Koch brothers prepared to unleash nearly $1bn leading up to 2016 election

[Natural Citizen]

Businessman David Koch. (Reuters/Carlo Allegri)

Conservative American oligarchic industrialists Charles and David Koch plan to raise $889 million to spend on political operations ahead of the 2016 election. The sum would be more than twice as much as the Koch network spent during the 2012 election.

The budget figure was released Monday in Palm Springs, Calif., to about 450 donors and allies who attended the Koch network’s annual winter meeting of Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, the non-profit organization at the epicenter of the Kochs’ political advocacy.

As head of the vast network of politically-conservative non-profits, Freedom Partners funnels millions of dollars that often pass through ‘dark money’ groups that -- thanks to the 2010 US Supreme Court decision known as Citizens United -- are legally allowed to raise and distribute unlimited amounts of money while withholding the identities of donors.

"We have never seen this before," Sheila Krumholz, head of the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, said of the Koch budget. "There is no network akin to this one in terms of its complexity, scope and resources."

To put $889 million into perspective, the Republican National Committee (RNC), the campaign fundraising arm of the Republican Party, raised and spent $400 million during the 2012 election cycle.

Freedom Partners, meanwhile, spent almost $240 million during the 2012 campaign season, funding nearly three dozen right-wing organizations. The network intended to spend $290 million during the 2014 midterm election, according to the Daily Beast.

The cascade of wealthy funders that attended the weekend conference were feted by four potential Republican presidential candidates -- US Sens. Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. At least six US senators were on hand to thank donors, according to reports.

Continued - Koch brothers prepared to unleash nearly $1bn leading up to 2016 election


Relevant reading - Americans have ‘near-zero’ input on policy – report

 

[Vanguard101]

If the Koch Brothers back Rand, there is literally no way we are losing

 

[Natural Citizen]

If the Koch Brothers back Rand, there is literally no way we are losing

Yeah? What will "we" win?

 

[angelatc]

If the Koch Brothers back Rand, there is literally no way we are losing

NC leans left. Koch is a 4 letter word to her. But I hope they back Rand, and I hope you are right and that we win.

 

[Vanguard101]

Yeah? What will "we" win?

I don't understand what you are trying to imply here.

 

[staerker]

I don't understand what you are trying to imply here.

How many issues do you think $1bn make you compromise on, eh, just a little?

They will own him.

 

[Natural Citizen]

I don't understand what you are trying to imply here.

I'm not trying to imply anything, Vanguard101. I was just asking a question relative to your thought on it. What will we win by allowing multi-billionaire oligarchs to repatriate processes for presidential nominations for any political party that is historically understood to be representative of the people? We the people...

 

[Natural Citizen]

NC leans left. Koch is a 4 letter word to her. But I hope they back Rand, and I hope you are right and that we win.

Heh. I'm not even very political, angelatc. I'm fond of political news, though.

 

[angelatc]

How many issues do you think $1bn make you compromise on, eh, just a little?

They will own him.

And?

 

[angelatc]

Heh. I'm not even very political, angelatc. I'm fond of political news, though.

Russia Today is literally communist propaganda. The Koch Brothers are allies, not enemies.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Russia Today is literally communist propaganda. The Koch Brothers are allies, not enemies.

All news is propaganda. It's what you take from it and choose to do with it that makes the magic. The Koch network are allies to whom? Explain please.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Ah well. I suppose you're ignoring me now.

I'll add to the thread as relevance presents itself.

 

[angelatc]

All news is propaganda. .

That simply isn't true. And RT is 100% funded and controlled by the communist Russian government. It is literally illegal for them to broadcast criticism of Putin's government.

The Koch network are allies to whom? Explain please.

Well, they are not allies to the liberals and the Rand haters, I guess. But for those of us who want smaller government with lower taxes and less regulation, they are allies.

 

[Natural Citizen]

That simply isn't true. And RT is 100% funded and controlled by the communist Russian government. It is literally illegal for them to broadcast criticism of Putin's government.

Well, they are not allies to the liberals and the Rand haters, I guess. But for those of us who want smaller government with lower taxes and less regulation, they are allies.

Angelatc, I'd challenge you to compare genuine and relevant reporting from RT to any news platform of your choice. Perhaps start by performing a search on RT for Ron Paul or Rand Paul before doing so for any of the critical issues that impact Americans that are also reported on the platform.

