They’rre Baack!
Posted by Michelle Moquin on September 24th, 2014
Good morning!
Our favorite brothers are back.
Kochonomics Returns
How The Koch Brothers Have Rigged The System In Wisconsin And North Carolina To Benefit Them
The Koch brothers are hard at work to limit government as much as possible, resulting in a system that benefits their businesses no matter the potential harm to everyone else — a strategy we have dubbed “Kochonomics.” The Koch network’s immense efforts to buy national elections have been widely documented. Here at CAP Action, we have also exposed the Kochs’ growing plans to shrink local governments by undermining public education, opposing mass transit, and blocking small tax increases to benefit public safety, schoolchildren, and seniors.
Our latest investigation of the Kochs uncovers their influence in two self-described model states, Wisconsin and North Carolina. In both states, the Koch network has funded state leaders who have put in place policies that benefit the wealthy few, including the Koch brothers, regardless of the effect on anyone else. We walk through how Kochonomics has worked in Wisconsin and North Carolina below, and be sure to check out the full report from the Center for American Progress Action Fund as well.
State: Wisconsin
Koch Foot Soldier: Gov. Scott Walker
Koch Business Interests in the State: Koch Industries, the second-largest privately held company in America owned by the Koch brothers, has six wholly owned subsidiaries with at least 17 locations in Wisconsin.
The Price of Influence: Gov. Scott Walker has been one of the top recipients of Koch donations in state politics, receiving $43,000 from the Koch network during his 2010 gubernatorial race. On top of that, Koch-backed advocacy group Americans For Prosperity has strongly supported Walker, spending at least $12.5 million to promote Walker’s conservative policies and electoral campaigns.
Policies Passed Which Benefit The Koch Brothers: The Koch network aggressively pushed for tax cuts that heavily favor millionaires, billionaires, and big corporations, which Gov. Walker pushed through and became law. One of the resulting benefits to the Kochs is that they could see their income tax rate on the manufacturing activities of Koch Industries subsidiaries in Wisconsin drop from 7.65 percent to as low as 0.15 percent.
How These Policies Could Hurt the Middle Class: Under Gov. Walker’s leadership and policies over the last four years, Wisconsin’s working and low-income families have had to pay $170 million more in additional taxes.
State: North Carolina
Koch Foot Soldier: North Carolina Speaker of the House Thom Tillis
Koch Business Interests in the State: Koch Industries has two wholly owned subsidiaries in the state of North Carolina with at least eight locations.
The Price of Influence: North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis received $11,000 in donations from Koch Industries from 2010 to 2012, making him second-highest recipient of Koch Industries campaign contributions in the Tar Heel state. In his run for U.S. Senate, Tillis has benefited from almost $12 million in spending from the Koch network.
Policies Passed Which Benefit The Koch Brothers: Americans for Prosperity advocated for—and state lawmakers passed—tax cuts for the wealthiest 1 percent by an average of more than $10,000 annually. Moreover, state lawmakers eliminated local business taxes, further reducing the taxes of Koch subsidiaries in North Carolina.
How These Policies Could Hurt the Middle Class: The tax policies pushed by the Koch network and passed by lawmakers would force working families earning between $52,000 and $84,000 per year to pay an average of $74 more in taxes.
BOTTOM LINE: While the Koch brothers may claim that their radical ideology helps everyone, the impact of the policies they promoted in Wisconsin and North Carolina are clear. These policies, which were made into law with the help of powerful elected officials collecting Koch contributions, benefit the wealthy—including the Koch’s business interests in the two states—but in most cases hurt working families.
*****
Readers: Unfortunately, the truth is, they never left, and are still a thorn in the side of working families.
What’s on your mind? Blog me.
Peace out.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
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michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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September 24th, 2014 at 9:53 am
HAPPY JEWISH NEW YEAR to everyone!
Shana Tova.
HOWIE
September 24th, 2014 at 10:05 am
Shana Tova Howie.
September 24th, 2014 at 10:10 am
Muhsin Al-Fadhli , confidant of Osama Bin Laden, one of the few who knew about 9/11 before it actually took place. He was the leader of the Khorosan group that was taken out by Obama.
