NYT OPED: The Billionaires Bankrolling the Tea Party

[alexey]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/opinion/29rich.html

..

There’s just one element missing from these snapshots of America’s ostensibly spontaneous and leaderless populist uprising: the sugar daddies who are bankrolling it, and have been doing so since well before the “death panel” warm-up acts of last summer. Three heavy hitters rule. You’ve heard of one of them, Rupert Murdoch. The other two, the brothers David and Charles Koch, are even richer, with a combined wealth exceeded only by that of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett among Americans. But even those carrying the Kochs’ banner may not know who these brothers are.

...

All three tycoons are the latest incarnation of what the historian Kim Phillips-Fein labeled “Invisible Hands” in her prescient 2009 book of that title: those corporate players who have financed the far right ever since the du Pont brothers spawned the American Liberty League in 1934 to bring down F.D.R. You can draw a straight line from the Liberty League’s crusade against the New Deal “socialism” of Social Security, the Securities and Exchange Commission and child labor laws to the John Birch Society-Barry Goldwater assault on J.F.K. and Medicare to the Koch-Murdoch-backed juggernaut against our “socialist” president.

...

Only the fat cats change — not their methods and not their pet bugaboos (taxes, corporate regulation, organized labor, and government “handouts” to the poor, unemployed, ill and elderly). Even the sources of their fortunes remain fairly constant.

...

In a recorded 1963 speech that survives in a University of Michigan archive, he can be heard warning of “a takeover” of America in which Communists would “infiltrate the highest offices of government in the U.S. until the president is a Communist, unknown to the rest of us.” That rant could be delivered as is at any Tea Party rally today.

...

As Mayer details, Koch-supported lobbyists, foundations and political operatives are at the center of climate-science denial — a cause that forestalls threats to Koch Industries’ vast fossil fuel business. While Koch foundations donate to cancer hospitals like Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York, Koch Industries has been lobbying to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from classifying another product important to its bottom line, formaldehyde, as a “known carcinogen” in humans (which it is).

Tea Partiers may share the Kochs’ detestation of taxes, big government and Obama. But there’s a difference between mainstream conservatism and a fringe agenda that tilts completely toward big business, whether on Wall Street or in the Gulf of Mexico, while dismantling fundamental government safety nets designed to protect the unemployed, public health, workplace safety and the subsistence of the elderly.

Yet inexorably the Koch agenda is morphing into the G.O.P. agenda, as articulated by current Republican members of Congress, including the putative next speaker of the House, John Boehner, and Tea Party Senate candidates like Rand Paul, Sharron Angle, and the new kid on the block, Alaska’s anti-Medicaid, anti-unemployment insurance Palin protégé, Joe Miller. Their program opposes a federal deficit, but has no objection to running up trillions in red ink in tax cuts to corporations and the superrich; apologizes to corporate malefactors like BP and derides money put in escrow for oil spill victims as a “slush fund”; opposes the extension of unemployment benefits; and calls for a freeze on federal regulations in an era when abuses in the oil, financial, mining, pharmaceutical and even egg industries (among others) have been outrageous.

...

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_mayer?currentPage=2

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The anti-government fervor infusing the 2010 elections represents a political triumph for the Kochs. By giving money to “educate,” fund, and organize Tea Party protesters, they have helped turn their private agenda into a mass movement. Bruce Bartlett, a conservative economist and a historian, who once worked at the National Center for Policy Analysis, a Dallas-based think tank that the Kochs fund, said, “The problem with the whole libertarian movement is that it’s been all chiefs and no Indians. There haven’t been any actual people, like voters, who give a crap about it. So the problem for the Kochs has been trying to create a movement.” With the emergence of the Tea Party, he said, “everyone suddenly sees that for the first time there are Indians out there—people who can provide real ideological power.” The Kochs, he said, are “trying to shape and control and channel the populist uprising into their own policies.”

...

I am all for balanced budgets, individual responsibility, freedoms, fairness, lower taxes, etc... and very much troubled by Tea Party's seeming failure to properly balance these concerns, for example by calling for balanced budgets while embracing lower taxes for billionaires that would exacerbate deficits.

