AP Interview: Billionaire Koch fed up with politics as usual

[webfact]

AP Interview: Billionaire Koch fed up with politics as usual
By JULIE BYKOWICZ

WASHINGTON (AP) — Billionaire Charles Koch, one of America's most influential conservative donors, said he is fed up with the vitriol of the presidential race and will air national TV ads that call on citizens to work together to fix a "rigged" economy that leaves behind the poor.

Koch, in a telephone interview with The Associated Press, described Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton as part of personality politics at its worst. He said that's why neither he nor the political and policy groups he controls are playing much of a role in the presidential election. Instead, in an unusual strategy, the ads will be paid for by his private company, Koch Industries.

"Both the primaries and the general (election) seems it's more, 'You're the enemy, you're evil, or you're stupid,' or whatever ad hominem attacks on each other," Koch said, "rather than trying to find common ground so different opposing views can learn from each other and we can find better solutions."

Democrats, who have spent years vilifying Charles and David Koch, are unlikely to see them as unifiers. The brothers steer hundreds of millions of dollars — their own money and from like-minded donors whose identities are largely kept private — into electoral politics and mostly Republican efforts at all levels of government.

While the Kochs have supported most of the previous GOP presidential nominees, they have a far less favorable view of Trump. A billionaire himself, Trump wrote on Twitter last year that most of his GOP rivals were "puppets" of the Kochs. The bad blood reflects the tensions between Trump and some of the Republicans' biggest donors, which could hurt his fundraising efforts.

Still, Charles Koch said his policy team plans to meet with Trump's policy team, at the request of the Trump campaign. He added he'd be happy to arrange the same sort of chat with Clinton's camp. Koch said he'd "love to get them on board" with any of his political ideas, the same feeling he has about Trump.

With a campaign they're calling "End the Divide," the Kochs are taking a page from the playbook of other Republican leaders eager to talk about something other than their party's flame-throwing nominee.

They're plowing ahead with recommendations from a study the Republican Party made after its 2012 nominee, Mitt Romney, lost to President Barack Obama. It found the party has been harmed by a perception "that the GOP does not care about people."

Also offering a kinder, gentler Republican counterweight to Trump: House Speaker Paul Ryan. On Tuesday, he held forth at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic in Washington to outline House Republicans' plan to reduce poverty.

The Koch ads are part of a branding strategy for their multibillion-dollar conglomerate, based in Wichita, Kansas. But their long-time political activism means the campaign doubles, in a way, as a Republican effort.

The 60-second ad has the feel of something coming from a political candidate, with language that might appeal to supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

It shows Americans in contrasting neighborhoods and homes, and some people who look content and others who appear stressed. A narrator says: "Look around: America is divided. Between success and failure. With government and corporations picking winners and losers. Rigging the system against the people. Creating a two-tiered society."

Before directing viewers to an "End the Divide" website hosted by Koch Industries, the narrator says, "It's time to remove the barriers, to end the divide, to replace winner-take-all with a system where we all can win."

Many of Koch's policy prescriptions on issues such as education reform, government regulation and reducing poverty align more closely with Republicans. Yet Koch says he could find common ground with Democrats on some things, pointing to his partnership with the White House and Democratic senators on efforts to reduce incarceration.

It's not a comfortable fit. Obama and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid are among those who have called out the Kochs by name, with Reid denouncing them from the Senate floor as "un-American."

Koch said those sorts of attacks "are not about to stop me."

Koch said that because he's not a politician worried about the next election, he has the flexibility to make an issues-based appeal to Americans through ads, which will air starting Friday on national networks, cable channels and online.

"We're not running a popularity contest. We're not promising people things that can't be delivered," Koch said. "We're trying to encourage people to think about how do I succeed by helping others improve their lives" even if it involves doing things that "may not win me votes or get me a lot of money."


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-06-10

[shirtless]

I sure Mr Koch you are very concerned , about the poor, you should be in politics the way you lie.

[NovaBlue05]

Could Hillary possibly need any more campaign money than she already has?

[Pinot]

The John Birch society lives on with these rightwing asshats. They are the reason that Citizens United exists, so these rich, weird, twisted creeps have tremendous influence on American politics. They're days, along with the entire Republican party's are numbered. Trump is the beginning of the end. November is coming.

Thank Buddha.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

This guy is one of the most evil people you will ever meet. They have been buying politicians and elections for years now. Their group of elite billionaires has amassed somewhere around 800 Million dollars that they use to buy politicians and elections.

These are the real people that should be in prison.

[Phuket Stan]

Read "Dark Money" by Jane Mayer.....that will give u an insight into what a pair of evil so called "men" the Koch Bros are

The even ripped their other 2 brothers out of their fair share of inheritance from their father

Their rotten tentacles are everywhere

It will be a great day for the USA when this pair drop off the planet

[sgtsabai]

Well hell, you guys all stole my thunder, good for you. That family wants to rule the US, make no doubt about it. They are directly responsible for much of the right wing destruction of America. Evil to the core and behind most of the right wingnut so called "grassroots" organizations and "think" tanks. They also started Concerned Veterans for America a right wing phony group trying to privatize the VA. Scum all of them. If there is a hell, there will be a special place for them. If there is a heaven, remember the Marine Corps Hymn, Marines are guarding the streets of heaven, they and their ilk will never get in.

