Koch Brothers – Koch Industries Links
Mar 29, 2014
The Right Wing Organization, Koch Industries, Is Putting Millions Behind The Assault on Social Security And The Destruction Of The American Middle Class A new video by Robert Greenwald’s Brave New Films, “The Koch Echo Chamber,” puts the GOP position that changes to Social Security ought to be a part of a deficit reduction plan in the context of the Koch brothers’ longtime support for conservative and libertarian organizations who argue for such cuts. Over the years, the Mercatus Center, the Cato Institute, the Heritage Foundation and Reason Foundation have collectively been given $28 million by the GOP benefactors, the film notes, tying that giving to a subsequent shift in the public conversation as it relates to Social Security. – See more at: couchmouse.net
1-25-2014
The Koch Party
Only a few weeks into this midterm election year, the right-wing political zeppelin is fully inflated with secret cash and is firing malicious falsehoods at supporters of health care reform.
As Carl Hulse of The Times reported recently, Democrats have been staggered by a $20 million advertising blitz produced by Americans for Prosperity, the conservative advocacy group organized and financed by the Koch brothers, billionaire industrialists. The ads take aim at House and Senate candidates for re-election who have supported the health law, and blame them for the hyped-up problems with the law’s rollout that now seem to be the sole plank in this year’s Republican platform. More
4-3-2014
On MSNBC, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) laid out in chilling fashion how much money the Koch brothers are now free to spend to buy the White House. Link
Americans for Prosperity-
Mar 25, 2014
Below, written by fact check.org regarding the group, Americans for Prosperity which is a great description of this political organization funded by the Koch brothers. The Koch brothers have expended hundreds of millions of dollars over the past several years attempting to create a Congress controlled by the publican party. They have further funded millions of dollars in state races were many of their business interest reside. And philosophy is not the main logic to remove the Democrats from power. The motive, is money. They want significant reductions in regulatory requirements that they indicate cost their company hundreds of millions of dollars. The Koch brothers own such companies as Georgia -Pacific, Flint Hills Resources, Koch Pipelines, Koch Fertilizer, Koch Minerals and The Matador Cattle Company.
Political Activity:
• Koch Industries has spent more than $50 million to lobby in Washington since 2006, according to the Center for Responsive Politics
• According to the Center for Responsive Politics, many of Koch Industries’ contributions have gone toward achieving legislation on energy issues, defense appropriations and financial regulatory reform.
• Koch employees were the largest donors from the oil and gas industry to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is responsible for legislation affecting that industry.
• Charles Koch co-founded the Cato Institute in 1977
Their free enterprise seminars in Aspen Colorado have included supreme court justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas; Governors Bobby Jindal and Haley Barbour; commentators John Stossel, Charles Krauthammer, Glenn Beck, and Rush Limbaugh; Senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn; and Representatives Paul Ryan, Mike Pence, and Tom Price.
• Known as “the nation’s most prominent funders of efforts to prevent curbs on fossil-fuel burning“.
• As of 2011, David Koch sits on the board of directors of the Cato institute, the Reason Foundation and the Aspen Institute
• Public records show that the Kochs gave more than $17 million between 1997 and 2008 to various groups including the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which lobbies for legislation opposing unions.
• According to Greenpeace, the company has “had a quiet but dominant role in a high-profile national policy debate on global warming,” and has out-spent ExxonMobil (another corporation active in
fighting climate change science and legislation) in giving money to organizations fighting legislation related to climate change. “From 2005 to 2008, ExxonMobil spent $8.9 million while the Koch Industries-controlled foundations contributed $24.9 million in funding.”
• According to a study by the progressive media watchdog Media Matters for America, Koch Industries (and other Koch brothers-owned companies) “have benefited from nearly a $100 million in government contracts since 2000.”
• According to Jane Mayer (New Yorker magazine) During the US 2000 election campaign, Koch Industries spent some $900,000 to support the candidacies of George W. Bush and other Republicans. And tax records in 2008 indicate the three main Koch family foundations gave money to thirty-four political and policy organizations, three of which they founded, and several of which they direct.
Reducing the cost of environmental regulations by a Republican-controlled Congress would more than Koch industries millions of dollars. It would further allow them to expand their most environmentally dangerous operations. Below, we list several of their environmental violations and note the source in each case.
Additional Koch Brothers Links
Thoughts to Ponder- II
Mar 16, 2014
Talking to a friend: swore she’d never lied: I asked—“Have you ever clicked on the accept terms and conditions button without reading them?” RJ Intindola- 2009
If you’re alone, I’ll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I’ll be your shoulder. If you want a hug, I’ll be your pillow. If you feel pain, I’ll be your aspirin. If you are unhappy, I’ll be your smile. If you are ill, I’ll be your prescription. But anytime you need a friend, I’ll just be me. RJ Intindola – 1972
The Florida special congressional election
The Congressional special election in Florida yesterday, was a significant and major loss for the Democrats. I will not elaborate on the numbers, but a majority of the Democrats stayed home. It’s apparent that many people just don’t get the message, are uninformed or simply don’t care. If you did not vote in the election yesterday, than you must not have any opinions on the following which is part of the Republican national platform.
1. They are against women’s rights to make decisions on birth control, abortion and had even cut funding for close to 100,000 mammograms in the past two years. That’s their answer to healthcare.
2. They are interested in reducing Social Security for future participants and strongly support privatization. Good luck to those who will be eligible 10 or more years from now because your benefits will be reduced.
3. They are interested in eliminating health insurance for 30 to 40,000,000 people. They have no alternative healthcare program.
4. They would reduce Medicaid and Medicare and create a voucher system. When your vouchers are gone, good luck.
5. They are suppressing your right to vote and they’re not afraid to admit it. So for those who did not show up to vote yesterday, you just gave them additional ammunition to stop you from voting and limit access in the future.
6. They are against increasing the minimum wage which of course further increases the profits of big business, including Walmart.
7. They are against federally subsidized and funded jobs programs. To date, Republicans have not offered a single jobs program and blocked the President’s efforts since his first election.
8. They are against increasing unemployment benefits and actually have several bills that would reduce current benefit levels.
9. They do not believe in global warming.
10. They believed the Earth was created only 5000 years ago.
11. They do not believe that women should be paid equal to men when performing the exact same job. All the women out there, who did not show up to vote, don’t complain anymore, instead look in the mirror and ask why. Talk to yourself because you’re the reason for the loss.
12. These people are against food stamps and have cut the program significantly.
I could go on and on as my current list includes 63 items. It’s unfortunate that some people don’t realize we are dealing with anarchy from a group that is obsessed with power and despises the middle and lower classes and will do anything to seize that power. I can speak of these issues freely and without any level of guilt because I have never used a single federal subsistence program.
I have worked in campaigns for nearly my entire life and I can tell you Republicans are out right evil. We must show up in force at every election to stop them from putting their agenda into law. They do not like you or care about you. They lie with straight faces. Lastly, communicate with other Democrats to explain to them the ramifications of a Republican-controlled Congress.