Texas Faith : Do Republicans have an Ayn Rand problem?

The problem Republicans have is “a policy coup by some hardnosed people,” in the words of Gen. Wesley Clark.  The right among Republicans is attempting to take over the direction of this country and pushing for policies that will break the cohesive fabric of America.

Texas Faith : Do Republicans have an Ayn Rand problem?

Paul Ryan’s selection as the Republican vice presidential nominee has put Ayn Rand back into the spotlight. Ryan was picked in large part because he’s the architect of a budget that demands lower taxes and smaller government and, more to the point, anticipates a shifting emphasis from government to the   individual. Ryan has credited Rand as a source of his political thought. He has said Rand’s philosophy was “sorely needed right now” and “Ayn Rand did more than anybody to build a moral case for capitalism, the morality of individualism, and this to me is what matters most.”

Rand argued that altruism is immoral and selfishness is good. She was a champion of unbridled markets and limited government. She was an atheist who denounced religion as the enemy of reason and she advanced the idea of an unlimited laissez-faire capitalism in which the rich prospered in a   social Darwinian universe. Emboldened by the Tea Party, many Republican leaders like Ryan have proposed a fundamental dismantling of the nation’s social safety net in a way that would make Rand proud. But many Tea Party advocates are strong Christian conservatives who would be appalled by Rand’s anti-Christian views.

Here’s the thing: By embracing Rand, Paul Ryan touts a philosophy that is tightly knit and carefully constructed in which the pieces fit neatly together. In Rand’s world, if you believe in objectivism, there’s no room for a little government collectivism. One precludes the other. Take out one piece and it all falls apart.

So can leaders who are strong believers in Rand’s philosophy advocate self-interest and   community obligation in the same breath? How do you make a “moral case” for the individual and individual rights in a way that’s ethically justifiable? Do Republicans have an Ayn Rand problem?

Our Texas Faith panel weighs in:

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

The problem Republicans have is “a policy coup by some hardnosed people,” in the words of Gen. Wesley Clark.  The right among Republicans is attempting to take over the direction of this country and pushing for policies that will break the cohesive fabric of America.

As individuals, we do not function entirely on our own abilities; we are inter-dependent and interconnected.  Without a consumer the manufacturer will fail, without a patient a doctor has no job, and without a healthy society the productivity of a nation suffers, and the rich will not get richer. We don’t need any one when we are doing well with our health and a reliable income. In Ayn Rand’s ideal world, the fittest will survive. 

What happens if we are not fit?  Who is not vulnerable to the Nile virus, floods, fires, disasters, diseases, and the economic depression?

The defining moment about individualism and collectivism came when Ron Paul was asked, “Congressman, are you saying that society should just let him die?” His response was health care was a mercy of the community and not a right. A political commercial depicted Romney to be responsible for the death of a lady whose family could not afford insurance to treat her cancer.

None of us would have survived the Holocaust, genocides, massacres, persecution and ethnic cleansing if it was entirely the formula of Ayn Rand. If you are not willing to stand up for others, why should anyone stand up for you?

At the end, the Republican Party does have a serious Ayn Rand problem by virtue of their silence against the policy coup by a few. They have two mouths – one talks about freedom and the other wants to take away choices from a woman about her body; one talks about individual liberties while the other rips that right from gay couples marrying each other, and one talks about freedom of religion and the other passes laws restricting Muslims to practice their religion.

Indeed, we need to find a balance between the individual and individual rights in a way that’s ethically, morally justifiable.

 When Justice Roberts rendered a decision in favor of Obama care, I welcomed the decision as a moderate Republican, and instantaneously many Republicans found a way out and echoed my sentiments. They may be silent, but they have spoken against extremism in the ballot. Ryan is a new throw in the basket; if he was in the primaries, he probably would have been rejected like the other divisive men and women.

Texas faith is a weekly column, where panelists from different traditions respond to the issues of the day - for all the responses, please visit Dallas Morning News at http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/2012/08/texas-faith-do-republicans-have-an-ayn-rand-problem.html/

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Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.comis updated daily.