In my last post I mentioned that I’m re-reading “Sons of Wichita” by Daniel Schulman a book that chronicles how the “Koch Brothers” became such a powerful force in today’s American political scene.  Essentially, Charles and David Koch funded the “Tea Party” and they’ve evolved from Libertarian ideologues to right wing republican operatives.  The fact that they are not in jail gives testimony to those in America who believe that laws in this nation are tilted in favor of the “rich.”  The list of where these two brothers have pushed the limits of the law is staggering when you read this book, and there’s a third brother, Bill, who’s every bit as disgusting as Charles and David, but who’s been on the “outs” with them because of an incredible lifetime family struggle for the heritage passed down by their father Fred Koch.

Fred Koch was a founding member of the John Birch Society, a right wing, anti-communist, (they accused Dwight Eisenhower of being a Communist “sympathizer”), White Supremacist organization which has evolved into a scary place in today’s republican party.  The Koch’s are part of the so-called “free market” movement that gained steam under the tutelage of Milton Friedman who gained prominence in the 1960’s and eventually was an important adviser to Ronald Reagan and his “Trickle Down” (I say “Trickle up”) economic philosophy that has been gutting America’s Middle Class ever since.  Additionally, their Libertarian leanings have led them to be leaders in the movement to repeal FDR’s “New Deal” and the government regulations which have been put in place since.  For example, the Environmental Protection Agency was “birthed” during the administration of Richard Nixon and this has been a real impediment to the Koch’s “free market” philosophy.  They apparently believe their pollution is someone else’s problem. (like you and me)

The Koch’s have been repeat offenders of regulations put in place by the EPA and other government oversight agencies paying HUGE fines for violations that have created enormous damage to the environment and people who happen to be in “the wrong place at the wrong time.”  One example:  One of their pipelines which was poorly maintained – due to company policy that profits come before efficiency – took the lives of a couple of young Texans who were killed in a propane (I believe) explosion that should never have happened.  The Kochs are so rich, they have simply (and continuously) paid off the HUGE fines and no one is EVER held accountable for the negligence or, in some cases outright FRAUD.  (Koch Industries was fined tens of MILLIONS of dollars – maybe more – for purposefully RIPPING off oil wells on Native American reservations by under reporting the amounts of oil they were taking.  Yep, you’re correct – STEALING.  For this type of stuff they are found guilty, fined, and they move on.  Their business generates over $100 BILLION in revenue each year and both Charles and David are estimated to be worth in the neighborhood of $50 BILLION.

I could go on and on about these people – like, for instance, the FACT that their father created the FORTUNE he vested them with by selling his technology (which companies in America said was stolen) to Joseph Stalin in Russia.  Fred Koch made his fortune in Russia and then promptly became one of the leading anti-communists in America back in the day of Joseph McCarthy.  Do you see how these people work?  Well, now I’ll get to why I’m bringing this up.

Every year the Koch’s host a gathering of the richest people in America who share their greedy right wing philosophy and pool their vast wealth in what has been an ongoing attempt to buy the government of their dreams.  And, from my vantage point, the best way to characterize how Charles and David see things, this government will be a fascist type government.  They’ve been squarely behind the move to the “right” that has people in America and around the world wondering “what is happening?”  The Koch’s and their brethren have UNLIMITED funds and they are EXTREMELY smart (one thing that really bugs them is that they’re NOT smarter than President Obama – they WASTED hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars in their attempt to defeat Obama in 2012, and now, with him out of the way, they can see the “light at the end of the tunnel” for their “permanent republican ‘majority.'”)  The Koch “tentacles” (some refer to their “empire” as “Kochtopus”) have reached into all facets of our government – from local city councils all the way up to the Congress and the Supreme Court.  And, I’m sure you now know what I’m going to talk about next.

A few days ago Justice Antonin Scalia passed away – in, what to me was certainly a bit suspicious circumstances.  I really didn’t understand why there was no autopsy or investigation but lets just assume he died of a heart attack.  He was on a hunting trip, and I’m not kidding, I initially wondered: “Was Dick Cheney there?” – and, it seemed to me, within hours of the passing of Justice Scalia Mitch McConnell, the republican leader of our DYSFUNCTIONAL Senate, was proclaiming that, despite President Obama’s DUTY to name a successor to Justice Scalia, the Senate will not even consider ANYONE who is nominated.  Well, to me, this was no surprise as there is a LONG LIST of President Obama nominations that are languishing in a Senate that, as I mentioned earlier, is being run by people with the leanings of the John Birch Society.  For anyone who doesn’t “get it” they are “White Supremacists” and there’s NO WAY they’re going to allow our first Black President another nomination to this court – especially since the court is now going to be at a 4 – 4 “standoff” on most important issues.