Or so they say. He was 19 when he participated in the 9/11 bombing of the twin towers. If Obama has truly gotten him, this is an incredible get. Many terrorist leaders will be looking over their shoulders and wondering if it is their turn to be swatted by Obama.
September 24th, 2014 at 10:19 am
Eric, for my money Muhsin is toast. Other first for Obama. This is only the second time in the history of the United Nations an American president has chaired its Security Council.
The only other time that was by Obama too. He is the true World Leader.
September 24th, 2014 at 10:20 am
I posted by mistake on yesterday’s, trying to catch up :(
Social Butterfly Says:
September 24th, 2014 at 10:15 am
ZL, glad to hear you are on the mend. My friend had thyroid surgery too. I wanted to share that, if in your healing process they’ve put you on synthroid, be aware it may take some time to get it adjusted properly to your body’s needs. My friend went through a terrible time with weight gain and such before her dosage was right. I want to say it took about a year to get it fine tuned. So hang in there. I wish you well and a quick mend.
/SB
September 24th, 2014 at 10:20 am
Social Butterfly Says:
September 24th, 2014 at 10:19 am
Happy New Year #5775 everyone.
For my friend who reads here and asked about Rosh Hashanah -
Hebrew: רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, literally “head of the year”- is the Jewish New Year. The Biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (Hebrew: יוֹם תְּרוּעָה, literally “day [of] shouting/raising a noise”) or the Feast of Trumpets. It is the first of the High Holy Days or יָמִים נוֹרָאִים Yamim Nora’im (“Days of Awe”) which usually occur in the early autumn of the Northern Hemisphere. Rosh Hashanah is a two-day celebration, which begins on the first day of Tishrei. The day is believed to be the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the realization of humanity’s role in God’s world. Rosh Hashanah customs include sounding the shofar (a hollowed-out ram’s horn) and eating symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey to evoke a “sweet new year”.
Shanah Tovah
/SB
September 24th, 2014 at 10:24 am
Michelle, I think its terrible how the Koch brothers are undermining America and are now buying their way into the school systems, like in Kansas, to influence the up and coming voters.
They’re another example of old white men that need to be stopped.
/SB
September 24th, 2014 at 10:27 am
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Technology Delivers New Hacking and Key Copying Threats
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hacking, a word few of us encountered until fairly recently — unless you’re a jungle explorer or horse-rider — has suddenly become part of our everyday language.
A few weeks ago, we were reading about how a Russian gang had stolen more than a billion email addresses by hacking individual and organizational computer systems.
(By the way, change all your important passwords because of this.)
But the really worrying thing is that hacking — gaining access, mostly illegally, to electronic equipment — is no longer just confined to computer systems.
As we’ve previously reported, crooks can now hack into telephone systems, smart TVs and cars’ driving and remote locking controls.
http://www.scambusters.org/phonehacking.html
http://www.scambusters.org/carhacking.html
http://www.scambusters.org/tvspy.html
Sadly, this seems to be just the start — because we’re entering the era of what futurists and economists call “the Internet of things.”
This means just what it says: More and more devices that we use in our homes and businesses are being connected to the Internet or at least to our home Wi-Fi networks.
Some things don’t even need a network connection — they just have to be capable of communicating with another device.
The thinking behind this new era of connectedness is that it should improve our lives by making things easier and more convenient to use and by sending information — health or location data for example — that could literally save our lives.
That’s the upside. But if devices and appliances are connectable, they’re potentially vulnerable to hacking.
There have recently been some alarming examples:
* In Britain, a hacker gained access to a baby monitor that enabled him to spy on a child and then — just for the heck of it — make screaming noises that terrified the toddler.
* In California and North Carolina, highway signs were hacked and made to display prank messages.
Other equipment, some models of which are capable of being hacked, include home automation systems, utility meters, digital cameras, Bluetooth car kits, and even some medical implants like insulin pumps and heart pacemakers — yikes!
Action: Don’t panic!
Some hacking threats are just that — technology that has the potential to be accessed, rather than real-world incidents.
And some are beyond our individual control — like the highway signs for example.
In most cases, authorities are already aware of the risks and planning counter-measures.
But being aware of the risk is an important personal safety measure.
Likewise, with regard to home and personal equipment, always make sure you’re aware of the connectedness of devices you’re using.
