The people of the united States of America sealed their fate, when they embraced the notion that government should take from one to give to another, in 1935.

When you penalize the productive and reward the non-productive, this insanity we call socialist America is the result.
The recipient class outvotes the donor class, and no candidate will get elected unless
he promises to bribe them even more.

At the age of 19, I took a political science class entitled "Capitalism, Socialism, and Communism." The instructor, being leftist, didn't teach Capitalism at all and he taught the material from a pro-Communist viewpoint. At the end of the term, the instructor asked the class, I think there were eleven of us, who preferred Communism over Capitalism after learning what they had learned in the class. I was the only one that did not raise their hand. He didn't ask anyone else why they preferred Communism but he did ask me why I took the stand I did. At this point I had at least read Atlas Shrugged and I responded: "Because, 'I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man or ask another man to live for mine.'" He asked me "Can't you have that with Communism." I said no and he did not press me any further. I can remember the looks I received from at least a couple of the other students. It was one of admiration. They had not wanted to accept Communism but had done so because they had no moral or ideological defense against it.

I am confident that at least one letter grade was lost, even though it was in engineering school, when I carried AS along with my senior engineering books in 1970 ... but I got my 3 degrees and my "career" and taught a bunch of fine engineers. And managers. May they carry the torch, 'cuz I retired. Built a house in a gulch. Enjoy the summer in Argentina!!! -- john

I tried to get Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged on the Freshman reading list at my college. No Dice. As I recalled they were not considered relevant to the times (1966).

Excellent thread!!!
I too love this place. I mostly lurk about, reveling in the thoughtful, substantial conversation. I learn something each time I jump into the Gulch. I learn something each time I read the writings of the authors within.

wow. more please