Get to Know Your Hostile Take Over

Get to know your hostile take over:

You may or may not have heard of billionaires David H. Koch and Charles G. Koch, but I felt pressed to enlighten you.  These brothers, are the owners of the second largest US owned business.  You may have heard of their Georgia Pacific brand; Brawny paper towels, Angel Soft toilet paper, Dixie paper cups, Quilted Northern, many wood and building materials and a wide range of plastics.  They have mostly been in the business of oil, with many of their products derived from petroleum base.  With annual revenues around a $100 billion dollars a year, they can afford to have political influence in our country.  

In 1980, David Koch ran on a Libertarian ticket for Vice-President.  His tactics were too aggressive, as he called for the end of Social Security, federal agencies, welfare, FBI, CIA and public schools.  After his election loss, the brothers continued to stay involved in politics, but this time they had a new approach.  They would buy the kind of country that their business could thrive in.  

Ever sat and wondered about the beginning of the United States "Tea Party"?  Besides spending $12 million dollars for a multitude of Tea Party groups, the Koch brothers have contributed millions of dollars on candidates.  To a tune of $196 million dollars, has been spent by the brothers between lobbying and candidates this past decade.  You may have heard of a couple of their beloved candidates; Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who single handedly is destroying the teacher's union, and Governor Rick Scott of Florida who is pushing the cost of tax cuts for corporations, onto the teachers, correctional officers, state workers and police officers.  Let us not forget Paul Broun Representative in Georgia who referred to jobs lost due to budget cuts across the nation as "there are a lot of government employees that need to go find a real job!".  The Koch brothers have found a way to bend the system to their will of their capitalistic hearts.  They were well aware, their empire would thrive, if the likes of the EPA, FBI and heavy taxations were out of the picture.  Thanks to George Bush Jr., the heavy taxations on corporations and the rich have subsided, but now to deal with those meddling government regulators.  No better way to do it, then to buy your way into our government!

Think back to the summer of 2008.  This summer was known to many, as the beginning of spiking gas prices.  The House passed legislation to oversee the oil speculation, but some Koch paid Senate members, killed the bill.  In 2009 Koch Industries was now considered to be on the same level as multi-national banks, so they were now among the world's top five oil speculators.  (Remember they make plastics-with petroleum base). By 2010, their new founded Tea Parties are full force fighting tooth and nail against reforms of the energy market.  If you are mad about gas prices, consider this….due to oil speculation, the price of a barrel of oil is raised by $27 dollars.  This means we are overpaying by at least a dollar a gallon at the pump, and the conflict of interest Koch Industries' pocketed the difference.  

To a new country we could be heading.  A country were our Universities are reshaping the way they teach us.  At Florida State University, the Koch Brothers have started to reshape the way Americans learn, through their dirty money.  Their $1.5 million dollar donation to the Florida State University, will ensure the economics department is only allowed to hire Koch brothers approved faculty and teach their approved texts.  This could be a new Milton Freedman type learning.  Similar stories are found at Brown University, George Mason University and dozens of other public and private colleges.  This type of learning could eventually eliminate truths in our history books.

Until the people have finally had enough of our "bought and paid for" politicians, the Koch brothers and countless others like them, will continue to reshape our country into their capitalistic utopia.  True campaign finance reform needs to happen in this country to remove the greed factor, and replace it with the patriotic factor.  Big business should not be able to buy their way out of pollution and regulations.  Once the power of campaign contributions is back into the people's hands, this country will thrive.  Remember, corporations are not people, and get up, stand up, but please….do something.