To the editor:
The Lawrence Journal-World has reported that David H. Koch has given $23 million to the National Museum of Natural History in New York to update the dinosaur museum exhibit. Well, that is a nice hobby.
However, has he given the same amount for people in Kansas who are homeless, lack health insurance and jobs? After all, the wealth of the very rich is supposed to trickle down to those people. The state and the people could certainly use it.
Come on, now. The money that is gained through tax breaks and other political strategies is not trickling down to those who need it. Does Mr. Koch want his money to go to dead creatures or living people who are struggling?
Comments
Liberty_One 1 year ago
"has he given the same amount for people in Kansas who are homeless, lack health insurance and jobs?"
Yes. All his employees. What have you done?
scott3460 1 year ago
He has "given" his employees nothing. They have earned wages.
fred_mertz 1 year ago
True that he hasn't "given" his employees dollars - they earned them but what he has done is create good paying jobs with good benefits.
scott3460 1 year ago
Yet they are quite willing to take and enjoy all the benefits of the society we all create, but iwe nothing in return
fred_mertz 1 year ago
Scott think about what you just wrote. How can you believe that they are willing to take all the benefits of society we all create but give nothing in return?
True for example we created museums but isn't Koch giving millions?
Isn't it true they pay taxes?
Isn't it true they give millions to charities?
And finally not all contribute -only those that pay taxes so not all contribute.
scott3460 1 year ago
I was responding to the absurdity of Liberty's comment that they owe society nothing.
scott3460 1 year ago
You can tell me to shut up all you like, but I will not quit refuting your point just because you don't like it.
tomatogrower 1 year ago
Liberty, would he have all that money if he didn't have those employees? Man, I would hate to work for you.
Ragingbear 1 year ago
I trolled a neo-conservative that post at midnight. What have you done?
Ragingbear 1 year ago
You right. Here's 30$ for your daughter. The Bible says I can do it.
tomatogrower 1 year ago
Yet, Koch's employees, according to you, have nothing to do with his wealth.
tomatogrower 1 year ago
Trickle down was Reagan's spirit. Is your memory going? The rich didn't get where they were without workers and customers.
fred_mertz 1 year ago
Actually the Kochs give quite a lot to the poor and those in need.
You should do a little research on the charitable contributions of the Kochs before attacking them otherwise you come off as a mean-spirited close-minded person.
Paul R. Getto 1 year ago
+1
weiser 1 year ago
So what! Obama has created a whole lot of more jobs than they have. That is why we need to pay taxes, to pay their salaries, hire prostitutes, etc....
fred_mertz 1 year ago
True but my criticism is our government needs to hire American prostitutes not South American ones to stimulate our economy
Katara 1 year ago
We do hire American prostitutes - look at Congress.
merrill 1 year ago
That $23 million was a smoke screen to cover their actions against America.
Publicopoly Exposed
How ALEC, the Koch brothers and their corporate allies plan to privatize government. (Taxes are bad UNLESS they are flowing into the bank accounts of Koch)
ALEC nuts and bolts
ALEC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that in recent years has reported about $6.5 million in annual revenue. ALEC’s members include corporations, trade associations, think tanks and nearly a third (about 2,000) of the nation’s state legislators (virtually all Republican). According to the group’s promotional material, ALEC’s mission is to “advance the Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism, and individual liberty, through a nonpartisan public-private partnership of America’s state legislators, members of the private sector, the federal government, and general public.”
ALEC currently claims more than 250 corporations and special interest groups as private sector members. While the organization refuses to make a complete list of these private members available to the public, some known members include: (Taxes are bad UNLESS they are flowing into the bank accounts of the following)
ALEC is composed of nine task forces–(1) Public Safety and Elections, (2) Civil Justice, (3) Education, (4) Energy, Environment and Agriculture, (5) Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development, (6) Telecommunications and Information Technology, (7) Health and Human Services, (8) Tax and Fiscal Policy and (9) International Relations–each comprised of “Public Sector” members (legislators) and “Private Sector” members (corporations and interest groups).
Each of these task forces, which serve as the core of ALEC’s operations, generate model legislation that is then passed on to member lawmakers for introduction in their home assemblies. According to ALEC promotional material, each year member lawmakers introduce an average of 1,000 of these pieces of legislation nationwide, 17 percent of which are enacted. For 2009, ALEC claimed a total of 826 pieces of introduced legislation nationwide, 115 of which were passed into law–slightly below the average at 14 percent. ALEC does not offer its model legislation for public inspection.
