REPORT: Everything You Need To Know About The Koch Brothers

[cal04]

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/04/charles-koch-and-david-koch-report/

Today, the Center for American Progress Action Fund released a report shedding light on the vast Koch network and how it operates. The report shows that Charles and David Koch have used the considerable wealth (they are worth a combined $44 billion) to push policies that put their profits ahead of the interests of most Americans.

The report finds:

Grassroots organizing for big business. The Koch brothers use their considerable wealth to bankroll the right wing, including the Tea Party. This serves the purpose of furthering not only their right-wing ideology but also their bottom line. Koch Industries has a lot to gain from gutting government oversight and electing candidates who oppose government regulation, especially in the oil-and-gas industry.

$85 million to 85 think tanks. Identification of at least $85 million the Koch brothers have given to at least 85 right-wing think tanks and advocacy groups over the past decade and a half.

State organizing. The Koch brothers are active at the state level, spending $5.2 million on candidates and ballot measures in 34 states since 2003. They donated directly to 13 governors that won election last year.


Read the full report here.
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2011/04/pdf/koch_brothers.pdf

[FormerDittoHead]

1. Broken record time: remember that contributions to "think tanks" are TAX DEDUCTABLE.

How the hell money given to the CATO Institute or The Heritage Foundation could possibly be considered something besides that which would support POLITICAL ends is beyond me.

Like Johnny Appleseed, however, I will continue to remind people out there that when billionaires give money to these unabashed one-side political groups - IT LOWERS THEIR TAXES AS IF THEY WERE GIVING TO *CHARITY*.

IMO, this is where it all (in the late 70's) started - figuring out a way you can get billionaires to finance your right wing political group and have their lower their taxes at the same time.

Donations to "Move on" et al are NOT tax deductible. You'd have to give money to that far-left wing progressive think tank.... (is there one?)

[highplainsdem]

2. The American Legislative Exchange Council is a 501(c)(3), too, even though it's a giant lobbying and

corporate advocacy group giving corporations direct access to legislators and a chance to write model legislation that will be introduced in lots of states.

[mopinko]

4. we got on a lot of these mailing lists because

like many election judges here in blu-ville, DH became a republican for a day. when we got a heritage foundation begging letter and i realized they were tax exempt i about swallowed my tongue.
us commoners should be allowed to deduct some small amount of money given directly to candidates. it might level the playing field a teenie bit for us peons to be able to deduct $50/candidate.
seems like something a democracy would want.

[highplainsdem]

3. K&R. Thanks for the link! Bookmarked...

[Mojeoux]

5. these people bring out my inner

Lewis Black.


:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: ::grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[applegrove]

6. What took us so long to identify them? Does anyone know. I had never heard about them

until this past year.

[liberal life]

7. K&R

http://fucorporatemedia.com/