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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDavid Koch claims he is not evil, is wrong
...Asked whether he thought it was fair that hes able to influence elections because of his vast wealth, Koch said that he obeys federal limits on how much he can contribute to individual candidates.
But Koch and his brother, Charles, also donate large sums to support the arts and other philanthropic causes. Walters asked why, then, Koch has developed a reputation as an evil billionaire.
Well, I dont understand that, he said.
...
Heres the thing about men like David Koch: Making money is basically just a video game to them. For the rest of us, making money is about being able to pay for things we need and want, such as rent and food and actual video games. But David Koch has made so much money that he literally cannot spend it all. There is nothing he would want to buy he cannot already afford. The only purpose at this point in making more money is for the pleasure of beating your high score. In other words, it really is just a very consuming video game. But unlike when you kill people in Call of Duty or crush candies in Candy Crush, the game David Koch is playing is very real. Millions of people will suffer and die because he wants to win his video game by manipulating the public to avoid taking action on global warming. That is evil and hateful and selfish on a level that puts the word selfish to shame.
And no, being pro-choice and pro-gay doesnt make up for it. Thats like having a hobby of strangling kittens and then saying its all good because you donate clothes to Goodwill once in awhile. Worse, actually, because David Koch isnt actually pro-choice in any meaningful sense, because he gives money to anti-choice activists, as documented by Adele Stan at RH Reality Check. The Koch brothers give money to right wing umbrella groups, who then give it to anti-choicers. Why is fairly obvious. This is about manipulating misogynist, anti-sex hysteria in order to elect politicians who are on board with the anti-environmentalist agenda. A manipulation that is, in itself, evil on a couple of levels, both because youre manipulating people and because youre engaging bad people who have bad motivations to hurt and control others. Its terrible, hateful behavior all the way down.
So, no, David Koch. I decline to indulge your pity party. If you dont want people to think youre evil, stop being evil.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/12/david-koch-claims-he-is-not-evil-is-wrong/
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)just means that he doesn't give a shit about issues that don't trigger his greed responses. He's happy enough to support any politician who will betray their public trust for his benefit regardless of where they stand on abortion and homosexuality.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)The tenth-percenters don't give a rat turd about the social issues because there is no Money to be made or Power to be seized. Those issues are just a useful tool for stirring up the cretinous fundy cave trolls that make up the Repig base.
Guys like Koch and his ilk care about two things (1) amassing all the Money in the world, and (2) making damn sure that they have all the Power necessary to keep the Teeming Millions in their place and their Money safely stashed offshore.
Initech
(100,076 posts)For that, it makes David Koch an addict, and his addiction happens to be money. The fact that he's trying to justify his addiction only makes us less sympathetic to what he wants.
kwassa
(23,340 posts)The apples don't fall too far from the tree.
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)It really is that simple to me. There is someone who has money to burn that is outspending the Koch brothers on making climate change a wedge issue Democrats can win elections on. He is honest about his intentions and doesn't funnel it through the third-party "dark money" way which makes them evil. The video game analogy doesn't work for me for some reason but the point that they're evil and have money to burn is spot on.
The recent Koch commercials remind me of the BP commercials following the oil spill. I never heard of them before and now I'm seeing commercials? Same with Koch, never heard of them until the negative stories then comes the bullshit ads selling the we aren't who we really are bullshit.
lark
(23,099 posts)and both Koch's are pure evil as evidenced by their actions. I have to carry a list of items (Dixie Cups, Sparkle paper towels, Scott paper products, etc.) when I go to the store so I don't accidentally contribute one dime to these lying devils.
jalan48
(13,865 posts)calimary
(81,267 posts)Blue Owl
(50,374 posts)Mustellus
(328 posts)... this country.
And he whines because its not quite as easy as he thought. May it get even harder, and much more expensive for him.