IN PREVIOUS COLUMNS I HAVE TOUCHED ON THE KOCH BROTHERS and their influence. However, in that process I barely skimmed the surface of their enormous — and growing — power and the impact of that influence on both legislation and public policy. This will add just a tiny bit more to the prior lot.
It should be obvious that with a Congress dominated in the near future by Republicans, who are simultaneously being powerfully influenced — perhaps more accurately controlled — by the oil, gas and coal lobbies, the Koch operation will be operating full bore. Clearly Koch Industries Inc. is a stalwart leader in the battle against alternate — what some might call “clean” — energy. But who cares about that “clean” nonsense when there’s a (sort of) honest buck to be made!
First, a little history.
In a recent column I noted the Koch-funded drive to eliminate the wind tax credit. Consider that carefully. One of the few steps that has been taken by Congress to facilitate alternative and non-polluting energy will shortly be subject to the tender mercies of a Republican Party committed to oil, gas and coal. Bizarre as it may appear, the latter, having been nourished, coddled and cozened by over a century of public financial support that continues even as they are making their case, will, of course, be demanding that “wind” stand on its own — no bloody government “interference” with the market!
For those who derogate hypocrisy, please note that in the right hands (Charles and David Koch’s, for example) it clearly has its place as a profit generator.
To help facilitate this marriage of greed and political power, we have the extraordinary skills of ALEC, that bizarre operation that volunteers to write the enabling legislation to ease the burdens on cooperative legislators. Sort of a “Hey, sit back and relax, here’s another fifty grand for your campaign — and here, too, is the legislation all beautifully written out, your name at the top and no need to strain yourself. By the way, we have already discussed this bill with your GOP colleagues and they’re all on board.” Democracy in action!
For some additional interesting detail on this marriage of money, greed and manipulation, note the following:
“Meet The Little-Known Network Pushing Ideas For Kochs, ALEC,” by Huffington Post’s Paul Blumenthal, Nov. 14, 2013:
“WASHINGTON — A network of state-level think tanks is pushing a right-wing agenda with support from the American Legislative Exchange Council and funding from the billionaire Koch brothers, according to a new report.
“The Center for Media and Democracy released its exposé on the State Policy Network and affiliated groups on Wednesday. The report details the think tank network’s ties to ALEC, funding from wealthy conservative benefactors, and political and lobbying activities backing right-wing positions on health care, education, privatization, labor rights, tax cuts and environmental policy.
“‘The State Policy Network itself has had tremendous influence, and they have had very little public scrutiny about who they are and what interests they really represent,’ Lisa Graves, executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy, said. ‘They describe themselves in a given state as a nonpartisan independent group or as a think tank academic study group, and, in fact, these groups are very active politically. Many of them are very active before the state legislatures, and a lot of the work they’re doing is very biased and unreliable.’
“The Center’s SPN report contends that the network cloaks itself as merely a supporter of ‘market-oriented’ research when it is actually part and parcel of the right-wing infrastructure to push a nationally designed agenda in statehouses across the country.
“Tracie Sharp, president of the State Policy Network, rejected the claims in the report, calling them ‘baseless allegations’ and noting that ‘their source is not surprising.’
“‘Organizations like the Center for Media and Democracy are strangely troubled by the fact that we believe in a more transparent, accountable government, policies that place a priority on free enterprise and consumer choice, and tax policies that are fair, simple and that spur the kind of competitiveness that puts Americans back to work,’ Sharp said in a statement.”
If you have difficulty interpreting the true meaning of that statement, buried as it is in all those noble words, join the multitudes. A more beautifully worded con it would be difficult to imagine!
“The State Policy Network and many of its most active affiliates are members of ALEC, the secretive organization that brings corporations, conservative activists and state legislators together to write model state legislation. The network has also routinely sponsored ALEC’s annual meetings. The Center for Media and Democracy had previously launched a campaign targeting ALEC called ALEC Exposed, which revealed numerous documents detailing that group’s internal operations.
