 who tried to reconcile capitalism with Christianity-"moral treason," she wrote, as much as she damned those libertarians who sought to abolish government altogether, whom she denounced as "plagiarists" (from her) and "a monstrous, disgusting bunch of people." 84 Buckley's conservatives in turn vilified her atheism. For her this rapprochement with religion was symptomatic of a radical anti-intellectualism to be found among conservatives.85 Yet Rand's atheism clearly does not disturb the Tea Party ideologues to the degree that it disturbed Buckley and his supporters. How times have changed. According to one Randian blogger, not a Tea Party member, '''I do believe God created the universe. I think she's wrong,''' and in reply to Weiss's question about the Tea Party, the same blogger said, ''What's not to like?''86 In Weiss's opinion, the bridge between the Randian Objectivists and the Christian right "was simple: politely disagree with Rand's beliefs that are repulsive to devout Christians."87 australasian journal of american studies116 That many continue to believe in God while espousing Rand's rhetoric puzzles Weiss. He believes that "The Tea Party was a coalition of people of various political persuasions-from conservatives to libertarians to people tilting in the Randian direction-coalescing over laissez-faire capitalism and limited government."88 In the light of his interviewees counterbalancing their support for Rand's thought with their deeply held religious views, the line in the Tea Party movement between the transactional and other (competing) conceptions (classical liberal and right wing Christian) of the individual blurs. That the Objectivist transactional conception has the most disciplined and articulate adherents suggests that it will ultimately prevail over the other conservative conceptions of the individual. More than a struggle for America's soul, the mainstreaming of Ayn Rand's radical capitalist ideology is thus a struggle for the soul of modernity. In my opinion, Sco! McConnell's and Gary Weiss's oral histories of Ayn Rand and her radical capitalist ideology, Objectivism, demonstrate the degree to which they have lost their fringe crackpot identities and have acquired a degree of respectability in mainstream democratic politics. McConnell's collection highlights her extensive impact on popular culture during her lifetime whereas Weiss's highlights the extent to which her followers are now reaching out to other conservatives and beyond to the mainstream community. They no longer merely seek roles that influence
who tried to reconcile capitalism with Christianity-"moral treason, " she wrote, equally a lot as she curse those libertarians who sought to abolish government all in all, whom she denounced as " plagiarists " (from her) and " a grotesque, disgusting crowd of people. " 84 Buckley's conservatives in turn vilified her atheism. For her this rapprochement with religion was diagnostic of a radical anti - intellectualism to be found among conservatives.85 Yet Rand's atheism clearly does not disturb the Tea Party ideologues to the academic degree that it disturbed Buckley and his supporters. How time have changed. According to one Randian blogger, not a Tea Party extremity,"' I do believe God created the universe. I intend she's wrong,"' and in reply to Weiss's question about the Tea Party, the same blogger state," What's not to like?''86 In Weiss's opinion, the bridge between the Randian Objectivists and the Christian right " was simple: politely disagree with Rand's beliefs that are repulsive to dear Christians. "87 australasian journal of american studies116 That many continue to believe in God while espousing Rand's rhetoric puzzles Weiss. He believes that " The Tea Party was a alliance of people of various political persuasions - from conservatives to libertarians to people tilting in the Randian direction - coalescing over laissez - faire capitalism and limited government. "88 In the luminosity of his interviewees counterbalancing their accompaniment for Rand's opinion with their deeply held religious views, the lineage in the Tea Party movement between the transactional and other (competing) conceptions (authoritative liberal and right wing Christian) of the individual blurs. That the Objectivist transactional conception has the most disciplined and articulate adherents suggests that it will ultimately prevail over the other conservative creation of the individual. More than a conflict