I “get” that we shouldn’t “talk bad” about someone right after they’ve died and they still haven’t been laid to rest, but the TRUTH is the TRUTH.  Today, I was watching MSNBC and I had to stomach more of the tepid conversations by the so-called “reporters” on the so-called “liberal” network who are covering the political “circus” surrounding the republican presidential nomination and now the death of Justice Scalia.  Yes, Scalia was a VERY influential judge.  But, no one wants to talk about in what way.  He was a key figure in Bush v Gore where the Supreme Court decided a presidential election (AGAINST the will of the American people and EVERY tradition of this nation), he was influential in the DISASTROUS decision “Citizens United,” and the list goes on and on.  The reason I’m bringing this up is because, in VIOLATION of any decorum that I can imagine about a Justice who is supposed to at least portray a sense of political neutrality, where do you think we would find Justice Scalia?  (along with his “puppet” Clarence Thomas)  You guessed right! (at least I hope) They would be found at the Koch Brother’s fundraisers in the midst of virtually ALL of the right wing mega wealthy “donors” who’ve been DESTROYING our democracy with their money since the day Citizens United was determined – and, virtually EVERY prominent republican politician in TODAY’S republican party.  With the exception of Donald Trump, I believe you’d find EVERY republican candidate in this year’s “clown car” at the Koch’s yearly “get together.”

And, keep in mind, Citizens United was the epitome of what these right wing justices pretend to HATE – and, that is JUDICIAL ACTIVISM.  (Of course, it’s led to what all the republican politicians love – and, that is unlimited “dark money” for their campaigns) They went far beyond the actual case before the court in their majority decision – with Scalia’s strong support – and, in the process opened the FLOODGATES of money that’s been pouring into the American political process since this decision in 2009.  (by some accounts, the Court overturned 100 years of campaign finance reform in one LOUSY decision) Thanks to Thom Hartman, I was following this case at the time and I was shocked at the outcome – I’ve been writing about it ever since – and, most of what was obvious to me has transpired.  In my mind, Scalia and the rest of the right wing judges on the court at that time put our democracy up for sale.  And, the Kochs – who were right in the thick of that decision (along with McConnell) have been gearing up their effort to control this country via their unlimited checkbooks ever since.

When you read “Sons of Wichita” you realize the problem is even worse than (at least) I originally imagined.  People like the Koch’s, Karl Rove, and others have been setting up these so-called “non-profits” ever since that decision and LAUNDERING hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars so that no one will know who’s putting up the money and where it’s coming from (Saudi Arabia? for example).  And, even more outrageous, some of these so-called “non-profits” provide a tax write off for the donor!  I’m not kidding.  This is the legacy left behind by Justice Scalia.  And, additionally, I still remember Justice Alito sitting in the front row during President Obama’s first State of the Union address shaking his head as if to say “no, no” as our President CORRECTLY pointed out this decision was inviting FOREIGN money into our elections.  We have NO IDEA who’s really BUYING off our CORRUPT Congress.  What we know for sure is that a significant portion of our Congress has been corrupted by this decision.  For those who argue this corruption is “bipartisan” I say PHOOEY! While it’s undoubtedly true some democrats have been “bought” due to this deplorable Supreme Court decision, the republicans aren’t even secretive about its affect on them.  If you’re a republican member of Congress you vote along the party line OR you’ll be “primaried.”  This is a directive that comes straight from the “Koch Brothers” themselves.  The don’t like anyone who disagrees with them – AND they’re not shy about RETRIBUTION!

So, what should President Obama do?  Of course, he should nominate someone for the Court that is so qualified that the American people (FINALLY) can’t miss what’s happening in this nation.  The republicans who claim to be “strict constitutionalists” (you know, they’ll pull a copy from their coat pocket to argue the 2nd amendment) now are saying any nomination is “dead of arrival.”  They’re “strict constitutionalists” under their own terms only when it suites them.  In reality the Constitution is simply a prop for them that is useful occasionally, but when push comes to shove what’s important to them is POWER – plain and simple.  And, in their world the END justifies the MEANS! Always!!  I have to chuckle under my breath, for example, when I hear Donald Trump, in reference to the constitution,  calling Ted Cruz the biggest liar on the planet.  I have to believe what he’s suggesting is that Cruz is a bigger liar than himself – to me, that’s an interesting stretch.

The bottom line is that I’ve gotten to the point where I hope the republicans nominate Trump and I almost hope they REFUSE to consider President Obama’s nomination for the Court.  (and, by the way, the republicans have a long history of under-estimating Mr. Obama, but I can imagine he’ll nominate someone who, should the republicans refuse to consider, will make it even easier for the democrats to retake the Senate (and possibly the House).  At some point, the American public is going to “wake up” to what is happening in our country, and when that happens this version of the republican party will be nothing more than a bad memory.  I don’t think they (republicans) even think about how people around the world envision their dialogue and they certainly have NO IDEA how they’re going to be viewed in the history books – but, seriously, it’s time to put these people “out to pasture.”

For Antonin Scalia, I say “Rest in Peace.”  (He’s now before the ultimate judge).  For President Obama I say, you’re FINALLY reminding me of the person I voted for in 2008 and I hope you nominate someone like Loretta Lynch – someone who will generate the MOST anger among America’s public when the republicans refuse to confirm her (or whoever) and, to the republicans, I say, I hope you nominate Donald Trump and that this nightmare you’ve created in this great nation will soon be at an end!  And, finally, to Charles and David Koch, I look forward to the day when you’ve decided you’ve WASTED enough of your money pushing your right wing fascist agenda and you pass your business to your children and go out to “pasture.”  (And, I hope and pray that America’s public wakes up before they allow the Koch Brothers to succeed in turning America into a right wing (“free market” ha ha) fascist state.