Koch Brothers Caught Telling Thousands of Employees How to Vote

The Nation magazine has revealed that Koch Industries sent a letter to most of its 50,000 employees dated October 4, 2010, just prior to the November mid-term elections, strongly advising them on whom to vote for and warning them of the dire consequences should they choose to vote otherwise. As a result of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling last year, corporations are now legally allowed to pressure their workers to adopt their political views. Koch Industries is run by the billionaire brothers, Charles and David Koch, who have helped bankroll the Tea Party movement and dozens of other right-wing causes, including the recent attacks on public sector employees and unions going on in many states. Let's not forget the prank call Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker took when he thought he was speaking to David Koch, which revealed what they were actually up to. It doesn't matter that the caller was fake, the intentions of these hard right politicians being funded by the Kochs and other wealthy donors is not. Then last week when Walker was called in front of congress, thinking he was going to be greeted as a hero by the Republican congressional majority, the Democrats actually took no mercy on him when they forced him, under oath, to admit that his union busting bill does nothing for Wisconsin's budget.

I don't think this story is getting as much coverage as it should be. A friend of mine thinks this right wing hysteria we're on right now is just a bump in the road, part of a cycle. I'm not so sure. In the past, there wasn't a 24/7 right wing propaganda network spewing nothing but ideological talking points. Our media wasn't entirely owned by five large corporations controlling the information we have access to. We didn't have a majority right wing SCOTUS. And while I obviously wasn't there during the last big fight between the people and the corporations, I'm willing to bet even the timid ones who didn't get directly involved weren't actively working against their peers to help the oligarchs as we have today. Today they call themselves Tea Party Patriots and are well-funded by the likes of the Koch Brothers. They know nothing of the original tea party patriots or they'd be fighting the oligarchy, not fighting for them. This current crop of lost souls either doesn't know what the Boston Tea Party was actually about or just don't care --- they're still enraged that the black guy won.

Democracy Now's Amy Goodman interviews journalists Mark Ames and Mike Elk of The Nation magazine. Their interview begins at the 32:48 mark in the video.
The Nation article is linked below video.


The Nation Big Brothers: Thought Control at Koch

'Scott Walker,' 'Wisconsin,' 'Madison,' 'Maddow,' Oh My!

Union busters have always relied on scare tactics to boost anti-worker legislation -- fear, threats, lies and intimidation are standard fare for politicians trying to weaken labor laws, and they're generally effective. In a recent example of this, right-wing think tanks are going after universities and professors for emails that might mention anything regarding the mass protests across the Midwest. Yesterday, the case of William Cronon, a historian at the University of Wisconsin, who was targeted by the GOP for his emails in an effort to smear his reputation was reported. You see, Cronin had the audacity to weigh in on Wisconsin's turmoil by creating a blog called scholarcitizen. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, which is funded by the union-busting Koch Brothers, filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act for any emails sent during state time, on state computers which contained, 'Scott Walker,' 'Wisconsin,' 'Madison,' 'Maddow.' Maddow? Huh, the right wing is always saying how she's irrelevant and no one watches her while touting Faux' big, big ratings on their propaganda channel. So why is the lefty truthteller on little ol' MSNBC so scary to them?

In abusing Open Records to attack academic freedom and intimidate critics, the Cronon situation is an indicator of just how vindictive, how un-American, one of our two political parties has become. I watched Fair Game earlier tonight. Ever since Bush-Cheney fired the shot over the bow to expose CIA Agent Valerie Plame due to husband Joe Wilson's damning article about their Iraq lies, and got away with it, Republicans have established a war on any type of criticism headed in their direction. By the way, I highly recommend the movie although I regret they didn't go even more in depth. They just told the story.

Rachel Maddow followed up this evening being that she was named and all, inviting Mackinac backers -- including Charles Koch and The Walton [Wal-Mart] Family Foundation -- to appear on last night's show and discuss the FOIC request. Neither responded, I know - shocking. Also interesting was the response of another Mackinac backer, The Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation (the parents of Blackwater founder Erik Prince) -- who claimed not to know what they were talking about, before abruptly hanging up. Watch the clip below, Rachel doing it as only she can!

