Deja Vu: Government-Sponsored Robbery.

I was reading Alan Greenspan's autobiography-cum-memoir "Age of Turbulence" - I was struck by how many times he refers to Ayn Rand and her ideology. Actually, he lists her as the one of the two teachers who she has had the greatest impact on him (the other one is Arthur Burns, a Columbia University professor and Greenspan's mentor). And probably not too surprisingly, I have seen the same vein of anguish they express when there is something wrong with the world. It is like, look, this is the right way to do it, and it has been proved so. Why can't you reason it out?

At the core, is their innocence and disbelief that people can so obviously be stupid, mean or ignorant enough to not follow something that is logical. They cannot believe that somebody would give in to short-term benefit over long-term one, which benefits the larger world, including themselves.

Perhaps, given his long political exposure, Mr. Greenspan wouldn't bee too surprised at the tack taken by Mr. Karunanidhi, Tamil Nadu CM. But I'm shocked and dismayed over Mr. Karunanidhi's threat that he would nationalize any cement companies that did not reduce their prices, because you know, the government projects are getting hard to finish. This is the same vein adopted by the Government in Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, and the Govt. is baring its' teeth once again, that, hey, we've got this gun right behind you. Comply, or be robbed. See that the Govt. will not resort something more logical, like say, fiscal responsibility. They continue to dole out pork, like free TVs.

I know this would not amount to much, but in protest, I am withdrawing as a volunteer for this year's TiECON, for which Mr. Karunanidhi is the Chief Guest. And shame on you, TiE Chennai, for inviting somebody who threatens the very roots of free enterprise. I will not have this. Of course, all I am capable of doing is peaceful protest, which I see as the only recourse.