Constitution burnt on the steps of the Capitol

As was destined, the House of Representatives approved the bailout package yesterday. Ayn Rand's rant from Anthem comes to mind:

The word "We" is as lime poured over men, which sets and hardens to stone, and crushes all beneath it, and that which is white and that which is black are lost equally in the grey of it. It is the word by which the depraved steal the virtue of the good, by which the weak steal the might of the strong, by which the fools steal the wisdom of the sages.

..."we", the word of serfdom, of plunder, of misery, falsehood and shame.

I do appreciate the fact that while small government advocates (like the anti-bailout Congressman who banged his fists on the pulpit before the failed House vote and framed this vote as one pitting life against liberty, or something to that effect) may see this as disastrous capitulation, it is not so. The forces of we-ification in America were always present and the bailout is just another milestone (the said Congressman, a Republican, probably didnt think of his ideals when he voted for military adventures with public money - some wars being socialism of the worst order). But hey, there is a good time for symbolism and a bad time, and this is a good time.

Sidenote: Philosophy apart, I have always found Rand's material to be extremely irritating for various reasons. She comes across as sexist, a surprising characteristic for an advocate of individualism. Her infatuation with the outstanding beauty and intellect of her protagonists spills over as a flaw in her philosophy - it seems that one has to be tall, handsome, and very smart to qualify as a proud individual. The same infatuation also reflects in long-winding intercourses between her favorite characters wherein they mutually masturbate each others' pride and talents. Sweet and sappy, overwhelmingly so, a feeling akin to drinking gulabjamun syrup after the gulabjamuns are long finished.