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subsidies to research pipelines and no government agencyto investigate the viability of developing new technologiesfrom crude oil. e early petroleum industry was ableto achieve so much because the best producers in theworld were free to pursue what they judged to be the best

methods.But, as in virtually every other area of production inthe last century, politicians intervened. ey imposednew laws and regulations constraining the choicesopen to petroleum producers. Today, a complex array ofrulesincluding drilling restrictions and environmentalregulationshas stifled the innovative spirit of the earlypetroleum industry. Few new refineries are built, and weextract relatively little oil domestically despite vast provenreserves. Government permission is required to drill newoil wells, and rare mistakes like the recent Gulf oil spill

are punished with arbitrary long-term bans on drilling.e end result of decades of government edicts has notbeen a more creative, productive oil industry, but ratherone in which all innovations are centered on finding waysto produce in spite of arbitrary government restrictions.

Even in the areas that government allegedly promotesinnovation, any actual implementation of innovativesolutions is subject to the consent of lawmakers, regulatorsand special interest groups. Companies wanting todevelop solar energy in the deserts of California areroutinely blocked by environmental groups applying

political pressure to preserve the area for study. Effortsto construct wind farms off the coast of Massachusettshave been stymied by layers of government permissionseeking well before the first turbine can produce a singlewatt. Even products as simple as solar panels for privat

homes are subject to government approval before they canbe used to supplement domestic energy consumption.On a larger scale, the changing of political leadership can

result in dramatic shifts in focus from one area of energyresearch to another. With the election of the Obamaadministration there was a parallel shift in governmenfunding from hydrogen-based towards electric/hybridcars. In the words of Energy Secretary Stephen Chuwhen announcing massive cuts to the governmenthydrogen vehicle initiative, We asked ourselves, Is ilikely in the next 10 or 15, 20 years that we will convert to

a hydrogen car economy? e answer, we felt, was no.When support for technology development is subject tothe changing winds of political opinion, it becomes muchmore difficult for entrepreneurs to sustain any long-terminnovative push.

Government intervention in the energy market, whethein the form of subsidies, taxes, or regulatory oversight,creates artificial uncertainty for producers and innovatorsWhy expand refinement capacity over several decadewhen the EPA might pass carbon restrictions next year

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""continued from page 1

Americans, and specifically young Americans, haveunrealistic expectations. . . . Even if Obama had all theanswers, he never wouldve been able to turn all theseideas into concrete laws.

Why have the President and a generation of his

supporters gone so quickly from Yes we can! to Whybother?One explanation might be that nobody wants to fight

a losing battle for long. Obama had his chance. Heimplemented significant elements of his agenda (notably,major new health care regulations) but met with stiffopposition. Certainly many Democrats were demoralizedby the opposition and lost interest in fighting it.

But why were Democrats so easily demoralized? Obamawas not elected primarily because of his concrete policyproposals, but because of the idealistic moral passionhe projected during his campaign. Ordinarily, fervent

commitment to moral ideals does not fade so quickly.Had Democrats been more motivated, they could haveturned out in greater numbers and overcome Republicanopposition.

Perhaps Democrats were so easily demoralized becausetheir commitment to the Presidents ideals was never veryserious to begin with.

When Tea Parties began to challenge Obamas visionof progress and label it as socialistic, his defendersreacted with sarcastic contempt. One piece in e NewYork Times characterized the charge as dropping theS-bomb, or whacking the S-beast. How unhip, they

seemed to suggest, for anyone to think that a politiciantoday would support such an extreme ideologyorany principled ideology at all. Asked to characterize hispolitical philosophy in a word, Obama jumped aboard theanti-ideology bandwagon by responding, No, I'm notgoing to engage in that. e same attitude was on display at the October Rallyto Restore Sanity and/or Fear, billed by organizers JonStewart and Stephen Colbert as appealing to Americanswho reject extremism on either side of the politicalspectrum. In his closing speech, Stewart criticized anyonewho would polarize political discussion in America, and

celebrated those who accomplished impossible things,every day by virtue of the little, reasonable compromiseswe all make.

