We Are ALL Capitalists
by John Aglialoro
(This article has been republished from Forbes)
Today we’ll vote in arguably the most important election of our lifetimes. So today, we will not mince words.
I employ over 1000 people. From Democrats to Republicans, from Libertarians to Independents, I employ 1000 smart, hard working, and dedicated people from all walks of life. And, from the janitors to the desk jockeys, all are Capitalists.
Yes, all of them.
Not that being a Capitalist is a job requirement when you come to work for me. It’s not - not explicitly anyway. Implicitly however, absolutely.
Here’s how it works: I have work that needs to be done. You have the skill required to do the work. We freely enter into an arrangement by which you will trade with me your time for my money. We negotiate a wage and agree to terms. You come to work. I pay you.
Ahhhh... Capitalism.
Somehow though, this very simple idea, of individuals freely trading value for value, has managed to elude the President of the United States. And, by the President’s recent comments in Rolling Stone regarding Ayn Rand, I’m wondering now if it may very well be due to a reading comprehension problem.
"Ayn Rand is one of those things that a lot of us, when we were 17 or 18 and feeling misunderstood, we'd pick up. Then, as we get older, we realize that a world in which we're only thinking about ourselves and not thinking about anybody else ... is a pretty narrow vision." - President Barack Obama
What struck me most about the President’s comments was not simply how inaccurate they are but rather, how familiar. Familiar and, sadly, identifiable as a tactic: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon (see Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals”).
For the past upmteen decades, the Left’s modus operandi has been to rail against greed and selfishness and then attach those words to Capitalism, or in this case a champion of Capitalism, Ayn Rand, in the hopes of getting those words to “stick.” And, it would appear from the President’s 50% approval rating, their attacks are working.
Capitalism has effectively become a dirty word.
So who are these 50% that are so ready to do away with Capitalism? Are they Socialists? Marxists? Fascists maybe?
No. They’re Capitalists. They just don’t know it yet.
They don’t know it yet because no one has taken the time to tell them. No one has taken the time to ask them the simple questions or provide the simple answers. No one has sat down with them and asked...
“Do you believe that you should have the opportunity to work as hard as you want with the sole purpose of achieving success as you define it?” Yes? You’re a Capitalist.
“Do you believe that you have the right to take the money you earn everyday and spend it the way you see fit?” Yes? You’re a Capitalist.
“Do you believe the Government should be permitted to take the money you’ve earned and redistribute it to those not truly in need?” No? You’re a Capitalist.
You get the picture. We don't need to tell those 50% why Capitalism is good. We don’t need to sell them Capitalism. We simply need to sell them them.
We all know that we are a Nation of Capitalists built on the shoulders of Capitalism and intrinsically, whether stated explicitly or not, we know pure Capitalism to be the greatest economic system the World has ever known.
“Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself...” – Abraham Lincoln
We all know Capitalism is who we are. We all know Capitalism is at the core of our greatness as a nation and it is that greatness that drives people from all over the world to risk life and limb simply to be here, not for a guarantee, but for an opportunity. We all know that Capitalism is the motive power energizing the luminescence of the Shining city upon the hill.
Now, we just need to let them know that they LOVE Capitalism too - and that they always have, and always will.
For those of you taking the time to read this article, it is in your hands. Our country, our freedom and our way of life is being attacked and is facing the greatest challenge in its history. It is up to you to take the message to the people - your friends, your family and your neighbors - and win back our Country.
John Aglialoro is the Producer of Atlas Shrugged Part 1 and Atlas Shrugged Part 2.
