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Capitalist Party?

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redmartian89

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I know that Objectivism and libertarianism have a bad history between them, Ayn Rand hated the movement with a passion and most libertarians either conveinently ignore that fact or call Objectivism a cult.

I also see that Objectivism is not at all represented (at least to my current knowledge) within the current American (or elsewhere) system.

I wonder if any Objectivists have thought of creating a specifically political group for their state capitals or Washington to organize either a capitalist or Objectivist Party, lobby group, or a think tank or if this has already happened.

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I wonder if any Objectivists have thought of creating a specifically political group for their state capitals or Washington to organize either a capitalist or Objectivist Party, lobby group, or a think tank or if this has already happened.
Presumably you don't mean "has that though ever entered someone's head" -- most certainly it has. The question ought to be "has anyone seriously pursued taking such actions". If you want a "think tank", this is the obvious place to look. There is no point in creating a political party at present since the culture of socialism, religion and altruism are so deeply ingrained in American life that such a party could not possibly win any seats. For which reason, Objectivists operate within the framework of the two parties which do actually get candidates elected. For specific issues there is e.g. The Association for Objective Law, the Institute for Justice, the Center for the Advancement of Capitalism, Americans for Free Choice in Medicine. I don't know if they count as "lobbyists"; I suppose the essence of being a "lobbyist" is bribing elected officials to vote a particular way on a bill, so in that sense, you also would not expect there to be any Objectivist lobbyists.
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ARI is opening an office in Washington DC either later this year or next. That will be a good start.

Really? Where's your source?

Maybe this is what ARI was talking about in the About ARI link on their website:

Plans to establish an East Coast office for the Institute—allowing increased "real time" access to the nation's media centers, permitting greater access to policymakers, "think tanks" and intellectuals, and facilitating stronger relationships with the business community.
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It's accurate.

Sorry, I certainly didn't mean that I was doubting Kelly's claim, though it came off that way because of the way that I wrote..."Really?"...

But I did find this from ARI...The Letters to Donors page :

Establish an East Coast-based public-policy research and outreach group—a center for the moral defense of capitalism. The center will be charged with arguing the philosophical case for free markets to the public policy and business communities, the media and the general public, and to elected officials and their staffs. The center will also represent an East Coast presence for the Institute—offering substantial new opportunities to reach new and important constituencies with our message—primarily in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Is this it, Kelly?

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Yes, that's it, Steve. There was a press release, if I recall correctly, earlier this year, but I must have deleted it because now I cannot locate it anywhere. (I just signed up at ARI earlier this year, so I know I have had something sent to me in 2007.)

No offense taken by your earlier post, of course. :)

It's mentioned in this article, although this isn't the one I was initially thinking of... [url=http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2007/09/27/unsolicited-advice-aynrand-oped_meb_0928unsolicited.html]

"Rand, an ardent advocate of rational egoism and capitalism, might have been the bane of academics in her lifetime, but now objectivism is taught at more than 30 universities, with fellowships at several leading philosophy departments. Next year, ARI plans to enter the Washington, D.C., think tank world with a center devoted to the advocacy of individual freedom and capitalism."

Edited by K-Mac
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I don't doubt you. One of my professors tells the class everyday that the Republicans operate under this ideal of "laizze-faire" capitalism... :dough:

And I'm a dragon, i.e., a non-existant being!

(Turns off sarcasm.)

They are a long way laizze-faire capitalism. But then as this article proves, few people actually know what laisse-faire is. They just (wrongly) think they do.

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