Charles and David Koch: The billionaire brothers ‘trying to buy America’

[cosmicone]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by muriel_volestrangler (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Independent UK

Two billionaire brothers who have poured their fortune into a network of charitable organisations that are dedicated to supporting Republican causes and candidates have been drawn into an unusual and very public spat with the Majority Leader of the US Senate, Harry Reid.

Senator Reid, a Democrat, provoked a new round of recriminations when, in off-the-cuff remarks on the Senate floor on Thursday, he openly accused David and Charles Koch of “actually trying to buy the country” by funding the organisations. He was speaking in support of a White House-backed plan to place new disclosure rules on the groups and limits on how far they can involve themselves in politics while retaining tax-free status.

“What they’re doing is spending their … dollars on governor’s races, and on the state level and, of course, spending huge amounts of money around the country attempting to defeat Democrats both in the House and the Senate,” Mr Reid said. “The Koch brothers hide all their campaign efforts. They disguise themselves with rare exception as social welfare organisations, with all these fancy names going after people who are trying to improve the country.”

The comments were sufficiently irksome to the Kansas-based Koch Industries, which has enormous holdings in mining, energy and chemicals, that it offered a rare rebuke. Philip Ellender, the president of Koch Companies Public Sector, said Mr Reid’s “divisive remarks were not only disrespectful and beneath the office he holds, they were indicative of what lengths he and his Democratic allies will go to eliminate and silence their political opposition”.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/charles-and-david-koch-the-billionaire-brothers-trying-to-buy-america-9100238.html

[Nanjing to Seoul]

1. Philip Ellender, the president of Koch Companies Public Sector, said Mr Reid’s “divisive remarks

were not only disrespectful and beneath the office he holds, they were indicative of what lengths he and his Democratic allies will go to eliminate and silence their political opposition."

Let me be the first to tell this souldead tool to blow it out his ass. Shut the fuck up comes to mind. How about "shut your fucking noise hole." Or "shut your fucking piehole. . .or if he likes cake, shut your fucking cakehole."

[riversedge]

4. The self-rightousness of the Koch Bros are sickening--and that applies

to the vile Right Wing also.

[tofuandbeer]

2. I fear the "net neutrality" changes will benefit them greatly in their venture

to control U.S. politics.
I was always taught that "hate" is a strong word, but I hate these two.
They do this country—or the world—no good.

[byronius]

3. Their response was stupid. A tactical error. Hubris comes, man, before the fall.

They fell for it. Ha!

[Wilms]

5. Walton, Benioff Join Billionaires Backing Clinton in 2016

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024425148

[Sunlei]

6. Kochs should run for office if they want to cry "political opposition" with their tax-free 'charity'

Thought they aways tell the IRS their 'charity' wasn't about politics?

[The Wielding Truth]

7. They should leave the country and back off buying bad laws to make profits.

They can't buy carte blanche much longer. Too many of us know how they have screwed us. Seems they have had their tentacles in so many enterprises, that were against the interests of the American public, that their actions are getting noticed - big time. Examples are obvious in West Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey, Florida, and with their private meetings and contrary dealings it is not wholesome and in our country's best interest when these newly written laws harm our people to benefit the profits of the Kochs.

[Sunlei]

8. They own a lot of the country. Only thing that will stop them very soon is father time.

[Coyotl]

9. It won't be long and they will be a distant memory.

A bad memory, but just a memory.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. Locking - a repeat of 2 previous LBN articles

and more of a feature article (for an overseas audience who won't know the Kochs). Previosuly covered in LBN in http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014714166 and http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014714623 . Please continue discussion there, or repost in GD. Thanks.