The Koch Brothers and Their Influence on American Politicians
Published by Freethinking on February 8, 2011 in Politics-
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This is a look at Koch Industries, which is the second largest privately held corporation in the United States. It is owned by two (2) brothers who are winning the influence of our politicians.
As a nation, we have always had idealists and zealots. There are varying degrees of political views and philosophies. After all, it is the differences of our people that helped shape and mold our country, along with our government. However, within recent history we have seen changes to our political landscape that are not only shocking, but frightening as well. For me, one of my greatest fears is the influence wielded by the Koch brothers.
David and Charles Koch are reported to be the fifth wealthiest families in the U. S. with annual incomes of $21.5 billion each and Koch Industries represents the second largest privately held corporation operating on American soil. Okay. So far that’s good news because no one ever accused us Americans of not being the land of opportunity. Fortunes have been made and lost like the ebb and flow of ocean’s tides. What becomes disturbing is when the mega rich, with an agenda strictly for their own benefit, attempt to buy favor with the political machines which run this country. This is exactly what the Koch brothers have done and continue to do. They have become extremely adept with the sphere of power they control. As you may or may not know, Koch Industries own too many companies to mention by name. A few of these businesses are Georgia-Pacific, Brawny paper towels, fertilizer, energy, cattle, minerals, finance, commodities trading, oil refining and distribution companies gives us a mere glimpse of their diversity. It just seems to be an endless list.
Companies operating under the Koch Industries umbrella have less than a stellar record when it comes to the environment. A few of these violations include the death of two teenage boys in Texas when a butane gas pipeline exploded and burned. Then Koch Petroleum pleaded guilty to dumping thousands of gallons of aviation fuel into wetlands near the Mississippi River, along with dumping millions of gallons of ammonia waste-water on the ground and into the Mississippi River. Koch Industries lied more than 24,000 times about the theft of oil from American Indian lands and the government. Due to more than three million gallons of crude oil leaking into streams, ponds, lakes and coastal waters in Texas and five other states, Koch Industries paid a $35 million settlement to the U. S. Justice Department and the state of Texas. Other fines and penalties levied against Koch for polluting and thumbing their noses at the environment include $1.7 million, $25 million, $20 million, $60,00, $16,00 and $200,000.
David and Charles Koch who present themselves as christian conservatives and were the financial founders of the Tea Party movement, seem to be a contradiction in moral and ethical values. Some of the wads of cash they have thrown around, in a well orchestrated move for favoritism involve $20 million and $12.3 million in lobbying during 2008 and 2009, respectively. According to Greenpeace, during an eleven year span, Koch donated more than $48 million to causes and groups that create a smoke screen of doubt regarding climate change. In a three year period from 2005 to 2008 they tossed into the well $37 million lobbying for fossil fuel industries and another $5.7 million on political campaigns.
So, now what is the latest endeavor of these good willed environmentalists? The billionaire brothers are, quite frankly, buying favor with the Republican Party. If you doubt my sincerity, all you need do is look at the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Nine of the twelve GOP members signed a Koch founded pledge to oppose any and all Obama administration attempts to control greenhouse gases. One Republican congressman on this committee even hired a former Koch Industries lawyer to act as his Chief of Staff. The final straw for me is when the Republican Chairman of this fraudulent committee avowed to put an end to the Environmental Protection Agency’s choke hold on business.
In conclusion, as a consumer, voter, environmentalist and person who enjoys drinking and swimming in clean water, I refuse to buy Brawny paper towels, Mardi Gras napkins, Quilted Northern or Angel Soft toilet paper and I will not buy carpeting that contains Lycra fiber, made by Stain-master. Of course, if you believe that polluting our air and waterways is great for business, then continue to support the hypocritical Koch family. Everyone seems to boast about what this country is going to be like for our grandchildren. Well, they can wipe off the sores of pollution, as they don their gas masks and try to tread water from the melting ice caps…thanks to a political system that lines their own pockets with money that will hopefully be enough to get all of them the hell out of here, after following the Christian conservative movements values, as dictated by the masters holding the purse strings. At least, that is my take on these two brothers. Now it is your turn to decide.