“The think tanks in the State Policy Network also write model legislation and introduce it at private ALEC meetings to be vetted and approved for broader dissemination to statehouses, according to the report. These groups have supported legislation that would restrict collective bargaining rights, privatize public schools and public pension funds, eliminate environmental protections and tighten voter identification laws.” (Italics mine!)
Now there’s an agenda that takes care of the problem of liberal interference with profitable commerce — not to mention halting the waste of money on public schools, for God’s sake, and stopping all that interference with making a buck in the name of environmental protection!
“‘This is part of a policy-moving apparatus,’ Graves said. ‘This is part of the right-wing infrastructure. ALEC gets the bills in the hands of legislators directly, and SPN groups come in to backstop that.’
“The report details a number of ways in which the State Policy Network and its affiliates help make nationally developed policies more palatable to the local audience. An ALEC report on right-to-work laws, for instance, was redistributed in a slightly altered, state-specific form in four states considering such laws.
“State Policy Network affiliates have directly lobbied in statehouses and engaged in other forms of political activity. Graves pointed out the clearest example: when the Wisconsin-based MacIver Institute spent millions touting the accomplishments of Republican Gov. Scott Walker ahead of a failed recall election.
“Sharp, the network president, rejected the notion that her organization operates in a top-down manner. ‘Because we are legally and practically organized as a service organization (not as a franchise), each of the 64 state-based think tanks is fiercely independent, choosing to manage their staff, pick their own research topics and educate the public on those issues they deem most appropriate for their state,’ she said in her statement.” (And, if they all end up with the same regressive public policies, something there about great minds!)
“In 2011, the State Policy Network and its affiliates reported raising a combined $83.2 million, according to the Center for Media and Democracy. While donors to the groups are not required to be disclosed, a 2010 document opened a window on some of them. They included the Donors Trust and the Donors Capital Fund, both secretive right-wing funding instruments, as well as Altria, AT&T, Comcast, GlaxoSmithKline, Kraft Foods, Microsoft, Reynolds American and Time Warner Cable.”
And here’s a remarkable revelation! Who would have imagined this! “Multiple documents reviewed in the report also show that the Koch brothers, known for their extensive funding of conservative activist causes, are major funders of the State Policy Network and its affiliates through their linked foundations and Koch Industries.” Now there’s a huge surprise! “Many other wealthy conservatives have likewise pumped money into the network, including the DeVos family of Amway, the Coors brewing family, the Waltons of Wal-Mart, and wealthy businessman (and North Carolina budget director) Art Pope.”
And so it goes in the land of the free and the home of the brave! And isn’t there a sort of noble gallantry in openly flaunting that kind of social message!
Jerome Page is a Benicia resident.
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From the piece :And so it goes in the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Yes, and so it goes…(BTW, I am reminded of one of my favorite books, Slaughterhouse-Five, with that refrain)
It does seem that the apoplectic reactions of the left towards the Koch brothers is not garnered based on the fact that they are spending money in support of causes they support, but rather the fact that they are not spending money on causes that the left supports.
We hear no complaints from the left regarding the vast sums (which far exceeds that of the Koch’s) spent by multi billionaires on their causes. From Politico:
Donors who gave exclusively or primarily to Democratic candidates and groups held down 52 of the top 100 spots — including by far the biggest donor of disclosed 2014 cash: retired San Francisco hedge fund billionaire Tom Steyer.
He donated more than $74 million to Democratic candidates and supportive committees, but it was the way he gave that highlighted both the potential impact and the limitations of the new breed of mega-donor to shape elections.
Beyond bashing the Koch Brothers—
The article below provides a deeper more profound and honest analysis i.e. a more” balanced look” at our immediate future. For Mr. Page, city staff, community members and our appointed and elected officials to consider…
“Republican Congress’s 1st Salvos: Corporations +5, Workers -1”
“The Omnibus spending bill just passed by Congress indicates clearly that the Republican Legislative Offensive is being rolled out faster than otherwise might have been predicted.”
