(By Jillian Barclay) cross-posted at: http://www.winningprogressive.org/the-koch-brothers-are-the-new-brothers-grimm
In the 1800s, the Brothers Grimm wrote a series of fairy tales, such as Hansel and Gretel and Snow White, that were far more gruesome, creepy, and twisted than the sanitized versions of those stories that Disney has now created. Today, the role of the Brothers Grimm is being filled by the Koch Brothers. Unfortunately, the fairy tales they are writing are threatening to create a gruesome, creepy, and twisted future for our society.
You have heard of David and Charles Grimm-Koch. But do you really know who they are? What they stand for? How they are writing a new fairy tale for America? These two are multi-billionaire brothers who are both in their 70 --s. They are purchasing the United States, and they seek control of all policy making in the United States. Their philosophy: Why run for one political office when you can buy many political offices? Their efforts are designed to gain as much influence as possible at every level of government: federal, state and local, leaving no stone unturned.
The Grimm-Koch Brothers have personally contributed millions of dollars to federal, state and local candidates who agree with their radical anti-government principles. They contribute heavily to the Republican Governors Association and the Chamber of Commerce. The contributions to just these two organizations are in the millions. Their front organization, Americans For Prosperity, founded in 2004 by David Koch, is supposedly a grass roots organization, but how many grass roots organizations were founded and receive funding and direction from billionaires and their mega-corporations?
The Grimm-Koch brothers used to work behind the scenes, until 1980, when David Koch ran for vice-president on a ticket that included Ed Clark as the Libertarian presidential candidate. They ran against Ronald Reagan and their ticket promised to abolish:
- Social Security
- the Federal Reserve Board
- welfare
- the minimum wage
- corporate taxes
- the SEC
- the EPA
- the FTC
- OSHA
- the FBI
- the CIA
- the Dept of Energy
- public schools
According to New York Times columnist Frank Rich, "His campaign called for the abolition not just of Social Security, federal regulatory agencies and welfare, but also of the FBI, the CIA, and public schools." Since then the Libertarian party has become increasingly visible, and so have the Grimm-Koch brothers. They again emerged publicly during the Clinton era. Their lobbying efforts increased. They state that they are still libertarians and that all social programs beginning with the New Deal will destroy freedom in this country. The current dissatisfaction with the economy has given them the opportunity to not only lobby, but to orchestrate a movement.
The Grimm-Kochs have not changed their end game. They still believe and hope for the same things. The danger is that these brothers do more than just hope. They have put their gruesome American fairy tale into motion. They back their end game with dollars!
David and Charles Grimm-Koch are the sons of Fred Koch, who was one of the founders of the John Birch Society in 1958. They grew up in Kansas. According to most reports, even though as they grew up they did not buy into many of the John Birch Society's beliefs, they did develop a serious mistrust of the United States government and have fought government regulation for years, saying that any regulation of private industry is socialism. They still support the work of the John Birch Society and the John Birch society supports them!
The brothers Grimm-Koch inherited many millions of dollars when their father died. They built their company, Koch Industries, into a multi-billion dollar enterprise that the federal government accuses of being one of the top ten polluters in the U.S. According to their website, they employ 50,000 workers in the US and many more overseas. They have oil and gas, chemicals, cattle, forestry, and synthetics companies. They are a major force for pipeline, energy and oil interests worldwide.
More and more, while still concentrating their money on lobbyists, they have also found and exploited a voice. They founded a movement that they could mold to do their dirty work for them. They are not only driving the Tea Party, but funding it and giving it direction every step of the way. Does the Tea Party constituency even know who is funding and directing their every movement? Does the Tea Party rank and file realize that the Grimm-Koch brothers will only be satisfied when every major anti-pollution law in this country has been overturned? Do they know that the Grimm-Koch brothers do not want any regulatory laws for banks? An end to Social Security and Medicare? A weakened federal government lacking any real power? Maybe, but more likely the answer is no.
Tea Party members are unaware that they are simply tools in the Grimm-Koch brothers' toolbox; the toolbox also includes these other Grimm-Koch funded tools: ALEC, the Cato Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the Independent Women's Forum and the Mercatus Center, to name a few. Virtually EVERY conservative organization receives money from the Grimm-Kochs.
Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Rick Scott of Florida, Rick Snyder of Michigan, Justice Clarence Thomas of the United States Supreme Court, Grover Norquist of the "Drown Government in the Bathtub Bunch', the list of those who benefit from the Grimm-Koch's money goes on and on. They all seek the same fairy tale ending. Destroy the federal government and privatize everything!
The Brothers Grimm-Koch were looking for foot soldiers to carry their message and the brothers finally found those soldiers in the Tea Party. The foot soldiers believe that their "grassroots movement' is independent and the voice of the people. Sadly, the members are being manipulated by the Grimm-Koch brothers, to advance only the agenda of the Grimm-Koch brothers, and by following the agenda of the Grimm-Koch brothers, the Tea Party members will vote away anything that is in their own and everyone else's best interests. By the time they wake up, every social safety net will have disappeared. The brothers Grimm-Koch will reward them with eternal slavery; no Medicare, no Social Security, the old "work until you die philosophy' at a job where you have no protections.
That is the gruesome ending of the Grimm-Koch fairy tale! Bet It Won't Happen? It Will!
A Happy Ending To the Fairy Tale? Only If You Boycott And Speak Up! Fight Back!The only way there can ever be a happy ending to the Grimm-Koch fairy tale is if you stand up, learn about who and what the Grimm-Kochs support and fight to stop them. Learn what products they own and sell. Boycott those products! Find out who the elected officials are that are supported by the Grimm-Kochs money and get rid of them! Send the Grimm-Kochs an email supporting a boycott. Let them know that they will not prevail! That America knows they are the villians in the fairy tale!
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