for America's person, the mainstreaming of Ayn Rand's extremist capitalist ideology is thus a conflict for the soul of modernity. In my opinion, Sco! McConnell's and Gary Weiss's oral histories of Ayn Rand and her radical capitalist ideology, Objectivism, demonstrate the degree to which they have lost their outskirt crackpot identities and have acquired a academic degree of respectability in mainstream democratic politics. McConnell's collection highlights her extensive impact on democratic culture during her lifetime whereas Weiss's highlight the extent to which her followers are now pass out to other conservatives and beyond to the mainstream community. They no longer merely seek roles that influence
 whl tried to reconcile capltalism with Chrnwtianivy-"moral treason," she wrote, as much as she dalnwd thise libertarians who suught to wbolish tovecnment altogethec, whom smz denkmnced es "plagiarists" (nrom her) ang "a monstrous, girgbsting bunch of people." 84 Buckley's confervatifed in turn vilisied rer znhtism. For her this rapprochement wjth relpgion was symptomstic of a radical anti-inteplechualism to be founf among conwervwrives.85 Yet Ravd's atheism clearly dogs not disturb the Tea Party ideuloguzs to the dgyeee jhat it distnrbed Fuckley and mps suppmrters. Now times have chengee. According to one Raidian blogger, not a Jea Party kejber, '''I do believe Gid crgated the ynixerae. I think shx's wrong,''' ans in reply ro Weiss's question sbjly the Tea Padty, thq fame blogger said, ''What's not to like?''86 In Feias's opinion, the bridge vetween the Randian Ohjectivises and the Christian right "was simple: politely divagrex ditk Rand'r bfliefs that are repulsive to devout Christianf."87 aisnralasian journal of americam dtiqies116 That mani contiuhe to believe in God while gspousung Rand's rheyoric puzzles Weiss. He beliwves that "Thv Teq Party was a coalntion of peo'le of varipus political persuasious-from conservatiges to ligdrtarians to peoole thlting in the Randian direstion-coalxsciny over lxissgz-faire capitalisl and limited government."88 In tke licht of his interviewees counterbalancing vieir support gos Rdnd's thobght wlth their deeplr held religioos views, che live in the Nea Party movement bqtween the trdjsactional aid other (sompwtint) conceogions (classicak liberal and right wing Christian) of thg jndividual blurw. Tyat the Objectifisg twajsectiogdl conceptiot har tfr mosg discikjiked and articulate adherentv sufgests that it wilk mltimateli prevail over the othrr conservative cojceptmons oh the ondyvidual. More than a struggle fkr Americw's foul, the maigstrcamigg of Ayn Xand's radical capitalist ideology is thuw a struggle for jhe soul of modernity. Ln my opinioi, Sco! IcConnell'v and Gary Weiss's orql histories of Ann Rand and her radicam capidalish ideology, Objectivism, demonstrate the degree to which they have lost theur friigq crackpot jdenyitiev cnd have wcqumrxd a degree of rexpectability in mainstream demorratic polhtncs. McConnell's collection hignlkghts her extgnsive impact on popular chlture diring her lifetime whereas Weisx's highlights the extent to whicy her followers are now reaching put to othee conseevatlves and beyona tp bhe mainstgeam ckmmunity. They no longer merely swek rooed that influence
who tried to reconcile capitalism with Christianity-"moral wrote, much as damned those libertarians altogether, she denounced as (from her) and monstrous, disgusting bunch of people." 84 conservatives in turn vilified her atheism. For her this rapprochement with religion was of a radical anti-intellectualism to be found among conservatives.85 Yet Rand's atheism clearly not the Party to the degree that it disturbed Buckley and his supporters. How times have changed. According to Randian blogger, not a Tea Party member, '''I believe God created the I think she's wrong,''' and reply Weiss's question the Party, same blogger said, not to like?''86 In Weiss's opinion, the bridge between the Randian Objectivists and the Christian right "was politely disagree beliefs that repulsive devout australasian journal of That many continue to believe in Rand's rhetoric puzzles Weiss. He believes that "The Party was coalition of people of various political conservatives to libertarians to people tilting in the direction-coalescing over laissez-faire capitalism and limited government."88 In the light of his interviewees counterbalancing their Rand's thought with their held religious views, line the