The Right Brothers

[dwer.livejournal.com]

The New Yorker just published an article on the Koch brothers two billionares who have given over a hundred million in funds to various right-wing causes. Oil Refinery operators, they're one of the top-ten polluters in the nation, and, as you might expect, they're global climate change deniers.

Think Progress has done some reporting on this as well, both here and (inclusively) here.

These are the guys who pay for the ongoing Tea Party astroturf movement. These are the guys who bussed anti-health reform activists to DC, who then compared Health reform to the Holocaust. These are the guys who created the Climate-gate scandal by deliberately spreading the myth that the emails concealed data.

And these are the guys who are sons of Fred Koch, who started... wait for it... the John Birch Society.

Now, this isn't a post about denying the Koch brothers the right to donate money to the causes they want to. That's their right, even if I think it's terrible for them to do so.

But estimates of George Soros' funding of democratic and progressive causes & politicians hover around $25-35 million. These guys have donated FAR more, to what appears to be far greater effect, especially when you include their father's efforts. Why is it, then that Soros is allegedly a millstone hung around the Democrats' neck, but these guys continue to swim under the radar? Liberal media indeed.

(lightly crossposted)

EDITGeorge Soros has donated much more than $25-35 million. I misread one of my searches.

Comments

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Now, this isn't a post about denying the Koch brothers the right to donate money to the causes they want to.

Really? Coulda fooled me within the first couple of paragraphs.

The New Yorker just published an article on the Koch brothers two billionares who have given over a hundred million in funds to various right-wing causes. Oil Refinery operators, they're one of the top-ten polluters in the nation, and, as you might expect, they're global climate change deniers.

These are the guys who pay for the ongoing Tea Party astroturf movement.

These are the guys who created the Climate-gate scandal by deliberately spreading the myth that the emails concealed data. For future reference, the leaked emails were sent from a Russian IP address to an independent blogger (Stephen McIntyre) with ZERO connection to the Koch brothers.

Question - If the Tea Party wasn't as influential as it is, would you still be complaining about the Koch brothers? Would you be complaining about it had Maddow not mentioned something about it first (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3oaHbDhUkY)?

[dwer.livejournal.com]

It's funny, because I don't watch night-time news shows, so I didn't see Maddow. And while it's pretty clear I disagree with their agenda, I don't believe they shouldn't be able to promote it. I just think it's interesting that Soros is shoved in our faces time after time, yet these guys have donated up to four times as much as he has.

[chemchick.livejournal.com]

For future reference, the leaked emails were sent from a Russian IP address to an independent blogger (Stephen McIntyre) with ZERO connection to the Koch brothers.

If you go back and re-read what dwer wrote you'll notice that he didn't say that the emails were leaked to or from the Koch brothers. All he stated was that they perpetuated the myth that those emails hid data. Perpetuating != originating.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

Soros-shrieking predates Maddow by quite a long while. O'Reilly has had Soros-Tourette's for many years. The very, very first time he brought it up, the first thought that sprang into my head was, "What, the Republicans don't have ultra-rich benefactors who donate cash to the party to further their own interests?" Which of course is a rhetorical question. The answer to which is of course, Rupert Fucking Murdoch much? Watch Fox, read any number of right-oriented blogs, it's Soros Soros Soros Soros Soros - as if!! As if no one else on Earth contributes money to political parties or to politicians expecting to achieve the goals they desire. AS IF!!!

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

Its not really about denying them the right to donate money, it's about the fact that most of these right-wing organizations that claim to be grass roots are still astroturf. From the tea party to the healthcare protests they are protests designed to protect the interests of specific large corporations, not the individuals.

Of course anyone with half a brain notices that it doesn't protect the interests of the individual.

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

I yawn at your appeal to fear and in any case, I have no idea who George Soros is either

[dwer.livejournal.com]

[dwer.livejournal.com]

wait, appeal to fear? Seriously? LOL.

[chemchick.livejournal.com]

http://tinyurl.com/2g3awgn

[chemchick.livejournal.com]

George Soros has become a meme in conservative talking circles and it's gotten to a point where anyone with half a brain would realize that a conservative shouting "but but George Soros" is the equivalent to the death rattle you hear in a dying person's chest.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

Soros is the word O'Reilly uses when he's run out of other things to blame for the things he perceives as problems, which usually are problems caused by right-wing policies.

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

So true. Along the lines of "OBAMA'S TELEPROMPTER!" ~SNICKER, SNICKER, SNORT, GIGGLE~

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Mr. Punch line invokes his name a lot right? Or does he limit himself to Alinsky!!! these days? :P

A bit about Gyorgy (Schwartz) Shorosh

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

While George Soros has been involved in philanthropy, especially in my corner of the world, he does nothing just like this, out of love for the fellow human. All his actions in relation to international politics in the region have been well calculated and perfectly timed. Including the sponsoring of our current ruling party GERB, headed by the current PM Boyko Borisov. His main connections with our government are the financial minister Simeon Dyankov and the BG EU Commisary, Kristalina Georgieva (a former World Bank top figure). Whether GERB was entirely Soros' project or he later jumped on the bandwagon and used the party as a carrying rocket is yet to be fully understood, but it's beyond doubt that he has been heavily involved in the domestic policies of a number of countries in Eastern Europe and particularly here on the Balkans ever since the early 90's.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

But, but WARRGARBL!

Anyway, yes, these people get away with shit no liberals, let alone real Leftists would ever be able to do so even as the Right-Wing persists in its delusions and Martyrdom Complexes. The American Right Wing has a fetish for believing itself Jews in Auschwitz despite any and all proof to the contrary. Actual logic and reason here will mean nothing to people who hold such beliefs regardless of truth to them.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

The American Right Wing has a fetish for believing itself Jews in Auschwitz despite any and all proof to the contrary.

Oh, Underlankers. You always bring me the BEST metaphors.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

ITT: Echo... Echo... Echo

[mylaptopisevil.livejournal.com]

ITT: a desperate attempt to distract.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

You're here aren't you? Bring up a reason this isn't true.

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

Never heard of the Koch brothers here in Eastern Europe. Whereas Gyorgy Shorosh...

[dwer.livejournal.com]

Is he famous back in the homeland? Good famous or bad famous?

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Because your belief in the astroturfing story colors your viewpoint.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

and lol again.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

What does that even mean? Of course people's beliefs color their viewpoint.

[kinvore.livejournal.com]

What does Soros do that's so bad besides giving Democrats money?

[dwer.livejournal.com]

I dunno. Ask Melvin.