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Ayn Rand's Voting Record

Posted by dbhalling 9 years, 9 months ago to Politics
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I read a book that discussed this in more detail but cannot find it. What is clear is that Rand also got played by politicians. As she got older she looked beyond the rhetoric and found it harder to vote for any of the candidates. Ultimately, freedom is not won in elections or procedural changes, it is won in the battle of ideas. Imagine an election between Jefferson, Coolidge, and Rand.

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  • Posted by dbhalling 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Jefferson never personally put himself out there, but his friends in the press (some I think he funded) said vicious things. Adams did not forgive him for years - on the other hand Adams passed the Alien and Sedition Act - partly in response Jefferson's press cronies.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I'm surprised it's available. I guess the myth of the secret ballot unless Rand herself stated how she had voted.
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  • Posted by $ jbrenner 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Yes, I have read about Jefferson and his political enemies, particularly Adams. Monticello has a nice display on that topic. I think Coolidge probably would get my vote amongst the three. He was probably the president who least interfered with individuals.
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 9 years, 9 months ago
    Hello DH,
    Great find." Will he accelerate, delay or stop the march toward statism?" Sad how little things have changed and how even Rand had to occasionally overlook some shortcomings and hold her nose while voting... even occasionally abstaining as she felt all choices offered were intolerable.
    Regards,
    O.A.
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  • Posted by $ jbrenner 9 years, 9 months ago
    An election between Jefferson, Coolidge, and Rand would be a tough one. They each had outstanding qualities. Both Jefferson and Coolidge would be in my top five presidents. Ayn Rand might lose my vote because being a president requires one to be able to get along with people with whom one disagrees. While I agree with the vast majority of Rand thinks, I am pretty sure that Rand would have focused on the 2% we disagree on rather than on the 98% we do agree on.
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