Who is John Galt?

On my daily walk to class, I am taunted by chalkings that declare obscure statements such as “Who is John Galt?” Undoubtedly the handiwork of some pretentious “free-thinking” student group, these chalkings echo a disturbing trend among college students to identify themselves as libertarians. \nFor the uninitiated, Galt is the protagonist of “Atlas Shrugged,” the seminal tome that laid the groundwork for objectivism. Written by Ayn Rand in 1957, the book unabashedly glorifies laissez-faire capitalism and individual self-interest. Such lofty and admirable ideals are most closely equated with the modern notion of libertarianism.\nLibertarians, as I understand, are deeply committed to the promotion of social and economic freedoms. This statement, while innocuous, belies the radical and dangerous agenda of libertarianism. The official libertarian manifesto is a creed against welfare, public education, gun control and social security – you know, all the things that make a just and modern society.\nWhile many people, including myself, would agree that the government has no business legislating social norms, the debate gets murkier when dealing with economic issues. Libertarians, who hail the glory of free markets, forget the inherent injustice of unbridled capitalism. Emphasizing free trade over fair trade has meant the outsourcing of American jobs and a growing income gap between the rich and poor. A social contract dictates that when a corporation’s goal of profit does not coincide with fairness, governmental intervention through income redistribution is needed.\nThe last six years have made it clear that privatization is not the answer to everything. For example, the Bush administration has been responsible for outsourcing war efforts to private contractors like Blackwater, with disastrous results. If anything, the Bush administration has proved that a government with good intentions can be the solution, not the problem. \nLibertarianism is founded on the false assumption that the government that governs the least governs the best. Government programs are bemoaned as bloated and inefficient, in spite of evidence to the contrary. Take the issue of health care. Administrative costs for Medicare amount to only 2 percent of total revenues while the numbers total 13 to 15 percent for private insurers. The nation spends far more on health care than any other country in the world, but ranks only 37th in the overall quality of health care it provides, according to the World Health Organization. \nI have generally been of the opinion that analyzing the modern libertarian platform is counterproductive since it only succeeds in legitimizing it. These are different times, however. Thanks to the disastrous presidency of George W. Bush, students are generally more suspicious of the government and the positive role it can play. Such high levels of distrust translate into vocal support for leaders like Ron Paul, who once said, “When one gets in bed with government, one must expect the diseases it spreads.” How charming. \nDon’t let libertarians fool you when they claim to be different from conservatives. Libertarianism, like conservatism, provides a justification for people to continue living in their own selfish interest, while ignoring the needs of others.