Is Ayn Rand's vision coming to pass?

Since the presidential election, I have been hearing what may be a new paradigm in this country. It results from a combination of:
1. a sense of helplessness regarding the economic implosion;
2. a sudden epiphany that the massive market dominance of Big Government-Big Business-Big Investment Banks precludes any competitive opportunity for individuals/small business; and
3. a fear that the new ascendancy of political liberals will magnify both the implosion and the dominance of the Bigs.

I am hearing Ayn Rand's voice in the vox populi. People are talking about opting out of the system, going all cash, moving to a farm, buying only necessaries, withdrawing from the salary/intrusive tax returns/government "services" and regulations cycle of existence. There seems to be a sudden and dramatic loss of faith in the institutions that dominate this country.

If enough people move in this direction, would government have to become more representative and responsive? Would it actually shrink? What about banks? Would they become more local and anchored to their communities? The credit card industry might also weaken with the shift away from debt to cash.

Might be the start of something big.

Our 2-party democracy compared to European multi-party coalitions

Interesting conversation today with a Dutchman who moved to the States 4 years ago. Even here in essentially provincial Tampa Bay, we have a genuine French patisserie/boulangerie run by a French couple. They offer coffee with their delectable pastries and breads (she specializes in the former and he bakes the latter).

This unique shop and its proprietors attract a small group of native European regulars, as well as some Americans, who sit around coffee and croissants to discuss political affairs. A discussion today with the man from the Netherlands inspired this cogitation.

It has seemed to me for a long time that our essentially two-party system, in producing a winner and a loser each time, engenders tremendous divisiveness and extremism. One party gains power and rushes to implement as much of its agenda as possible, causing fear and anger in its opponents. First chance the opposition gets, it gains power and tries to reverse what it can and enshrine its own preferences into law.

Over time, I believe this has become a destructive seesaw cycle that yaws ever farther from the center that might most improve the country. I voted one way and believe in my choice. But I realize that essentially half the country voted the other way and thinks it is on the right track. They can't all be wrong and uninformed. The key is that a voter votes for those parts of his party's platform that he likes but generally does not agree with all of his candidate's positions. Since this is true on both sides, it suggests that a compromise of the two platforms would satisfy many more voters than a unilateral enactment of one side's platform.

But who would unilaterally compromise on an issue? If you compromise but the other party does not, you give up territory and gain nothing. Some external force is needed to push both sides simultaneously to compromise in the middle.

The Western European political systems, at least in Holland, Germany and Italy and now to some extent the U.K., have multiple viable political parties. (One might argue there are too many in Italy, since they seem to change governments about every five days.) As a result, and because their parliamentary system allows them to throw out a government they don't like, the winning parties must form coalition governments which by definition involve compromise. No one party is fully in charge. Perhaps having strong third and fourth parties would help stabilize the political process in the U.S.

Just a thought.

Our 2-party democracy compared to European multi-party coalitions

This election has set the stage for some

Three words it is!

Okay, we'll mix it up a bit.

1. Morph

2. Anamorphic - I ran across this new-for-me word the other day and just liked the sound and shape of it.

3. Dimorphous

I think here the idea is to look up any unfamiliar words and then derive the root or use it in another word or context. Or make a funny sentence with it.