[twa]

I am all for balanced budgets, individual responsibility, freedoms, fairness, lower taxes, etc... and very much troubled by Tea Party's seeming failure to properly balance these concerns, for example by calling for balanced budgets while embracing lower taxes for billionaires that would exacerbate deficits.

Let me know how tax and spend works out will ya?

We are all pawns in the rich man's game,even ya Dems

added

is there part of balanced budgets you do not grasp?...or do you feel lower taxes make them impossible?

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Let me know how tax and spend works out will ya?

We are all pawns in the rich man's game,even ya Dems

Our first agreement. Seriously.

[skinfan133]

lol, to suggest Murdoch secretly planned the tea party is absurd. The tea party was started by Ron Paul campaigners... and essentially taken over by republicans...

[@DCGoldPants]

Let me know how tax and spend works out will ya?

We are all pawns in the rich man's game,even ya Dems

added

is there part of balanced budgets you do not grasp?...or do you feel lower taxes make them impossible?

Opposed to cutting taxes and spending. That worked out well too.

The is zero reason to believe these people who want to be elected will balance anything. Why? Because they screamed about it before and then did nothing when they had total control.

[twa]

The is zero reason to believe these people who want to be elected will balance anything. Why? Because they screamed about it before and then did nothing when they had total control.

So elect new ones till they get it right.

I like fresh faces and term limits,the system will survive fresh blood.

[Thiebear]

How are they funding the tea party?

I must have missed it, but you think it would be paragraph 1.?

[Thiebear]

heres another article that states the paying for the tea party and the against President Obama.

But it mentions 1980's and 2004 (before both existed) as the reasoning?

seems a stretch.

http://theweek.com/article/index/206405/the-billionaire-koch-brothers-tea-party-puppetmasters

heres one where they deny it:

http://reason.com/blog/2010/05/12/koch-brothers-deny-tea-party-p

Koch Brothers Deny Tea Party Paternity

Brian Doherty | May 12, 2010

The billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch have been recently fingered, through their support of Americans for Prosperity, as the corporate paymasters ginning up a phony "grass roots" Tea Party movement.

Frum Forum gets a rare interview with president of their charitable Charles G. Koch Foundation, Richard Fink, who denies paternity and gives his version of what Koch ideological funding is all about.

“We’ve been labeled tea party founders or funders – in fact, masterminds – but that’s not consistent with the facts,” said Fink. “To my knowledge, we have not been approached for support by any of the newer ‘tea party’ or other grassroots groups that have sprung up around the country in the past year or so.”

One organization that Fink help create and Koch has helped fund, Americans for Prosperity, regularly interfaces with tea party groups....Fink denied that Koch had anything to do with Americans for Prosperity’s tea party activities. “I don’t consider them a Tea Party institution,” Fink added. “[The group] has been active for nearly thirty years. While they participate in events with tea party groups, our support of them has included no funds specifically for tea party-related efforts.”

To press the point, Dr. Fink even had some mild criticism of the tea party movement. “Some of their worries are… more thoughtful, some of them are less thoughtful,” he told FrumForum.

---------------------------------------------

I know its crazy to try and get the exact quotes out there but hey: Why not.

Side Note: Alexey is going to pull out the blackboards and start doing the Glenn Beck Acorn to SEIU to Pres. Obama circles

with Koch and Prosperty and Fox news?

heres an article from the Pennsylvania tea party:

http://www.teapartypatriots.org/BlogPostView.aspx?id=db553975-bdb7-45e1-8d9e-23b475a2b14c

Here are 3 teaparties in Georgia that fight each other:

Sixteen months after its birth, the national tax movement that arguably got its biggest boost in Georgia is now splintered into several organizations that are competing for recognition.

There’s the Georgia Tea Party Patriots. There’s The State of Georgia Tea Party, LLC. There’s Georgia’s Tea Party, which is also known as The Tea Party of Georgia, Inc.

They might all sound like they’re the same group. But they’re not. In fact, the organizers of those first two groups don’t much like each other.

[@DCGoldPants]

So elect new ones till they get it right.

I like fresh faces and term limits,the system will survive fresh blood.

That's not enough. If you claim to be a Tea Party candidate....then don't run as an R or a D. Run under your new party. Otherwise, I just don't believe you'll do anything by fall in line if elected.

