Harry Reid says Kochs blocking Ukraine aid

[alp227]

Source: Politico

Harry Reid said the billionaire Koch brothers’ influence extends so far into national affairs that the Kochs are blocking a bill to aid Ukraine.

Democratic leaders alleged on Thursday that GOP House and Senate leaders want to trade a delay in IRS rules changes affecting the political activities of nonprofits for passage of a broad Ukraine aid package including controversial International Monetary Fund reforms. Those IRS rules could affect the Koch-backed Super PAC Americans for Prosperity, which is running millions of dollars of attack ads against incumbent Democratic senators.

Sens. Reid, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) all said that Republicans are more interested in protecting conservative-leaning outside groups than in aiding an embattled country.

“The Koch brothers continue to hold up the situation we have in Ukraine,” Reid said, part of another day-long offensive against the brothers.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/harry-reid-anti-koch-brothers-104623.html

[Cali_Democrat]

1. The Kochs are in complete control of the Republican party. nt

[olddad56]

3. I think that they have the same type of influence over Putin.

They are after the natural gas in the Ukraine.

[Warpy]

13. You're correct. They funded the DLC

and still are likely to be funding groups of conservative Democrats singly or as a group.

This is why we need a clawback of obscene wealth.

[Treant]

2. Elected when?

No, seriously, I don't remember that the people elected either Koch to the Senate. How is this not directly interfering in the Senate's affairs, and how is this not illegal?

[ancianita]

6. Shouldn't they be arrested for obstruction of justice?

At the very least, obstructing our government's conducting The People's business?

[freshwest]

25. Those elections are done state by state where Koch money buys GOP candidates. The only people

whose approval they seek is that of the Koch brothers. They all hope to be billionaires and untouchable by the time they leave office.

America buys the propaganda and vote for this to happen. Those who don't vote, give passive approval to what Teabaggers are doing for the Koches. It's a closed circle, otherwise called fascism.

Laws don't matter, they live for their position in a system of patronage from childhood up and through their entire lives. To them the government is just a competing business interest. They serve their patrons and not the public. It's an ancient system and why they hate all things democratic, because their reward comes from the ruling class in their worlds.

JMHO.


.

[MindMover]

4. I think the Koch's have complete control of our government....nt

[Cali_Democrat]

8. Nope. As you can see from the article, the Senate majority leader is calling them out for their shit

Don't GOTV 2014 and they certainly will accrue even more power within our government.

[MindMover]

11. I am not sure what the majority leader is saying other than to state the obvious ...

That the Koch cabal is in control of our government. .. and the reason they are in control is because of the citizens united decision which has legally turned over the USA government to monied interests ... ?

[Cha]

18. Oh don'tcha know.. the Dems are the

same as the repubs

[DallasNE]

5. Part Of "Too Big" Problem This Country Faces

When John D. Rockefeller got "too big" they broke his empire up. Time to examine how Teddy Roosevelt got things done. All it takes is the will of the American people. Do they have the backbone to do this? Probably not -- just look at how Paul Ryan played the class warfare card on American "inner cities". Deflect, deflect, deflect.

[bobthedrummer]

7. "Death to tyrants" is not rhetorical. I support the death penalty. n/t

[FiveGoodMen]

12. I fear for my country's life

Guess we need to stand our ground.

[Sunlei]

9. They probably invest in russias gas and oil,don't want Ukraine to deal with the EU either.

Old world investors are a ball & chain on all countries.

[bobthedrummer]

10. Their daddy was a founding member of The John Birch Society who made a fortune setting

up refineries for Stalin, don't forget that context.

[alfredo]

15. He also sided with Mussolini.

He also believed the black man was going to take over and turn the US into a communist state.

[alfredo]

14. So the Kochs are siding with Putin and against the US.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

16. Thus putting certain DUers in the unenviable position...

....of having to side with Putin and with the Kochs.

Good luck with that.

[Cha]

19. How else could it have ended up.. when you side with putin..

filth follows.

