US Presidential Elections are round the corner. This
time the contest is between Republican Candidate Mitt Romney and incumbent
President Barack Obama. Obama is seeking a second term for the prestigious post
and Mitt Romney of Republican party has entered the campaign arena for the
first time. Barack Obama’s running mate is Joe Biden and Romney has chosen the
former Wisconscin Governor, Paul Ryan as his running mate. Both are on
whirlwind campaign tour across the States of America seeking the valuable votes
of the electorate and a fierce contest is expected in November which is only
two months away from now.
While incumbent President Barack Obama has adopted a
middle-path, his rival Mitt Romney who incidentally is millionaire businessman
has chosen the extreme right path. And in the race for occupying the Oval
office Mitt Romney’s running mate Paul Ryan, a self-proclaimed pro-rich
candidate whose role-model since a long time is the late philosopher- novelist
Ayn Rand. Ayn Rand, the author of ‘Atlas Shrugged’ and ‘Fountainhead’ which
were written for the growing intellectuals of America are based upon Laissez
Faire Capitalism – the undiluted economic ‘Laisse-us-Noire, means ‘Leave us
alone’ or ‘Hands Off’ - is the basic tenet of Ayn Rand’s philosophy. Based upon
the aforementioned theme or motto Ayn Rand developed two novels – ‘Atlas
Shrugged’ and ‘Fountain Head’. Other than ‘Atlas Shrugged’ and ‘Fountain Head’
she wrote a drama, ‘The Night of 16th January’, two or three books
based upon her philosophy of Objectivity – she was an ardent follower of Greek
philosopher Aristotle, it is worthwhile to recall here, ‘For the New
Intellectual’ and ‘Capitalism – An Unknown Ideal’ and collection essays ‘Ayn
Rand Letter’ all could create a great impact on American youth during her life
time. Still even while disagreeing with her propounding of her philosophy of Objectivism
and Laissez Faire Capitalism there are a number of readers across the world
especially America.
While penning the two illustrious novels and other
books, what was her ultimate aim was to propagate her philosophy through her
novels and essays. For a serious reader especially an educated youth her novels
and essays could create explosive impact but for one who reads her work with an
independent outlook on life even while enjoying the works of this articulate
lady simply cannot agree with her philosophy and outlook on life.
Even Rand admitted in one of her essays on Laissez
Faire Capitalism such a system existed only in the second half of nineteenth
century- America and that after a short span failed and after or before that
the theory and scenario she envisaged and visualized neither existed nor is existing
on the face of this earth which means even she nursed doubts about the longevity
of her philosophy in the minds of even her generation or the gen-next. On
leafing through her works I felt it like she had created an Utopian world or in
the words of nobel laureate Paul Krugman she created a world of fantasy.
In the history of mankind, I mean the future, her
philosophy is unlikely to bloom since what all she envisaged will not be able
to get implemented. To understand this truth what one needs is only common-sense.
In a world consisting of diverse types of people her philosophy is impossible
to exist when it comes to reality. But in a fiction a writer can very well
create such a world.
Paul Krugman could ably deconstruct Paul Ryan’s ‘Randism’
through his column in ‘NewYork Times’ which was reproduced in ‘The Hindu’ a national
daily of repute in India.
Even while Alan Greenspan served as Chairman,
Federal Reserve for 18 successive years, please note, he was for a long time a
part of Ayn Rand’s think-tank could not bring about a Laissez Faire system in
its true form in the US economy. It is true that Greenspan was excluded from
her forum but for minor differences of opinion their thoughts are more or less on
the same lines. Even Ayn Rand during her life time opined that what actually existed
and (still existing) was only Mixed Economy which she detested due to the unbridled
control exerted by the government. Therefore she shouted ‘Hands Off’ against
the govt on behalf of the so-called rich who according to her are the
producers. Paul Ryan has mistaken the world of fiction for real world.
Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan aim at
the prosperity, yes, further prosperity of American Rich by reducing taxes imposed
on them by Barack Obama who nurtures more or less a clear idea of the situation
prevailing in USA. Both Republicans aim at reducing the taxes imposed on the
rich community especially the business tycoons and industrial barons and along
with that increasing the taxes of the middle-class as also restricting the Medicare
facility which Barack Obama brought on a wider plane so as to benefit a huge
chunk of American population resisting the ‘obstructionist’ tactics of the
Republicans in the Congress where the latter constitute the majority and I wonder
in case the Republicans are elected as President and Vice President respectively,
ultimately who would suffer most? No doubt the middle-class and those at the
lower strata of the society – they are the neglected sector in each country,
even India is not an exception – since Indian rulers are happy to hold onto the
coat-tails of US leaders.
Barack Obama took charge as President of America in
2008 and upon taking charge what he had inherited was a devastated economy, the
legacy left behind by his predecessor George W Bush, a stubborn and hawkish Republican.
And from the very beginning, Obama as promised during his whirlwind election
tours wanted to ‘lift the economy which was pushed into a ditch’ by the
previous regime, the Republicans were bent upon employing all kinds of
obstructionist tactics in Obama’s way and
forced him to reach a compromise - by which he was compelled to dilute
his intended reforms – by holding talks with the Republicans. If the
Republicans had co-operated with him in implementing reforms that Obama wanted
to implement in its true spirit the picture would have been entirely different.
But they did the just opposite to suffocate the Democratic party leader at
every juncture.
Now that Mitt Romney sheds tears on behalf of US
citizens that Obama has disappointed them deeply and here he is to atone for
Obama’s ‘sins’ or ‘lapses’.
Only when a time arises when the US political parties
do away with the policy of neo-liberalism which always caters to the needs and
aspirations of US rich, it could come out of the abyss that to which the
country has been pushed into.
Giving the reins to the Republicans is tantamount to
devastating the achievements so far Obama govt could do for the US citizens.
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