Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
Last week I wrote up a post titled Scott Walker: A Fiscally Responsible Governor or a Politician Who Is Playing Favorites?. Judging from the number of comments left at that post, it appears that people are very interested in what’s been going on in the state of Wisconsin. I think many people may believe that as Wisconsin goes—so goes the nation…and probably the life expectancy of labor unions and collective bargaining.
What got a lot of press attention was the story of the prank phone call that Governor Walker received from gonzo journalist Ian Murphy. Murphy pretended to be billionaire industrialist David Koch. He talked to Walker for twenty minutes. Murphy reportedly told the Associated Press he made the prank phone call in order to show how candid Walker would be in a conversation with Koch at a time when Democrats claim the governor was refusing to return their calls.
The prank phone call appears to show a cozy relationship between Walker and Koch, a top campaign donor who may have a financial interest in fighting unions. Union workers protesting in Wisconsin have already made monetary concessions to help with Wisconsin’s budget shortfall. One has to wonder what is really behind the governor’s demand that public employee unions be stripped of their right to bargain collectively. Is it all part of an agenda to “take unions out at the knees”—a strategy suggested by Scott Hagerstrom at the annual conference of the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC)? Hagerstrom is the Executive Director of Michigan’s chapter of Americans for Prosperity (AFP).
In a Mother Jones article, Andy Kroll writes: Walker’s plan to eviscerate collective bargaining rights for public employees is right out of the Koch brothers’ playbook. Koch-backed groups like Americans for Prosperity, the Cato Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the Reason Foundation have long taken a very antagonistic view toward public-sector unions.
And who is Americans for Prosperity? Felicia Sonmez has written that AFP is really two groups—both of which were founded by David Koch in 2004: Americans for Prosperity, a 501(c)4 and the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, is a 501(c)3.
Somnez says that both groups are considered “not-for-profit” organizations under the Internal Revenue Service code—and that they do not have to disclose the identity of their donors or the contributions made by those donors. She added that David Koch is believed to be one of the group’s top donors.
In a New Yorker article titled Covert Operations: The billionaire brothers who are waging a war against Obama, Jane Mayer wrote about Peggy Venable, the Texas State Director of AFP: She (Peggy Venable) explained that the role of Americans for Prosperity was to help “educate” Tea Party activists on policy details, and to give them “next-step training” after their rallies, so that their political energy could be channelled “more effectively.” And she noted that Americans for Prosperity had provided Tea Party activists with lists of elected officials to target. She said of the Kochs, “They’re certainly our people. David’s the chairman of our board. I’ve certainly met with them, and I’m very appreciative of what they do.”
In August 2009, ThinkProgress said that it had obtained an exclusive memo from a Tea Party group that is supported by Koch’s Americans for Prosperity.
From Think Progress: “The memo outlined various ways for Tea Party activists to intimidate Democratic lawmakers and disrupt their town hall meetings on health reform. ThinkProgress published half a dozen articles exposing the role of Koch-funded groups like “Patients United” in encouraging opposition to health reform. For instance, in Virginia, a Koch-funded operative Ben Marchi assisted a birther who followed Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA) around, yelling at him at town hall meetings.”
That’s all I’ve got for now, folks. Talk amongst yourselves. I need a break!
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Sources
Covert Operations: The billionaire brothers who are waging a war against Obama. (New Yorker)
Who is “Americans for Prosperity”? (Washington Post)
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker: Funded by the Koch Bros. (Mother Jones)
Why did Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker take a call from ‘David Koch’? (Christian Science Monitor)
Billionaire Brothers’ Money Plays Role in Wisconsin Dispute (New York Times)
On prank call, Wis. governor discusses strategy (Yahoo)
Koch Front Group Americans For Prosperity: ‘Take The Unions Out At The Knees’ (Think Progress)
Union Busting: The Real Call from the Koch Brothers (Huffington Post)
Charles And David Koch Exposed For Insidious Role In Crafting The Modern Right (Think Progress)
For Further Reading
Koch-Powered Tea Party Pushes Climate Denial Bill In New Hampshire (Think Progress)
Commentary: Koch brothers and the union-busting Kansas House (The Kansas City Star)
There are whores and then there are Koch-whores; rather like comparing a fresh egg to a rotten egg, or a 2005 Red Bordeaux to Thunderbird, or an Edsel to a Taurus, or ….
OS,
“Hey kiddo. Let’s not go too far. I have worked on several cases that involved whores. I have found them, for the most part, to be hard working people who try to provide an honest service for a fee. They did not inherit their money; they have to work for it. Most of the honest whores I have met would take offense at being compared with the troll.”
Please accept my apologies on behalf of all the honest, hardworking whores you have worked with. I, by no means, meant to insult them by grouping them with the knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing subhuman Maor.
“Isnt it about time for your afternoon nap grandpa?”
No actually I’m heading for the gym for my daily one hour workout.
By the way thank you for calling me Grandpa, it’s perhaps my proudest achievement. I notice that you didn’t bother to refute my charge about your lying about your reading but avoided it in a mealy mouthed way. I know that among your set of High School Juniors you may be thought of as intelligent, but that is only a reflection of their own ignorance.