[joshcryer]

23. Yep, siding with fascists and oligarchs.

[Gothmog]

17. The righties are really worried about the IRS' 501(c)(4) rules

I think that these rules are a big step in the right direction. The more that the GOP and the Kochs fight these rules, the more I think that the IRS is onto something

[tofuandbeer]

20. The world will be MUCH better place when these two are no longer with us.

I look forward to seeing, but not reading, their obituaries one day.

[The Green Manalishi]

21. No aid to anyone anywhere else

until EVERY last person within these borders has ALL of the healthcare and all the education they need.

The entirety of the Ukraine and the middle east is not as important as one person in the USA who can't feed their children or afford tuition.

[another_liberal]

27. Hear! Hear!

Our record of success in "Nation Building" has not been all that great lately anyway.

[marias23]

22. Unelected Decision Makers = End of Democracy

Republicans often complain about "unelected decision makers" such as bureaucrats and judges making decisions about their lives. But they don't seem to mind the wealthy doing so. This is called oligarchy or in some circles fascism. It is a major problem of unrestricted capitalism - no one should have unchecked power unless the people - you and I - cede it to them. There is no doubt there is a kind of fascination with the wealthy - most people fantasize about being rich - which helps create more business, but we must not let economic power become authoritarian political power. Even though I am sympathetic to the left this problem applies to both Soros and Koch.

[mdbl]

29. Has Soros ever done anything?

Does he fund left leaning pacs? I am asking honestly because I don't ever see rich so-called liberals doing the same thing the kochs are doing - plowing money into a bunch of lying, cheating, and stupid pacs to completely gum up the works of a functioning government.

[marias23]

35. Soros and others do similar

To my knowledge Soros funds projects that promote democracy not political campaigns or candidates to the point of control. I could be wrong. It is wrong on right and left.

[Redford]

24. The Koch's are not in Congress and Harry Reid has the votes

Sorry, I have to call bullshit on this

[Seeking Serenity]

28. I think I agree with you on this one.

Unless Sen. Reid offers up proof, this sounds like one of his "Romney paid no taxes" evidence-less charges, which to me is unbecoming a United States senator.

So, I'm gonna reserve judgment on Reid's charges until all the facts are in. And his simply saying it doesn't make it a fact.

[Beaverhausen]

30. Harry Reid has the votes?

since when?

[another_liberal]

26. I have no love for the Koch brothers and never will have.

Their powerful and malignant influence on Congress should be brought to an end, and the sooner the better. Those two, and other billionaire plutocrats like them, are among the greatest dangers our nation faces. Their political power must be curbed, or the freedoms of the American people will soon be at an end, replaced by a plutocracy by, of and for only the very rich. The proposed IRS changes would be a good first step on the path to bringing about those needed curbs on such super wealthy and powerful individuals.

Screw a bunch of aid to some coup-installed, "technocrat"-led government made up of fascists, conservative nationalists and IMF lackeys. Pass the legislation to control the Koch brothers' nonprofits, Senators Reid, Durbin, and Schumer. The last thing our country needs is to take on yet another dysfunctional client State. Our record in successful "Nation Building" hasn't been all that good lately anyway.

[underthematrix]

31. Crimea just makes me wanna yawn. Totally don't care about them.

[seveneyes]

32. Why are we in a hurry to give away even more money we don't have instead of helping our citizens?

I don't know jack about these Kochheads, but if something is keeping more money here to help our own needy, maybe it'sa good thing. Can't we just let the EU handle this thing and bail out some Americans trying to survive here?

[yankee dandee]

33. Krotch Brothers

I forget---when were the Boys elected to public office?

Do their puppets declare income from the Boys?

Is it all under the table?

[marias23]

34. Koch="unelected decision makers"=Fascism

Republicans often complain about "unelected decision makers" such as bureaucrats and judges making decisions about their lives. But they don't seem to mind the wealthy doing so. This is called oligarchy or in some circles fascism. It is a major problem of unrestricted capitalism - no one should have unchecked power unless the people - you and I - cede it to them. There is no doubt there is a kind of fascination with the wealthy - most people fantasize about being rich - but we must not let economic power become authoritarian political power.

[Orsino]

36. How do you like your Citizens United now, America?

Pretty cool Supreme Court, eh?