[NovaBlue05]

This guy is one of the most evil people you will ever meet. They have been buying politicians and elections for years now. Their group of elite billionaires has amassed somewhere around 800 Million dollars that they use to buy politicians and elections.

These are the real people that should be in prison.

They should share a cellblock with Congress then. Like the tax code, the rules are crafted to benefit the richest. Congress could change the tax code....campaign financing, etc..... anytime they want.........but they don't.

Can you guess why?

[boomerangutang]

From the OP "Still, Charles Koch said his policy team plans to meet with Trump's policy team, at the request of the Trump campaign."

Translation: Trump's attack dogs will be on their best behavior, saying everything Koch want to hear, in order to suck in as much money from the $13 million/day (their personal income) Kochs. Kochs have contributed so much harm to the US, it's hard to know where to start. Oh, here's a place: Some poor old black folks (true story) who have been living along a sleepy little river for generations, mostly growing cotton and melons.. Along come Koch Brothers' giant manufacturing company which dumps all sorts of toxins in the river. One by one the black folks get sick, get cancer, can't breathe, die young. What does the factory do? They don't even answer their phones.

[NovaBlue05]

Like always, they will hedge and donate to both candidates

[boomerangutang]

Like always, they will hedge and donate to both candidates

They almost never donate to Democratic candidates or causes. They're hard right-wingers. They OP makes it sound like they're leaning toward reason, but it's based on their press release. If they have strong ideas about policies, they should run for office. They don't for two basic reasons: They know they would lose, and it's more fun to just shovel tens of millions of dollars in the laps of hard right candidates. Everything about the Koch Brothers stinks of big money manipulations. It's un-democratic, to put it as nice as possible.

[F430murci]

He's only pissed because he cannotc adult control Trump or Clinton.

[NovaBlue05]

Like always, they will hedge and donate to both candidates

They almost never donate to Democratic candidates or causes. They're hard right-wingers. They OP makes it sound like they're leaning toward reason, but it's based on their press release. If they have strong ideas about policies, they should run for office. They don't for two basic reasons: They know they would lose, and it's more fun to just shovel tens of millions of dollars in the laps of hard right candidates. Everything about the Koch Brothers stinks of big money manipulations. It's un-democratic, to put it as nice as possible.

It's not about "reason".It's about buying influence. Business transcends politics to these people and others like them.

You don't think Obama has received Koch money over the last 8 years??..Really?

[boomerangutang]

Like always, they will hedge and donate to both candidates

They almost never donate to Democratic candidates or causes. They're hard right-wingers. They OP makes it sound like they're leaning toward reason, but it's based on their press release. If they have strong ideas about policies, they should run for office. They don't for two basic reasons: They know they would lose, and it's more fun to just shovel tens of millions of dollars in the laps of hard right candidates. Everything about the Koch Brothers stinks of big money manipulations. It's un-democratic, to put it as nice as possible.

It's not about "reason".It's about buying influence. Business transcends politics to these people and others like them.

You don't think Obama has received Koch money over the last 8 years??..Really?

Neither of us know for sure, but I rather doubt Obama has rec'd Koch money. Koch brothers are hard right. Why would they donate to a decent liberal person like Obama? I don't know if the Kochs were in cahoots with Trump about 'Obama is a Kenyan Muslim' silliness, but I doubt they denounced it as the nonsense it was. Here's just one of the right-wing policies that the Kochs are adamant about: They don't want school busing. In other words, they want inner city black kids to stay stuck in lower-funded inferior schools, while suburban, better-funded schools stay white and pure.

Koch brothers have supported Cruz and other tea partiers who support dismantling the Dept. of Education. Reason? Because Right Wingers would rather have elitist schools teaching Bible studies, than have public schools teaching real science. It dovetails with Trump's statement "I love the uneducated." ...they're easier to manipulate by speeches filled with hatred, divisiveness and ignorance. Rednecks are nothing if not easily engulfed by hatred of 'others' .....any people who are different in skin color or culture.

Edited June 11, 2016 by boomerangutang

[NovaBlue05]

Like always, they will hedge and donate to both candidates

They almost never donate to Democratic candidates or causes. They're hard right-wingers. They OP makes it sound like they're leaning toward reason, but it's based on their press release. If they have strong ideas about policies, they should run for office. They don't for two basic reasons: They know they would lose, and it's more fun to just shovel tens of millions of dollars in the laps of hard right candidates. Everything about the Koch Brothers stinks of big money manipulations. It's un-democratic, to put it as nice as possible.

It's not about "reason".It's about buying influence. Business transcends politics to these people and others like them.

You don't think Obama has received Koch money over the last 8 years??..Really?

