Charles Koch & David Koch, Billionaire Brothers, Bankroll Tea Party

New Yorker:

The Kochs are longtime libertarians who believe in drastically lower personal and corporate taxes, minimal social services for the needy, and much less oversight of industry--especially environmental regulation. These views dovetail with the brothers' corporate interests. In a study released this spring, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst's Political Economy Research Institute named Koch Industries one of the top ten air polluters in the United States. And Greenpeace issued a report identifying the company as a "kingpin of climate science denial." The report showed that, from 2005 to 2008, the Kochs vastly outdid ExxonMobil in giving money to organizations fighting legislation related to climate change, underwriting a huge network of foundations, think tanks, and political front groups. Indeed, the brothers have funded opposition campaigns against so many Obama Administration policies--from health-care reform to the economic-stimulus program--that, in political circles, their ideological network is known as the Kochtopus.

Read the whole story: New Yorker

Comments

[furrywurry]

09:36 AM on 10/21/2010

Charles and David Koch are the sons of one of the founding members of the John Birch Society, a man who wrote that the Civil Right Movement was a communist plot that had been formed 30 years prior in Russia. Sounds a lot like birther conspiracy theories? Do not legitimize their radical view of the world with the term Libertarianism. I am sure that they do not want any end to subsidies that their hundreds of businesses receive, but rather an end to those of their competitors. Libertarianism is not the convoluted mess being espoused by TEA Party activists, but for some reason we give this once great title to social conservatives, who want nothing more than to legislate morality while supporting big business with corporate welfare.

[man4ourseason]

05:36 PM on 09/15/2010

Judge’s ruling could cause New Jersey to scrap 11,000 voting machines

http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/8/80848.html?1265404349

[LeLoup]

04:17 AM on 08/30/2010

Meet the real Enemies of the State.

[MaryBethC3]

07:56 PM on 08/29/2010

The Billionaire Brothers are at it again! Today, August 29 for the 2nd time, I am seeing a new anti-Obama political ad that just started running on TV. I saw it on CBS. Terry Gross of NPR has identified this ad as being funded by the Koch brothers. At the end of the ad, there is a funding statement. It is some benign-sounding title that I didn't catch. The ad does not mention the Tea Party nor Libertarians and has an African American woman complaining that Washington is helping Wall Street and not Main Street~~as if the Koch Brothers give a hoot about Main Street.

[siamao]

03:05 AM on 08/30/2010

Or, as if the KBs give a hoot about African Americans. Reference back to that
New Yorker article, the founding of the John Birch Society by Kochs' father and
the Birchers' delusion about AfAms in US Society.

Thanks so much for reporting this, MaryBeth! I'll try to find a follow-up on google.

Also, FYI, there's a recent HP on KBs by the intrepid Frank Rich. Should be good!

Fanned and faved you in appreciation.

[man4ourseason]

05:38 PM on 09/15/2010

KOCH BROTHERS FUND THE TEA PARTY. THAT PARTY BELONG TO, FOLLOWS, AND OBEYS THOSE BILLIONAIRES.

[ernie1241]

10:24 AM on 08/28/2010

Not generally known, (and missed by Jane Mayer's New Yorker article) -- Charles Koch was a member of the John Birch Society until May 1968.

[Greta42]

09:15 PM on 08/26/2010

Today Terry Gross of NPR interviewed Jane Mayer who wrote the article on the Koch brothers in The New Yorker. I'm listening to it right now (Boston area) as it is repeated from earlier today.

[siamao]

11:02 PM on 08/26/2010

Thanks, Greta! Faved. I'll try to check it out for another re-run. Meanwhile,
maybe you could do a summary of her comments in a post. That would be great!
You're a trooper!

[siamao]

03:18 AM on 08/27/2010

Here's another thread where I tried to read comments after work (Pac Time),
but there was a flood of music posts and "g'nights." I'm pretty sure they're
HP staff, probably tech. Why they choose that method, I can't imagine.
I suppose it's none of my business--but then that contradicts the implications
of the word "community." A little announcement would be nice, e.g. a little
banner at the top to indicate, "just before bedtime, we post only music links
and say good night to each other." LOL

But, with the current style, as HNL's Joy Behar says, "Who cares!"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/26/glenn-beck-rally-lincoln_n_695792.html

[TanzaniteDiamonds]

03:08 PM on 08/27/2010

..."I'm pretty sure they're HP staff, probably tech."....

