Atlas Voted

Looking through the paper today, I noticed the latest President's address to the nation-some talk about bailing out banks after the vehement efforts to deregulate the banking industry under the Clinton administration. Of course, the Republican's official (correct me if I'm wrong on this, guys) statement is that they will oppose this new measure every inch of the way. The response I make to this- go read first The Communist Manifesto, then go read Atlas Shrugged. The same principle of free market applies in both- how so? Easy. True, Ayn Rand is something of an anti-Communist, and Marx is the father of Communism, but nonetheless, both understate, underestimate and generally just don't get the human factor. In both of these cases, they assume the best about humanity. In an absolute and ideal state, these two ideas would be completely interchangeable, as they operate on the same principle- rational self-interest. In the Communist/Marxist model, we would have a system where those enterpreneurial spirits who can advance industry/what have you are able to do so. In Rand's system, the same. Those who can, ultimately do, as they are able to turn their ideas to make a profit. The question is, where does the profit lie? And here's the curious thing- it's really a question of semantics, as in both cases that which benefits the individual ultimately benefits society. If I meet someone with a good idea that is better than mine, what happens? I then get behind this individual's good idea, perhaps to improve upon it myself with my own ideas, but work for the individual who can provide the greatest good to him/herself and others. Regardless, the society we live in benefits- for what is an individual capitalist without the system in which he operates?
And so on we go- some talk of nationalizing banks, which was the ulitmate downfall of any and every enterprise in Atlas Shrugged. Yet, we're operating on the assumption that since the owners/operators of the banks and corporations did not act in their own rational self-interest, the government will. (I know, this argument is too ludicrous to comment on...) But in neither case has the factor of, well, human fucking up-ness been accounted for. The assumption is once again that humans will act out of self interest. Granted, however, why are they incapable of making short-term sacrifices for what is virtually guaranteed to be a long-term benefit? This is a question I can't readily answer. In other words, why are people (myself included) so damn dumb? Who can say? But as long as someone has been striving to make it idiot-proof, the world produces a better idiot. Is there hope? The economy is in the crapper, circling the drain, the GOP still seems to oppose any real measure that may, more than likely, line our pockets in the long as well as short-term, and the breweries still produce mind-numbing alcohol for the masses. Remind me to put my 401K in Anheuser-Busch, mes amis! Love those who love you, and realize that you can love those who hate you! And if no one hates you, don't be a kiss-ass...