WRITTEN BY: DENNIS L. PAGE
OTHER ARTICLES WRITTEN BY DENNIS L. PAGE INCLUDE:
http://newsflavor.com/opinions/the-gangland-murder-of-a-20-month-old-rashaad-walker-jr
http://socyberty.com/people/john-f-kennedys-death-took-away-our-innocence
A good approach, worth appreciating.
an approach worth appreciating, good analysis of Koch brothers.
Excellent article – very interesting
The Koch family is obviously so concerned with their own personal wealth that they hope their offspring die a nasty death in a globally warmed, not to mention heavily polluted earth. Idiots. Great share!
Money talks my friend all over the world. Today its the have’s and have nots, it really is that simple. Great historical article. LB
I agree with your take on the Koch brothers. Their vested interest is of paramount importance to them than the environment and the people.
Some people just don’t mind others welfare. Their main concern is to earn money despite of putting others lives in danger.
Signing a pledge to oppose the Administration sounds like treason to me. A more ruthless president would make heads roll.
You really did your research on this article. Enjoyable read
What a great article Dennis, liked this very much cheers
EYE-OPENER!
Thank you for putting it out there. The Koch brothers manage to stay under the radar incredibly well, and nothing that stays under the radar does so without a reason.
Interesting article. Not everyone have our best interest at heart.
great article, this is really interesting
interesting stuff
Very interesting and informative article. I am glad I took a break from studying to read a few posts. Learned something here.
Great share. Great story.
Great article. I have had total disdain of the Koch Brothers and their political views. Tax cuts for the wealthy and the destruction of our environment are both toxic to our way of life.
Money always talks and always will. I truly enjoyed this article it made a very interesting approach on these Bros, some of the facts I didn’t know. Great write and a very interesting read Freethinking.
What about the influence of billionaire Soros on American politics? I think his influence is far more sinister than that of the Koch brothers. Obama would not have been elected had it not been for Soros’ bankrolling the Democraps and the support of all Obama’s leftie organisations (MoveOn.org, Daily Kos, the SEIU,Acorn, etc etc )
There needs to be a balance in US politics. At the moment there is a far more visible leftie presence with the WH leaning towards socialism, the unions and all the above organisations pushing a leftie socialist agenda. And that includes all Obama’s radical leftie friends like Bill Ayers,Bernadine Dohrn,Rashid Khalidi etc etc.
I can’t understand why you-Ulsterman -allow this article to be printed on a website where you regularly write about updates from the White House Insider.
Is that all bulls–t? What are we really to believe? It reminds me of the exiled Kenyan blogger Sammy Korir who led voters on in his blog pretending to be anti-Obama when he was actually shilling for Obama. That was a front to draw out any anti Obama voters before the 2008 election and I’m sure those people who voiced their opinions against Obama are now being being watched by Obama’s secret police and Janet “Big Sis” Napolitano’s storm troopers.
This is a good article regardless of what any Glenn Beck associates might say.I’m'mt
still unsure who this George Soros is,but since FOX seems to despise him, is
he one of Rubert Murdoch’s competitors?
I would like to know though how much the Kochs are invested in media ,both
corporate and public, and how much influence they have over the way topics are
covered.I’m wondering about the vitriol against public radio and T.V. since the
Koch brothers are sponsers of programs on both what’s the deal?
It’s disturbing that such an inward thinking partnership can so successfully lobby politicians. Good insight and analysis.
The Koch Brothers (pronounced coke) are doing an incredible amount of harm to the United States. Not content with usurping EPA regulations they have also put their focus on union busting by sending their puppet Mr. Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity from Washington, D.C. to lobby in Wisconsin against organized labor. These ego maniacal men need to let real Americans govern America.