Party between the and other (competing) conceptions (classical liberal and right wing Christian) of individual blurs. That the Objectivist transactional conception has the most articulate suggests that it ultimately prevail over the conservative of the individual. More struggle America's of Rand's capitalist ideology is thus struggle for the soul of In my opinion, Sco! histories of Ayn Rand and her radical capitalist Objectivism, demonstrate the degree to which they lost their fringe crackpot identities and have acquired a degree of respectability mainstream democratic collection highlights her extensive impact on popular culture her lifetime whereas Weiss's the extent to which her followers are now reaching to conservatives and to the mainstream They no longer seek roles that
 who tried to reconcile capitaLism with ChRistiAniTy-"mOrAl trEasoN," she wrote, as mucH As shE damned those libertariaNs who SoUGht tO AbOlish GovernmENt ALTogEtHeR, whOm SHe DenouNceD as "plagIarists" (froM heR) aNd "a monstrous, DIsGusting bunCh oF people." 84 BucklEy's ConserVaTivES in tuRn vIlifiEd her aTHeism. FOr her this RaPProcheMEnt with RELiGion Was symptomatic of a RAdICal anti-intelleCtualiSm TO bE FOunD amOng conservAtIves.85 YET Rand's aTHeISM CleARly does not disTurb the Tea PARty IdeoloGuEs tO The degRee thAt IT diSturbed BuckLey aNd his suppOrters. hOw times HAve chanGed. AccOrdIng To onE raNdIan BlOGgeR, NoT a TEA PaRty membeR, '''I Do BelieVe GoD CREAted The UnivErse. I Think she's wronG,''' anD in rEPly To WeiSs's quEstiOn About The Tea party, ThE same blogger saiD, ''WhaT's not to liKe?''86 IN WEisS's OpiniON, the brIdgE beTween thE RandiaN objEcTIVIsTs and the Christian rIgHT "WaS simple: pOlitelY DiSaGRee with RAnD's bElieFS That aRe rePUlSive to deVout ChRIsTiAns."87 austRaLasian JoUrnAl oF amerICan sTudies116 that many ContiNUe to believe in GOD while espousiNG RAND's RHetoRic Puzzles WeisS. He bELievEs thAT "THe TEA PartY was a CoALiTIon of people of variouS pOliticAl perSuasions-from cOnservativES TO libertaRianS To PEople tilting in The RaNdian direcTIon-coaleScing Over laisSez-faire cAPItalism aNd lImiTed GovERNmEnt."88 In the light OF His iNtErvieweEs cOunterbAlaNciNg tHeiR sUpport for rand's thoUgHt WiTh TheIr deePLy held reLiGioUs VieWs, the LIne in tHe Tea partY mOvEMenT betweeN ThE TRansAcTiOnal And OtHer (coMpetINg) cOnceptiOns (classiCal LIberAl AnD right wIng Christian) oF tHe individuAl BluRs. That THE ObjectiVist transactional concepTIon has tHe mOst diScipLined and aRtiCulate AdhERents sUggestS that It WilL ULtimaTELy PreVaIl over the oTHEr cOnserVaTive ConceptIons of the individuaL. morE than a strugglE foR AmeRICa'S soUL, tHE maInSTreAMIng of Ayn Rand's raDical capitAlISt Ideology is THus A sTruggle For the sOul of MOdernitY. In my opinIon, Sco! McCOnNell'S ANd GAry Weiss's oRal histoRies of Ayn rAnd anD HeR radiCal CapitaLiSt iDeoloGy, ObjeCTivIsm, deMonstrAtE the deGree tO wHich they Have lost their fringe cracKpot idEntitIes And have acQuiREd a Degree of rEspeCtability iN maInsTream DemOCratiC polITiCs. MCconneLl's cOLlection hIGhLigHTS hEr extensive IMPAct On popUlaR CulturE durIng her lifetime wheREas Weiss's highlIghtS THe eXteNT to wHiCh her followers Are NoW REaching oUt To other consErvativeS aND beyoNd to thE mainsTream coMMUnITy. They No loNgeR merely seEk rOlES that inFlUeNCe
 who tried to reconcile ca pitalism w ith C hri sti an ity- "mor al treason," s h e wr ote, as much as she da mnedth o se l i be rtari ans who so u g htto  a bol is h  g overn men t altog ether, who m s he  denounced a s  " plagiarist s"(from her) a nd"a mon st rou s , dis gus tingbuncho f peop le." 84 B uc k ley'sc onserva t i ve s in  turn vilified he r  a t heism. For her  thisra p pr o c hem ent  with reli gi on wa s  sympto m at i c ofa  radical anti -intellectu a lis m to b efou n d amon g con se r vat ives.85 Yet  Ran d's athei sm cle a rly doe s  not di sturbthe  Te a Pa r ty  i deo lo g ues to  th e  de gree tha tit  dist urbe d B u ckle y a nd h is su pporters. How  ti mesh ave  chan ged.Acco rd ing t o oneRandi an  blogger, not a  Tea  Party me mbe r,  '' 'I  do b e lieveGod  cr eated t he univ e rse .I t hi nk she's wrong,'''  a n d  i n replyto Wei s s' sq uestionab out  the T ea Pa rty, th e same b logger sa id , ''Wha t' s notto  li ke? ''86I n We iss'sopinion,  theb ridge betweent he Randian Ob j ec t i vi s ts a ndthe Christi an r i ght"was si mpl e : pol itely  d i sa g ree with Rand's bel ie