Koch Industries, Pushing An Agenda That Increases Dangers For The Health Of Our Planet...
The New York Times - Charles Koch has activated his political network to support Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination, and to tip the scales on her nomination battle in the U.S. Senate. While much of the commentary about Judge Barrett’s nomination has focused on the real prospect that Roe v. Wade may be undermined or overturned, Mr. Koch has other concerns. Judge Barrett’s nomination is the latest battleground in his decades-long war to reshape American society in a way that ensures that corporations can operate with untrammeled freedom. It may be a pivotal one.
Since the early 1970s, Mr. Koch has sought to dismantle most federal regulatory institutions, and the federal courts have been central to that battle. In 1974, Mr. Koch gave a blistering speech to a libertarian think tank, called the Institute for Humane Studies, in which he outlined his vision of the American regulatory state, and the strategy he would employ over the ensuing decades to realize that vision. On the list of government interventions he condemned were “confiscatory taxation, wage and price controls, commodity allocations programs, trade barriers, restrictions on foreign investments, so-called equal opportunity requirements, safety and health regulations, land use controls, licensing laws, outright government ownership of businesses and industries.” As if that list were not exhaustive enough, he added, “… and many more interventions.” In short, Charles Koch believes that an unregulated free market is the only sustainable structure for human society...
For a market to be free it MUST be regulated. Fully unregulated and free wheeling markets ultimately lead to corruption and monopolies.
As history reminds a lack of regulatory controls also leads to destruction of our environmnt as well as increased and often serious health risks for the general population.
Koch IS a monster less the horns.
Full article BELOW the FOLD.
We suspect if Mr. Koch were sweating 10 hours a day in one of his
ReplyDeleteplants, blamed by bosses for everything, underpaid and breathing
leaking chlorine, he'd have a different view of the Free Market.
But that much admired Scalia made sure that corporations are the
same as individuals...only a hell of a lot more powerful and
avaricious. Tis part of the current political mess. How hard is it
to get big $$$$ out of politics and go to one man-one vote?
Our political system is presently functioning on lies,lies, and more lies. Politicians, corporations, judges, and religious organizations (especially evangelicals) have effectively destroyed the foundations of our democratic republic. We are NOT the nation we were.
DeleteWhen greed and power lust become guiding and overriding principals of political parties nations are in decline. The trump administration, Koch and others, and the GOP have brought this nation to its knees. And, the democrats have certainly added to the effort. Albeit a hell of a lot less egregiously than the GOP.
Basically it's getting close to too late to salvage our dignity and regain the respect we once enjoyed throughout the world. We squandered the high moral ground when we handed power to GWB AND DJT and turned corporations into people.
There is SO much that can be said. But it seems 1/2 the country at least don't care enough to get involved. They simply follow along like lemmings marching to their death.