More recently, a thousand people in New York attendedthe founding meeting of No Labels, an organizationdedicated to putting aside political affiliations in order towork together and find practical solutions to our nation'sproblems. Echoing Stewart, No Labels proclaimed thatideological extremism . . . [is] toxic and destructive tocreating a space where the best ideas can be found andenacted.

Many Americans, then, are jaded about the very ideaof political ideology. ey view ideology as toxic orif theyre like Stewart or Colbert, downright laughableey regard it as toxic because they believe it encouragedogmatism, inflexibility, and divisiveness.

What is ideology? It is simply an organized set of ideaor beliefs, a basic point of view, a set of philosophicaprinciples offering answers to lifes major questionsConsider one example: if you think that slavery is evil andfreedom is good, you have the seeds of a political ideologyIf you think that an individuals secure possession ofproperty is good and theft is evil, this is another seed. Iyou then understand that what unites these two positionis a commitment to an individuals right to a life free frominterference by others, you have a political ideology in fulbloom.

If you openly advocate this ideology, you will necessarilybe polarized from and in conflict with those who advocateits opposite. e American Civil War was nothing if noan ideological conflict. Ideology led some Americans to

evaluate slavery as evil, and to pursue abolition (and evenwar) with idealistic passion. Were abolitionists being tooextreme? Were they inflexible and divisive to treatheir opponents as evil? If the answer to both questionsis yes, we should wonder if these concepts can be usedmeaningfully to criticize.

Fortunately, the debate about slavery has long beensettled. But serious struggles over political principleremain. Obamas pragmatism may be growing, but thereis no question that Democrats principles push them inthe direction of increased government control over oureconomic lives. Many Americans, by contrast, believe tha

a principled commitment to individual freedom implies acommitment to economic freedom, a value that Obamapolicies threaten.

We cannot escape the questions of principle thaunderlie current debates. Does freedom include economifreedom, or not? Do individuals have inalienable rightsor not? Must individuals sacrifice for the greater good,or not? Answering these questions means thinking aboutideology.

ere is no reason to think that Americans today canwork together and find practical solutions to our nationproblems without ideology, i.e. without reference to basic

principles. We cannot cure a disease without identifyingits underlying causes. And if we face economic stagnationwe cannot eliminate it without identifying its underlyingcauses or the fundamental basis of long-term economicprosperity. A genuine commitment to principles doesninvolve unthinking dogmatism. Rather, it requireobserving the evidence and thinking clearly to identifythe underlying causes.

Not only in politics, but in life in general, we all relyon principles even if we dont realize it and even if wedont form or apply them consistently. As the philosophe

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These organizations hold regularmeetings and events discussing

and debating Objectivism and itsapplications.

ALABAMA

University of Alabama ObjectivistClubEmail: irmorales@bama.ua.edu

ARIZONA

Fountain Hills Objectivist ClubEmail: graffhyrum@gmail.com

Arizona State Universit y Objectivi stClubE-mail: nyomi.lei@gmail.com

ARKANSAS

University of Arkansas ObjectivistAssociationEmail: jpanders@uark.edu

CALIFORNIA

Golden Gate Objectivists (SanFrancisco Bay Area)Email: goldengateobjectivists@yahoo.comWeb: goldengateobjec tivists.com

Stanford University ObjectivistsEmail: dakinsloss@gmail.com

University of Southern CaliforniaObjectivist ClubEmail: uscobjectivists@gmail.com

UCLA: LOGICEmail: info@clublogic.orgWeb: clublogic.org

UC Berkeley Objectivist ClubEmail: berkeleyobjectivists@gmail.com

UC Irvine Objectivist ClubEmail: shovelcharge88@yahoo.com

UC Santa Barbara Objectivist Club

Email: emiliano.noriegapetti@hotmail.com

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut Objectivism DiscussionGroup (Southbury)Email: aaron.n.turner@gmail.com

COLORADO

Front Range Objectivism (Denver)Email: fro@frontrangeobjectivism.comWeb: frontrangeobjectivism.com

