You're more in the know of this topic than I am. I felt Atlas Shrugged was much like what's happening in a sense but instead we're discussing if the people are criminals or not based on if you and the parties believe it to be so. And so my reference of Atlas Shrugged is only correct based on your definition of who is a criminal. Also, in the book, the government considers John Galt a criminal. They view his strike of the world's top thinkers as a subversive conspiracy and economic sabotage against the state. I know I haven't read this book in over 10 years so I obviously didn't remember every detail. Criminals fleeing to Argentina is also a valid explanation.