“The Omnibus bill just passed by the U.S. Congress, in which the Democrats still had majority control of the U.S. Senate this December, includes numerous pro-banker, pro-corporate proposals that will soon become law. Senate Democrats have gone along with their Republican counterparts in passing ‘Omnibus’.”
The Omnibus bill passed last week provides $1.1 trillion in spending by the U.S. government for the coming fiscal year, through September 2015.
Corporate Benefit #1: Banking Deregulation Returns
Corporate Benefit #2: Corporate Tax Cut Machine Leaves the Station
Corporate Benefit #3: Gutting the Environmental Protection Agency
Corporate Benefit #4: Defense Corporations ‘Pig-Out’ Again
Corporate Benefit #5: More Corporate Money for Political Parties
http://www.kyklosproductions.com/posts/index.php?p=259
Beyond the Koch Brothers,ALEC and The State Policy Networks—
The scholarly article below, provides a much ” more profound and deeper analysis” i.e. a more” wide-ranging look” at our immediate future. For Mr. Page, city staff, community members and our appointed and elected officials to seriously consider…
“The Death of American Democracy: The Rise of Inverted Fascist Democracy”
“Over the past half century, America has descended from a popular democracy into an inverted fascist democracy. An inverted fascist democracy is the new American system, because its self-proclaimed ideologies directly oppose its actual policies. The United States’ government may claim liberty and justice for all; however, in practice, it exhibits all four major characteristics of a fascist state: a one party government, extravagant economic inequality, a totalitarian police state at home and militarism abroad, and a strong reliance on propaganda.
“Political philosopher, Sheldon Wolin, has provided a devastating critique on how America is increasingly becoming a totalitarian state. The U.S. operates via the impression of a multi-party state. Nobody should have any illusions. The United States essentially has a one-party system; and the ruling party is the corporate party.”
“And so it goes in the land of the free and the home of the brave!”
http://www.countercurrents.org/chengu050115.htm
ity appeARS
Again hit the wrong buttons. Now to start over. It appears Mr. Page what you are going on and on about has been very successful. All you do is rant about how successful these groups are. It appears you have a strain of cannot compete virus. You offer no solutions. Just complaints and whinning. I see you as a voice of the very left leaning Socialist crowd. You know the Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.. You research the internet all week long looking for Liberal/Socialist blogs to confirm your personal beliefs. Then write a very biased article on ,your personal beliefs. That is fine. We all have beliefs but most not all are backed ,by results and solutions. You have none. I believe,you do have a very left leaning following ,but,that does no ,good ,without action. Just,what are your action plans or are you going to leave,that to others. Sorry Mr, Page you ,are failing in your drive to disrupt commerce and the future of America. Only ,because you do not ,understand how results get attention and move forward to better results and a better life for all. Keep at your weekly ,no result article , accomplish nothing.
Accomplishing a great deal if all it accomplishes is to counter the bullshit from the likes of you. And to stand as the best commentary The Herald, and by extension Benicia, provides the marketplace of ideas.
Sorry H H it is Granola eating habit that is causing your BS . Better try a new liberal food souce..
I’m sorry, you are not making any sense. Try Dragon speech recognition software.
I do know how to get a responce out of you. Source. Do you know what souce means?
No idea what souce means. Is that French?
It is obvious that both of the K Bros. fall under a measure of the “dark triad” of personality traits. The three malevolent traits are machiavellianism (a manipulative attitude), narcissism (excessive self-love), and psychopathy (lack of empathy).
However, who can point to any highly successful wealth, or even moderate success of individuals climbing the corporate ladder, that has not resulted from douchebagerry, backstabbing, vanity, etc.. It seems that these traits, that have been ubiquitous in building this country, are more important than knowledge, talent or dedication.
Give examples.. Would Al Gore or President Clinton be good examples? Maybe evn Harry Reid. George Soros? Lydon Johnson or even any of the Kennedy’s? Help us out Thomas.