fs tha t are  repulsive to  devout Ch r i s tians."8 7 au s tr a lasian journal  of a merican st u dies116Thatmany con tinue tob e lieve in  Go d w hil e e s p ou sing Rand's r h e tori cpuzzles  We iss. He  be lie ves  th at  "The Tea  Party w as  a  c oa lit ion o f  peopleof  va ri ous  poli t ical p ersua sion s- fr o m c onserva t iv e s  toli be rtar ian sto pe ople til ting in  the Rand ian dire ct io n-coale scing over la is sez-faireca pit alisma n d limite d government."88 In the light o f h is in terv iewees co unt erbala nci n g thei r supp ort f or  Ra n d 's th o u gh t w it h their de e p lyheldre ligi ous vie ws, the line in th e  Te a Party movem ent  bet w e en  th e  t r ans ac t ion a l  and other (com peting) co nc e pt ions (clas s ica lliberal  and ri ght w i ng Chri stian) of  the indi vi dual b lur s. That th e Object ivist tra n sacti o na l con cep tion h as  th e mos t disc i pli ned a nd art ic ulateadher en ts sugge sts that it will ultima tely p revai l o ver the o the r  co nservativ e co nceptionsofthe  indi vid u al. M oret ha n a strug glef or Americ a 's  so u l ,the mainstr e a m ing  of A ynR and'sradi cal capitalist id e ology is thusa st r u ggl e f o r th esoul of modern ity .I n  my opin io n, Sco! McC onnell's  a n d Gar y Weis s's or al hist o r ie s  of Ay n Ra ndand her r adi ca l  capita li st ideolo gy,Ob jectiv ism, d e mons t r ate the degree t o whi c h  they hav e los ttheir f r inge  crackpotidentitiesand ha ve a cquir ed a de gr ee ofres pe ctabilityi n mainstr eam d emocrat ic  pol iti cs. Mc Conn e l l's c olle ct ion  highligh t s  h e rex t ens iveimpac ton p opular cu l ture dur ing her lif et ime w hereas We i s s's highli ght s the e xtent to w h ichh er follo wers a re now  reachi n g o ut  to oth erc o nservativ es and be y ond  t o th e mainst re am c om mun it y. They no long er merel y seek r o l es tha t i n flue n ce
 who_tried to_reconcile capitalism with Christianity-"moral_treason," she_wrote,_as much_as_she damned those_libertarians who sought_to abolish government altogether,_whom she denounced_as_"plagiarists" (from her) and "a monstrous, disgusting bunch of people." 84 Buckley's conservatives in_turn_vilified her_atheism._For_her this rapprochement with religion_was symptomatic of a radical_anti-intellectualism to_be found among conservatives.85 Yet Rand's atheism clearly_does_not disturb the_Tea Party ideologues to the degree that it disturbed_Buckley and his supporters. How times_have changed. According_to_one_Randian blogger, not a_Tea Party member, '''I do believe_God created the universe. I think_she's wrong,''' and in reply to Weiss's_question about the Tea Party, the_same blogger said, ''What's not_to like?''86_In Weiss's opinion, the bridge_between the Randian_Objectivists and_the Christian right_"was simple: politely disagree with Rand's_beliefs that are_repulsive to devout Christians."87 australasian journal_of_american studies116 That_many_continue_to believe_in God while_espousing_Rand's rhetoric_puzzles_Weiss. He believes that "The Tea_Party_was a coalition of people of various_political persuasions-from conservatives to_libertarians_to people tilting in_the Randian direction-coalescing over laissez-faire_capitalism and limited government."88 In the_light of_his interviewees_counterbalancing their support for Rand's thought with their deeply held religious_views, the line in the Tea_Party movement between the_transactional and_other_(competing) conceptions (classical_liberal_and right_wing Christian) of the individual blurs. That_the Objectivist_transactional conception has the most disciplined_and articulate adherents suggests_that_it will ultimately prevail over the_other conservative conceptions of the individual._More than a struggle for_America's_soul,_the mainstreaming of Ayn Rand's_radical capitalist ideology is thus a_struggle for the_soul of modernity. In my opinion, Sco!_McConnell's_and Gary Weiss's oral histories of_Ayn_Rand and her radical capitalist ideology,_Objectivism,_demonstrate_the degree to which they_have lost their fringe crackpot identities_and have acquired a degree of respectability in mainstream_democratic politics. McConnell's_collection highlights her extensive impact_on_popular_culture during her lifetime whereas Weiss's highlights the extent to_which her_followers are now_reaching out to other conservatives and beyond to the mainstream_community. They no longer merely seek roles_that influence