If you want to rattle a super-liberal, tell him or her that the Koch brothers are not really all that involved with politics. To them, it is the equivalent of telling them that the polar ice is not actually melting. They "know" it is not true. After all, the Koch brothers are supposedly behind every conservative organization in the country. When Wisconsin reduced collective bargaining for benefits and pensions for some state employees, it was the Koch brothers (or so the left was told). When Texas required doctors performing abortions to have a connection to at least a regional hospital for emergencies, it was the Koch brothers. When there is nearly any success by a conservative anywhere in America, the left announces that it was the Koch brothers.
This point was driven home today again when the New York Times ran an article lamenting the ads being run against Democrats in key 2014 races which focus on the support by these Democrats for Obamacare. The ads are funded mostly by Americans for Prosperity. According to the Times, Americans for Prosperity is a front for the Koch brothers.
The Times report gives rise to two major points. First, Americans for Prosperity was a cause to which the Koch brothers donated at least at some point, but it is ridiculous to call the organization a front for the Kochs. Americans for Prosperity has over two million members, so the Koch brothers are outnumbered by at least 1,999,998 to 2. Further, there have been at least 100,000 contributors to the organization (aside from membership dues which greatly expands the number). Americans for Prosperity is a broad based conservative organization which has been active for years promoting economic issues. The Times should know better than to call it just a front for the Kochs.
Second, the Times talks about the ads run against the vulnerable Democrats as being somehow unfair because they are hitting early in the election year when many of these Democrats are not prepared to respond. You can be sure that the Times would have no problem if the parties were reversed so that the targets were Republicans. Then, the early ads would be a "brilliant stratagem" by the Democrats. Indeed, if one needed any proof that this is so, consider the response by the Times to the seemingly endless stream of ads by New York state touting governor Cuomo's plan for attracting business to the state. Public money is being used for a massive ad campaign which is supposed to grow the state economy but which is more clearly aimed at building up Coumo's chances for re-election later this year. The Times is silent on this score.
The real truth is that Americans for Prosperity is doing exactly what it ought to do. It is telling folks across the country to hold the Democrats who voted for Obamacare responsible for its failure. In the world of the New York Times, it is perfectly fine for all hell to break loose when some people in Fort Lee, New Jersey have to deal with extra traffic for four days. On the other hand, in the world of the Times, it is grossly unfair for there to be any repercussions when president Obama and the Democrats try to take over one sixth of the national economy and fail so miserably that both Americans' healthcare and the economy are threatened with disaster.
This point was driven home today again when the New York Times ran an article lamenting the ads being run against Democrats in key 2014 races which focus on the support by these Democrats for Obamacare. The ads are funded mostly by Americans for Prosperity. According to the Times, Americans for Prosperity is a front for the Koch brothers.
The Times report gives rise to two major points. First, Americans for Prosperity was a cause to which the Koch brothers donated at least at some point, but it is ridiculous to call the organization a front for the Kochs. Americans for Prosperity has over two million members, so the Koch brothers are outnumbered by at least 1,999,998 to 2. Further, there have been at least 100,000 contributors to the organization (aside from membership dues which greatly expands the number). Americans for Prosperity is a broad based conservative organization which has been active for years promoting economic issues. The Times should know better than to call it just a front for the Kochs.
Second, the Times talks about the ads run against the vulnerable Democrats as being somehow unfair because they are hitting early in the election year when many of these Democrats are not prepared to respond. You can be sure that the Times would have no problem if the parties were reversed so that the targets were Republicans. Then, the early ads would be a "brilliant stratagem" by the Democrats. Indeed, if one needed any proof that this is so, consider the response by the Times to the seemingly endless stream of ads by New York state touting governor Cuomo's plan for attracting business to the state. Public money is being used for a massive ad campaign which is supposed to grow the state economy but which is more clearly aimed at building up Coumo's chances for re-election later this year. The Times is silent on this score.
The real truth is that Americans for Prosperity is doing exactly what it ought to do. It is telling folks across the country to hold the Democrats who voted for Obamacare responsible for its failure. In the world of the New York Times, it is perfectly fine for all hell to break loose when some people in Fort Lee, New Jersey have to deal with extra traffic for four days. On the other hand, in the world of the Times, it is grossly unfair for there to be any repercussions when president Obama and the Democrats try to take over one sixth of the national economy and fail so miserably that both Americans' healthcare and the economy are threatened with disaster.
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