There are only 2 philosophers in Bush's WH - Ayn Rand and Leo Strauss.

[blm]

Bush claimed Jesus as his philosopher in chief back when he was trying to fool the fundies for their votes and devotion, yet there is NO Jesus in any aspect of the Bush White House - not in his budgets, not in his foreign policy and not in their campaigns designed to vilify whole segments of the citizenry.

Yet, you can find plenty of White House appointees who are adherents to Ayn Rand and Leo Strauss and..... wouldn't you know it.... you can see evidence of their philosophies in every policy.

This might be an interesting topic for a real journalist to explore.

[distantearlywarning]

1. Although I agree with you to some extent,

I think Ayn Rand would have hated G.W. and been completely contemptous of him. She had no patience with idiots.

[blm]

2. Of course she would view him with contempt, but would love that he is

so malleable for her more intellectual disciples.

[undergroundpanther]

3. Ayn rand is a cult

And she had her irrationalities

The Jesus in this admin is a "pre trib" one,A "dominionist" one ,A "kingdom now" one.An " Under an old testament" styled god..They are Christian because the bible itself is ambiguous about morals.God tells you love yet he is jealous an vengeful.The bible is a mass of contradictyions..so it is correctly interpreted by right wingers AND by liberals. BOTH are correct..Because the bible IS confusion that's why it is interpreted correctly in vastly opposite ways depending on the moral heart of the reader.. (which means by it's own admission God didn't write it btw) Which to me means the bible like most philosophers and writers who write about morality and right and wrong are NOT where morality itself comes from.

To me, a sense of morality comes from your own inner locus of control tempered through compassion,empathy honesty and a desire to relate well to other people and a caring desire to not scam,abuse,mislead or use people for self gain,an other directed orientation of self. And either you are that way or you lean more twords narcissism authoritarianism,it will color the way you see the world and people morality and even colors how you read the bible.if you are a narcissist,authoritarian personality type /

[oscar111]

4. Strauss? who's that? Add, also, Milton friedman, the shame of Chicago.

I might add milton friedman as a god at the WH.

His thoughts might be called philosophical in a sense. His idea of

"Government has no functions but three: the army, courts, and the treasury"

That idea is seen in most bush policies. The government is ditching , it seems, all welfare, all health care duties, all vet aid, all college aid, much of lower grade school aid, and all pensions {ss}. Cops are being trimmed, and firefighters.

remember, in NYC centuries ago, you had to pay cops for help.
Each time.

In the middle ages,docs were only for the rich. Folk healers were what peons like you had.
Schools were nonexistent for you pesants. Pensions also were nonexistent.

The rich can afford private cops, private schools, private pensions. They have no desire to pay taxes to fund such things for the middle class. Even tho the middle class generates their wealth.

Mexico is their goal for us. Mexico has generated a few billionaires in its vast sea of desperate poor. Bush's WH likes that model.

Milton Friedman is their philosopher. Mangy tho he is, they idolize him.

[blm]

6. Leo Strauss was a Jew who admired Hitler for everything except the killing

of Jews.

Can't believe I left out Friedman...thanks for the reminder.

[oscar111]

5. Heinlein also contracidtory RWer: i wouldnt want to quote him if i could

find better quotes to lead folks to. Just my opinion.
I like your post tho., very good insight!

Heinlein was widely assailed for his worship of "the competent man", an authoritarian type.

Contradictorily, Heinlein also practiced a LW pursuit, nudist colony attendence.
but overall, he was seen as a rightwing thinker, full of folly.

again, i really like your main post. So very true. Kindness is the core.

[Cocoa]

8. Rand might have been a hypocrite

I don't know if she was or not, but it's a good bet.

I wonder if she ever pondered the fact that she was a pretty sucky writer who was highly successful. That's not something she should have approved of; did she?

[undergroundpanther]

9. The sucessful

Never stop to considser thier sucess was NOT of thier own design.

[DrGonzoLives]

7. I would say Milton Friedman and Henry Kissinger

n/t