FReeper Book Club: Atlas Shrugged, Their Brothers Keepers

1 posted on 07/04/2009 7:26:33 AM PDT by Publius

To: ADemocratNoMore; Aggie Mama; alarm rider; alexander_busek; AlligatorEyes; AmericanGirlRising; ...

2 posted on 07/04/2009 7:27:38 AM PDT by Publius (Gresham's Law: Bad victims drive good victims out of the market.)

3 posted on 07/04/2009 7:30:02 AM PDT by Hoodat (For the weapons of our warfare are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.)

“Her employees are clueless as to what to do, so Dagny calls her counterpart at the Atlantic Southern and asks to have their Chicago terminal signal engineer fly to New York.”

No wonder I identify with Dagny, LOL! ;)

Wonderful synopsis, as always. Now, back to digest some more! :)

4 posted on 07/04/2009 7:56:03 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)

California’s government can not figure out how to quit spending money and the US government is determined to drag us all over the waterfall behind them.

5 posted on 07/04/2009 7:56:03 AM PDT by MtnClimber (Bernard Madoff's ponzi scheme looks remarkably similar to the way Social Security works)

“The Wet Nurse thinks that something is up: the government is bringing in goons to fill empty employment slots, and he thinks they are going to pull something.”

Shades of real life in America, today! *SHIVER*

6 posted on 07/04/2009 7:56:59 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)

Could you put me on your ping list?
Thanks for the post.

7 posted on 07/04/2009 7:58:00 AM PDT by super7man

(Publius, as promised) Happy Fourth of July to all!

Hurrah for the glorious Fourth of July !

Such was the cheer that came from the patriots at the signing of the declaration of independence on July Fourth 1776.

Except for one twist...

These particular patriots are unheard of in the recounting of our independence in modern day textbooks and popular media. They do live on in arcane history books and dusty library shelves however.

I refer to the Fair Play Men of the west branch valley of the Susquehanna river in north central Pennsylvania. A group or independent, freedom loving patriots living on the frontier of civilization. Without any legal system in place, they took it upon themselves to create their own legal system based on freedom.

The system they created, known from then on as 'Fair Play' came into creation in 1773 in a valley that had been purchased by the Penn family from the controlling Indian tribes. The Penns were known for their extreme measures to ensure fair dealings with the Indians. The land occupied by the settlers had been purchased for that reason but had been put on hold because one tribe had disputed one of the boundaries that included the valley ( the dispute, after hearing all testimonies, being declared by both sides, a mistake ).

Being pioneers, and independent for generations preceding, the settlers knew that possession was key to ownership once the dispute was settled. ( they knew at the time that the interfering tribe had no claim to the land and that the Penns were, as mentioned, going to extreme lengths to keep the peace ). Pennsylvania government would not recognize the settlers as citizens until the dispute was settled.

Upon occupying, they needed to have a legal system or anarchy would be the result, leaving nothing for their effort. They enacted the Fair Play system which is described as...

'These settlers, being classed as outlaws, were compelled to enter into some kind of an organization for their government and protection. This condition of affairs resulted in what was known as the Fair Play system. Tradition informs us that they adopted a regular code of laws for their government, but as it was not preserved, we are left in ignorance of its provisions. The courts of the Fair Play men were often held at a place near what is now known as Chatham's Mill, in Clinton County. But it is doubtful if they had any regular place of meeting, or stated time for the transaction of business. The time of meeting was brought about by the exigencies that might arise. The court could be convened at any place within the territory over which it exercised jurisdiction, and on short notice, to try any case that might be on hand. It is related that when a squatter refused to abide by the decisions of the court, he was immediately placed in a canoe and rowed to the mouth of Lycoming Creek, the boundary line of civilization, and there sent adrift down the river. '

and humorously...

'An anecdote is handed down which serves to illustrate Fair Play principles. Once upon a time, when Chief Justice McKean was holding court in this district, he inquired, partly from curiosity and partly in reference to the case before him, of a shrewd old Irishman named Peter Rodey, if he could tell him what the provisions of the Fair Play code were. Peter's memory did not exactly serve him as to details, and he could only convey an idea of them by comparison, so, scratching his head, he answered : "All I can say is, that since your Honor's coorts have come among us. Fair Play has entirely ceased, and law has taken its place."

This sharp rejoinder created a good deal of merriment in court, and the judge was satisfied to ask no more questions reflecting upon the legal tribunal over which Peter had in turn presided. '

Reference

These Patriots took it upon themselves to establish a form of self government that would protect their lives and property. It was out of necessity due to the inaction and refusal of the existing government to do so.

The Colonial government used the Scots-Irish immigrants as a buffer between the populated areas around Philadelphia and the constant threat of the Indians and French to the west. The peaceful Quakers would have had a tough time sticking to their beliefs had the frontier population not been there to protect them.

The land grants reflect this strategy and was the willing price paid for the opportunity to live ones life in freedom. After the War, the Pennsylvania judiciary reviewed all of the Fair Play decisions and overturned none. Such were the decisions of our forefathers when confronted with a government that did not recognize them.

And on the Fourth of July 1776, a time when instant communications did not exist, by coincidence, they signed their own Declaration of Independence under an elm tree along the banks of the Susquehanna River. Such were the actions of a free and independent people and indicative of the spirit of all who brought about a new Nation.

I found many parallels in our discussions between the settlers in the Gulch and those in the Valley.

For the readers that doubt this similarity, the above is true and recorded for posterity. It is my belief that Ayn Rand would have enjoyed studying this bit of American history and found much of her philosophy in practice.

8 posted on 07/04/2009 7:59:42 AM PDT by whodathunkit (Shrugging as I leave for the Gulch)

“The town is too important to fail, and thus so is the company. In the end, both companies fail. Where do we see this today?”