Give me something to believe this isn't a scam. The ones who are elected this fall need to be as critical as the R leadership as anybody else. If they don't go after career politicians like Boehner, Cantor, Vitter, Barton, etc. as they do against Nancy and Reid. Then its clear they are in the pocket of the GOP.

[Thiebear]

This one is really good at exposing a few of the tea party movements as being funded for nefarious reasons:

and NOT grass roots.

http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/content/two-thirds-tea-party-express-funding-went-back-gop-consultants

[twa]

That's not enough. If you claim to be a Tea Party candidate....then don't run as an R or a D. Run under your new party. Otherwise, I just don't believe you'll do anything by fall in line if elected.

Give me something to believe this isn't a scam. The ones who are elected this fall need to be as critical as the R leadership as anybody else. If they don't go after career politicians like Boehner, Cantor, Vitter, Barton, etc. as they do against Nancy and Reid. Then its clear they are in the pocket of the GOP.

That would be rather foolish under most states election rules wouldn't it?

To do so is to invite being marginalized by design.

I agree if they are to be a effective movement they must adhere to a basic set of principles and goals...imo they are more in the angry mob stage,though I wouldn't mind being proven wrong.

[Baculus]

I didn't see the link for this article on this thread, but this article dovertails into the articles which mention the Koch brothers:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_mayer

It was last year when we had the discussion about the Tea Party groups and astro-turfing, when we first talked about the corporations and wealthy individuals who are banking these groups. Of course, back then, it was denied that such a thing was occurring. "The Tea Party movement is completely grass roots!" was the reply that we heard. Of course we now know that isn't true and that monied powers-that-be have an interest in seeing the Democrats, and indirectly Obama, defeated in the next election. I have no doubt that these oligarchs would toss the Tea Parties side, after being used and exploited or when they cannot be controlled any longer, when all is said and done.

And that is one fatal problem I see with the Tea Partiers: They always don't know who is "on their side," and sometimes they don't seem to care enough. Supporting their cause -- agreeing with them on issues -- shouldn't be enough, if you ask me, to become an ally in their causes.

[twa]

Supporting their cause -- agreeing with them on issues -- shouldn't be enough, if you ask me, to become an ally in their causes.

What pray tell would you prefer?

[Larry]

That's not enough. If you claim to be a Tea Party candidate....then don't run as an R or a D. Run under your new party. Otherwise, I just don't believe you'll do anything by fall in line if elected.

As I've pointed out in another thread, it's certainly possible for a political movement to have a significant impact in politics, without actually nominating their own candidates.

I would assert, for example, that both the NRA and the AARP have had significant impacts on politics.

----------

Now, that said, do I think the Tea Party is such an organization? Not even close.

For one thing, IMO, the reason the NRA and the AARP have influence in politics is because they deliver voters. To me, in order to do that, the group has to have millions of members who will vote the way the organization tells them to. And, to me, the only way that happens is for the organization to have a simple, coherent, message, and a lot of voters who are willing to vote on that one, single, issue.

(Although it might be possible to argue that "Democrats Bad!!!" is such a message.)

IMO, the Tea Party is the swift boaters, the birthers, and similar organizations. A group created to cheerlead the Republican base. They claim to be independent, because they occasionally attack Republicans for not being Republican enough.

[alexey]

Let me know how tax and spend works out will ya?

About as well as any other meaningless over generalization.

We are all pawns in the rich man's game,even ya Dems

Sure, but at least Dems are not telling us that scientists are engaged in vast conspiracies.

is there part of balanced budgets you do not grasp?...or do you feel lower taxes make them impossible?

I feel that a responsible way to talk about a balanced budget would mention what happens when you reduce the revenue.

[alexey]

Side Note: Alexey is going to pull out the blackboards and start doing the Glenn Beck Acorn to SEIU to Pres. Obama circles

with Koch and Prosperty and Fox news?

I do not do that kind of stuff. My shtick is trying to separate the reasonable from the extremist aspects of the Tea Party.

[twa]

Sure, but at least Dems are not telling us that scientists are engaged in vast conspiracies.

That would depend on who they work for...BP or the tobacco companies ring a bell?

How about definitions of life?

[Baculus]

What pray tell would you prefer?

