[Talisker]

Francisco D’Anconia on John Galt: “...He said that we had to extinguish the lights of the world, and when we would see the lights of New York go out, we would know that our job was done.”

Besides the massive hardship, destruction of lives and martial law that would result, this is why I feel Cap and Trade might be the actual enactment of Atlas Shrugging - the liberal morons and Leftist lunatics would finally, literally, put out all of the lights.

And to switch metaphors, at that moment the country would turn into Jupiter at the climax of the movie 2010 - a moment of complete darkness, and then a blinding explosion of rage against these totalitarian bastards so huge, the Left would be finally vaporized once and for all by their own "success."

[Cyber Ninja]

Like in a tug-of-war when you just let go of the rope.

You lose, but you are still standing.

I did like your 2010 analogy, though.