THE DANGERS OF KOCH (COKE)

The subject of who gives political donations and for what purpose is interesting. In my mind, most people give money to candidates they really like, which implies but does not prove the candidates are local or people give to the political party of their persuasion, which implies they agree with the philosophy of that party. In either case, they are adhering to the established political structure of the country. Of course, party political philosophy can shift and sometime shift dramatically. However, the general trend has been toward shifting the working class into the Democratic Party and the business class into the Republican Party, thus modeling the parties into what they are today; in to polarized extremes or factions. I believe this is a remarkably rapid social evolution is based on genetic tendencies buried in our genes. I have discussed this aspect of the subject several times in previous posts on “firetreepub.blogspot.com”.

I believe we can trace this shift from what our ancestors established in colonial America as has been done by historian David Hackett Fischer in his 1989 book, Albion’s Seeds: Four Folkways in America. As described in the book and is quoted in Wikipedia, “the origins and stability of a social system which for two centuries has remain stubbornly democratic in its politics, capitalist in its economy, libertarian in its laws and individualist in its society and pluralistic in its culture”. My contention is that we have refined and shaped all of these essentially democratic traits: economic, libertarian and our individualism, into what we know as modern political parties. We have people who are at the extremes of nay ne of these beliefs. 

For example, the anti trust legislation of Theodore Roosevelt of the earliest years of the 20^th century shifted the working-class out of the Republican Party and into the Democratic Party. The introduction of Keynesian economics by FDR and his New Deal stimulated by the great depression of 1929 introduced the big government verses small government concept into party politics moving what had been an almost even distribution of conservatives and liberals between parties into the capitalistic Republican Party and away from the socialistic Democratic Party. The civil rights legislation in 1964 shifted the “exclusive” Democratic Party philosophy of in the South from liberal to conservative; thus, establishing the “inclusive” or big tent party. I personally know people who are at the extremes of each one of these factions; however, most are in the middle.

When we give money to a candidate, some of us keep general political party philosophy in mind while a few still believe an individual politician can act as an individual—in an extreme way—most realize inside the belt line, this is extremely naive. I have been super critical of the Supreme Courts Citizens United decision because it has changed the character of political donations in our Nation. The Koch Brothers have used donations to corrupt and not to support our system of government that we have worked so hard to shape and mold. I have been criticized for focusing my wrath on the Koch Brother; this post can be taken as an answer to that criticism. I believe I am justified in singling them out because, unlike you and me, they have used their huge political donation to corrupt our government.

It is not just the Koch Brothers but also a large number of other rich “people” and corporations have used “Citizens United” to support capitalism and in favor of smaller government. A very few rich people favor social program, thus favor larger government, and make their donations in support of liberal politicians; however, unions are in favor of the working, which are “collectively” rich in the sense poor people make up the unions that in turn represent them. There is something terrible different and wrong with the Koch brothers’ political donations, which is made in support of their philosophy, which has been presented in 1980 and soundly rejected by 99% of the American voters: David Koch’s John Birch Society based political  philosophy was paraded before the people, when he was candidate for vice president. He did not accept the rejection by the people and following their corruption of the Supreme Court, they are working to replace Democratic and Republican philosophies, as we know them, with their philosophy. Yes, they bribed Justices Scalia and Thomas to judge in favor of the Citizen United law suite—this is not some political hack making up some baseless accusation; it is a matter of public record.    

Because the confusion of economics is involved in the Koch brothers’ politics, let me make up a hypothetical but simpler social example to drive home the evil of what Koch brothers are doing. Remember David Duke, the white nationalist, former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, anti-Semite, and Republican Louisiana State Representative. He is now history but is also the most recognized neo-Nazi in the world; all but a few American people have solidly rejected his political philosophy; like with Koch brothers, the danger is those few; he was elect to public office. Suppose he is a multi-billionaire and decides to tell members of congress that if they do not vote as he tells them to vote, they will face a primary challenge, and then goes around the country selecting and spends million to finance candidate for elective office. Suppose he hires thousands of experienced political operatives but also hires such unprincipled people as Karl Rove, to run dirty campaign ads to tear down opponents foolish enough to oppose his candidates. He would saturate our TV and newspaper with ads and stories espousing his hate. Suppose he is successful as the Koch brothers, who now controls the House of Representatives and is on his way to controlling the U.S. Senate, would you be happy?

This example should make it clear. You and I can donate to one or the other candidate or political party in an honest way because we sincerely believe in smaller government or believe in social programs but these billionaires using Citizens United have corrupted the haven of democracy we are were so proud of an the world envies envied—or at least did.  

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