I just finished reading “Sons of Wichita” (How the Koch Brothers became America’s most powerful and private dynasty) by Daniel Schulman and hope this book becomes required reading for America’s voting public – whether you support their right wing agenda or, like me, feel as if they are the cause of a lot of what’s WRONG in our nation as I’m writing this post.  The book gives a thorough look into the Koch family and shows how people who control massive amounts of wealth can use that wealth in ways that are hard to comprehend for most of us who fall into the category of “we the people.”

I’ve been writing for years about what I call the “invisible cabal” of moneyed Americans who have been pushing both the republican party (and with it the democratic party) along with the political dialogue in America farther and farther to the right.  In my mind, this right leaning “tilt” began in earnest when Ronald Reagan managed to gain “admittance” to the White House in the election of 1980 vs. Jimmy Carter – and ironically, the libertarian party which featured David Koch as their Vice Presidential candidate.  Back then, the Libertarians managed something along the lines of 1% of the vote.  However, as becomes painfully (from my perspective) clear as you read this book, the Kochs have never allowed themselves to be discouraged by losing an election – evidence to that which is obvious as you consider their reaction to President Obama’s re-election in 2012.  That loss only temporarily discouraged them – instead of accepting that loss, they just ramped up their efforts to buy (and control) our nation’s government which led to the republicans winning control of the Senate in 2014.  (Evidence of the Koch’s success is the republican “PLEDGE” to start their new-found control of both houses of congress by passing the Keystone XL Pipeline bill – which equates to ANOTHER $100 MILLION for Koch Industries! yuk – people like me will be watching carefully at the democratic response to this action!)

What’s the most scary to me, as I’m gaining a better understanding of the “Koch empire” is they are practicing the very things they’ve railed against over the years – starting with their Father being a founding member of the John Birch Society and, along with his 2nd son Charles, railing publicly on many occasions a serious “anti-communist” rant.  Again, ironically, Charles’ and David’s father, Fred, who established the “empire” gained the foundation for their great wealth by taking his oil refining technology to Stalin’s Russia to help them “modernize” their oil refining abilities while profiting to the tune of millions.  He went to Russia because he was being sued in the States for, essentially, stealing this technology from a competitor.  Based on what I’ve read elsewhere and what is in this book, I believe it is fair to say that the Koch’s (as do many highly successful business executives) clearly fall into the RUTHLESS “whatever it takes” category.

And, I’m not one to “judge” any successful business person – especially when they are functioning according to the legal boundaries that are set up to protect “we the people” (which is highly questionable in regard to the Kochs) – I’m just not comfortable AT ALL with people in their position (who claim to be “for FREEDOM” – even though their “freedom” adversely affects the lives of MANY others) being able to buy our government.  Make no mistake about this, the “Koch Brothers,” as they’ve come to be known, are EXTREMELY wealthy, they are EXTREMELY sophisticated, and they have proved OVER and OVER again that there are no means they will not use to gain the “end” they’ve been pushing for over the past 50+ years.

In the previous election (the midterms of 2014) much of what the Kochs (along with others in the republican party) have been strategizing – really since the New Deal era of FDR – showed it’s  coming together and, in my view, by the time “we the people” figure out what has happened, it will be EXTREMELY difficult to reverse.  When Karl Rove (who I believe is not in total unity with the Kochs) postulates about the “permanent republican majority” he is pointing out the end goal of Charles Koch – who is USING the republican party as the surrogate to his LIBERTARIAN beliefs.  Unfortunately, I don’t think many Americans are even aware of the “Koch Brothers” – save for the few “progressive” activists who were (finally) warning progressives – er liberals – (who still chose NOT to vote in 2014) about the money the Koch network of wealthy Americans was funneling into the electoral process without any effort to educate what that means.  In the process, it appears to me the Kochs have their opposition kind of like a dog “chasing its own tail” in the BATTLE for political POWER in America.

Koch Industries – which is a huge conglomerate – is the record setter in environmental abuses that is evident through the hundreds of MILLIONS they’ve paid in fines for the damage done by various factions of their empire.  Untold numbers of people have died or been adversely affected by negligence and willful disregard for environmental laws but it seems as if there’s an unlimited budget to pay the fines and the two brothers have successfully insulated themselves from any criminal prosecution that has resulted in their GREEDY push for even more wealth. (In fact, much of their agenda is aimed at repealing the government regulations aimed at protecting the environment and “we the people” from predatory businesses and business people such as the Kochs) Their “empire” is generating well over $100 BILLION in revenue each year and each of the two brothers still involved with Koch Industries (Charles and David) are reported to be worth $50 BILLION (and counting) as I write.  It’s as if there is no amount of money to satisfy them – in fact, I believe their true motivation is creating a legacy of POWER – turning America into what they envision is a “free society” – which in reality will resemble something more approaching a Fascist Society.

For people I know who believe in the Ayn Rand wing of the Libertarian movement (and, I have to admit, I haven’t had the motivation to read “Atlas Shrugged” which seems to be the “bible” to some of my extreme right wing acquaintances) the Kochs are “right on.”  Most of these people that I know, have been more than willing to accept the benefits of what many call “The Commons” – meaning the roads, the post offices, the bridges, the military, the police, the fire department, the schools, etc. etc. – yet, don’t want to pay any taxes, they don’t want government regulating their lives in any way (accept on the occasion where they need something) and, kind of comically, several who are already on Social Security and Medicare oppose government involvement in health care by saying “keep your government hands off my Medicare.”  To me, this is kind of how the national debt most of these people rail against got out of control – beginning with Reagan – we want an endless amount of “stuff” (mostly military) we just don’t want to pay for it.  I’m sure there are some in this “camp” that simply believe that everyone should have a cache of weapons and “everyman for himself” and “the strong will survive.” One thing I feel certain about is most of the people who align themselves with the Koch Brothers don’t believe in giving a helping hand to those who are “down and out.”

Ostensibly, when you read “Sons of Wichita” and you take a look at the direction this nation has evolved since the days of Reagan, and more seriously, since the Citizens United Supreme Court decision which opened the “floodgates” to the “dark money” the Kochs and their surrogates are throwing around it is easy to see why we have apparently taken steps backward in the areas of racial justice, women’s rights, education, environmental protection (take a rational look at the necessity of the Keystone XL pipeline, for instance), and basic national morality – for example, the endless wars, the TORTURE (without accountability), the bank bailouts at the expense of ordinary American’s retirement accounts, etc. etc.  In my mind, the Koch brothers stand for everything that’s wrong in America, yet they’re “winning!”  Go figure!