And, physical appearance is irrelevant to that assessment.

I totally agree with you.

He extolls her writings as providing moral lessons that should guide public policy.

Paul Ryan is what is demonstrably wrong with our society.

to smoke in middle age and live to 93.

Ayn Rand couldn’t break her smoking habit, but because everything she did had to have some cockamamie “rationalism” to it, she came up with the awesome excuse that a burning cigarette in the hand is a symbol of “the fire in the mind”. Shiny! To further cover up the fact that she is just a screwed up human being like everybody else, she decided to make smoking not just acceptable among her gaggle of groupies, but actually mandatory. She later got lung cancer, which was, by all accounts, hilarious.

http://www.thisblogrules.com/2010/09/the-five-most-spectacular-dick-moves-of-ayn-rand.html

Ayn Rand, Hypocrite?
Legendary opponent of “welfare state” received Social Security and probably Medicare

By Patia Stephens
An interview recently surfaced that was conducted in 1998 by the Ayn Rand Institute with a social worker who says she helped Rand and her husband, Frank O’Connor, sign up for Social Security and Medicare in 1974.

Federal records obtained through a Freedom of Information act request confirm the Social Security benefits. A similar FOI request was unable to either prove or disprove the Medicare claim.

Between December 1974 and her death in March 1982, Rand collected a total of $11,002 in monthly Social Security payments. O’Connor received $2,943 between December 1974 and his death in November 1979.

http://www.thomhartmann.com/users/canuckistanian/blog/2011/01/ayn-rand-received-social-security-medicare

This one rings a bit hollow to me, given she had significant income, and paid into the system.

Why wouldn't she take back some of what she paid in? It's not like people can opt out on the contribution side.

If she never paid in AND took money out, I would understand that criticism.

Social Security is Immoral
By Alex Epstein (Providence Journal, January 20, 2005; Detroit Free Press, February 6, 2005; Colorado Springs Gazette, March 27, 2005; Philadelphia Inquirer, March 28, 2005; USA Today Magazine, May 1, 2005; Louisville Courier-Journal, May 7, 2005)

In his State of the Union Address, President Bush said that many options were "on the table" to deal with Social Security's problems, and that he "will listen to anyone who has a good idea to offer." But there is one idea he will not listen to: the idea that Social Security should be phased out and ended altogether. Why? Because like his Democrat critics, he believes that whatever Social Security’s financial problems, the program is "a great moral success."

But is it?

Social Security is commonly portrayed as benefiting most, if not all, Americans by providing them "risk-free" financial security in old age.

This is a fraud.

http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=10857&news_iv_ctrl=1021

Will watch later.

I remember reading Atlas Shrugged in the mid-80s and it generated so many questions for me.

That's all I can think of when I see this interview. Both in terms of nastiness, perverse thinking and physical resemblence.

...cigarette monger and deserved the karma she received.

Paul Krugman eviscerated one of her disciples, Paul 'Fucking Moron' Ryan, in his column today and called him a walking, posing piece of phlegm. (OK, I embellished, but it fits what I read).

her features which are classic, and everything to do with what lies within. Her shifting eyes and prideful, contemptuous expression literally make me feel ill, as if whatever is rotting inside her is oozing from her pores and infecting the space she occupies. Extremely creepy.

And many tea baggers.
This is what they aspire to.

the GOP GOD LOVIN' EVANGELICAL TEAPARTY people love her. Paul Ryan loves her, he makes all his staff read her nonsense. Her whole philosophy is "every man for himself". Not exactly Christian at all is it? But they lover her!!! Wall Street loves her! Can't think of his name now but Andrea Mitchell's husband who used to be head of the Federal Bank used to be one of her personal followers and lovers. He or someone wrote about it in a book. She is still very much with us and in our government so be on the look out!

And by the way, doesn't she kind of remind you of Orly Taitz?

Her eyes are constantly darting about, never focusing on anything. It is easier to turn your back and listen than to try and concentrate on what she is saying while looking at her. I have a very difficult time accepting her so called "objectivism" as anything more than the inarticulate rambling of an insane narcissist.

Objectivist Atheist, all the same.

That would make Paul Ryan=to Joe Stalin.
It's time to hang that label on Rand's followers.

How about Ayan Rand the anti-Christ?

"Ive gots mine and you cants haves none"

models their economic policies on the writings of someone who mocks the most basic tenets of Christianity.

of capitalism, as embodied in the Fed, that oversees state intervention to subsidize and bail-out the major banks. Rand, herself, says, "capitalism with Gov't help is the worst of all economic phenomena." (Pt.2, 6:38) Did she really believe that, or is that just the public line?

Contradictions within conundrums wrapped in cynicism. Not a very attractive package, on the outside.

That woman who, whether she knew what would happen or not, started an 'us vs. them' revolution of her own. Every miserable word out of her mouth became the GOP's manifesto. The funny thing is that the very system she vilified became the very thing that helped her; when she became destitute she used government support systems to take care of her. Deceitful fraud.

http://borderlessnewsandviews.com/2012/01/ayn-rand-an-intellectual-fraud/

Quint: the thing about a shark... he's got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn't seem to be living... until he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white and then... ah then you hear that terrible high-pitched screamin'.

sounds like he was describing Ayn Rand to a T.

but if she had the "sex life" she's purported to have, it had to be thanks to the light switch in no small part. Consider that she WAS "barren" upon her passing.

ANd HOW DO the Right's champions of Ayn, balance her ideals against those of their Christian factions???