Vos vilifies "turning out minorities," and "imagines" Koch's not appealing to white voters, because "that would be crazy" right?

So, just to be clear, Vos-Republicans aren't drawing any conclusions about possible election fraud, BUT they are comparing it to a "murder probe?" 

AP: Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on Tuesday defended not releasing
documents related to an ongoing investigation he ordered into the 2020 election, saying putting them out now would be like police revealing details of a murder probe.

The Vos-Republican focus is on the nonprofit Center for Tech and Civic Life, who granted money to helped run local elections, something tightwad WI Republicans intentionally did not want to do. Mark Zuckerberg's donation foiled their plan. 

Vos loves Trump's New Plan: Instead of the big lie...

Salon: Trumpist writer Mollie Hemingway, a frequent voice on Fox News, clearly feels she's found a more sophisticated justification for the baseless accusations that the 2020 election was "rigged." She's even tied the conspiracy theory to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, cleverly wielding his well-known status as a villain to push this nonsense about a "rigged" election.

Hemingway rolled out her cleaned-up version in her new book, "Rigged: How the Media, Big Tech, and the Democrats Seized Our Elections." In it, she cleverly ... rewrites the Big Lie to focus on money that Zuckerberg gave — which she derides as "Zuck Bucks" — to a couple of voting rights groups, money that was spent on making it easier for marginalized people to vote.

By her own admission, all the group did was reach out to voters to make sure they turned their ballots in on time, assist voters who needed to make sure their ballots were filled out correctly, work to reduce the lines at ballot boxes, and help voters figure out the mail-in ballot system. This basic pro-democracy work done by these groups is morphed, in Hemingway's telling, into "tech oligarchs' buying the administration of the state's elections" and even the "privatizing" of elections. It's a fancy update on a very old right-wing talking point that paints any activist effort to assist voters — like offering rides to the polls, distributing food or water to voters waiting in line, or organizing "souls to the polls" events through churches — as somehow malevolent.

Former conservative activist State Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman came right out and said what he was asked to do in his "fraudit" by Trump toady Vos:

WOW; Vos vilifies "turning out minorities," and "imagines" Koch's not appealing to white voters, because "that would be crazy" right? He really said this without the media pointing out the racism: 

“Imagine if it happened in reverse, where the Koch brothers gave millions of dollars to only turn out people of white background in the suburbs. People would say, ‘That is crazy.’ Well, that’s exactly what happened with the money from Zuckerberg in reverse, where they focused only on turning out minorities in large cities.”

1. Vos blatantly vilifies "turning out minorities." No hidden meanings here. 

2. It's like "the Koch Brothers gave millions of dollars to only turn out people of white background...:" You mean, like this from Jane Mayer, and others...

The Nation: The overwhelmingly white Republican base is rewarded with a story that is easier for them to accept than the true one—a story where they are both the heroes of American history and the true victims of the American present, oppressed by “political correctness.”

As UnKoch My Campus wrote in our expansive report, “Advancing White Supremacy,” the Koch network has purposefully exploited this relationship for years. The network has long-standing ties to white nationalist scholars and has used their research to drive policies that serve its economic goals at the expense of people of color, including efforts to resegregate our nation’s schools, dismantle voting rights, and expand the prison-industrial complex.

...A very "people of white background" agenda, wouldn't you say? Then there's this...

    

"Turning out Minorities in large cities..." the Horror:  On WPT, Here and Now (Oct 15, 2021) focused on that funding donation, and how other conservative areas received similar funding donations. Exact totals were not released yet, but they are based on population (click image to enlarge):

 

Back to the Koch funded "grassroots" protests against critical race theory and mask mandates. 

Republicans Defend Threats Against Public Servants: Republicans are now against having U.S. AG Merrick Garland investigate serious threats nationwide against school board members, city leaders, state public health officials, etc. Republican wacko Rep. Jim Jordan was outraged Garland would simply take the word of the National School Board Association about the uncivil meetings and threats. Yea, who are they? 

