Koch Brothers Attempt To Subvert Democracy Again

[Valjean]

You've a window into their souls, & see their hidden desires, eh?

While I agree with some of their actions, their overall agenda is to resurrect the Gilded Age. They support an unregulated plutocracy of corporate giants, a suppressed and minimized middle class and a large pool of lean and hungry workers. They have a Dickensian, sink-or-swim ethos. The position papers and internal memos of their various think tanks and campaigns make no bones about this.

The right has always been suspicious of the middle class, trade unionism and "sharing the wealth. Russel Kirk's "The Conservative Mind," way back in '53, warned that a large class of prosperous, educated people, with time on their hands, would inevitably question the natural social hierarchy, demand equal rights and status, and overturn the apple cart.

‘Dark Money,’ by Jane Mayer
Political activities of the Koch brothers - Wikipedia

 

[Revoltingest]

While I agree with some of their actions, their overall agenda is to resurrect the Gilded Age. They support an unregulated plutocracy of corporate giants, a suppressed and minimized middle class and a large pool of lean and hungry workers. They have a Dickensian, sink-or-swim ethos. The position papers and internal memos of their various think tanks and campaigns make no bones about this.

The right has always been suspicious of the middle class, trade unionism and "sharing the wealth. Russel Kirk's "The Conservative Mind," way back in '53, warned that a large class of prosperous, educated people, with time on their hands, would inevitably question the natural social hierarchy, demand equal rights and status, and overturn the apple cart.

‘Dark Money,’ by Jane Mayer
Political activities of the Koch brothers - Wikipedia

At least they balance out the commies, thereby preventing them from taking over.

 

[Valjean]

Are the Koch's in favor of private prisons? You can see where this is going.. The Kochs are the problem in America.

The Kochs have actually promoted a lot of prison reform and reintegration programs. They've worked with the ACLU on this, but they also seem to have "a comfortable relationship" with the private prison industry.
Big business built the prison state. Why should we trust them to tear it down? | William C Anderson
They also fund ALEC, which has drafted legislation promoting a private prison industry.
ALEC Exposed: The Koch Connection

 

[columbus]

At least they balance out the commies, thereby preventing them from taking over.

Like the Romanovs did?
They were anti Communists, weren't they?
Tom

 

[Valjean]

At least they balance out the commies, thereby preventing them from taking over.

The commies get too much credit, IMHO. Hoover insisted King's whole civil rights movement was a communist conspiracy.

 

[columbus]

The commies get too much credit, IMHO. Hoover insisted King's whole civil rights movement was a communist conspiracy.

Hoover?
Tom

 

[Valjean]

Hoover?
Tom

Sorry.
J Edgar, not Herbert.

 

[Revoltingest]

The commies get too much credit, IMHO. Hoover insisted King's whole civil rights movement was a communist conspiracy.

It's all about competing elements continually vying for control.
The Koch Bros are a force for good, limiting the left's excesses.
As for Hoover, we can't take the ravings of a cross dressing
maniacal government type & make them writ large.

 

[tytlyf]

The Kochs have actually promoted a lot of prison reform and reintegration programs. They've worked with the ACLU on this, but they also seem to have "a comfortable relationship" with the private prison industry.
Big business built the prison state. Why should we trust them to tear it down? | William C Anderson
They also fund ALEC, which has drafted legislation promoting a private prison industry.
ALEC Exposed: The Koch Connection

Exactly. There's always a silent motive with these people. The Koch's deserve zero respect for their history and corruption of our democracy

 

[Valjean]

It's all about competing elements continually vying for control.
The Koch Bros are a force for good, limiting the left's excesses.
As for Hoover, we can't take the ravings of a cross dressing
maniacal government type & make them writ large.

The Kochs are anti-democratic, aristocratic patricians; royalists. They oppose America's ideals of government by the people. They don't believe the people are competent to govern themselves

 

[Revoltingest]

The Kochs are anti-democratic, aristocratic patricians; royalists. They oppose America's ideals of government by the people. They don't believe the people are competent to govern themselves

You judge them by the labels you apply to them.
They will, naturally, be as evil as the labels.
I judge them by what they do.
Their efforts steer the country in a more just direction.
This is why the left criticizes them for who they are, rather than what they do.
It's uncomfortable for them that the Koch Bros are more progressive than they.