How are you "pretty sure" about that?

Why would you say that about their tech staff?

[UpstateNY]

08:48 PM on 08/26/2010

I just heard the writer of the New Yorker article on the radio. She sounded very reasonable - certainly not wide-eyed or one given to wild accusations. And yet the Koch Industries website and other right-wing bloggers are calling her piece a smear job.

See for yourself -

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_mayer

[siamao]

11:04 PM on 08/26/2010

Is the link to the article (which I've already read) or to a new one about the
"smear job"? Thanks. Faved for your contribution.

[Bluesue]

11:11 PM on 08/27/2010

Jane Mayer has written some fantastic articles for the New Yorker. Here's her archive:

http://www.newyorker.com/search/query?query=authorName:%22Jane%20Mayer%22

She also wrote the bestseller 'The Dark Side' - The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned Into a War on American Ideals

[LoneeU]

04:41 PM on 08/26/2010

Too many commentaries are missing ??? Why are they removed ??

http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/53-index.html

[siamao]

11:06 PM on 08/26/2010

This is a fabulous commentary! Thanks, fanned and faved.

What do you mean "too many commentaries are missing" [from HuffPo] or [the nation]?

[LoneeU]

04:38 PM on 08/26/2010

http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/53-index.html

Has America completely forgotten part of history ?

[siamao]

04:17 AM on 08/26/2010

MODS - I STRIPPED COMMENTS BARE, SO NOW THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO POST.

After I read this HuffPo article on how the Brothers Koch are "Bankrolling the Tea Party",
I knew about their mission to stack the deck against the Obama Presidency.

I no longer believed that an election is won because one candidate wins the hearts and
minds of the electorate, as in the Alaska results where suddenly and mysteriously
TP Senate candidate Miller, a virtual unknown, soared ahead of the 25-point lead of
incumbent Lisa Murkowski at the last minute! Sure, Sarah Palin had supported
Joe Miller, and even did her typical Facebook gig to disparage Murkowski just
before the election. But that wasn't enough to dissolve Murkowski's huge lead!

All along, I've known something was going on behind the scenes of the Tea Party furor.
But, Dick Army? Sarah Palin? Neither was powerful enough alone or together to pull off
this level of sabotage to "take our kuntry back!"

But does the "truth" really set us free? What powerful force would be so invested in
sabotaging an election in the environment of oil-rich Alaska? Folks, from now on,
you're invited to join me in viewing Sarah Palin as a mere tool!

The Alaska election is still too close to call. Why, when Palin is no longer popular
enough to pull off a miracle on her own? What went on behind the scenes to ensure
that a GOPer occupies that Alaska Senate seat?

[siamao]

05:11 AM on 08/26/2010

Just read article in "AlaskaDispatch" which claims that Lisa Murkowski had
a 30-40 point lead over Miller going in to that election, which makes the
end result even more questionable!

[Greta42]

10:00 AM on 08/26/2010

So much becomes clearer now that we know more about the Koch brothers - KO or RM had a segment on how they funded last summer's assaults on Town Hall meetings across the country by organizing and busing in people to disrupt and overtake health care discussions. They are the architects of how to destroy the "public option" and water down the bill. They have enormous power and we are now forewarned.

Maybe it is time that we organize a boycott of their products and support other companies that comply with environmental laws as a beginning to confront these anti-democracy despots.

[siamao]

01:17 PM on 08/26/2010

Really! No more toilet paper and paper towels for me.

I found another article about the Alaska election debacle, and the headlines
clearly spell it out. I'm so glad my suspicions are supported by those in Alaska:

"Billionaire Brothers Buy the Tea Party, Palin & Possibly Alaska's Joe Miller"

http://www.themudflats.net/2010/08/24/billionaire-brothers-buy-the-tea-party-sarah-palin-and-alaskas-joe-miller/

[thenine]

06:01 PM on 08/27/2010

@greta42, I'm with you lets follow their money, boycott and support legislation to reduce some of the control this family has in our Nation. These guys are not interested in the American people they are interested in continued empire building.