Citing a spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against public school officials, AG Garland said he has directed the FBI to meet with local officials to coordinate a response.

Here's a glaring hypocritical moment about reporting threats. In Wisconsin, Vos-Republicans wrote a bill that gave the public this amazing power against anyone teaching racial history:

The proposal also gives parents or guardians the power to bring a legal challenge against a school district or private school operator that violates the law and requires school boards to post online all curricula used in the school district.

And yet, in the same universe, Republicans are against any such accountability:

Garland announced the memo earlier this month, directing FBI officials and federal prosecutors around the country to meet with local counterparts to discuss potentially criminal threats against school officials and teachers and to establish "dedicated lines of communication for threat reporting." Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) called it a "snitch line on parents" who criticize school board initiatives regarding issues like the teaching of critical race theory.

TV Host Kimmel proves GOP elites Hypocrites, put TV Reality Show Trump in White House: What does he know?

Jimmy Kimmel is an American success story who came from humble beginnings. Kimmel stuck with entertainment, even after getting fired from a number of radio stations before working his way into television. Through hard work, is now hosting his own highly successful late night comedy show on a major network.

And yet, he's a Hollywood elitist, just a comedian, who couldn't possibly understand health care.

Tell me if career politician Paul Ryan even comes close to understanding how health care insurance really works. I recorded video with the original tweet that points out the obvious:



So Kimmel unqualified and is overstepping his free speech rights by criticizing truthfully the lie that Ryan and the Graham-Cassidy bill represent. Amazing. Yea but Republican free market-like posers would use taxpayer dollars to pay for the sick so insurers wouldn't have to, no hypocrisy there.

Plus Republicans criticize poor Americans who use our social safety nets because they didn't work hard enough, then turn around and bash hard work and success when its against those who criticize them. Sweet.

Jimmy Kimmel is such a good messenger on health care, that I'm posting a few of his late night rants against the Graham-Cassidy bill:






One more thing: This whole no debate/pass something now thing seemed oddly fast. All in with Chris Hayes I think hit on the reason why; billionaire campaign funding demands:

Tea Party Protesters Paid for by Americans for Prosperity...Projection?

How ridiculous can desperate Trumpian Republican be, claiming the massive nationwide demonstrations are the result of paid protesters. That's one hefty expense for George Soros, who said has not directly funded any of them. 

Projection: Projection is the one major theme that runs through my blog. They've got it bad. Take their latest projection; the women's protest and town halls are filled with paid Trump protesters! Funny, they might be thinking back to when they collected a paycheck or got special interest funding for material and bus rides. Here a picture of conservative radio host Vicki McKenna at a protest paid for by Americans for Prosperity back in 2011 in Madison defending Scott Walker's union busting Act 10. You can't help but notice the sign on the podium?

Could it be any clearer? Yes, the Koch Brother's Americans for Prosperity funded the tea party. Any questions? 

There were statewide bus tours of protesters funded by AFP as well, like the two shown here, to jazz up the sparse crowds. 

 From Raw Story, this confirmation from reporter Jane Mayer:

Perhaps the greatest irony about the “paid protester” line echoed by many in the GOP is that the Tea Party itself benefited from big-money backers, despite its self-styled image as a popular uprising against government overreach. As the New Yorker’s Jane Mayer reported in 2010, Americans for Prosperity, the Koch brothers’ political advocacy group, coordinated with the Tea Party in 2009, disseminating talking points, funding protests, and cultivating candidates. Meaning the people who participated in Tea Party protests were, knowingly or not, furthering the Kochs’ political agenda.

Here's a condensed version of Mayer's report:

The advocacy wing of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation—an organization that David Koch started, in 2004—held a different kind of gathering. Over the July 4th weekend, a summit called Texas Defending the American Dream ... 500 people attended the summit, which served, in part, as a training session for Tea Party activists in Texas. 

An advertisement cast the event as a populist uprising against vested corporate power. Peggy Venable—a longtime political operative who draws a salary from Americans for Prosperity, explained that the role of Americans for Prosperity was to help “educate” Tea Party activists on policy details, and to give them “next-step training” after their rallies, so that their political energy could be channeled “more effectively.” 

