I have tried to keep my writings non-political as much as is possible. This has been difficult. As I've gotten older, I have found my own personal views and positions move further and further to the left. The longer I live it seems like the angrier I have become regarding what I believe to be the destruction of the American middle class and our democracy. As I see it, the cards are being stacked higher against more and more "regular" folks. As a percentage of the national wealth and income the top 2% of us have done very very well, while the bottom 98% have seen their incomes stagnate or lowered since the Reagan administration. Quality middle class jobs have been permanately lost, and millions of us are and will be in a lifetime of underemployment.
Today I won't speak to all of the ills confronting our society, since I would be writing for hours, and I have to go to the store as I'm running out of toilet paper. I will try and not be holier than thou, since my point is not to offend those of you who are to the right of Attila The Hun politically.
My politics are worn on my sleeve. I am mostly a lifelong Democrat who flirted with the Republican party years ago - before I figured certain things out. All Republicans are surely not evil, just as all Democrats are not good. I voted for Nixon the first time around because I was mad about the Vietnam War and I voted for Reagan the first time around because... Well, let's just say I chose poorly.
Power is about money in our country. The ability to buy our elected darlings has been a given for a long time. Those who have power and wealth and think they need more can now give as much money they want thanks to the Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court. Today I want to focus my anger towards one of the bigger right wing practioners of buying pols, David Koch.
David Koch is one of the principle owners of Koch Industries, along with his brother Charles. They are listed as multi-billionaires by Forbes Magazine and are among the largest contributors to right wing causes and pols. They are currently in the news for their $43,000 contribution to Wisconson Gov Scott Walker when he was a candidate for Gov. They have funded Tea Party groups from the beginning, and their money helped organizations like Americans For Prosperity and the Heritage Foundation get off the ground.
What has inspired me this morning was an article I read about David Koch's $100,000,000 contibution to M.I.T to establish a cancer research center. In fairness I must point out that both of the Koch's have given generously to medical research, and even the arts. David's motivation for this gift was his 1992 diagnosis of prostate cancer. Unfortunately, the doctors who told him then that he wouldn't live much longer were wrong and he has survived to become one of the worst enemies of the American people.
The Kochs have long spoken out on their denial of climate change and have funded campaigns to defund the EPA, and state and local laws that were enacted to keep polluters like the Kochs at bay. The Kochs are one of the biggest corporate polluters in America. They have interests in oil drilling, pipelines, timber and paper. Since Koch Industries is a privately held company, all of the profits from their industrial empire go to the brothers. When we buy their products we are helping them destroy our democracy, and I for one will not help them.
There have been voices calling for the boycott of product manufactured by the various companies owned by these nefarious brothers. Boycotts usually don't work, but this long suffering fan will join it. I was unaware until today what their vast holdings include, and I suspect most of you didn't know either. Let's learn, then you decide what to to do.
Koch Industries now own the Georgia-Pacific Co. You know them as producers of building equipment, mostly timber products like plywood. GP also produces various paper products, especially toilet paper marketing under brand names like Angel Soft, Soft n Gentle, Quilted Northern and many unknown private label brands made for Walmart and others. If you use one of those brands there are alternatives like Charmin or Scott - so when you need to replace your asswipe, you don't have to help David and Charles wipe their asses with our country's future.
If you are like me, you go through a lot of paper towels. I am a klutz and am always spilling something. Well boys and girls, you can help the Kochs when you purchase the Brawny brand which they own, or you can do what this fan does and buy Bounty. Profits from my coffee spills are not going to help the Heritage Foundation come up with more ways to strip me of my freedoms!
The outdoor season will soon be here and the fan will be found attending many cook-outs where I will use somebody's paper plates and cups. I will eat with my hands before I use any product with the Dixie label since the evil brothers own that too. I'm sure it won't be hard to find somebody else's brand of cups to swill down your beer this summer - you don't need to fund the Americans for Prosperity and right wing candidates while getting drunk.
Many will soon be thinking about buying new clothes for the new spring season. Some of you may need to replace last year's swimsuit which no longer fits. The Kochs are the largest producer of Lycra, the fabric of choice for much of the swimwear sold in America. It may be hard, but there are alternatives to this fabric.
Buying new carpet soon? The Kochs own Stainmaster, so look for something else or while you are marveling at how easy it is to clean up the beer you have just spilled from your Dixie cup, the profits from your easy clean carpet are being put to work to help destroy the right of union members to collectively bargain.
David and Charles Koch are evil people and they could care less about the average person. All they care about is doing away with any regulation that would erode some of their profits, and help to solidify the oligarchy they are a part of. You can help by avoiding their products. Your choice.
In another business related tid-bit I read this morning that the investment bank Goldman Sachs has purchased two ferry boats which they plan to use to provide transportation from Jersey City and Lower Manhattan for their employees. I have a question. Do my 2nd amendment rights allow me to purchase and own a miniature submarine? If yes, does anyone know where I can buy one?
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