Atlas Shrugged - page 404 - political prophecy Reading Atlas shrugged for the second time (thanks to the local Good Will).  Read it the first time in HS, back in 10th grade, several decades back.  I remember walking down the hallway and being stopped by the hall monitor "What are you reading?".  We chatted a bit, and he asked me what it was about.  I gave some lame response, based on what I was thinking about it at the time.  I remember him saying, it's all about Socialism.  That was it, nothing more, just "Socialism".  In a word, he was right. Anyway, if this paragraph isn't a plank right out of the Democratic party, and working it's way into the Republican party, I don't know what it is. "Do you really think we want those laws observed?", said Dr Ferris. "We want them broken.You better get it straight that its not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against - then you'll know that this is not the age for beautiful gestures. We're after power and we mean it. You fellows are pikers,but we know the real trick and you'd better get wise to it.  There's no way to rule innocent men.  The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals.  Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them.  One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.  Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens?  What's there in that for anyone?  But just pass the kinds of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted -  and you create a nation of lawbreakers - and then you cash in on guilt.  Now that's the system Mr Reardon, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with." Folks, we have arrived at this very place.  Q isn't kidding about only having one shot at setting things right.