And she noted that Americans for Prosperity had provided Tea Party activists with lists of elected officials to target. She said of the Kochs, “They’re certainly our people. David’s the chairman of our board. I’ve certainly met with them, and I’m very appreciative of what they do.” 

In the weeks before the first Tax Day protests, in April, 2009, Americans for Prosperity hosted a Web site offering supporters “Tea Party Talking Points.” The Arizona branch urged people to send tea bags to Obama; the Missouri branch urged members to sign up for “Taxpayer Tea Party Registration” and provided directions to nine protests. Bruce Bartlett, a conservative economist and a historian, said the Kochs are “trying to shape and control and channel the populist uprising into their own policies.”

A Republican campaign consultant who has done research on behalf of Charles and David Koch said of the Tea Party, “The Koch brothers gave the money that founded it. It’s like they put the seeds in the ground. Then the rainstorm comes, and the frogs come out of the mud—and they’re our candidates!”

Scott Walker, Koch Brothers, Scott Walker, Koch Brothers, Scott Walker...

...Koch brothers, Scott Walker, Koch brothers, Scott Walker!!!

This used to be a sarcastic joke directed at liberals. "Stand with Walker" drones were always chiding them for never failing to bring up, and blame, the Koch's for everything. Well guess what, the jokes on them now.

Charles G. and David H. Koch, the influential and big-spending conservative donors, appear to have a favorite in the race for the Republican presidential nomination: Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin.

Scott Walker, Koch brothers, Scott Walker, Koch brothers, is getting a lot of media attention, including this from All in with Chris Hayes. Sam Seder found it funny how Republican candidates are openly pairing up with millionaires/billionaires in their quest for the White House.

Scott Walker, Koch brothers, Scott Walker, Koch brothers wanted to clarify something once this news hit the fan:

David Koch afterward reached out to the Observer to clarify that he had not yet selected which candidate he and his brother would back.

“While I think Governor Walker is terrific, let me be clear, I am not endorsing or supporting any candidate for president at this point in time,” Mr. Koch told the Observer.

UPDATE: Contradicting the above comment by David Koch and reports that they're steering clear of spending any money on the GOP primary:

Politico: Charles and David Koch are considering throwing their massive wealth into the Republican presidential primary for the first time … In another surprise, a top Koch aide revealed to POLITICO that Jeb Bush will be given a chance to audition for the brothers’ support, despite initial skepticism about him at the top of the Kochs’ growing political behemoth.

Walker's Wisconsin ruled by "No Climate Tax Pledge" to Koch's, and banning Climate Change Science.

It's all becoming so much clearer now, after I stumble on a curious Scott Walker reference and link in a recent Huffington Post story.

The nationally embarrassing story making the rounds? The Walker administration's copy cat Florida policy banning any mention of climate change at a Wisconsin state agency.

But that story has a history, like this one from the Cap Times' Steven Elbow back in July of 2013:

Scott Walker among signers of Koch-backed 'No Climate Tax Pledge:' You’ve no doubt heard about Grover Norquist’s “Taxpayer Protection Pledge.” Well, there’s a new pledge in town … This pledge is called the “No Climate Tax Pledge,” but it might as well be called the “Koch Brothers Protection Pledge,” since it was devised by a group co-founded and backed by the billionaire brothers.

Signers of the pledge, now numbering 411, promise to "oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue” ... They include all Republicans, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, U.S. Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner, Sean Duffy and Reid Ribble, state Sens. Leah Vukmir, Alberta Darling, Rep. Glenn Grothman and Mary Lazich, and state Reps. Dale Kooyenga, Don Pridemore, Jim Ott and Bill Kramer.Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch … for ideological reasons and because of the state's wealth of frac sand.

While Walker didn't openly suggest banning all references to climate change, he's made it clear the idea itself has no place in his government. These losers are okay with not playing it safe, you know, just for the heck of it. If they're wrong, they will be taking us down with them.

