with Rand's morality, but other than that we completely agree with the philosophy.

Anyway, a group of Objectivists who we know decided to make a split with the philosophy and created a branch of the philosophy which we call Reasonism. They have a website dedicated to this branch. The website is www.reasonslight.com
Go check it out. I've been trying to convert these guys to Ron Paul fans, but so far I haven't had a heck of a lot of luck at it.

Well keep at it, you're bound to have some luck in the coming months. Of course his announcement at the last debate that he supports the "Just War Theory of Christianity" will likely set him back with those who've embraced Rand, but I imagine that in time they'll come to look at certain aspects of the situation consequentially rather than deontologically. A few months ago I was talking to Yaron Brook about this and while he agreed with Paul about basically everything else, he still said that the war issue trumped all for him (and not the Iraq war, which he despises and comes close to calling murder).

I'm a big Rand fan, but I agree with Roderick Long more than I do Rand at any time. This campaign is somewhat of a compromise in principles for me as I'm essentially an AnCap and eschew the government game. You'll probably have more success in reaching those who at least tolerate the existence of "Aynarchists." (http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig4/childs1.html)

[dagnytaggart]

I named my daughter Dagny Taggart. Just one more thing I like about Ron Paul (naming his son Rand)!

[kylejack]

I named my daughter Dagny Taggart. Just one more thing I like about Ron Paul (naming his son Rand)!

Really? Niiiice. What, is her middle name Taggart?

[retrorepublican]

Well keep at it, you're bound to have some luck in the coming months. Of course his announcement at the last debate that he supports the "Just War Theory of Christianity" will likely set him back with those who've embraced Rand, but I imagine that in time they'll come to look at certain aspects of the situation consequentially rather than deontologically. A few months ago I was talking to Yaron Brook about this and while he agreed with Paul about basically everything else, he still said that the war issue trumped all for him (and not the Iraq war, which he despises and comes close to calling murder).

I'm a big Rand fan, but I agree with Roderick Long more than I do Rand at any time. This campaign is somewhat of a compromise in principles for me as I'm essentially an AnCap and eschew the government game. You'll probably have more success in reaching those who at least tolerate the existence of "Aynarchists." (http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig4/childs1.html)

I think that's one of the things Ayn warned against (and was against starting a political movement)... compromising your principles.

[Shmuel Spade]

I think that's one of the things Ayn warned against (and was against starting a political movement)... compromising your principles.

She certainly did warn against that (and incidentally so did Nathaniel Branden… I'm just saying). But I'm looking at this from a consequentialist POV. I could be a Wendy McElroy purist and simply concede that voting is evil and it is participating in and sanctioning organized violence. But I disagree with her in this election that votes cannot be aimed as accurately as bullets.

Roderick Long did much necessary work in correcting Rand, and clearing my thoughts on the subject.

[vertesc]

Rand is core reading for libertarians. Her philosophical underpinnings are the same that lie beneath libertarianism. IMHO, it's a difference of degree. (I know rand would argue with me there, though)
This is an amazing interview! Incredible that she actually talks like that, exactly the way she writes...

[vertesc]

Also, how AMAZING to see that TV once had discussions of this nature and depth. Stark contrast to reality TV of today...