Photo by Brad Nettles /postandcourier.com
Did Dagny Taggart just emerge?
The first Boeing Dreamliner 787 to land in South Carolina, successfully completed its voyage amidst union pressures, threats, protests, and lawsuits against the company. The plane touched down in North Charleston, South Carolina (the location of Boeing's newest assembly plant), Monday morning around 11am. It was welcomed by cheers from spectators and a traditional water salute (I could almost hear the Atlas Shrugged soundtrack in the background).
But what is most interesting are the parallels between the story of the Dreamliner and the John Galt Line in Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged.” It too was met by, along with harsh government rules, union thuggery that threatened the project all together.
For those who are not familiar with Boeing’s troubles, unions have been protesting, threatening, and even going so far as to file lawsuits against the company, all because the business decided to build an additional assembly plant in South Carolina. It just so happens that SC is a “Right to Work State,” meaning that unionism is not forced upon the employee. This is exactly what the legal action is all about even though the unions are trying (and failing) to make a case that Boeing’s decision to move the plant is somehow a violation of workers’ rights and labor laws.
The "John Galt Line" from Atlas was met with similar backlash from union bosses. They threatened boycotts and even said that running the train was a “violation of [the workers’] human rights.” Their threats failed to stop the creation and successful opening and test run of the "John Galt Line." However (SPOILER ALERT!), as the story unfolds, the line eventually suffers a horrible fate and is torn apart and dismantled.
Will the Boeing Dreamliner suffer the same fate...? Oh hell, who is John Galt?
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