From Ed Schultz, Sen. Chris Larson and the Progressive's Ruth Conniff help the nation understand just how bizarre our Humpty Dumptyish state treasurer really is about climate change:



Here's Chris Hayes with the only person on a panel of 3, not to vote for the climate change ban, Secretary of State Doug La Follette:



Attorney General Brad Schimel wasted no time blowing any credibility he might have had left after his fumbling bumbling campaign for the top cop spot. Is he not a real life Homer Simpson?

Republicans targeting VA for privatization and profit.

The right wing joke leveled at liberals is this; Koch, Bush, Koch, Bush, Koch, Koch, Koch...

For some odd reason, conservatives like jabbing liberals about how often they bring up the Koch brothers. The fact is the Koch's have multiple front groups pushing privatization, and joking about it doesn't change reality. Like this corny named group; "Concerned Veterans for America." Of course they're concerned.

It'll be interesting to see veterans react to their own party's move to offer them up to the wolves lurking in the free market health care system, where profits and bottom lines take precedent over actual care.

What goes around comes around...

Even the Club for Growth was frustrated by Walker word salad non-answers!!!

If you thought Scott Walker’s word salad non-answers were strictly geared to the mainstream media, you’d be wrong.

A Politico and CrooksandLiars piece recently documented how Walker’s carefully memorized non-answers didn't go over well with the Club for Growth, a major dark money contributor to Republican campaigns. After all, what’s to hide?

Frayda Levin, a member of the Club for Growth’s board of directors who was moderating a question-and-answer session, told Walker that he left donors unimpressed at a meeting in New York earlier this month. That private session came one day after another controversial Walker event where Rudy Giuliani declared that President Barack Obama does not love America.

“To be honest, the feedback was you were not prepared to speak about foreign policy. So can you tell us what you’re doing to prepare for foreign policy should you run for president?”

Walker seemed a little caught off guard.

He mentioned having breakfast with Henry Kissinger…was that enough to qualify? Walker was serious. Walker's bubble world handlers have filtered his view of himself: 

“That’s interesting because, actually, a number of columns were written that said just the opposite,” he said. “They said they were surprised by how well prepared we were to talk about foreign policy. So I don’t know who. Maybe it’s somebody different, but I read two or three different columns from New York publications that said just the opposite. They said they were surprised for a governor.”

It’s almost funny how the national media picked up on this Walker strategy when our own statewide media never mentioned it once. Liberal bloggers did, but as the media would say, we’re the dicredited “left.”

The Club for Growth deserves every frustrating moment after frustrating moment trying to nail Walker down on anything. If they haven’t noticed by now, Walker is a bomb dropper. A guy too afraid to debate his ultra-right wing philosophies in public, were voters might just begin to understand the consequences.

A few more funny word salad non-answer moments:

On domestic policy, Walker gave vague answers about whether the Dodd-Frank financial reform law should be amended or repealed, along with what changes he’d make to the tax code. The non-answer bothered the moderator, so she gave him another chance.  Are you just not that aware of what’s happening with Dodd-Frank?”

“Oh, no,” Walker said. “I understand the concern. My point is I’m going to lay out a whole plan not just on this but a whole series of things should I choose to be a candidate for president.”

Asked about what changes he’d make to the tax code, Walker promised “exceptionally detailed plans” down the road. 

3 GOP contenders stop by Koch's Retreat, happen to be in the Neighborhood, say it's not about the money but "the struggle for freedom!"

Since money is now speech, and Citizens United made this simple outrageous headline a total yawner, Republicans have embraced their own political job creators:

Three potential Republican presidential candidates appeared before a gathering of wealthy donors organized by the conservative billionaire Koch brothers in California on Sunday night. Charles Koch said "the struggle for freedom never ends."

That got me thinking; since it wasn't the Koch brothers money that got the 3 GOP presidential contenders to stop by for a visit, maybe they wouldn't mind stopping by the Democurmudgeon's own living room retreat for a little middle class conversation. I know I have better beer. Don't be surprised if next weeks Newsweek headline offered this glimmer of hope:

Koch's oppose GOP Tax Break Extensions...that might benefit competitors.

