I just finished reading Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right by Jennifer Burns.

As I started to read it, I said I was concerned about its attempt to “balance”. Balance usually means the author won’t say what is obvious and true in order to placate someone, somewhere. After reading Goddess of the Market, I feel confirmed in this.

In particular, Burns doesn’t really talk about the American “right”. She sometimes touches on how awful they are, but only with the briefest of touches and the lightest of hands. So, she mentions “Birchers” without discussing the John Birch Society at all – specifically it’s brand of racism and sexism, co-founded by Fred C. Koch, the father of arch-conservative and profoundly racist, sexist assholes Charles and David Koch (names that should be familiar to anyone following current Republican politics). Likewise, the nativist, intensely racist America First organization is mentioned only as a libertarian organization.

Indeed, Burns barely touches on Rand’s intersection with conservative Republican thought.  Burns, instead, focuses her attention on Rand’s association with libertarians.  This has the effect of creating a straw man, since the libertarians aren’t in any positions of power and the Republicans definitely are.  Even if you don’t have any ideological opposition to the Republicans, hiding Rand’s effect on Republican economic conservatives (such as Alan Greenspan or Timothy Geithner) is just a filthy lie.

Continue reading General review of my disappointment in Goddess of the Market by Jennifer Burns →