Koch Brothers - Threat to Democracy

    Probably the second biggest threat to democracy, behind only terrorists, are the Koch Brothers. David Koch ran as vice president on the 1980 Libertarian ticket, to the right of Ronald Reagan. According to New York Times columnist Frank Rich, “his campaign called for the abolition not just of Social Security, federal regulatory agencies and welfare but also of the FBI, the CIA, and public schools”. Since then they have worked secretively behind the scenes to destroy everything that does not fit their agenda.
These born rich billionaires have never actually worked a day in their life. Their father Fred made his money building oil refineries in post-war Russia for Stalin, where he developed strong anti-Union beliefs. Later Fred was a founding member (no, not the founder) of the John Birch Society.
    You have all seen or heard the tape of Wisconsin Governor Walker, thinking he is talking to David Koch. It verifies Koch financial backing of the Union busting movement, and pulling the strings of the Republican Party.
    
    For a long time now, Charles and David Koch, America’s third and fourth richest men, have been at the center of funding right wing causes, from fighting universal health care to the funding the tea party. They’ve denied association with the tea party but there is video to prove otherwise. They founded Citizens for a Sound Economy which later became Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Works. David Koch continues as Chairman of the Board. They founded the Cato Institute, a conservative marketing firm masquerading as a think tank.
    
New Yorker magazine recently revealed that this group has been quietly guiding the organizing efforts of the Tea Party -- in other words, billionaire oilmen secretly underwriting what the public has been told is a grass-roots movement for change in Washington. But it has now come out how involved they have been in funding Tea Party groups, Americans for Prosperity, Freedom Works, and Citizens for a Sound Economy ($12 million). The Koch brothers make millions of dollars of “donations” to ALEC, the secretive group of corporations and politicians that work to advance the conservative agenda.
It’s likely that the Koch’s had at least a funding role in Citizens United although no proof yet exists due to the ruling itself. Since that decision, information has come to light that raises serious questions about the impartiality of Justices Thomas and Scalia in the Citizens United case. It appears both justices have participated in political strategy sessions (like ALEC), perhaps while the case was pending, with corporate leaders whose political aims were advanced by the decision. With respect to Justice Thomas, there may also be an undisclosed financial conflict of interest due to his wife’s role as CEO of Liberty Central, a 501(c) organization that stood to benefit from the decision and played an active role in the 2010 elections.
    
    They are behind the efforts to limit EPA power, so they can make more money, at the expense of our environment. And have been the focus of numerous environmental disasters and investigations, as well as funding the anti-climate change movement.
    The only way to fight the Koch Brothers influence is to cut off their money. You can (and must) do this by boycotting all Koch industries products. You can find a list of these products at Government Reform.