[siamao]

03:35 AM on 08/26/2010

TEA PARTY WINS AGAIN--ALMOST!
I no longer believe that an election is won because one candidate wins the hearts and
minds of the electorate, as in the Alaska results where suddenly and mysteriously
TP Senate candidate Miller, a virtual unknown, soared ahead of the 25-point lead of
incumbent Lisa Murkowski at the last minute! Sure, Sarah Palin had supported
Joe Miller, and even did her typical Facebook gig to disparage Murkowski just
before the election. But that wasn't enough to dissolve Murkowski's huge lead!

All this time, I've known something was going on behind the scenes of the Tea Party furor.
But, Dick Army? Sarah Palin? Neither was powerful enough alone or together to pull off
this level of sabotage to "take our kuntry back!"

Fortunately, I'd already read this HuffPo article on how the Brothers Koch are "bankrolling
the Tea Party", so I was more enlightened about their mission to stack the deck against
the Obama Presidency.

And, now I know. But does the "truth" really set us free? Who else but a powerful
Draconian force (which is anti-environment and pro-oil & de-regulation which
allows insidious pollution) would be so invested in sabotaging an election in
the environment of oil-rich Alaska? Folks, from now on, you're invited to join
me in viewing Sarah Palin as a mere tool!

The Alaska election is still too close to call. Why, when Palin is no longer popular
enough to pull off a miracle on her own?

[siamao]

05:08 AM on 08/26/2010

My original post above; edited version above that.

Apparently all it takes to get a hijacked comment posted is
to submit a stripped-down, edited version; then, both will be posted.

Do you understand it? No? I didn't think so. Me neither!

[Greta42]

10:00 AM on 08/26/2010

Very confusing.

[BushIsAWarCriminal]

09:07 PM on 08/25/2010

These are very, very bad guys. They need to be put in jail long before some kid steals something. They probably are well behind shrub and the 8 years of destruction he hath wrought.

[RevBookburn]

08:52 PM on 08/25/2010

These are the Dr. Frankensteins of the 'tea party' psychos. Clearly these two are the lowest in our nation.

[siamao]

03:39 AM on 08/26/2010

How did you get your comment past the censorama? The other day, I tried
to post an article where I referred to them as "The Brothers Str*nge Love",
and it was deleted!

I know, you bring an apple to your favorite mod! LOL

[Greta42]

10:03 AM on 08/26/2010

I'd like to know that too. Yesterday several of my posts were deleted for unknown reasons. Do they have a list of prohibited words or what? Let us in on it, mods.

[LoneeU]

04:59 PM on 08/25/2010

The Koch brothers are much scarier than Iran.
HP headlined the article about them for at least one minute...
wonder if the bribe bribe was too good to refuse.
It just disappeared ? Had to use "SEARCH" to find it on HP.
Very suspicious !!!!

[Greta42]

10:10 AM on 08/26/2010

Agreed. It was up on Tuesday morning, gone Wednesday - and thousands of posts on the thread which was disrupted by 2-3 pages of posting music references. That could not have been accidental - by the third or fourth music post, the mods should have recognized a pattern and deleted them all.

Then we find a post from Koch Industries defending themselves! Very strange and alarming- was it after that post that comments began to disappear? This whole thing raises many questions.

[GrantS]

03:41 PM on 08/26/2010

Very worrisome indeed. I had posted my suspicions about the music and THAT post was removed. I don't understand what qualified as not being worthy of publication.

[ReedYoung]

04:35 PM on 08/26/2010

The music posts are normal, and tolerated at certain hours (late night / early morning), when discussion of the article above becomes a mostly open forum in which only profanity is blocked. And of course, that always takes place in whatever article is most active at that time, the "main" article on HP.

[Greta42]

01:15 PM on 08/25/2010

Has anyone else noticed that posts from page 1 are disappearing? When I first came on the thread, there were 7114 posts and 129 pages. Page 2 had only music posts. Now there are 7159 posts and still 129 pages - page 2 still has all music posts. But the earlier posts of today keep "disappearing". Have never seen this before on HP - have no idea where they are going.

[BushIsAWarCriminal]

09:08 PM on 08/25/2010

I wrote them a note about some other issue. They wrote back they've got some beta problems with the badges. Just need some time to work the bugs out, I'm guessing.

[siamao]

09:52 AM on 08/26/2010

Did they tell you what "beta" problems are in everyday language?