Sanford-Rand 2012?

Katherine Mangu-Ward | October 27, 2009

Happy (maybe) impeachment day, Gov. Sanford! Looks like South Carolina's Love Gov is trying to keep his options open for a post-politics career. This week he reviews the two new bios of Ayn Rand out this fall and does a nice job of it, though someone should tell him journalism isn't exactly a growth industry right now. Sadly, Sanford doesn't take the juicy bait in Anne Heller's Ayn Rand and the World She Made to opine about the romantic relationship between the very-married Rand and the very-married Nathaniel Branden, her "intellectual heir." Seems like this one-time Rand enthusiast and adultery enthusiast might have had some illuminating thoughts.

Still, passages like this one remind me why I once had a glimmer of hope for a Republican Party ticket that included small government stalwart Sanford:

All told, Atlas has sold more than 6 million copies since it was published just over 50 years ago.

Why? I think at a fundamental level many people recognize Rand's essential truth—government doesn't know best. Those in power in Washington—or indeed in Columbia, S.C.—often lead themselves to believe that our prosperity depends on their wisdom. It doesn't. The prosperity and opportunity we enjoy comes ultimately from the creative energies of the country's businessmen, entrepreneurs, investors, marketers, and inventors. The longer it takes this country to reawaken to this reality, the worse we—and in turn, our children's standard of living—will be.

More Mark Sanford here. Lots more Rand here.