You Thought the Koch Brothers Were Bad? Turns Out They're Even Worse Than You Thought

[marmar]

AlterNet / By Adele M. Stan

You Thought the Koch Brothers Were Bad? Turns Out They're Even Worse Than You Thought
Charles and David Koch's reach into virtually every aspect of political, economic and physical life on the planet is probably greater than you thought possible.

April 5, 2011 |


You knew they were big. You knew they were evil. From the union-busting actions of their minions in Wisconsin and Ohio to their war on health-care reform, to their assault on the environment and their attacks on the science of climatology, Charles and David Koch have earned their place as the focus of progressives' scrutiny in the age of the Tea Party -- the destructive and regressive movement they bankroll. But a new report from the Center for American Progress Action Fund shows that, as bad as you thought the Kochs were, they're actually worse. And their reach into virtually every aspect of political, economic and physical life on the planet is probably greater than you thought possible.

In The Koch Brothers: What You Need to Know About the Financiers of the Radical Right, author Tony Carrk, policy director of the CAP Action War Room, lays out a case that is breathtaking in its scope, showing how the Koch brothers are using their billions with the aim of reshaping the global economic system in such a way as to enrich themselves and their heirs at the expense of most other inhabitants of the planet.

While much of the report will have a familiar ring (especially to readers of AlterNet, and CAP Action's own ThinkProgress), The Koch Brothers also addresses elements of the Koch agenda far beyond the well-trodden turf of Americans for Prosperity's organizing against health-care reform or the pollution rap against Koch Industries, the second-largest privately held corporation in the United States, which the billionaire brothers command. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/teaparty/150520/you_thought_the_koch_brothers_were_bad_turns_out_they%27re_even_worse_than_you_thought/

[Cirque du So-What]

1. K & R

As though a need exists to explain how important it is to get this in front of as many eyes as possible.

[CoffeeCat]

2. I can only imagine...

...the Fascist crap that they have pulled off in this country. We now understand
that they bankrolled and were major heavyweights with the Wisconsin legislation.

Seriously...no one would have guessed that. I'm bookmarking this for reading later, but
I'm sure these bastards have propped up lots of legislation and stunts like Wisconsin.

They are evil, and they're tearing apart this country (and our democracy) brick by brick.

There will always be evil capitalists--but I'd like to send out a very targeted "F you!"
to the politicians who kow tow to this nonsense and compromise our democracy by being
weak and getting entangled with these corporate thugs.

[opihimoimoi]

3. Holy Geeko Shit....if this gets legs...the GOP gonna be hurt real bad

[russspeakeasy]

7. The legs will be amputated. Sawed of with $ bills.

[neoralme]

17. Exactly.

dddddddd

[Tippy]

4. K&R....Any ides on how we can get this information into

the hands of those who don't want to see our country destroyed?

[snot]

5. And I suspct MANY of the oligarchs are similarly active.

[truedelphi]

6. Not only all that - the Koch Bros destroyed blue jeans

Blue jeans used to be comfortable and cottony. Your skin could sink into them and the wearer felt unfettered.

Then the Koch Bros managed to get their stupid Spandex/Lycra crap poured into the fabric, so it is harder and harder to buy a pair of blue jeans that doesn't make it feel like you are wearing a girdle.

Plus the Spandex/Lycra stuff makes them hot as well as uncomfortable.

[Sonoman]

11. Buy men's Levis.

I love the way 501s and 550s look on women.

Sonoman

[truedelphi]

12. Actually that's what I do.

But when my girlfriends make me shop with them in the women's section of a major store, they are complaining and complaining.

Women's jeans are now horrid, thanks to the Koch Bros.

[Sonoman]

13. Somehow, I just knew it. nt

[truedelphi]

14. Not that it matters, (at least not now) but way back in

1978, I got the "Best Butt on Langdon Ave" award in Madison WI.

And I owed it all to men's Levi jeans!

And we all know that folks in Madison WI are right on! ;-)

[Sonoman]

16. OK, where's da pics?

I'm wearing my favorite pair of Levis, right now.

And my favorite (and only surviving) bath robe.

If you ever get to Sonoma, let me know. We know all the best places.

Sonoman

[socialist_n_TN]

8. They're just classic capitalists.

This is what capitalists DO. The world is a giant Monopoly game and they're out to win. As I said, CLASSIC capitalists and classic capitalism.

[NothingRight]

9. Hate the players, not the game?

As easy as it is to vilify people like the Koch Brothers, they are not architects of the flawed system, they are merely capitalizing on it.

The free flow of money through the political system promotes not only a top heavy system, but it all but encourages corruption and legalized extortion.

It is estimated that every dollar a company spends on lobbyists, the return is $100. That return is in the form of legislation that is squashed that would have hurt their bottom line, or legislation that is passed to benefit their bottom line.

That kind of return cannot be seen anywhere else, so why shouldn't they spread that money out and see if they can't increase their odds, as well as the payout.

This is the problem with not only the Citizens United case, but with the decision that a corporation is equal to an individual in regards to free speech.

Without a fundamental change in the system, i.e. a Constitutional Amendment, the Koch Brothers will become the model for gaining political influence in this, the Corporate States of America.

[marmar]

10. Hate both.

nt

[katty]

15. greg palast wrote about their 'influence' years ago