Then too you are becoming more and more hysterical as you go on with such ineffectiveness and inability to rattle anyone’s chain. Face it, right now you’re just another loser, but perhaps as you mature you might actually begin to understand the nature of the world around you. Until then though, thank you for my daily amusement.
Stamford Liberal sez: (in response to the resident troll) “I tend not to care what a whore like you thinks.”
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Hey kiddo. Let’s not go too far. I have worked on several cases that involved whores. I have found them, for the most part, to be hard working people who try to provide an honest service for a fee. They did not inherit their money; they have to work for it. Most of the honest whores I have met would take offense at being compared with the troll.
Maor,
If you aten’t aware of the deregulation of the investment banks that ahelped create the recession, I can’t help you. After you cash your Koch paycheck, why don’t you invest it in mortgage backed securites!
OS,Great link to the voter fraud story! The truth hurts sometime.
Blouise,
“Stamford Liberal
I kinda liked Stammering Loon … I picture a summer sunset … beautiful pond …. breeze rustling through the trees …. a comfortable chair close to the small dock … a glass of wine and a Stammering Loon shitting on the troll trying to hide in the canoe …. peaceful”
Hey, now! That IS a pretty picture! Me likey 😀
Stamford Liberal
I kinda liked Stammering Loon … I picture a summer sunset … beautiful pond …. breeze rustling through the trees …. a comfortable chair close to the small dock … a glass of wine and a Stammering Loon shitting on the troll trying to hide in the canoe …. peaceful
OS,
Rotflmao – excellent!
Do you think ACORN helped him?
Otteray Scribe,
Thanks for the link … I’d missed that article
Maor,
“Stammering Loon:”
My daughter used to make up names, too. But that was when she was about six or seven. Glad to see mentally you’re on her level – your mommy must be proud of the mental giant she spawned.
Didn’t bother looking at the link you so generously provided. Not the least bit interested in it. Kinda like I’m not the least bit interested in you or what you believe. I tend not to care what a whore like you thinks.
Speaking of voter fraud, this is hysterical. Karma can be a real downer for some folks.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/04/952561/-Republicans-find-slam-dunk-case-of-voter-fraud
Guys like Walker and Kasich have proven they can’t cut it on their own. Kasich failed miserably at his regular job, Walker couldn’t discipline himself enough to earn a degree … men like this need the backing of people like the Koch siblings … it’s the only way they can get anywhere.
And the Koch siblings need men like Walker and Kasich to bring Uncle Josef’s dream to fruition … it’s a match made in heaven.
Elaine M.
1, March 4, 2011 at 8:31 am
……
Not all rich people are like Steve Jobs.
================================================
They just like to pretend they are.
The Koch siblings are simply trying to make Uncle Josef proud.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.votefraud.org/joseph_stalin.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.votefraud.org/josef_stalin_vote_fraud_page.htm&h=400&w=293&sz=29&tbnid=PIpOVoAjplFVrM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=91&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djosef%2Bstalin&zoom=1&q=josef+stalin&hl=en&usg=__mduiA2AXc42nn2Vp4aoTqF1E9sg=&sa=X&ei=uh9xTaTcHM24tgf64ZjdDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CEQQ9QEwBQ
Good morning troll
Stammering Loon:
“Moar, or whatever the hell you’re calling yourself, the Koch Brothers inhereted their money, they certainly didn’t start from the ground up. They were already in their ivory tower.”
I dont think I ever said they didnt.
you probably know a good deal about drivel, you sell it everyday.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5151369_remove-adhesive-duct-tape-marble.html
Stammering Loon:
“Moar, or whatever the hell you’re calling yourself, the Koch Brothers inhereted their money, they certainly didn’t start from the ground up. They were already in their ivory tower.”
I dont think I ever said they didnt.
you probably know a good deal about drivel, you sell it everyday.
Mike Spindell:
It would be easier for you to assume that wouldn’t it? Sorry I don’t follow the progressive line in economics, not everyone buys that bullshit hook line and sinker. And as far as keeping up? You are so far behind the curve you cant even see day lite.
Isnt it about time for your afternoon nap grandpa?
Walker appears to be setting up “vandalism” charges. He is alleging there has been extensive damage to the Capitol building that will run into seven figures to fix. There was a discussion of this in a Daily Kos thread last night.
Note my suspicions regarding a potential scam if he tries to funnel money to some of his benefactors.
http://www.dailykos.com/comment/952334/40613131#c97
Moar, or whatever the hell you’re calling yourself, the Koch Brothers inhereted their money, they certainly didn’t start from the ground up. They were already in their ivory tower.
The rest of the falsehoods and ignorant drivel you posted isn’t worth responding to.
TPMMuckraker
Video Apparently Shows Wisconsin Rep Getting Tackled By Officers (VIDEO)
Eric Lach | March 4, 2011
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/video_apparently_shows_wisconsin_rep_getting_tackl.php?ref=fpa
WKOW in Madison, Wisc., posted some stunning video Thursday night, apparently showing state Representative Nick Milroy (D) being tackled by Capitol police as he tried to enter the building.
According to KWOW, “Milroy was trying to get clothes from his office but police would not let him into the building.”
Capitol Police Public Information Officer Tim Donovan told TPM this morning he had not yet heard about the incident.
Late Update: Mary Lou Keleher, a staffer for Milroy, told TPM that the representative was not arrested last night.
“He was just restrained,” Keleher said.