This was a shocker:

"Kochs Lobby Against Tax Breaks for Koch Industries"

But there's a method to their madness. Below, you'll find out the tax breaks don't just help the Koch's, but it also helps those young, up and coming challengers to Koch's Industries. The Koch's are wealthy enough to ditch the tax cuts and keep newer companies, large and small, from getting even a little of their action with government help:

FreeBeacan: The company owned by billionaire philanthropists Charles and David Koch, as well as groups frequently associated with the fraternal libertarians, are pushing Congress to let 55 tax breaks expire, including several that provide billions in tax relief for corporations such as Koch Industries. “We oppose ALL subsidies, whether existing or proposed, including programs that benefit us, which are principally those that are embedded in our economy, such as mandates,” wrote Philip Ellender, president Koch’s government affairs division, in a Wednesday letter to members of Congress. The company sees federal tax preferences in general as economically harmful.

Here's the key reason why:

“They are wasteful and market distorting, and allow other firms to run businesses that aren’t making money any other way.”

Like Koch Industries, American for Prosperity said, “we oppose corporate cronyism of all forms.” AFP is encouraging lawmakers to vote against the full package of tax extenders.  

A Daily Show looks at the Koch Brothers.

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

Meet the Koch...Sisters?

A brilliant strategic move...

Our Modern Day Stone Age Family, the Koch's.

Believe it or not, we've been seeing the moderate side of the Koch brothers political agenda. 

After looking at the Libertarian Party platform from 1980, where David Koch ran as the vice presidential candidate, it's obvious we're not dealing with mature adults with any sense of responsibility. They are adolescent bullies free to do whatever, with no supervision. To support a candidate based on a few of the ideological points below supports the passage of every point below. We would have nothing left to hold up a functioning society, or for that matter, a consumer class. It's a wonder they still live in the U.S..

Prepare to be amazed:

“We urge the repeal of federal campaign finance laws, and the immediate abolition of the despotic Federal Election Commission.” 

“We favor the abolition of Medicare and Medicaid programs.” 

“We oppose any compulsory insurance or tax-supported plan to provide health services, including those which finance abortion services.” 

“We also favor the deregulation of the medical insurance industry.” 

“We favor the repeal of the fraudulent, virtually bankrupt, and increasingly oppressive Social Security system. Pending that repeal, participation in Social Security should be made voluntary.” 

“We propose the abolition of the governmental Postal Service. The present system, in addition to being inefficient, encourages governmental surveillance of private correspondence. Pending abolition, we call for an end to the monopoly system and for allowing free competition in all aspects of postal service.” 

“We oppose all personal and corporate income taxation, including capital gains taxes.”

“We support the eventual repeal of all taxation.” 

“As an interim measure, all criminal and civil sanctions against tax evasion should be terminated immediately.” 

“We support repeal of all law which impede the ability of any person to find employment, such as minimum wage laws.” 

“We advocate the complete separation of education and State. Government schools lead to the indoctrination of children and interfere with the free choice of individuals. Government ownership, operation, regulation, and subsidy of schools and colleges should be ended.” 

“We condemn compulsory education laws … and we call for the immediate repeal of such laws.” 

“We support the repeal of all taxes on the income or property of private schools, whether profit or non-profit.” 

“We support the abolition of the Environmental Protection Agency.” 

“We support abolition of the Department of Energy.” 

“We call for the dissolution of all government agencies concerned with transportation, including the Department of Transportation.” 

“We demand the return of America's railroad system to private ownership. We call for the privatization of the public roads and national highway system.” 

“We specifically oppose laws requiring an individual to buy or use so-called "self-protection" equipment such as safety belts, air bags, or crash helmets.” 

“We advocate the abolition of the Federal Aviation Administration.” 

“We advocate the abolition of the Food and Drug Administration.” 

“We support an end to all subsidies for child-bearing built into our present laws, including all welfare plans and the provision of tax-supported services for children.” 