ALEC refused to comment on any aspect of the material covered here.
More and more: http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/11603/publicopoly_exposed/
Enlightenment 1 year ago
+1
DougCounty 1 year ago
I think the Koch brothers have contributed to worthwhile charitable causes, but they have also muddied up the political waters with their self-interest contributions in ways that make their job creation contributions much more double edged than what it looks like at face value. Their contribution in job creation, for instance, is tempered by their strong anti-labor efforts all over the country and world, funding measures to cut benefits, throw out collective bargaining, make it OK to destroy pension plans, bribing overseas to get contracts, etc. The question is whether it is OK to create new jobs at the expense of others?
In a similar vein, Koch has been a strong anti-regulation proponent in the environmental world, specifically related to his oil interests, based at least in their literature on the premise that jobs are lost to the added regulatory burden. Well, in fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that added regulation in the oil industry has indeed led to some job creation losses on the production side, but these have been offset by the creation of new jobs in the regulatory field. In other words, there have been no real net job losses, just a redistribution of the jobs into protecting the public from unsafe practices in industry: http://www.propublica.org/blog/item/whats-the-evidence-that-regulations-kill-jobs
So the question can be summed up as far as regulation goes: Do the benefits justify the costs? I think considering the potential disastrous health and environmental consequences of fossil fuel production, regulation is a justifiable expense that is worth diverting some production jobs into regulatory jobs.
DougCounty 1 year ago
Actually, since you asked, I think that top-down influences have distorted our political system for the worse regardless of where it comes from, Soros included.
Furthermore, I think that the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision has made things significantly worse and if we have any chance of getting control over special interests in this country, we need to rise up and get our lawmakers to put in legislation that will help level the playing field once again. The whole pretense about this being a free speech issue is a sham that I'm shocked that our current Supreme Court fell for.
Sorry to not fit your stereotype of who you think I am.
jafs 1 year ago
Amen.
Paul R. Getto 1 year ago
+1
Armstrong 1 year ago
Why is the left so concerned with what other people do with their own money. A) Because you can't spend it B) Because you don't have it C) Because you want it D) Because you can't dictate how it's spent E) all of the above
kansasfaithful 1 year ago
Koch Industries = 50,000 jobs. Marilyn you should apply for one, I assure you it will be a living wage. But we know your type. No job for anyone is better than any job from those mean old Koch brothers, right.
merrill 1 year ago
Unlike many other organizations, ALEC’s membership includes both state lawmakers and corporate executives who gather behind closed doors to discuss and vote on model legislation.
In recent months, ALEC has come under increasing scrutiny for its role in drafting bills to: attack workers’ rights roll back environmental regulations privatize education funded with our tax dollars deregulate major industries * passing voter ID laws.
Nonetheless, this year’s annual ALEC meeting boasts the largest attendance in five years, with nearly 2,000 guests in attendance. Center for Media and Democracy organization released 800 model bills approved by companies and lawmakers at recent ALEC meetings.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/8/5/secretive_corporate_legislative_group_alec_holds
tomatogrower 1 year ago
Get this. The latest ALEC legislation is going to be to strip state Attorney General's right to bring suit unless the legislature tells him/her to. Because Attorney Generals need to know that they work for the state, not for the people of the state. What does that tell you about these arrogant creeps? The Attorney General is an elected position, salary paid with tax money. Conservatives need to be reminded who they work for. It's not ALEC. It's time to make this country "by the people, for the people". Since the Supreme Court turned corporations into people, they don't even try to pretend they are elected officials. Wake up people.
jafs 1 year ago
Isn't the AG's office part of the executive branch, and aren't we supposed to have a 3 branch system, with checks and balances?
cait48 1 year ago
It will be interesting to see in the coming economic collapse caused by the sheer weight of their own wealth (which doesn't exist except on paper, anyway) just how little Davey and Charley fare at eating all of that money. (See, I can make the occasional nutball statement, too.)
