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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWho are the Koch brothers and what do they want? by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders
As a result of the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision, billionaires and large corporations can now spend an unlimited amount of money to influence the political process. The results of that decision are clear. In the coming months and years the Koch brothers and other extraordinarily wealthy families will spend billions of dollars to elect right-wing candidates to the Senate, the House, governors mansions and the presidency of the United States. These billionaires already own much of our economy. That, apparently, is not enough. Now, they want to own the United States government as well.
Four years ago, the Supreme Court passed Citizens United. A few weeks ago, they passed the equally horrendous McCutcheon campaign finance decision which gives even more political power to the rich. Now, many Republicans want to push this Supreme Court to go even further. In the name of free speech, they want the Court to eliminate all restrictions on campaign spending -- a position that Justice Thomas supported in McCutcheon -- and a view supported by the Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Not surprisingly, as it will give them the opportunity to buy politicians at will, this has always been the position of the Koch brothers.
The Koch brothers are the second wealthiest family in America, making most of their money in the fossil fuel industry. According to Forbes Magazine, they saw their wealth increase last year from $68 billion to $80 billion. In other words, under the anti-business, socialist and oppressive Obama administration, their wealth went up by $12 billion in one year.
In their 2012 campaigns, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney each spent a little more than $1 billion. For the Koch brothers, spending more than Obama and Romney combined in an election would be a drop in the bucket. They would hardly miss the few billion spent.
Given the reality that the Koch brothers are now the most important and powerful players in American politics, it is important to know what they want and what their agenda is.
Interestingly and not widely known, David Koch ran as the Libertarian Partys vice-presidential candidate in 1980. He believed that Ronald Reagan was much too liberal. Despite Mr. Koch putting a substantial sum of money into the campaign, his ticket only received one percent of the vote. Most Americans thought the Libertarian Partys platform of 1980 was extremist and way out of touch with what the American people wanted and needed.
Fast-forward 34 years and the most significant reality of modern politics is how successful David Koch and like-minded billionaires have been in moving the Republican Party to the extreme right. Amazingly, much of what was considered extremist and kooky in 1980 has become part of todays mainstream Republican thinking.
Let me give you just a few examples:
In 1980, Libertarian vice-presidential candidate David Koch ran on a platform that called for abolishing the minimum wage. 34 years ago, that was an extreme view of a fringe party that had the support of one percent of the American people.
Today, not only does virtually every Republican in Congress oppose raising the $7.25 an hour minimum wage, many of them, including Republican leaders like Mitch McConnell and John McCain, are on record for abolishing the concept of the federal minimum wage.
In 1980, the platform of David Kochs Libertarian Party favored the abolition of Medicare and Medicaid programs. 34 years ago, that was an extreme view of a fringe party that had the support of one percent of the American people.
Today, the mainstream view of the Republican Party, as seen in the recently passed Ryan budget, is to end Medicare as we know it, cut Medicaid by more than $1.5 trillion over the next decade, and repeal the Affordable Care Act. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Under the Ryan plan, at least 40 million people -- 1 in 8 Americans -- would lose health insurance or fail to obtain insurance by 2024. Most of them would be people with low or moderate incomes.
In 1980, the platform of David Kochs Libertarian Party called for the repeal of the fraudulent, virtually bankrupt, and increasingly oppressive Social Security system. 34 years ago, that was an extreme view of a fringe party that had the support of one percent of the American people.
Today, the mainstream view of the Republican Party is that entitlement reform is absolutely necessary. For some, this means major cuts in Social Security. For others who believe Social Security is unconstitutional or a Ponzi scheme this means the privatization of Social Security or abolishing this program completely for those who are under 60 years of age.
In 1980, David Kochs Libertarian Party platform stated We oppose all personal and corporate income taxation, including capital gains taxes We support the eventual repeal of all taxation As an interim measure, all criminal and civil sanctions against tax evasion should be terminated immediately. 34 years ago, that was an extreme view of a fringe party that had the support of one percent of the American people.
Today, 75 Republicans in the House have co-sponsored a bill that Paul Ryan has said would eliminate taxes on wages, corporations, self-employment, capital gains, and gift and death taxes in favor of a personal-consumption tax.
Here is what every American should be deeply concerned about. The Koch brothers, through the expenditure of billions of dollars and the creation and support of dozens of extreme right organizations, have taken fringe extremist ideas and made them mainstream within the Republican Party. And now with Citizens United (which is allowing them to pour unlimited sums of money into the political process) their power is greater than ever.
And lets be very clear. Their goal is not only to defund Obamacare, cut Social Security, oppose an increase in the minimum wage or cut federal funding for education. Their world view and eventual goal is much greater than all of that. They want to repeal every major piece of legislation that has been signed into law over the past 80 years that has protected the middle class, the elderly, the children, the sick, and the most vulnerable in this country. Every piece of legislation!