“We oppose all government welfare, relief projects, and ‘aid to the poor’ programs. All these government programs are privacy-invading, paternalistic, demeaning, and inefficient. The proper source of help for such persons is the voluntary efforts of private groups and individuals.”

“We call for the privatization of the inland waterways, and of the distribution system that brings water to industry, agriculture and households.” 

“We call for the repeal of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.” 

“We call for the abolition of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.” 

“We support the repeal of all state usury laws.”

"Together, we are Koch!!!"

Replacing the "I am AFP" slogan, that made conservatives look like Borg extensions of their billionaire puppeteers, didn't turn out so well this time around either:

"I Am Borg?"

WSJ: The brothers, together reportedly worth about $80 billion, are looking to soften their brand by running a national ad campaign that focuses not on their politics, but on the inherent goodness of their mega-congomlerate Koch Industries, which last year raked in $115 billion in revenue. The ads have recently begun airing in the Madison market.

"One of our nation's largest private companies is proudly built on American values and skill," gushes a dulcet female voiceover. "Koch Industries started in the heartland and has expanded to nearly every state." A story about the ad campaign recently ran in Advertising Age.

The ad ends with the moony statement, "Together, we are Koch."

Stunningly disconnected from reality:

Judge Randa and Koch's picked apart again!!!

Chris Hayes took a detailed look at the Judge Randa decision and ripped it to shreds, with the help of NY Times reporter Nicholas Confessore. Great stuff:

Dumb Ron Johnson supports private Elite Koch Brother Alternative to Republican National Committee.

A shout out to Spudlovr for the Twitter tip story that exposes the privatization of our political system by none other than the Koch brothers and “model legislator” Dumb Ron Johnson.

Our freedom-and-liberty tea party dummy actually suggested and supported a billionaire Koch alternative to the Republican National Committee. That would be a shift to an elite private political system cloaked in secrecy, from the more public traditional two party process. If it means "winning," than the right wing trolling community will fall in line willingly.   

An incredible suggestion from your average everyday married-into-wealth “citizen legislator” like Ron Johnson.

From Kenneth Vogel, chief investigative reporter for POLITICO and author of the forthcoming Big Money: 2.5 Billion Dollars, One Suspicious Vehicle, and a Pimp—on the Trail of the Ultra-Rich Hijacking American Politics:

(On the final full day inside the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort hotel at Indian Wells during the April 2013 seminar) … I noticed Senator Johnson schmoozing two donors at a poolside cabana. I’d heard someone who attended these seminars describe Johnson as the Kochs’ “model legislator.”

Ned Diefenthal is a Louisiana metal titan, and he was complaining to Johnson about the incompetence of the Republican National Committee. Johnson did not reject Diefenthal’s complaint, and he implied that the Kochs might be a viable alternative to RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, at least for the issue in question. But Diefenthal was riled up. Priebus “keeps sending me letters asking for money. I’m not giving him any money. He doesn't know what to do with it,” said Diefenthal, suggesting that he considered the Koch political network a better investment.

Indian Wells was a snapshot of an extraordinary shift: the reordering of the political system by an elite fraternity of the super rich and a small brain trust of consultants who cater to them. The result—the one Obama lamented on that rainy day in Washington state—is the privatization of a system that we’d always thought of as public. It amounts to the takeover—hostile or not—of American politics by the ultra-rich.

Democratic campaign against the Koch brothers Criticized; Who are these billionaires anyway?

Hey, isn't that the point? 

Check out this clueless media coverage from The Hill:

Democrats are doubling down on their Koch brothers strategy even though most people don’t know who the conservative billionaire industrialists are.

Again, isn't that the point? Not missing a beat, The Hill took a bizarre jab at the Democrats for coming up with a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United v. FEC and McCutcheon v. FEC. Unlike the GOP’s pathetic 50 attempts to kill ObamaCare, it’s the Democrats who are just wasting everybody’s time proposing something they know won’t pass anyway, and has massive public opinion poll support.