Banks, GM, soon to be ObamaCare, etc.

“Do dying nations become predatory when the money runs out?”

Well see in another year or so...

“Are we approaching this in California and elsewhere?”

Sure. Cap and Trade legislation.

“How are believers in pseudo-science with power leading us down this path today?”

EnviroWeenies. Biofuels. Not allowing us to drill here at home and close off-shore.

“Is it at all rational to de-industrialize a country? What could possibly justify such a decision?”

It’s not rational, but it fits right in with the plan to make a country Socialist/Communist. There is no justification, IMHO, but I’m one that wants to close the borders and be a self-supporting nation.

“As things get worse, will the bonds of Union sunder due to a central government that cannot perform the tasks it has promised the people?”

I think it will be most of our States AGAINST Washington, D.C. if things get that far. The 10th Amendment needs to be taken VERY seriously; some states are.

Thanks, Publius. Fun as always. :)

9 posted on 07/04/2009 8:04:55 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)

Thanks for the ping. This is very much food for thought.

10 posted on 07/04/2009 8:10:01 AM PDT by Sundog (I hope Michelle Obama isn't going to be punished with a baby.)

To: Diana in Wisconsin

Have you noticed that in our world, California is going to place a new tax on "new" oil?

Rand and reality seem to have met this past week.

11 posted on 07/04/2009 8:10:36 AM PDT by Publius (Gresham's Law: Bad victims drive good victims out of the market.)

Steel for a company in Nebraska is diverted to Illinois because the Nebraska company is doing well, while the Illinois company is a failing concern in a failing town. The town is too important to fail, and thus so is the company. In the end, both companies fail. Where do we see this today?

Bailouts. Confiscate the fruits of good decisions and give them to those who because of government meddling or their own ineptitude or greed cannot seem to make their own businesses prosper.

12 posted on 07/04/2009 8:12:30 AM PDT by Still Thinking (If ignorance is bliss, liberals must be ecstatic!)

The diners in the restaurant reacted to Francisco’s destruction of d’Anconia Copper by trying to deny its reality. Dr. Simon Pritchett might have added, “Can you be sure that Francisco d’Anconia ever existed?” Where does this denial of reality have a parallel in today’s society?

Congress and the oral office. They airbrush their own view of history by ignoring the tragic (for the people) failures of collectivist societies and the success of the Reagan/Thatcher approach to foreign relations. They seem to think they can make socialism workable by force of belief.

13 posted on 07/04/2009 8:18:07 AM PDT by Still Thinking (If ignorance is bliss, liberals must be ecstatic!)

To: whodathunkit

>>”It is related that when a squatter refused to abide by the decisions of the court, he was immediately placed in a canoe and rowed to the mouth of Lycoming Creek, the boundary line of civilization, and there sent adrift down the river. ‘

Now we know where “up a creek without a paddle” came from.

14 posted on 07/04/2009 8:21:25 AM PDT by shove_it (and have a nice day)

>>”In dire straits, California decides to levy predatory and confiscatory taxation on the state’s oil wealth. Are we approaching this in California and elsewhere?”<<

Here's a real life example ~ the following thread was posted on FR today:

“Los Angeles will end use of coal-fired power”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2285325/posts

Los Angeles will eliminate the use of electricity made from coal by 2020, replacing it with power from cleaner renewable energy sources, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said.

Consumers of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the largest city-owned utility in the United States with 1.45 million electricity customers, will see higher power bills in the fight against climate change, he added in his inaugural speech for his second four-year term as mayor on Wednesday.

15 posted on 07/04/2009 8:46:50 AM PDT by shove_it (and have a nice day)

To: Still Thinking

Actualy, the Truthers also fit here. There are two very different versions of reality at play, and that determines how one looks at the world.

16 posted on 07/04/2009 8:57:43 AM PDT by Publius (Gresham's Law: Bad victims drive good victims out of the market.)

I wasn’t aware of that, but it doesn’t surprise me one tiny bit!

17 posted on 07/04/2009 9:03:43 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)

At an adjoining table, a diner reacts violently to the d’Anconia Copper destruction, saying, “We can't permit it to be true.” A government worker says it was just a series of accidents, all coincidental, and it is unpatriotic to believe otherwise. Then the calendar display on the office building flashes a message, “Brother, you asked for it!”, signed by Francisco with his full Spanish name. Hank cheers while the diners degenerate into hysterics.

that's the funnest sceane in the book

18 posted on 07/04/2009 9:16:57 AM PDT by Charlespg (The Mainstream media is the enemy of democracy destroy the media)

To: whodathunkit

Thank you. Happy Fourth of July!

19 posted on 07/04/2009 9:26:08 AM PDT by definitelynotaliberal

To: definitelynotaliberal

How about these revised questions:

People were at first willing to just seize a little of the wealth of the rich. Now they want it all. Cuffy Meigs wants to go all the way and seize Canada and Mexico. Do dying nations become predatory when the money runs out? If so, why?
In dire straits, California decides to levy predatory and confiscatory taxation on the state’s oil wealth. Are we approaching this in California and elsewhere? Why do political entities risk cutting their own throats?
The Aristocracy of Pull considers shutting down America’s industries to become an agricultural society like India. On our time line, America’s industries were shipped to India and the Third World decades ago because of American wages pricing American goods out of the world market, something Rand never envisioned. Is it at all rational to de-industrialize a country? What could possibly justify such a decision?
Minnesota degenerates into civil war. California threatens to secede. As things get worse, will the bonds of Union sunder due to a central government that cannot perform the tasks it has promised the people? If so, why, and how would that improve the situation?

20 posted on 07/04/2009 9:47:00 AM PDT by Publius (Gresham's Law: Bad victims drive good victims out of the market.)

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