 

[columbus]

The Koch Bros are a force for good, limiting the left's excesses.

I don't see it that way.
I think that the Tea Party is largely responsible for the divisiveness in the current USA political landscape.
And I think that the Kochs and Murdochs, etc. intended things to be that way, because it's better for the billionaires.
They are largely responsible for the excesses of the left. And the right. As long as people keep voting stupidly the billionaires win.
I don't see that as much different from the aristocracy of the 18th century. Keep telling low information people that the ideology is more important than the Reality. Doesn't matter if the ideology is rightist or leftist, what matters is that the aristocracy keep their privilege.
Tom

 

[Valjean]

The Kochs are quite open about their anti-democratic, aristocratic opinions.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't see it that way.
I think that the Tea Party is largely responsible for the divisiveness in the current USA political landscape.

I'm no fan of The Tea Party, despite finding their performance entertaining.
But they seem to have faded lately.

And I think that the Kochs and Murdochs, etc. intended things to be that way, because it's better for the billionaires.
They are largely responsible for the excesses of the left. And the right. As long as people keep voting stupidly the billionaires win.
I don't see that as much different from the aristocracy of the 18th century. Keep telling low information people that the ideology is more important than the Reality. Doesn't matter if the ideology is rightist or leftist, what matters is that the aristocracy keep their privilege.
Tom

You & I see different agendas pursued by the Kochs.
But I suspect that even if we agreed upon their goals,
you'd still oppose their making the country more
libertarian.

 

[Falvlun]

At least they balance out the commies, thereby preventing them from taking over.

Your joke belies the obvious reality: that there really isn’t a communist movement in the US, while there very much is a plutocratic one.

 

[Revoltingest]

Your joke belies the obvious reality: that there really isn’t a communist movement in the US, while there very much is a plutocratic one.

"Commies" is a mirthful reference to the left side of the aisle.
Don't be so literal....I might accuse you of being an engineer.

 

[columbus]

I'm no fan of The Tea Party, despite finding their performance entertaining.
But they seem to have faded lately.

You did, however, have to live in a country dominated by political extremists. From the Tea Party to the Bernie Bros, we didn't have a centrist representative to vote for.

The Kochs and their ilk might have stopped paying for the Tea Party and so it's going away. But we're going to live with the results for all of the foreseeable future. Trump is president and centrist moderate bipartisan politicians are "retiring".
The Tea Party has served it's purpose. Wealth disparity and the third-worldization of the USA is well underway. The Kochs don't need the Tea Party any more.

You & I see different agendas pursued by the Kochs.

Of course we don't. I see what's actually going on, and you see how things will get financially better for people like you. Maybe.
If Trump isn't lying about that part.
Tom

 

[Revoltingest]

You did, however, have to live in a country dominated by political extremists. From the Tea Party to the Bernie Bros, we didn't have a centrist representative to vote for.

I always have, & always will live in a country of extremists...& the masses in between.
I see what's actually going on, and you see how things will get financially better for people like you.[/QUOTE]
This is proof that you really don't see all.
My financial well being isn't affected by the Kochs.
But I see their advocacy as advancing liberty.
Note that they favored gay rights before either major political party.
And I really like this agenda of justice reform.
Do these things stick in your craw? Why?

 

[oldbadger]

They're at it again.
The Atlantic wonders if their evil agenda might inadvertently do some good.
Sounds wonderful to me.
What do you think?

Brilliant intiative.

Reminds me of the UK's 'Rehabilitation of Offenders Act'.

And arrests should not be kept on record against folks' reputations, only convictions.

 

[Revoltingest]

Brilliant intiative.
Reminds me of the UK's 'Rehabilitation of Offenders Act'.
And arrests should not be kept on record against folks' reputations, only convictions.

I have high hopes they'll make a difference,
but low expectations that the JID (Justice
Industrial Complex) will change any time soon.