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It Was a Wild Weekend!

Here's a few items that caught my eye today...

In an interview with India Today's Editor-in-Chief, Aroon Purie, on Saturday, Politico reports that Palin suggested then-candidate Barack Obama effectively executed his campaign message as running on the platform of "change." After it was pointed out to the serial quitter that she too could have constructed her public image in a similar way, she replied, "I wasn't at the top of the ticket, remember?"
ZING!!! - Take that John McCain and by the way, thanks again for unleashing the Abominable Snowbitch on the other 49 states.

In another cut designed to eradicate the poor, the GOP's 2011 budget would chop $156 million from the Centers for Disease Control's funding for immunization and respiratory diseases. The GOP reductions will hit the CDC's support for state and local immunization programs, the agency's ability to evaluate which vaccines are working, and its work to educate the public about recommended vaccines for children, teenagers, and other susceptible populations. The CDC especially focuses on serving lower-income families who receive vaccines at state and local health offices and community health clinics, rather than a private doctor's office.
How is it this party has hijacked and effectively sold terms like "real" America, compassion, values, etc... to millions of people? These people have none of that. AND Jesus was a liberal. He believed in social justice, helping the poor, taking care of the sick and preached that rich men would not go to heaven --- I'm just sayin'...

With the Libya strike to knock out Gaddafi's surface to air ability Saturday, the Republicans didn't have time to get together to get their stories straight on the line of attack. The party that just LOVES military aggression as long as a white Republican is making the decisions are all of a sudden confused. Heck, they love military might, but they hate the idea of backing the exotic dark guy. So many of them pulled out the tried and true right wing playbook...code words with mixed messages. He dithered, he didn't try negotiation long enough, he looks weak, he looks like a bully, he should conduct business as usual, he's on vacation (he's not), etc... No matter what he does, they attack, whether they agree or not. The Republicans care nothing about the country, they're power hungry animals playing politics 24/7. Maybe they want us to to forget this little gem that Senator McCain uttered in 2009:
John McCain Praises Libyan Leader Gaddafi
On a personal level, I'm uneasy about this latest U.S. military action. However, I think trying to stop a dictator from performing genocide on civilians is at least moral thinking. That said, given our already senseless involvement in other middle east countries, I don't see how this ends well for us.

When Florida Governor Rick Scott took to the mound on Saturday at a pre-season game between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays, many in the crowd made clear they were no fans of the Republican lawmaker.
When a state votes for someone with his record, their collective IQ really must be questioned. Scott "was forced to resign as the head of Columbia/HCA, a health care company, that pled guilty to massive amounts of systematic fraud, including 14 felonies, leading to a historic $1.7 billion fine." He only won the governorship by a paltry 1.2%, but he's behaving as though he has a mandate, all these new Republican governors are. I think the strategy is, they know their radical agenda won't get them re-elected, but they'll do as much damage as possible meanwhile. They'll then move on to lucrative lobbying jobs.

In brighter Florida baseball news...Rays manager Joe Maddon summoned security to remove a fan – wearing an Orioles jersey – who he said was yelling racist comments at CF B.J. Upton in the dugout during Sunday’s game at Charlotte Sports Park. “He said something racial and I didn’t like it,’’ Maddon said. “He can say whatever he wants, but don’t go there. And I didn’t want B.J. to go up into the stands or do anything at that point. So I just wanted to make sure he was taken out of there. There is no room for that at all.’’ Very nice Joe. That's the way to handle these buffoons. Although Rush Limpballs probably went on a rant today as to how this action infringed on the racist loudmouth's First Amendment Rights. birds-of-a-feather, y'know...

Wild Wednesday in Right Wing World

It was a big day in right wing world for all of you who may have missed these gems.

1.   Wisconsin GOP State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), admits that the goal is to defund labor unions to hurt Obama's re-election chances! A couple weeks ago, a prank call from a man impersonating billionaire David Koch called Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) and during the call, SW revealed that he had crafted his “budget repair” bill in a bid to crush the labor unions. The revelation was at odds at the time with the GOP’s public argument, that removing collective bargaining rights has something to do with the state’s budget deficit. They're not even hiding it anymore!