Please read, “..any highly successful wealth, or even moderate success of individuals climbing the corporate ladder, that has not resulted from douchebagerry”,
Bob, Take you pick! Help yourself.
*your*
My pick. All L:iberals, Progressives, Socialist Democrats. I guess the covers the whole Democrat Party. My pick.
that
“All L:iberals, Progressives, Socialist Democrats.”
I guess they are all wealthy and successful, then. Let’s go with that.
I guess Thomas you are refering to these folks.: Bill Gates, Forrest Mars, Jacqueline Mars, John Mars, Abigail Johnson, Richard DeVos, Elizabeth Holmes, George Lucas Robert Kraft, Steven Spielberg, William Wrigley Jr., Stanley Hubbard, Bob Parsons, John Yarbrough, Paul McCartney, Earvin Johnson, Ringo Starr, Bono, Van Morrison, Harrison Ford for starters. Do these fit your description Thomas.? Or are you just talking about something you know nothing about. Just curious.
Nice list. Apparently I’m talking about something YOU know nothing about. That was clear at about 12:00 pm yesterday.
Case in point: which of the folks in the list you provided do you know personally. Try 0. As such, how is it that you are willing to vouch for the scruples of folks you don’t know? You have no way of proving that what I stated is wrong. Since you obviously have issues with what I’ve stated, the burden of proof lies with you. However, you’ve got nothing, just talk with no meaning.
Stop it Thomas. You cannot worm your way out of this one. You made a statement and I provided names..
More meaningless nonsense.
Sorry Thomas you always want to change the rules in the middle of the game. You jknow you got beat so lets change the rules. Sorry Thomsas you are a very sore and sorry loser. Take a look at the contributions the Kock brothers have made. Try this one 100 mil to the Lincoln Center. Oh I forgot the mnAME4 Lincoln does not count he was Re publican. You ARE
Sorry Thomas you always want to change the rules in the middle of the game. You know you got beat so lets change the rules. Sorry Thomas you are a very sore and sorry loser. Take a look at the contributions the Koch brothers have made. Try this one 100 mil to the Lincoln Center. Oh I forgot the name Lincoln does not count he was Republican. You are a con artist and quick change commentor.
I know you are sorry. That aside, what rules, what game? What fantasy world are you living in where you think you best someone when you disagree with their opinion?
Besides, I’m sure you are aware that you will never be able to beat me at anything.
Who cares about donations? Making a donation does not negate a lack of scruples.
I’m through with you. But, go ahead and get the last word. I’m sure it will qualify as more vapid twaddle.
I hope you stick to your word and do not comment or respond to my comments. Thomas will not do that. He again will break his own word and will respond. Talk about a sore loser. Thomas I do believe I got to you.
Heh. Kock brothers. Good one.
Please note the use of the word “äny” in this meme, as well:
http://bit.ly/1wNo3ii
http://bit.ly/1tK0g8K
http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2012/01/27/assholicism-do-ceos-need-to-be-jerks-to-be-successful/2/
Thomas I did not know that you and Mr. Page are friends with the Koch bothers or just dinner guests. I bet they destroyed you and Mr. Page over dinner. Did you and Mr. Page pick up the dinner tab? He He He
I posted a comment a few days ago about how witticisms and conservatism were mutually exclusive.
He he he ha ha ha ha ho ho ho
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
This may become a classic, as well. Sometimes things become classics inadvertently. Made so by those who may not even be fans.
On another note, it seems that the Walton’s (of Walmart infamy) are tag-teaming with the Koch brothers and some of the nation’s largest utilities. They are not being shy in browbeating state lawmakers and agencies to roll back or throw out their renewable energy policies. Over the past few years, they’ve bankrolled campaigns against residential solar in Arizona, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Washington. Why? Because they own several energy interests, including a 30% stake in First Solar, which makes the parts for huge commercial installations of solar panels that operate like power plants. It is no secret that the Walton’s are not very fond of competition. .