Koch brothers are mercantilists. Do you understand what that means?

 

[angelatc]

Angelatc, I'd challenge you to compare genuine and relevant reporting from RT to any news platform of your choice. Perhaps start by perform a search on RT for Ron Paul or Rand Paul before doing so for any of the issues that impact Americans.

You mean like that time that Liz Wahl quit because RT insisted that she censor a Ron Paul comment about Russia's involvement in Ukraine?

Or how about that time that time they reported a "study" that crop workers were dying because Monsanto, and then it was pointed out that it was actually just a theory put out by two grad students, and not study at all?

Or how about that time that Sarah Firth quit rather than broadcast the absolute fabricated lies about that Air Malaysia flight?

Or what about those Ukranian journalists started a site called "StopFake.org" where they highlighted, among other things, RT using footage from past military conflicts in Georgia, South Ossetia or Syria and presenting them as current footage from Ukraine? Who got fired of sanctioned over that again? Oh wait - nobody.

Koch brothers are mercantilists.

Yawn. Everybody who disagrees with you is a mercantilist, IIRC.

Do you understand what that means?

Of course. It means you've learned a word that pertains to 16th century economic theory and like to throw it around as an attempt at an insult.

 

[Natural Citizen]

angela. I'm talking about real junk. None of that reality tv kind of stuff that some of us like to reference as the critical news of the day. I think that you're trying to kill my thread with romper room antics.

I'll tell you what. I'll do it myself. I'm going to go yard on you with regard to the subject of the thread here. Wait for it...

And you know that I'm right with regard to our mercantilist friends in the subject line. I know you do. Heh...

Also. I have a thread around here with regard to the Ukraine. I'll try to bump that for you. Much has been discussed there. And I have a thread on Monsanto as well. Actually two of them. One with regard to foreign policy and the TPP and another just to keep you occupied and out of the way.

Here you go...

'Slaughterhouse': Civilians die in Kiev's ruthless military attacks (GRAPHIC)

Monsanto in US Foreign Policy

Koch ally to introduce Monsanto-backed bill to bar state GMO labeling laws

72 points of BRICS Summit Declaration

Now, I haven't updated the Ukraine thread in a while. I should probably do that. People are still being shelled in their homes over there. I think 30 or so died the other day by way of random road shelling.

 

[angelatc]

angela. I'm taling about real junk.

Oh you asked for examples, so I thought you wanted examples. My bad.

I think that you're trying to kill my thread with romper room antics.

Yes, because providing egregious examples of blatant Russian propaganda when asked to do so certainly ruined a thread that was designed to insult Rand Paul. Again, my bad.

I'll tell you what. I'll do it myself. I'm going to go yard on you with regard to the subject of the thread here. Wait for it...

No, I am not playing your silly game of gish gallop.

And you know that I'm right with regard to our mercantilist friends in the subject line. I know you do. Heh...

I knew I was right when I implied that you started this thread with the intent to insult Rand, not celebrate the possibilities. Go ahead, I'll give you the last word

 

[Natural Citizen]

Go ahead, I'll give you the last word

I'm going to take you off of my ignore list, angela. And, really, because I always go at it with you anyhow. I don't really care if you neg me. I'll just think of them as little rose petals from angela with love. But if you add nasty comments with your negs then I'm putting you back on ignore again.

 

[Natural Citizen]

This thread can probably go into Hot topics now. Really, all that came from it was juvenile pitter patter with me and nailz over here.

I'll just start a new thread should relevant news come up. It really is an important subject in the scheme of things, though. And certainly something to remain watchful of.

 

[eleganz]

I'm not trying to imply anything, Vanguard101. I was just asking a question relative to your thought on it. What will we win by allowing multi-billionaire oligarchs to repatriate processes for presidential nominations for any political party that is historically understood to be representative of the people? We the people...

What we know:

1. At least one of the two koch brothers stand with us on many libertarian principles, this should be well known at RPF by now.

2. The $889M that they are supposedly spending isn't all being directly funded through one channel to one candidate, they will be donated to many different organizations like or are very similar to Freedomworks, AFP, Club for Growth, etc... whom have the opportunity to use that money as they see fit.