University of Colorado, DenverObjectivist ClubE-mail: johngalt.ucd@gmail.com

Colorado State Objectivist ClubE-mail: alnavarr@rams.colostate.edu

DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA

American Universit y ObjectivistSocietyEmail: nrusotto@gmail.com

DC Objectivist Salon (DCOS)Email: contact@dcobjectivistsalon.orgWeb: meetup.com/DC-Objectivist-Salon/

FLORIDA

Canterbury School ObjectivistSociety (Fort Myers)Email: seanja@autoinstore.com

South West Florida Objectivists(SWFO), Sarasota to Marco Island,FLEmail: jswfo@h-mmm.com

GEORGIA

Atlanta Objectivi st Soc ietyEmail: aoscontact@gmail.comWeb: atlantaobject ivists .com

Georgia Institute of

Technology Students of ObjectivismEmail: gtaynrandclub@gmail.comWeb: cyberbuzz.gatech.edu/aynrand/

Kennesaw State UniversityObjectivistsEmail: randianz@msn.com

New South Objectivists (SC, NC,and Georgia)Email: contact@newsouthobjectivists.orgWeb: newsouthobject ivists .org

University of Georgia ObjectivistClub

Email: slademendenhall@gmail.com

HAWAII

Hawaii Pacific UniversityE-mail: radical_individualist@hotmail.com

IDAHO

Idaho State University ObjectivistClubEmail: inaway@gmail.com

ILLINOIS

Chicago ObjectivistsEmail: contact@chicagoobjectivists.orgWeb: chicagoobject ivists .org

Naperville North HighSchool Society for ObjectivistStudiesEmail: obdura@gmail.com

INDIANA

Indiana University, BloomingtonObjectivist ClubEmail: aynrand@indiana.edu

Objectivists at Indiana University,IndianapolisEmail: jes.shepherd@gmail.com

KANSAS

Kansas State University ObjectivistClubE-mail: cgreinke@k-state.edu

MAINE

University of Maine, Orono Studentsof Ayn RandEmail: m.gibson42@yahoo.com

MARYLAND

Johns Hopkins Univers ity Object ivistSociety

Email: cnicotr1@jhu.edu

University of Maryland ObjectivistClubEmail: emi.barnes@gmail.com

MICHIGAN

Michigan State UniversityObjectivistsEmail: morri136@msu.eduWeb: msuoc.comUniversity of Michigan ObjectivistClubEmail: agaglio@umiche.eduWeb: umso.org

MINNESOTA

Minnesota Objectivist Association(Twin Cities, MN)Email: info@mnobjectivists.comWeb: mnobject ivists. com

MISSOURI

Kansas City Objectivists (KS andMO)Email: darren@cauthon.comWeb: kcobjectivists.org

Southeastern Missouri StateObjectivist ClubEmail: jaarnold1s@semo.edu

MONTANA

e Objectivist Society at Montana

State UniversityEmail: msuobjectivist@yahoo.com

NEBRASKA

Omaha Area Objectivists OmahaEmail: onerandfan@cox.net

NEVADA

University of Nevada, LasVegas Objectivist ClubEmail: stp@worldzone.com

NEW JERSEY

Central Jersey Objectivists (UnionCounty)Email: zigory@comcast.net

Tenafly High School ObjectivistClubEmail: THSObjectivists@gmail.com

NEW YORK

West Islip High School Objec tivistClubEmail: snhellberg@aol.com

NORTH CAROLINANew South Objectivists (SC, NC,and Georgia)Email: contact@newsouthobjectivists.orgWeb: newsouthobject ivists .org

Students of Ayn Rand at UNCCharlotteEmail: dgabrie1@uncc.edu

University of North Carolina, ChapeHill Objectivist ForumEmail: jwadwor@email.unc.edu

OHIO

Baldwin-Wallace Objectivist ClubEmail: bvincent790@gmail.com

University of Cincinnati ApplicableObjectivismEmail: zohar36@gmail.com

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma State UniversityObjectivist ClubEmail: jghodgs@okstate.edu