The truth is that the agenda of the Koch brothers is to move this country from a democratic society with a strong middle class to an oligarchic form of society in which the economic and political life of the nation are controlled by a handful of billionaire families.
Our great nation must not be hijacked by right-wing billionaires like the Koch brothers.
For the sake of our children and our grandchildren, we must fight back.
Sincerely,
Senator Bernie Sanders
aznativ
(69 posts)If this list is correct, they fall in at #59th place in terms of dollar amounts of donations. The vast majority who are ranked above them are either democrat orgs or independent.
Here is the list:
https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php
Seems to me we dont have a funding issue, we have a marketing issue
polly7
(20,582 posts)from getting it out of the ground to the refinery - Kissinger: "Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people." With their wealth, political influence and interest in protecting their energy control at all cost, they're dangerous to anyone on the continent.
... among all of the other points made in the OP.
global1
(25,240 posts)it's like we're living out a real life Jame's Bond novel.
polly7
(20,582 posts)They'd make great James Bond villains.
2naSalit
(86,521 posts)Hutzpa
(11,461 posts)Mr Goldfinger himself.
Voice for Peace
(13,141 posts)this has been a long, long-term project, including apparent
philanthropy, though I don't believe in their altruistic generosity.
polly7
(20,582 posts)They've been a big part of Canada's oil production since 1959.
Koch Brothers' Activism Protects Their 50 Years in Canadian Heavy Oils
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/10/idUS427145980520120510
Long involvement in Canada's tar sands has been central to Koch Industries' evolution and positions the billionaire brothers for a new oil boom.
Over the last decade, Charles and David Koch have emerged into public view as billionaire philanthropists pushing a libertarian brand of political activism that presses a large footprint on energy and climate issues. They have created and supported non-profit organizations, think tanks and political groups that work to undermine climate science, environmental regulation and clean energy. They are also top donors to politicians, most of them Republicans, who support the oil industry and deny any human role in global warming.
What is less well documented are the many Koch businesses that benefit from the brothers' efforts to push the center of American political discourse rightward, closer to their own convictions. At the top of the list are the Koch family's long and deep investments in Canada's heavy oil industry, which have been central to the company's initial growth and subsequent diversification since 1959.
Voice for Peace
(13,141 posts)I was a landed immigrant and called it home for many
years. It's become a different land since that time.
Douglas Carpenter
(20,226 posts)comprised of tens of thousands of small donors most of whom contribute small sums like $25.00 or so to various mainstream political campaigns to two billionaire brothers who funnel hundreds of millions into extremist groups is intentional deception.
aznativ
(69 posts)either the $$ amounts are real or not. I dont know if they are, but if you go dollar for dollar with the kochs vs the top democratic spender, the kochs were beat out by about 80 million dollars in spending.
That being said, if we are outspending them by 80 mil with only one donor (not to mention the other 20 ish above the Kochs, then perhaps we need to examine what is going on.
What is it they are doing that is so damn effective that we cannot counter it with 10x as much or more money?
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)That they spend far more on than political donations and are not even considered in your tally.
See post #15!
Douglas Carpenter
(20,226 posts)your Fox News talking points - which only makes sense to the utterly gullible and naïve. The fact that organizations made up of tens of thousands of small donors when all added up spend more than one specific company; Koch Industries - not even accounting for the countless number of groups funded by the Koch brothers does not obscure the fact that there are no individuals or family that even comes close to the hundreds of millions spent by just two brothers - and funneled through a vast web of rightwing extremist groups - That list has nothing to do with the fact that the Koch brothers are spending far, far more than any individuals leaning toward the Democratic Party. That is reality. You are lying when you suggest this list proves anything of the sort.
aznativ
(69 posts)if you total up the donations contributed from the top on down all the way to the koch bros its about 6.9Billion. No shit there is $$ here and there thrown around, but if you are going to use numbers from out of thin air (meaning we dont really know how much) well then we have to assume the same thing is happening on our side of things. Are you saying that the democrat side of the house has 100% of all donations documented and nothing coming into the picture via other means? If you believe that, you are out of your mind.
Anyway, the point is we constantly point out by name that these two (which they prob are) are behind everything and put more $$ into it than anyone while we have a list of donors a mile long on our side who are contributing on paper waaaayy more than these guys.
Again, if one is to look at this objectively it is obvious we have not marketed the product correctly because we spend more and have a lesser outcome.
Just a month ago, DU was howling with people crying about how PBO was not getting out the message, marketed the ACA poorly etc,.... wa wa wa... They are right. We have all this money on our side along with the power of having the pres with a microphone, AF one running around fundraising and all those donations gained that way. We still cant sell this?
We need a new marketing department.