2.   Right wing lying, video editing, douche bag James O'Keefe punked NPR staffer, Ron Schiller by posing as a phony Muslim advocacy group interested in donating to NPR. At one point in the video, Schiller describes the teabaggers, er Tea Party as "... seriously, seriously racist people," Evidently telling the truth is a bad thing! Previous tapes by O'Keefe have turned out to be misleadingly edited, including the video that launched him to stardom featuring O'Keefe posing as a pimp in front of ACORN offices, so it's kind of amazing anyone takes this guy seriously. Yet today Vivian Schiller (no relation), President And CEO Of NPR resigned.
It should be noted that NPR refused the "donation." The right wing hold on EVERYTHING in this country should frighten people, but the blind will refuse to see the big picture. 
USA Today.

3.   Oh, and Newt Gingrich claims he's a serial adulterer because he's so passionate about his country and worked too hard! Seriously?! Is there anyone dumb enough to vote for this fool.  Washington Monthly

Now THIS is Class Warfare

And you thought WI Governor Wanker's (not a typo) only target was stripping collective bargaining, thereby destroying unions (which is bad enough)? This Koch sucker is out of control. In 2009, Wisconsin passed a "contraceptive equity" law that requires health insurance plans in the state that cover prescription drugs to include contraceptives. Proponents argued that the measure was necessary to ensure that commercial health providers, who cover approximately one-third of the state's residents, don't discriminate against women. Walker's budget released this week would repeal the 2009 law. His budget summary called it an "unacceptable government mandate on employers with moral objections to these services," and it "increases the cost of health insurance for all payers." Huh, no mention of banning ED pills as unfair to insurers? Go figure. But it gets worse...

This hopefully short termer, is also proposing the elimination of the Title V Maternal and Child Health program, which receives a mix of federal, state and local funds to provide family planning services. Uninsured men and women can currently receive this care, which includes cervical and prostate cancer screenings, access to birth control and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. Walker's budget would also kick uninsured men between the ages of 15 and 44 out of the family planning program of BadgerCare, the state health program that currently provides coverage to tens of thousands of residents who don't receive employer-sponsored care but earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. Currently, men can receive coverage for birth control, cancer screenings and STD testing and treatment. The Title V program's money goes to family planning centers like Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin spokeswoman Amanda Harrington argued that more than 50 health centers in the state would be deprived of a total of $4 million once the federal and local funds are included. (Planned Parenthood receives roughly one-quarter of that money.) In many cases, Harrington said, these health centers are the only providers in the area and deliver critical care.

Planned Parenthood is not a new target for Wanker. While campaigning for governor in April, he told the WI Right to Life convention that during his time as a state legislator, he was proud of "trying to defund Planned Parenthood and make sure they didn't have any money, not just for abortion, but any money for anything." What a guy!
Ladies & gentlemen, wake up!!!

So what kind of idiot votes for these guys and screams at the left that WE are creating class warfare? If this isn't class warfare, I'd like to see a better example. I really would. At first, I was was angered about womens reproductive freedoms once again under attack (which they are), but this goes even deeper. This goes after both sexes who are less than affluent. Thirty years of policies blaming victims, culture wars, perpetual wars by our military and the reclaimation of Reagan's shoddy legacy by the right wing, has made us insanely unable to think clearly. HE is the main reason for our ills. He believed people were poor because they chose to be. He was the architect of trickle down economics. That policy always makes me think of that little cartoon character you often see on redneck's vehicles. You know the one, the kid wearing (ex.) a Ford shirt, pissing on a Chevy logo. In my mind, that kid is the top 2% and he's pissing on the middle class --- that's what I see as trickle down.

