Koch brothers group to buy election... at least, try to...

Full Article at HuffPo

$889 Million! I hoped there would laws to prevent Oligarchs from controlling elections.

Quote :

Contributions to candidates and national political parties from individual donors are capped at $2,600 and $32,400 respectively, but wealthy donors in the Koch network will be able to write checks to Koch-affiliated organizations in any amount because under U.S. law most Koch groups are not traditional political fundraising organizations but nonprofit advocacy groups, experts said.

Such groups, which exist on both sides of the political spectrum, are limited only in that they cannot coordinate directly with candidates and political parties and their primary purpose must be advocacy, not electioneering. But the two can be nearly indistinguishable in practice, said David Donnelly, president of Every Voice, a campaign finance reform group.

"They can spend money on about anything a candidate or party can spend money on, but just don't have to disclose it," Donnelly said...

...Democrats will be hard pressed to find wealthy donors with pockets deep enough to match the Koch-coordinated effort. The figure announced on Monday dwarfs, for example, the $74 million spent by California billionaire and green activist Tom Steyer on the 2014 congressional elections. Steyer has not announced his 2016 plans.

Bobby Whithorne, spokesman for Steyer's NextGen Climate organization, said "spending around a billion dollars to make sure that the few continue to disproportionately benefit at the expense of the many is simply good economics for them," referring to the Kochs.

I'm sure the Dems have just as much back from the entertainment industry.

Tit for tat...

Bernie Sanders' (yeah, I know... Bernie Sanders) web site says this about the Kochs...

Quote :

Here are just a few excerpts of the Libertarian Party platform that David Koch ran on in 1980:

*  “We urge the repeal of federal campaign finance laws, and the immediate abolition of the despotic Federal Election Commission.”

*  “We favor the abolition of Medicare and Medicaid programs.”

*  “We oppose any compulsory insurance or tax-supported plan to provide health services, including those which finance abortion services.”

*  “We also favor the deregulation of the medical insurance industry.”

*  “We favor the repeal of the fraudulent, virtually bankrupt, and increasingly oppressive Social Security system. Pending that repeal, participation in Social Security should be made voluntary.”

*  “We propose the abolition of the governmental Postal Service. The present system, in addition to being inefficient, encourages governmental surveillance of private correspondence.  Pending abolition, we call for an end to the monopoly system and for allowing free competition in all aspects of postal service.”

*  “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.”

*  “We support repeal of all law which impede the ability of any person to find employment, such as minimum wage laws.”

*  “We advocate the complete separation of education and State.  Government schools lead to the indoctrination of children and interfere with the free choice of individuals. Government ownership, operation, regulation, and subsidy of schools and colleges should be ended.”

*  “We condemn compulsory education laws … and we call for the immediate repeal of such laws.”

*  “We support the repeal of all taxes on the income or property of private schools, whether profit or non-profit.”

*  “We support the abolition of the Environmental Protection Agency.”

*  “We support abolition of the Department of Energy.”

*  “We call for the dissolution of all government agencies concerned with transportation, including the Department of Transportation.”

*  “We demand the return of America's railroad system to private ownership. We call for the privatization of the public roads and national highway system.”

*  “We specifically oppose laws requiring an individual to buy or use so-called "self-protection" equipment such as safety belts, air bags, or crash helmets.”

*  “We advocate the abolition of the Federal Aviation Administration.”

*  “We advocate the abolition of the Food and Drug Administration.”

*  “We support an end to all subsidies for child-bearing built into our present laws, including all welfare plans and the provision of tax-supported services for children.”

*  “We oppose all government welfare, relief projects, and ‘aid to the poor’ programs. All these government programs are privacy-invading, paternalistic, demeaning, and inefficient. The proper source of help for such persons is the voluntary efforts of private groups and individuals.”

*  “We call for the privatization of the inland waterways, and of the distribution system that brings water to industry, agriculture and households.”

*  “We call for the repeal of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.”

*  “We call for the abolition of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.”

*  “We support the repeal of all state usury laws.”

---

In other words, the agenda of the Koch brothers is not only to defund Obamacare.  The agenda of the Koch brothers is 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.

In all fairness to the Kochs, some of their wishes probably have changed, but it appears that they favor greed and anarchy.

SheWrites wrote:

I'm sure the Dems have just as much back from the entertainment industry.

Tit for tat...

Didn't hear much if any complaining or vilainization of George Soros and his contributions to democrats...Difficult to squeal about someone attemting to buy an election when it's just a different name doing the same for the other side...Watch the hrc contributors...

Everything is worse when it's the Republicans. ooooooOOOOOooooo evil rich people running America through greedy, evil, and corrupt corporations. Put a name on the greed - Koch Brothers and it's taken in hook, line, and sinker.

Talk about a media bite.

If you mention Soros or anything negative to the Dems then you are just labeled ignorant and asked for data to back your accusations then told your source is not reliable.

It's a game.

If you read the article, the Dems cannot get close to what the Republicans can do financially.

I guess anarchy is okay too, eh?

Some government oversight is ridiculous, I admit, but to dismantle most or all of it is irresponsible.

It's a pointless conversation, really. Once you let kudzu grow...

This is the last time I post to Politics.

Eric wrote:

If you read the article, the Dems cannot get close to what the Republicans can do financially.

The Dems are getting MORE than the republicans. Again watch the Clinton coffers then explain that its not the Dems too.....Even in the last midterm elections the republicans were outspent and the Dems pulled finances on some of their own that they walked away from...Don't get me wrong not shedding a tear for either party and the loot they grab but to say one is worse than the other only allows the problem to continue...Estimations are that both sides will raise/spend more than a Billion dollars to get or attempt to get their candidate in the WH....instead of partisian crap it sounds like there are enough on both sides attempting to buy there way into power....

SheWrites wrote:

Everything is worse when it's the Republicans.  ooooooOOOOOooooo evil rich people running America through greedy, evil, and corrupt corporations.  Put a name on the greed - Koch Brothers and it's taken in hook, line, and sinker.  

Talk about a media bite.

If you mention Soros or anything negative to the Dems then you are just labeled ignorant and asked for data to back your accusations then told  your source is not reliable.

It's a game.

   Ah oh...now you've done it..pointed out hypocrisy [a much overused term]....because everyone knows or should know that there are only rich...wealthy...republicans and the democrats are the true party of the people...remember like those poor unfortunate...destitute Clintons'....."flat broke".....If a Bush...or Romney attempted this they'd be drug through the mud [rightfully so] yet the Clintons receive another do over to explain that their millions doesn't really equate to being flat broke...They are really in touch with the working middle class....

As long as politicians seek their own self fulfillment through a government office we will "reap" the "benefit" of their career. Which basically means faces in front of the camera as often as possible and outrageous promises. If the work to maintain a promise, come hell or high water, then we receive something "grand" like Obamacare.

The curtain is open and we see them all. It ain't purty.

Eric wrote:

This is the last time I post to Politics.

Now come on...if you don't post what will we have to tear apart. I do find it interesting that the points on David Koch is from his 1980 platform.

I'm sure I've changed some views since 1980. Wonder if he has??

SheWrites wrote:

Eric wrote:

This is the last time I post to Politics.

Now come on...if you don't post what will we have to tear apart.     I do find it interesting that the points on David Koch is from his 1980 platform.  

I'm sure I've changed some views since 1980.  Wonder if he has??

Not a defender or apologist for the Koch Bros......but at least the journalists should be more honest that neither side has exclusive rights to big spending for their preferred candidate(s)....They do it for influence and sure Soros has his similar motives too....