I don't know -- maybe not blindly and mindlessly supporting anyone that says, "Hey! I agree with you!" This is the problem that some of the more libertarian, economic conservatives (some of whom were around before Obama came into office) are having with some of their Tea Party compatriots. If you are a secular, fiscal conservative, where would you have fit into Glenn Beck's big tent revival celebration this Saturday?

When one of my nephews was first going to anti-war rallies, I told him, "Look to your left and right, and know who is marching with you. Just don't accept anyone as your friend because they agree with your cause." I told him this because of some anti-war groups who had questionable motives (especially those who support North Korea and other authoritarians, and who are basically just anti-American in their efforts).

I believe this advice is needed for those in the Tea Party. Be wise and self-conscious in your actions. Don't become useful idiots.

[alexey]

That would depend on who they work for...BP or the tobacco companies ring a bell?

I am not very familiar with details of tobacco stuff, but I thought it was championed by Waxman?

Dems have plenty of problems, and I'm sure that plenty of them do all kinds of stuff. What I am not seeing, however, is Dems adopting a widespread antiscientific sentiment or a position that goes directly againt a well established scientific theory. GOP's position on global warming is straight up ignorance and deception... oh and guess what would happen to a Dem pres candidates who does not believe in evolution.

Different parties have different problems. I my opinion GOP has a clear lead in the area of scentific ignorance promotion.

How about definitions of life?

Or the definition of sex, right?

You tend to present open-ended questions as if you're making a point. If you'd like to outline your postion on "GOP and science vs. Dems and science", we can take it from there.

[ACW]

I don't know -- maybe not blindly and mindlessly supporting anyone that says, "Hey! I agree with you!" This is the problem that some of the more libertarian, economic conservatives (some of whom were around before Obama came into office) are having with some of their Tea Party compatriots. If you are a secular, fiscal conservative, where would you have fit into Glenn Beck's big tent revival celebration this Saturday?

When one of my nephews was first going to anti-war rallies, I told him, "Look to your left and right, and know who is marching with you. Just don't accept anyone as your friend because they agree with your cause." I told him this because of some anti-war groups who had questionable motives (especially those who support North Korea and other authoritarians, and who are basically just anti-American in their efforts).

I believe this advice is needed for those in the Tea Party. Be wise and self-conscious in your actions. Don't become useful idiots.

Yup. I agree w/ the main goals of the Partiers, but their support for Palin, anti-immigrant stance, and other parts make me wary.

[Zguy28]

Is this kind of like how George Soros funds liberal political groups and shape the political landscape also? Nah, that's just right-wing nutter conspiracy talk.

[AsburySkinsFan]

No, no, no the Tea Party movement is a grassroots movement that is growing only by the efforts of the average citizens who attend the rallies. The idea that billionaires are acting as puppet masters over the movement while Faux News shamelessly promotes the agenda is an absurd proposition.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Is this kind of like how George Soros funds liberal political groups and shape the political landscape also? Nah, that's just right-wing nutter conspiracy talk.

So am I to understand that you believe that the tea party movement is being manipulated through funding driving the agenda as so many claim Soros does on the Left?

This is the exact reason I don't follow the hardcore Right or Left.

someone will laugh at the idea that I'm not hardcore Left, but that will only prove that they do not know me as well as they think they do.

[Thiebear]

No, no, no the Tea Party movement is a grassroots movement that is growing only by the efforts of the average citizens who attend the rallies. The idea that billionaires are acting as puppet masters over the movement while Faux News shamelessly promotes the agenda is an absurd proposition.

No different than a few tea party movements being sponsored by Fox news and wealthy guys therefore ALL of them are no longer good.

Kinda like police officers or Acorn? If 3 are found to be corrupt: they all are.

[AsburySkinsFan]

No different than a few tea party movements being sponsored by Fox news and wealthy guys therefore ALL of them are no longer good.

Kinda like police officers or Acorn? If 3 are found to be corrupt: they all are.

I'm not saying that many of the people who agree with the tea party talking points aren't genuine, and no matter how hard you try you can't make my post say that. However, when the movement's leadership is revealed to be what it is (billionaires with particular agendas) then it becomes hard to think that the whole thing is anything less than an attempt at a massive manipulation of genuine people.

Someone once said on this thread that one of the greatest dangers is the fact that we often convince ourselves that we cannot be manipulated.