The amendment has virtually no chance of passing this year 

The Hill kept up its knock on Democrats:

The Democratic game plan carries risk because polls show many people still don’t know who the Koch brothers are. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released Wednesday showed that half of those surveyed do not recognize the names of Charles and David Koch and 20 percent have a neutral view of them. A recent George Washington University Battleground survey found that 52 percent of respondents don’t know who the Koch’s are.

Schumer said that will change.

And isn't that the point? Here's a nice piece featuring Esquire Magazine's Charlie Pierce, on the Koch brothers:

MSNBC's Josh Barro defends Koch Brothers as "Imagined Cartoon villans." Says they're acting in a principled way!!!

Send corporate apologist Josh Barro to Fox News, please anyone? 

The media, through relativism, allowed the right wing to go bat shit crazy. Spewing destructive nonsense should have been challenged by the media. Well, that didn't happen.

MSNBC's Josh Barro would happily allow the Koch brothers to turn the U.S. into their own dystopian playground because they sincerely believe in their cause. They're not bad people really, despite encouraging people to not have health care. It's just a difference of opinion.

This is one of the most blatant examples of media relativism I've seen in a long time. It's painful to watch this drivel. Wonder no more how we got this point. The Cliven Bundy's of the world aren't a part of the debate, they're a part of the problem. Really. 

Barro's hat tip to Humpty Dumpty:

Barro: "You're going to mispredict their actions if you assume that they're behaving in a completely self dealing way rather in a principled way that happens to be to their benefit." 

What would explain the lunacy of Greg Brannon, a Constitutional Conservative Republican candidate for Senate in North Carolina, who believes a nuclear weapon falls under the protection of the Second Amendment:

David and Charles Koch not the rugged free market individuals they say they are? Inherited Wealth makes for Big Talkers.

The free spending Koch brothers are like every other self righteous conservative who thinks they're entitled to a few extra benefits in life than everyone else. Inheriting wealth is one hell of a way to get a jump on everyone else. 

But do the Koch's walk-the-walk, and live by the same ideological political agenda pushed by their front groups like Americans for Prosperity? Even that names comes across like a sneering inside joke on seniors and low information voters.

The National Memo pointed out the Koch hypocrisy below with a list of 4 handouts they have no problem accepting:

1. In the midst of campaigning against the Affordable Care Act, the Koch brothers still managed to reap benefits from the new health care law. Koch Industries of having received subsidies under the Affordable Care Act’s temporary Early Retiree Reinsurance Program … the Associated Press confirmed … Koch Industries received $1.4 million in early retiree subsidies, which are meant to compensate employers who have to provide insurance for employees who retire before becoming eligible for Medicare.

2. Though the Koch brothers … outspoken critics of welfare programs that tend to help the poor and disabled … have aggressively lobbied for taxpayer handouts for Koch Industries refineries — the primary form of corporate welfare. Additionally, according to a ThinkProgress report, a failing Koch Industries oil refinery based in Fairbanks, Alaska once asked then-governor Sarah Palin’s administration for the type of taxpayer-funded bailout that libertarians routinely decry.

3. Despite advocating for a laissez-faire economic system, the Koch brothers obtained massive government contracts that allowed Koch Industries to buy millions of barrels of crude oil from the Middle East – specifically from Iraq, during the U.S. occupation. Koch Industries has also benefited from billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies in the form of federal government contracts and awards – billions of dollars Koch Industries never declined to accept.

4. The Kochs have also benefited from an existing provision of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal program, which conservatives over the years have condemned as socialist. A Koch Industries subsidiary and cattle ranching company, Matador Cattle Company, actually uses one of the New Deal’s existing provisions — the Land Utilization Program —  to “profit off of federal land for free.”

Democratic campaign against Koch Brothers Flushes out Charles to write pity party editorial.

Poor Charles Koch, can't take a little criticism? He can dish it out though. That's what you get from an inheritance brat who thinks he's entitled to the kind of country HE wants. 