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Rogers State University ObjectivistClubEmail: reneelm3@yahoo.comWeb: rsuobjc lub.com

OREGON

Portland Area ObjectivistsEmail: burgesslaughlin@macforcego.comWeb: aristot leadventure.com/pao/index.html

PENNSYLVANIA

Carnegie Melon UniversityObjectivistsEmail: pmkenned@andrew.cmu.edu

Penn State University ObjectivistClubEmail: rvb5057@psu.edu

Philadelphia Region ObjectivistsEmail: bvhcom@gmail.com

RHODE ISLAND

Ayn Rand Admirers (RI andsurrounding area)Email: rogerw@tribrocorp.com

SOUTH CAROLINA

Clemson ObjectivistsE-mail: objclub@clemson.edu

New South Objectivists (SC, NC,GA)Email: contact@newsouthobjectivists.orgWeb: newsouthobject ivists .org

TEXAS

Houston Objectivism Societ y,Houston, TXEmail: JanetLWestphal@aol.comWeb: houstonobjectivi sm.com

Rice University Objectivist ClubEmail: rice.objectivism@hotmail.com

South Texas Ayn Rand SocietyEmail: keenan@absolutereason.comWeb: meetup.com/HoustonSTARS/

Texas A&M Universi ty AggieObjectivist ClubCollege Station, TXEmail: kelly.scribner@gmail.com

UT Austin Objectivist SocietyEmail: utobjectivism@gmail.com

VERMONT

Bennington College ObjectivistsEmail: objectivists.at.Bennington@gmail.com

VIRGI NIA

George Mason University ObjectivistClubEmail: dan.v.carvajal@gmail.com

Virginia Polytechnic Institute andState University Objectivist ClubEmail: egochick@gmail.com

University of Virginia CharlottesvilleStudents Pondering ObjectiveoughtEmail: wgf3ba@virginia.edu

Virginia Tech Objectivist ClubEmail: hokieobjectivism@gmail.com

WASHINGTON

An Objective University ofWashingtonEmail: ouw@u.washington.edu

Bellevue Community CollegeObjectivist ClubEmail: sterlingrswank@gmail.com

Central Washington UniversityObjectivist ClubEmail: mikel.moceri@gmail.com

Seattle Portland Objectivist Network(SPON)Email: rachelminer@mac.com

University of Washington ObjectivisSocietyEmail: scascio@u.washington.edu

Washington State Univers ityObjectivist Club

Email: geneligman@gmail.com

WISCONSIN

University of Wisconsin,Madison Students of ObjectivismEmail: jallard@tds.net

CANADA

Toronto Objectivist AssociationEmail: kate@klwilliams.comWeb: stevensnet.net/event&articlelist.html

University of Calgary ObjectivistClubEmail: tymills@shaw.ca

University of Toronto ObjectivistSocietyEmail: uoftobjectivistsociety@gmail.com

, '

Today's young people face an uncertain world. Unemployment among recent college graduates is at

a record high, the United States is still bogged down in two foreign wars, and the wobbling Americaneconomy is in danger of deteriorating further once the Baby Boomers retire. Voters choose betweenDemocrats in one landslide election and Republicans in another, expressing their discontent with eachparty, and seemingly, their own uncertainty about how America should move forward. Many peoplewonder: where are we headed? Will America continue to be the land of opportunity, or are our bestdays behind us?

Dr. Yaron Brook, President of the Ayn Rand Institute, will argue that the answer to that questiondepends on what ideas young people accept and fight for. Join Dr. Brook as he goes beyond theheadlines, examining the basic ideas that have shaped today's events. And learn why the solutionto today's problems lies in rethinking not just our political system, but in challenging an idea mosteveryone holds to be true: the virtue of selflessness.

AYN RANDS MESSAGETO TODAY'S WORLDIDEAS MATTER

A LIVE LECTURE SIMULCAST TO UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

MARCH ST, : PM PACIFIC, : PM EASTERN

MORE INFO: IDEAS.THEUNDERCURRENT.INFO