Bernie Sanders and the Koch Brothers

After I decided what to write my blog on this week I sort of wiped out yesterday just thinking about all of the research I would have to put in to come up with what I perceived is the radical right’s agenda based on my research of what they have already done.  A daunting task but one that I believed needed to be done, for my own sake even if no one else was interested!  I began to think that no one but Bill (my husband for those living elsewhere) and I recognized, how dangerous to our American form of democracy that agenda really is.  Don’t forget, we lived through the Great Depression and World War II, and were subsequently very aware of what could have transpired in this country if we would have lost that horrendous war. 

And then, lo, and behold, this morning when I began reading my e-mails there was one from Reader Supported News, which collects articles from hither and yon and this becomes their news.  This site is pretty middle of the road, though it does tend to collect more liberal news, and this morning it had an article written by one of my heroes, Senator Bernie Sanders.  The article is entitled, “What Do The Koch Brothers Really Want?” 

Wahoo!!  My research had been done for me.  Assuming that you who are reading this will continue reading, as you come to each point contemplate that this is precisely what is going on in the Tea Party today, which is not surprising since the Tea Party has been funded, at least in part if not entirely, by the Koch Brothers.  It has been said that one of the signs of maturity is the ability of the individual to change, and the ability of the same individual to allow the other person to change.  From the listing below, it would appear that the Koch Brothers are still pretty immature.  The section below came from the article mentioned above, and printed today, 4/12/14.

In 1980, David Koch ran as the Libertarian Party’s vice-presidential candidate in 1980.

Let’s take a look at the 1980 Libertarian Party platform.

Here are just a few excerpts of the Libertarian Party platform that David Koch ran on in 1980:

• “We urge the repeal of federal campaign finance laws, and the immediate abolition of the despotic Federal Election Commission.”
• “We favor the abolition of Medicare and Medicaid programs.”
• “We oppose any compulsory insurance or tax-supported plan to provide health services, including those which finance abortion services.”
• “We also favor the deregulation of the medical insurance industry.”
• “We favor the repeal of the fraudulent, virtually bankrupt, and increasingly oppressive Social Security system. Pending that repeal, participation in Social Security should be made voluntary.”
• “We propose the abolition of the governmental Postal Service. The present system, in addition to being inefficient, encourages governmental surveillance of private correspondence. Pending abolition, we call for an end to the monopoly system and for allowing free competition in all aspects of postal service.”
• “We oppose all personal and corporate income taxation, including capital gains taxes.”
• “We support the eventual repeal of all taxation.”
• “As an interim measure, all criminal and civil sanctions against tax evasion should be terminated immediately.”
• “We support repeal of all law which impede the ability of any person to find employment, such as minimum wage laws.”
• “We advocate the complete separation of education and State. Government schools lead to the indoctrination of children and interfere with the free choice of individuals. Government ownership, operation, regulation, and subsidy of schools and colleges should be ended.”
• “We condemn compulsory education laws … and we call for the immediate repeal of such laws.”
• “We support the repeal of all taxes on the income or property of private schools, whether profit or non-profit.”
• “We support the abolition of the Environmental Protection Agency.”
• “We support abolition of the Department of Energy.”
• “We call for the dissolution of all government agencies concerned with transportation, including the Department of Transportation.”
• “We demand the return of America's railroad system to private ownership. We call for the privatization of the public roads and national highway system.”
• “We specifically oppose laws requiring an individual to buy or use so-called "self-protection" equipment such as safety belts, air bags, or crash helmets.”
• “We advocate the abolition of the Federal Aviation Administration.”
• “We advocate the abolition of the Food and Drug Administration.”
• “We support an end to all subsidies for child-bearing built into our present laws, including all welfare plans and the provision of tax-supported services for children.”
• “We oppose all government welfare, relief projects, and ‘aid to the poor’ programs. All these government programs are privacy-invading, paternalistic, demeaning, and inefficient. The proper source of help for such persons is the voluntary efforts of private groups and individuals.”
• “We call for the privatization of the inland waterways, and of the distribution system that brings water to industry, agriculture and households.”
• “We call for the repeal of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.”
• “We call for the abolition of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.”
• “We support the repeal of all state usury laws.”(Bernie Sanders, Reader Supported News, “What Do The Koch Brothers Really Want?”, 4/12/14)

For example, if it seems outlandish that one would want to get rid of the Postal Service, that most venerable of our institutions, remember that a Republican administration requires that the Postal Service must fund its retirement system for the next 75 years in a 10 year period.  That is a prescription for disaster.  And yet, this is in line with one of the points above to abolish the Postal System.

The frontal assault taken by the Koch's in 1980 was a dismal failure.  In order to achieve their goals, they have taken to heart the maxim that taking apart the foundation of a building pebble by pebble it is possible to bring down the whole structure over time.  And that is what they are doing to our democracy.  Bit by bit they are attempting to bring down the entire structure for their own benefit. 

No wonder Harry Reid calls them un-American.