Neither of us know for sure, but I rather doubt Obama has rec'd Koch money. Koch brothers are hard right. Why would they donate to a decent liberal person like Obama? I don't know if the Kochs were in cahoots with Trump about 'Obama is a Kenyan Muslim' silliness, but I doubt they denounced it as the nonsense it was. Here's just one of the right-wing policies that the Kochs are adamant about: They don't want school busing. In other words, they want inner city black kids to stay stuck in lower-funded inferior schools, while suburban, better-funded schools stay white and pure.

Koch brothers have supported Cruz and other tea partiers who support dismantling the Dept. of Education. Reason? Because Right Wingers would rather have elitist schools teaching Bible studies, than have public schools teaching real science. It dovetails with Trump's statement "I love the uneducated." ...they're easier to manipulate by speeches filled with hatred, divisiveness and ignorance. Rednecks are nothing if not easily engulfed by hatred of 'others' .....any people who are different in skin color or culture.

Some don't want to consider that the same Oligarchs run both party's as it complicates the thinking process. The Koch's have a definite public political persona. I'm sure that they and their associates have no vested interest in keeping the left/right paradigm alive among the masses .

Edited June 11, 2016 by NovaBlue05

[bendejo]

The GOP is trying to set a polarity to drive the general election: HRC is the candidate of BIg Business and Wall Street, whereas the GOP and it's supporters are champions of the poor. It was squeezed into DT's first teleprompter speech the other day. I'm sure that will work out nicely for them.

Brought to you by the same guys who fostered the Tea Party farce. They expected the average worker to go out and protest for lower corporate taxes. Yeah right, corporate tax burden, a real kitchen table issue in the US.

Time for a movie about the intimate relationships between members of the Koch Family.

[MajarTheLion]

Neither of us know for sure, but I rather doubt Obama has rec'd Koch money. Koch brothers are hard right. Why would they donate to a decent liberal person like Obama? I don't know if the Kochs were in cahoots with Trump about 'Obama is a Kenyan Muslim' silliness, but I doubt they denounced it as the nonsense it was. Here's just one of the right-wing policies that the Kochs are adamant about: They don't want school busing. In other words, they want inner city black kids to stay stuck in lower-funded inferior schools, while suburban, better-funded schools stay white and pure.

Koch brothers have supported Cruz and other tea partiers who support dismantling the Dept. of Education. Reason? Because Right Wingers would rather have elitist schools teaching Bible studies, than have public schools teaching real science. It dovetails with Trump's statement "I love the uneducated." ...they're easier to manipulate by speeches filled with hatred, divisiveness and ignorance. Rednecks are nothing if not easily engulfed by hatred of 'others' .....any people who are different in skin color or culture.

http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/obama-biden-schumer-and-hillary-clinton-took-koch-brothers-money

[up2u2]

Koch Bros. need to <deleted> and go tend their business. This is an election nothing to do with them other than casting their vote at the ballot box just like every other citizen. Greedy effn slime bags.

[NovaBlue05]

Koch Bros. need to <deleted> and go tend their business. This is an election nothing to do with them other than casting their vote at the ballot box just like every other citizen. Greedy effn slime bags.

Id say the way things are set up now, the game is very much in the business interests of the Koch's and Super PACS, to position themselves for favors regardless of who gets elected. If you are investing that kind of money, you aren't going to rely on the unwashed masses to determine your return on that investment.

[up2u2]

Koch Bros. need to <deleted> and go tend their business. This is an election nothing to do with them other than casting their vote at the ballot box just like every other citizen. Greedy effn slime bags.

Id say the way things are set up now, the game is very much in the business interests of the Koch's and Super PACS, to position themselves for favors regardless of who gets elected. If you are investing that kind of money, you aren't going to rely on the unwashed masses to determine your return on that investment.

They will definitely be playing both sides of the political fence. No question about that. Their biggest push is smaller government and less regulation so they can thieve and pollute as much as they like without the fines that go with it and Judicial reform so it is almost impossible to put them in Jail for thieving and polluting. Also they want to select governments not the People. A Government should be installed that represents their interests not that of the society. Thieving greedy immoral scumbags both of them.

Come the revolution Comrade these guys will be first in line to be sorted out.

[mopar71]

Charles Koch's donations:

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=Charles+G.+Koch&cycle=All&sort=R&state=&zip=&employ=&cand=&submit=Submit

David Koch's donations:

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=David+H.+Koch&cycle=All&sort=R&state=&zip=&employ=&cand=&submit=Submit

[boomerangutang]

"Life is best when you build bridges between peoples, not walls."

Billy Crystal speaking 2 days ago at Muhammed Ali's eulogy. Not surprisingly, he got rapturous applause at that line.

[boomerangutang]

Charles Koch's donations:

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=Charles+G.+Koch&cycle=All&sort=R&state=&zip=&employ=&cand=&submit=Submit

David Koch's donations:

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=David+H.+Koch&cycle=All&sort=R&state=&zip=&employ=&cand=&submit=Submit

Thanks. Those links prove my point. Every one of the Koch Brothers' many political donations go to Republican hard-righters.

[Scott]

Off-topic, baiting post removed.