Let's take a look at parts of his Wall Street Journal editorial. You first have to accept a long list of false premises. Line by line I've responded to Charles Koch's false premises:

(A) "A truly free society is based on a vision of respect for people and what they value." (Respect?-see picture)

(B) "In a truly free society, any business that disrespects its customers will fail, and deserves to do so." (So bad businesses will fail, like the Wall Street Banks did?)

(C) "The same should be true of any government that disrespects its citizens." (If our government disrespects its citizens, we have elections right?)

(D) "The central belief and fatal conceit of the current administration is that you are incapable of running your own life, but those in power are capable of running it for you." (This has always been the dumbest argument, ever!!! Stop it please. )

This respectful flyer compliments of Americans for Prosperity

(E) "This is the essence of big government and collectivism." ("Collectivism" is bad for government, but really good for corporate monopolies or big box stores buying in bulk)

(F) "The more government tries to control, the greater the disaster, as shown by the current health-care debacle." (ObamaCare is succeeding, where the old system wasn't. It killed people.)

(G) "Collectivists (those who stand for government control of the means of production and how people live their lives) promise heaven but deliver hell. For them, the promised end justifies the means." (When did government promise us heaven?)

(H) "Instead of encouraging free and open debate, collectivists strive to discredit and intimidate opponents. They engage in character assassination. (I should know, as the almost daily target of their attacks.)" (See Americans for Prosperity poster again)

(I) "Such tactics are the antithesis of what is required for a free society—and a telltale sign that the collectivists do not have good answers. (He said it, not me-again-see pic again!)

(J) "Instead of fostering a system that enables people to help themselves, America is now saddled with a system that destroys value, raises costs, hinders innovation and relegates millions of citizens to a life of poverty, dependency and hopelessness." (The assumption that people will stop innovating is ridiculous. I grew up hearing there was always someone behind me ready to take my place. That was true, despite regulation and safety net programs)

(K) "This is what happens when elected officials believe that people's lives are better run by politicians and regulators than by the people themselves." (...wow, can you say Republican social engineers?)

(L) "If more businesses (and elected officials) were to embrace a vision of creating real value for people in a principled way, our nation would be far better off—not just today, but for generations to come. I'm dedicated to fighting for that vision." (Nice goal, but impossible. Not all businesses will act in a principled way, that's life. Alan Greenspan admitted his surprise at the unprincipled way Wall St. banks screwed over their customers. He said free market principles failed.)

It's nice to have Americans for Prosperity involved in our local races, isn't it? But is it still local, or national?

After the conservative activist Supreme Court opened the billionaire money spigot, essentially tearing down our democratic republic, Racine's Journal Times had the bad timing to editorialize how wonderful it was to have the out-of-state billionaire Koch brothers Americans for Prosperity involved in out local elections:

In December every year, residents open their mail and shake their heads when they look at their tax bill. Yet for some reason, when local municipal and school board elections come around in the spring, people seem to forget … to vote, meaning they don’t care enough to even bother.

Here’s the fun part. The editorial complained about how low the turnout was this time around, which went against the point they’re making about how great it was for Americans for Prosperity to help turn out voters:

For instance, in Racine County in Tuesday’s election, only 13,193 people cast ballots out of 111,593 registered voters … That is just under 12 percent and pretty pathetic.

Because of that selective memory we all have, it’s not a bad thing when you hear about groups like Americans for Prosperity coming into the area and reminding people to vote in local elections, specifically the school board election in Kenosha.

"12 percent and pretty pathetic." Still, you gotta love out-of-state groups telling people how to vote:

If groups like Americans for Prosperity can help create more awareness for the issues and turn out more voters, then more power to them or any other group trying, as long as they are willing to disclose who they are.

Within the body of the editorial, they also compared the Koch’s involvement in Kenosha to how the unions came into Wisconsin after Act 10 was passed. Hmm, but that wasn't an election was it. And if they want to point to the union involvement in the recall election, that was just to keep up with outside money pouring into Walker’s campaign coffers prior to even selecting Tom Barrett.