Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

VOX

(22,976 posts)
16. The Idaho Freedom Foundation has $$$ ties to the Kochs, DeVos, Coors & Walton families; & BIG corps.
Thu Apr 23, 2020, 04:48 PM
Apr 2020

NONE of these “grassroots” demonstrations are just spontaneously occurring. They’re ALL organized and coordinated by interlocking far-right organizations. The funding tentacles of these “respectable appearing” entities reach far and wide. But, as always, their ultimate funding always emanates from the same sources.

All info below is from SourceWatch.org.

https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Idaho_Freedom_Foundation
The Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) is a conservative 501(c)(3) organization that is a member of the right-wing State Policy Network (SPN) and advocates for conservative state legislation in Idaho. Thanks It is based in Boise and calls itself a research institute that advocates for "free market solutions, private property rights, individual responsibility and transparent, limited government."
<snip>
In addition to receiving funding from the State Policy Network and the Donors Capital Fund, both with ties to the Kochs, the Idaho Freedom Foundation is a partner organization in the Charles Koch Institute's Liberty@Work program.
<snip>
https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=State_Policy_Network
The State Policy Network (SPN) is a web of right-wing “think tanks” and tax-exempt organizations in 50 states, Washington, D.C., Canada, and the United Kingdom. As of October 2019, SPN's membership totals 162. Today's SPN is the tip of the spear of far-right, nationally funded policy agenda in the states that undergirds extremists in the Republican Party.
<snip>
Tax documents and other available records reveal that SPN is funded by the same large corporations, right-wing foundations, and wealthy conservative ideologues that fund ALEC. Some of the most notable corporate funders of SPN and its web of "think tanks" include Big Tobacco companies (like Reynolds), Big Oil corporations (like the Koch family fortune), AT&T, Kraft Foods, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Facebook, and Microsoft.

SPN and its "think tanks" are also largely funded by right-wing special interest groups and individuals, including the Koch brothers, the DeVos family, the Coors family, the Walton Family Foundation, the Roe Foundation, the Bradley Foundation, and Searle Freedom Trust.

<snip>
SPN groups operate as the policy, communications, and litigation arm of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), giving the cookie-cutter ALEC agenda a sheen of academic legitimacy and state-based support.
<snip>
https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Legislative_Exchange_Council
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) describes itself as the largest “membership association of state legislators,” but over 98% of its revenue comes from sources other than legislative dues, primarily from corporations and corporate foundations. After the 2010 congressional midterm elections, ALEC boasted that “among those who won their elections, three of the four former state legislators newly-elected to the U.S. Senate are ALEC Alumni and 27 of the 42 former state legislators newly-elected to the U.S. House are ALEC Alumni.”

ALEC’s agenda extends into almost all areas of law. Its bills undermine environmental regulations and deny climate change; support school privatization; undercut health care reform; defund unions and limit their political influence; restrain legislatures’ abilities to raise revenue through taxes; mandate strict election laws that disenfranchise voters; increase incarceration to benefit the private prison industry, among many other issues.

ALEC is an "associate" member of the State Policy Network, a web of right-wing “think tanks” in every state across the country.
<snip>
Charles Koch is the right-wing billionaire owner of Koch Industries. As one of the richest people in the world, he is a key funder of the right-wing infrastructure, including the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the State Policy Network (SPN). In SourceWatch, key articles on Charles Koch and his late brother David include: Koch Brothers, Americans for Prosperity, Stand Together Chamber of Commerce, Stand Together, Koch Family Foundations, Koch Universities, and I360.

What a bunch of loud, whiny, nasal, privileged, nasty, ignorant womanbabies. Grow TF up, cow. CurtEastPoint Apr 2020 #1
Apparently, Karen is having second thoughts about motherhood. Luckily Coronavirus provides Squinch Apr 2020 #2
CPS should seriously be involved. LoveMyCali Apr 2020 #13
clicked the link. it was a staged protest by the Idaho Freedom Foundation IcyPeas Apr 2020 #3
And then there's this: demmiblue Apr 2020 #5
Even worse: it was an astroturfed coordinated protest. demmiblue Apr 2020 #4
I feel bad for the cops who have to deal with these idiots. The cops should be wearing PPE. Hassin Bin Sober Apr 2020 #10
The idiocy required to argue Cartaphelius Apr 2020 #6
That does not make the mom's look good. Plus it teaches their kids that laws do not matter. Tech Apr 2020 #7
Exactly! And I bet not a single child there has been vaccinated for anything. displacedtexan Apr 2020 #12
Bring in the paddy wagon Bev54 Apr 2020 #8
Those women were just looking for drama. I can't believe how patient he was smirkymonkey Apr 2020 #9
The officer showed great restraint Chainfire Apr 2020 #11
Should have smashed her head into the car bluecollar2 Apr 2020 #14
As Trump suggested lame54 Apr 2020 #22
Exactly...n/t... bluecollar2 Apr 2020 #25
Bringing a homeless person point of view into it... Lady Freedom Returns Apr 2020 #15
The Idaho Freedom Foundation has $$$ ties to the Kochs, DeVos, Coors & Walton families; & BIG corps. VOX Apr 2020 #16
Wow -- thanks for compiling this information, VOX. crickets Apr 2020 #21
Rightwing Crisis Protesters sop Apr 2020 #17
That woman in black shirt and striped wrap around is as dumb as a box of rocks. Goodheart Apr 2020 #18
I, too, want the officer's name and badge number. Goodheart Apr 2020 #19
Good Call ProfessorGAC Apr 2020 #20
After he cuffed one wrist... lame54 Apr 2020 #23
Bluffing A Cop Into Arresting You ProfessorGAC Apr 2020 #24
Ah, this was an organized "Playdate Protest"... not surprised. Alex4Martinez Apr 2020 #26
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»My god, the privilege is ...»Reply #16