Armstrong 1 year ago
Brought to you by the Obama admin
verity 1 year ago
The question I keep asking is, when the middle/working class can no longer afford to keep the economy running (and that may be soon), where will the wealthiest among us be? Will all their "on the books" money also disappear? Cait jokingly talks about the Kochs eating money, but might it not come to that?
Something that seems to keep being ignored is that a severely unequal distribution of wealth is not good for the economy. If workers cannot afford to buy what they are making (shades of Henry Ford, again), stuff won't sell.
Before I get the trolls worked up, I am not talking about equal distribution of wealth. That will never happen and I don't think any of the liberal/progressives on these boards are advocating that. I'm talking, among other things, about fair wages for work done and helping those who can't help themselves or who are temporarily in a situation where they can't survive on their own. Busting unions and raising taxes on the middle/working class may result in temporary gain for corporations, but in the long run it's not good for anybody.
fred_mertz 1 year ago
Verity
Your post would be improved if you made it without the "digs"
I can agree with most of what you wrote but I disagree about your assessment of what liberals want. I do believe they want the government to distribute the wealth.
Poverty and near poverty are huge issues for this country. Where I disagree with others is how to fix the problem. Education is key but throwing more money at schools won't help.
We need a huge intervention that demands parental responsibility coupled with assistance from the government and private sector to provide proper nutrition and education for kids. They are our future but they have little chance for a future when they are born into generational poverty.
verity 1 year ago
"Studies" show that making anything over $40,000 (or is it $50,000) doesn't add to your happiness.
fred_mertz 1 year ago
Range what did your comment add to the discussion? Anyone can poke at others but it takes someone with intellect to contradict someone in a meaningful way.
It is my opinion that our educational system does need to be improved but dollars alone won't fix it.
Making education a priority for parents the government and society is a step in the right direction. Without a commitment by all parities all the money in the world won't help.
You can take a kid from the ghetto and send him to the best school in the country and he won't learn without support.
fred_mertz 1 year ago
Darn autocorrect. Tange not range.
fred_mertz 1 year ago
tange, your post to my last one is much improved. It tries to convey a message instead of just being snarky. Good job.
verity 1 year ago
I said "equal" distribution---obviously the government is redistributing wealth. Any form of taxation does that. It's just a matter of how. Right now it seems to mainly be redistributing it upwards and some to the poorest.
However, you're not addressing the main point of my post which is that "a severely unequal distribution of wealth is not good for the economy."
What is your opinion on that?
fred_mertz 1 year ago
Verity my opinion is similar to yours except I would add it goes beyond just the economy but is detrimental for society and our country as a whole.
verity 1 year ago
Yes, what you say is true. I only addressed the economic side because that can be measured to a certain extent. The "detrimental for society and our country as a whole" is more of a sociological concept that many would probably disagree with if I interpret their ideas correctly.
Unfortunately, again my opinion, generational poverty will only get worse with a declining economy because people become hopeless---and really don't have any way of climbing out.
Frankie8 1 year ago
Excellent post verity and one that makes a lot of sense especially the part about the workers not being able to buy what they make. With rent going up and up are the workers in Lawrence going to have to move to other places and drive in to work? Or will they find jobs in the town that offers them affordable housing and forget Lawrence?
tuschkahouma 1 year ago
I heard that the WD-40 Dimwit gene isolated in 40 to 60 year old archie bunker parolees displays the lack of intelligence and empathy that some on here profess does no good fof the rest of society but then what do narrow minded people think of the rest of the society anyway?
snap_pop_no_crackle 1 year ago
You are currently in the lead in the run-on sentence sweepstakes for today! Go you! ( .......... from .......... a .......... source .......... )
Frankie8 1 year ago
You know you are right and we know you are right so please tuschkahouma don't let others shame or humiliate or bully you into giving up your right to freedom of expression.
Armstrong 1 year ago
This would be more fun if the libs got to spend Koch's money or at least tell them how to do it.. Just killing you guys I know
tuschkahouma 1 year ago
why?? why don't we bend over like good conservatives and let darth koch have his way? one always has to blindly support the conglomorates who pollute their water and steal their natural resources and be just as blind as the poor southern sharecroppers who never owned slaves and yet looked up to the planters that did as role models.....again what is so good about saying yes to exploiters....wow is easier than thinking....no one wants conservatives thinking.....why then what would fox do with no one left to brainwash?
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