Citizen Koch,” a documentary about money in politics focused on the Wisconsin uprising, was shunned by PBS for fear of offending billionaire industrialist David Koch, who has given $23 million to public television, according to Jane Mayer of the New Yorker. The dispute highlights the increasing role of private money in “public” television and raises even further concerns about the Kochs potentially purchasing eight major daily newspapers.
States around the country, including Texas, Ohio, Missouri and North Carolina are poised to cut back on government support for clean energy jobs using model legislation from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC, which brings companies together with state lawmakers to forge a wish list of corporate state laws behind closed doors, is coordinating this year’s assault on state laws that require a gradual increase of electricity generated by clean energy sources.
ALEC and a hoard of other Koch-funded interests operating under the umbrella of the State Policy Network have hit Kansas legislators hard with junk economic studies, junk science and a junk vision of more polluting energy in Kansas’ future. Koch Industries lobbyist Jonathan Small has added direct pressure on Kansas lawmakers to rollback support for clean energy.
Wal-Mart & ALEC Scandal: Company Subjects Female Prison Laborers to 'Slave-Like' Conditions
Several states are in on the act.
We’ve learned that Wal-Mart and ALEC have been involved in trying to weaken federal laws prohibiting acts of bribery of foreign officials, while Wal-Mart actively tried to cover-up a bribery scandal in Mexico.
I believe that when an unfavorable or potentially public pattern of harm emerges, regardless of excuses or public denials, the culprit needs to be publicly exposed.
According to “multiple sources” who spoke with L.A. Weekly, the conservative billionaire Koch Brothers are considering buying the Tribune Company, which owns the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Trubine [sic], and the Baltimore Sun, among other publications
…Another rumor, passed along by a member of the L.A. Times Editorial Board, no less, has the Koch Brothers helping to finance a bid by “Papa Doug” Manchester, himself a right-wing multimillionaire who in 2009 bought the San Diego Union Tribune and promptly turned it into a propaganda organ for San Diego development.
“The Koch brothers’ bid to buy elections in America speaks to the obvious need for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and subsequent rulings,” Sanders said. “In the short term, Congress must pass legislation to require disclosure of the corporations and wealthy individuals behind the ads by outside groups,” he added.
“When one wealthy family spends more money than was raised altogether by the last Republican presidential candidate, it tells us that we are no longer a country of the people, by the people and for the people. We are becoming a country of the rich, by the rich and for the rich,” he added.
Now let’s review the returns from one of the bluest states, California. The voters there rejected a blatant attempt to silence teachers from participating in our democracy. The billionaire Koch brothers channeled millions into supporting a proposal that would disallow teachers’ political contributions through payroll deductions. Sadly, even some folks who tout themselves as education reformers participated in the effort to silence teachers. They lost because the voters respected the teachers. Efforts to curtail political activity among teachers have usually come from politicians who didn’t receive the teachers’ political endorsements, and the public can see that. Because the public supports fairness, voters in California sided with teachers.
This is the equivalent of holding one’s breath until one turns blue while stomping feet and screaming “I hate you!” at the top of one’s lungs. It’s uniquely Randian in its selfishness and hate. It’s bad enough that even one person would be serious about doing it, but encouraging your friends and family to do so too, or disowning them for disagreeing about political issues? That’s someone who really needs to drop the Peter Pan act and grow up.
Billionaire William Koch imprisoned and interrogated one of his executives at a secluded Aspen ranch, under a sheriff’s guard, because the executive suspected Koch’s companies of tax evasion, the employee claims in Federal Court.
The first time I saw this graphic, I thought it was satire. It turns out that I was wrong:
Well-funded advocates of privatizing the nation’s education system are employing a new strategy this fall to enlist support for the cause. The emotionally engaging Hollywood film “Won’t Back Down” — set for release September 28 — portrays so-called “Parent Trigger” laws as an effective mechanism for transforming underperforming public schools. But the film’s distortion of the facts prompts a closer examination of its funders and backers and a closer look at those promoting Parent Trigger as a cure for what ails the American education system.
Mo’ Money in Elections’ y’all!
No on 32: Crystal Ball - What’s Their Real Agenda? (by SpecialExemptionsAct)