But as a woman, I would like to question a few other things. What is wrong with Republican women supporting these policies that fright wing men are advancing all over the country? Are they really willing to go backwards to the days of barefoot, pregnant and property? Are they really willing to allow someone else to have control of their most personal decisions? This attack on Planned Parenthood is not just about abortion, this is about contraception for christ sakes. It's about poor women (& men apparently, which I did not know) being able to get check-ups and tests at a nominal cost. What has happened to this country that we have no empathy for anyone who has less? Most of us are closer to being one of them, than a Koch billionaire. Why is the right so protective of the wealthy? Are they so disillusioned that they think they can be obscenely wealthy someday too? Or are they so worried that the two guys next door might be able to get married someday and have the same rights, so in their irrational fear, they vote against their own best interest?

So it appears that what conservative men want, is women to not be able to protect themselves from unintended pregnancies, but they want to have the ability to perform even when little willy's time has passed! Seriously?! This is NOT small government and this is NOT what these deadbeats ran on. I honestly fear for womens rights in this country that were fought so hard for in generations past with these backwards thinking corporate owned neanderthals in power. And gay rights advancing? Forget it. No offense to my liberal, like-minded male friends, but I can't tell you how angry these things make me...or perhaps you can tell!

Full disclosure: I borrowed the Governor Wanker slang from liberal comedian/political talker Stephanie Miller.

Wisconsin Governer Walker Punked By Liberal Blogger

MoveOn.org provided this amazing video - click here.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker accepted a call believing he was going to be speaking with one of his corporate lords, but instead was pranked by Buffalo blogger Ian Murphy. It's hilarious to listen to. He laid out his whole union busting game plan, including how to lure Democrats back to the state by lying to them. Other tidbits? He's conspiring to withhold Democratic lawmakers' paychecks, threatening state workers with layoffs and how he considered planting fake protesters to cause trouble among the real protesters. He was on the phone for about 20 minutes and was quite full of himself! At the close of the phone call, the fake Koch says, "Well, I tell you what, Scott: Once you crush these bastards, I’ll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time." In which Walker replies, "All right, that would be outstanding." You can't write this stuff! You know somewhere, the real David Koch was smacking his forehead saying, "You idiot!"

You know what I find funny? This weekend, the teabaggers...er Tea Party showed up as a counter protest to the union members. If they were really about less government intervention in the lives of Americans, wouldn't they be supporting the members fighting for their rights as citizens instead of siding with government? The polls indicate that the majority is not with Scotty. People are for collective bargaining by a margin of 61% to 33%.  Way to go Wisconsin!!!

There's also a report from Madison police, that confirmed there have been no arrests and the protestors left the capitol cleaner than when they arrived! Damn union thugs...

Power To The People! Wisconsin Getting It Done!

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Union busting Chris Christie wannabe, Scott Walker is finding out that screwing the middle class instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share has consequences. The unions and their members are fighting back...finally! I had almost given up hope that Americans would finally see how the politicans and the wealthy are turning the US into a third world nation--and are starting to fight for what is right! I am in solidarity with the people on the streets of Madison and I hope for their success.

Tuesday’s mid-day protests drew crowds estimated at 12-15,000, but Wednesday's mid-day rally drew 30,000 according to some estimates. This protest is getting stronger, not weaker, even under the threat of National Guard intervention threatened by the new governor who has stopped just short of calling for Marshall Law. Madison Police Chief Noble Wray, a veteran of 27 years on the city’s force, said he had has never see a protest of this size at the Capitol.

Maybe this is what we needed to get people to wake up; a Republican govenor acting like a fascist dictator. These guys will destroy America unless they're stopped and that means more demonstrations. It was unions who made this country strong, not the obscenely wealthy. I hope this is an awakening for all non-millionaires. These demonstrations could become more frequent and possibly violent if Republicans, blue dog Democrats and Obama keep cutting social programs instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share. That means no loopholes, no rewards for off-shoring jobs and a decent living wage. Are they watching or listening?

I will say that with the exclusion of MSNBC, the news outlets have been extremely slow to cover this uprising, if at all. It's interesting that if 10 teabaggers gather in a liberal state, it gets national media attention, but thousands of angry union members who's lifestyle could be changed forever with negative impact barely gets mention. Another example of the liberal media lie.

Thanks to MSNBC, Ed Schultz who has been donating entire shows to this ongoing event, Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Cenk Uygur and even Chris Matthews for giving this the attention it deserves.
Go Badgers!

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