If I was the CEO of a company, that is the first place I'd go. If I have a better product then I better find someone who can sell it or we are all out of work.
Go ahead and call me names- f-ing truth hurts.
Douglas Carpenter
(20,226 posts)You know perfectly well that what your claiming is not supported by those numbers at all.
aznativ
(69 posts)By saying that we may look into how we are selling our message. Maybe fix how it is marketed so more people will buy it? Fox news....yea ok why don't you call me a racist too? Afterall those are the two things we are supposed to call people here when they color outside the lines.
notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)no one here is going to buy it.
HughBeaumont
(24,461 posts)ErikJ
(6,335 posts)For persective, the unions spent a total of $110 million, Soros spent $3.6 million. GOP's Adelson spent total of about $150 million on GOP candidates and issues.
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)goes to organizations that further their agenda and not on their still excessive donations spent directly on elections as your graph clearly shows.
Hutzpa
(11,461 posts)beautifully done.
Bravo...
hootinholler
(26,449 posts)There is much more spent at many levels creating and maintaining organizations like ALEC, AFP, etc.
Initech
(100,060 posts)And they don't use their addiction for good.
Anansi1171
(793 posts)It also would have the virtue of being an attractive alternative to the paleoconservatism of Paulite Libertarianism.
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)I am always wiling to research alternative and judge them on their merit, but you would have to provide a working ling. the link didn't work and a search for "Georgist Taxation" on wiki revealed no matches.
Please provide some start for those us us that would like to know what you wish to reveal to us.
eShirl
(18,490 posts)Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)combat the accumulation and consolidation of our collective wealth in the hands of a few families and would do nothing to tax the excessive greed of those that earn their money off of pure speculation and investment in financial "products" that produce nothing and exist only as a math inspired fiction.
Perhaps in combination with progressive taxation on capital gains and a wealth tax on excessive hoarding of monetary resources?
Anansi1171
(793 posts)http://www.cgocouncil.org/cwho.html
...an idea whose time has come!
Hutzpa
(11,461 posts)and I respect everything he has done for the left, especially fighting dirty in the trenches, but I'm not sure if he has the
staff capable of taking up the fight with the Koch brothers.
To bring the Koch brothers down you're going to need a team of absolute loyalty from your staff and I'm not sure if those
guys are willing to put up with that and most importantly cooperation from your peers.
The Koch brothers are like the octopus, having their tentacles in all levels of government and organization, but truth be told
I'm glad he is on the case.
Just my 2cents.
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)Perhaps we should consider his attempts simply one tentacle in a growing opposition to their efforts?
We can and should support him in this endeavor but should also support other "tentacles" where they appear, perhaps even work locally in smaller groups developing smaller "tentacles".
I do not expect help in this endeavor from former DLC alumni as they helped fund the DLC and put two of their cohorts on the board. Only progressive groups and progressive sub groups within the party will likely be of any assistance, and of course dirty hippies like me the party enjoys punching of late.
Hutzpa
(11,461 posts)the key here is knowing how deep their tentacles run and who is feeding those channels.
I will not expect Bernie to have an affiliation to DLC members as peers, will be really surprising
to say the least. I also agree with your premise that the support of progressive groups is a
must.
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)...which is more than most of the spineless jellyfish DINOs.
Hutzpa
(11,461 posts)and that's why I'm giving him credit because he has proven that he can get result, my point is that he has to mainly watch out for
the DINOs as they are the ones that are probably in the pockets of the Koch brothers or there could also be progressive Senators
and Representatives who are in their pockets, hence my use of the word tentacle cause you never know how long and deep they go.
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)...it's like a cancer.
hootinholler
(26,449 posts)It's going to be hard, we might not win, let's not try?
Did you really mean to imply that? That is exactly the message I got from your post.
Hutzpa
(11,461 posts)nt.
louis-t
(23,288 posts)have come to pass, and yet they still have amassed 100 billion in wealth.
demigoddess
(6,640 posts)and tell him what laws to pass.
madamesilverspurs
(15,800 posts)Still applies.
Corruption Inc
(1,568 posts)Every American with an IQ over 80 already knows how corrupt the 1%ers are. The problem is nobody in power is doing anything about it and they're making it even worse if you follow the latest Supreme Court rulings.
Instead of constantly placing what amounts to ads for the crooks, America should start insisting our "laws" get changed so we can jail the crooks.
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)It cannot be laid out more clearly than this. If you want to beat Republicans, this is how you do it. Just tell the truth. If people are so brainwashed they would vote agains Medicare, Social Security, Education & any fairness for the 99% then you are a complete idiot (the nicest word I could come up with).
Thank you Senator Sanders! I hope his candidacy gets airtime, though I am sure TPTB will try to hide his message as much as possible. I hope the next few elections focus on economic issues & fairness. The tea party has been able to run on social issues too long.