Save America from both the Kochs and Cato

[TexasTowelie]

It's always entertaining to see a couple of billionaire plutocrats like the Koch boys get an embarrassing case of political hiccups.

Such is their fate as a result of trying to grab total control of the Cato Institute, a right-wing think tank that brother Charles set up in 1974. Both Charles and David already sit on this outfit's five-member governing committee, but now they're suing it, demanding a third seat. Amazingly, this power grab has turned Cato into a subject of media sympathy – a little "David" think-tank whose political purity is endangered by the rapacious Koch-headed Goliath. There's even a "Save Cato" website.

Before shedding tears and sending donations, however, let's refresh our memory on what they want to save. As a recent piece in the "Counter Punch" newsletter succinctly pointed out, Cato is a corporate-funded front that fabricates faux intellectual rationales for turning America into a government-free, plutocratic utopia run by the corporate elite.

"In a free society," wrote one Catonian, "there should be no minimum wage law." Another opined that "Collective bargaining violates workers' civil liberties." Also, in the brave new world of Cato-Think there would be no national efforts to assure adequate nutrition for poverty-stricken children, because such problems "are properly local and private functions."

More at http://www.jimhightower.com/node/7696

[lob1]

1. Chuck Todd was just interviewing someone from the Cato Institute.

I can't stand Todd or Cato, so I had to change the channel.

[la la]

2. ...and the Cato guy...

said that Cato and The Daily Caller were going into the supreme's show together---working together---the daily caller---tucker carlson's rag....losers!

[css]

3. Cato

I understand disagreeing with the Cato Institute's libertarian philosophy, but to say that they "fabricate faux intellectual rationales" is untrue. A differing "intellectual rationale" is not necessarily a "faux" or "fabricated" one.

Cato is a libertarian think tank. Libertarians believe in limited government. They believe that there are public goods and private goods, and it is the government's job to provide public goods. They believe that it is not the government's job to interfere in private acts. Which means they also champion gay marriage, limited overseas involvement (aka, war), drug legalization, free speech, and secular government. So you can hardly call them "right wing". The Cato Institute is trusted by the left and the right to give accurate analysis, from a libertarian point of view.

What the Cato Institute is trying to save itself from is becoming what you are accusing them of being, which is a vehicle for right wing politics. They want to remain the Libertarian think tank that they are. The one that provides in depth analysis and data about their Libertarian ideas. Which, by the way, has been majorly influential in the gradual shift towards liberalism in this country. Majority opinions toward marijuana, gay marriage, overseas involvement, and secular government are slowly becoming more liberal, or as the Cato Institute would put it, more Free. It's because the Cato Institute is trusted that they can have influence, for people willing to take a chance and listen to a different "intellectual rationale" than their own. Be careful who you demonize.

[Jazzgirl]

7. Anything associated with the Koch boys is a right wing entity.

This is not a libertarian site no matter what you think.

[TexasTowelie]

8. There was no intention to demonize.

It appears that the Cato Institute has thwarted the takeover by the Koch brothers and I hope that they can remain an independent think tank. There are certain positions that I agree with Cato, there are others that I don't agree. However, if they were controlled by a billionaire, then it is reasonable to believe that their views would more closely align with that person.

[TBF]

11. How can you believe in the government providing public goods

if you want to limit government as much as possible?

Fuck Ron Paul.

[a kennedy]

4. to add some additional reading on this subject.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002456105

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. Yes I was actually just reading about Cato on Wikipedia....Koch. All I needed to know.

[Initech]

6. Charles and David Koch have done far more damage to America than al-Qaeda could ever dream of

[Rex]

9. So a big peice of crap is trying to swallow

a smaller peice of crap...

[Ian David]

10. The Horrors of an Ayn Rand World

The Horrors of an Ayn Rand World
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101621402