If they’re network connected but don’t need to be, disconnect them. Find out how from the manufacturer.
Discuss medical device risks with your healthcare professional.
3-D Key Copying
But malicious hacking is not the only potential threat to our lives that technology is delivering.
According to a recent blog on the website of tech magazine Wired, crooks could be ready to exploit one of this year’s fastest growing innovations — cheap 3-D printing.
It’s obvious when you think of it: If a 3-D printer can make a perfect clone of an object, what do you think would happen if you presented it with a key?
And if someone had access to your key for just a short while — a car valet or your local auto repair service for example — how easy would it be for them to make a quick copy of all your keys?
Very easy, using a simple smartphone scanning app, according to Wired.
To prove his point, the blogger simply borrowed a neighbor’s house key for a couple of minutes, scanned it, and then printed out the key at a kiosk inside a nearby drug store.
Obviously, aiding a potential burglary is not the purpose of the service. It’s supposed to help you and us duplicate our own keys, but you can see the threat.
One of these services was even able to copy a key marked “do not duplicate.”
It’s true, too, that crooks have always been able to copy keys, or gain entry without them, but this latest development adds a new dimension to lock security.
Action: Try not to let your keys out of your sight.
If you must give your car key to another person, use a valet key if your manufacturer offers one, or at least take it off your key ring and only give out the single key.
If you lose a house key or think yours may have been copied, replace your locks.
One lock expert told Wired: “If you lose sight of your keys for the better part of 20 seconds, you should consider them lost. If you find them later, consider them a souvenir.”
Other Future Threats
Other recent technology developments that could be exploited by criminals include:
* Heat-sensing cameras that can tell which numbers have been pressed on an ATM keypad after a person has left.
Action: After you’ve finished your transaction, press other random keys on the number pad.
* Smartphones that can be placed next to a PC keyboard to log key presses.
Action: If someone places a phone near your keyboard, politely ask them to move it away.
* Miniature helicopter drones that can spy on homes and even hack into Wi-Fi networks.
Action: Drones may become commonplace in the next few years. Be aware of their potential, and make sure your Wi-Fi network is secured.
(Programmable LED light bulbs have also been shown as capable of spying on Wi-Fi networks in factories and offices.)
Despite all of this, it’s important to keep a sense of proportion about the crime risks of new technology.
Throughout history, innovation has been a mixed blessing. What counts is knowing and understanding the risks so you can take evasive action — whether it’s from hacking or a nosey drone.
Alert of the Week: If you’re an AT&T cellphone customer, ignore calls that offer an account credit of several hundred dollars by visiting a website address that includes “att” usually followed by a number.
It’s a phony page that looks similar to a genuine one and it’s just out to steal your personal account details.
That’s it for today — we hope you enjoy your week!
September 24th, 2014 at 10:34 am
Social Butterfly#7, you are aware that it was old white me that made this country great?
We are the stalwart of this country. Without us it will all go to hell so fast your head would spin. It’s the niggers, dykes, kytes, slopes, and mud people who blame us for every evil in this country.
Come November with the help of our loyal white women we will take our country back. Once we have control of the both Houses of Congress, you will see what a determined white man can do.
September 24th, 2014 at 10:45 am
September 23, 2014
Dear Friend,
It worked!
Your postcards, letters and emails had an impact.
Yesterday, Google chairman Eric Schmidt appeared on NPR’s Diane Rehm show. An informed caller asked, “I’m curious to know if Google is still supporting ALEC,” given the group’s promotion of climate change denial and Google’s purported commitment to environmentalism.
Schmidt responded, “I think the consensus within the company was that that was some sort of mistake and so we’re trying to not do that in the future.” He also said that groups like ALEC were “literally lying” that climate change is not a reality.
Later that day, Google issued a statement confirming that it would no longer be funding ALEC.
Thanks to informed grassroots activists like you, over 80 companies have stopped funding ALEC since the Center for Media and Democracy launched ALECexposed.org in 2011.
As CMD has documented, ALEC is funded by an array of fossil fuel interests, including Koch Industries, Exxon Mobil, TransCanada, and Peabody Energy. ALEC has promoted the repeal of Renewable Portfolio Standards and the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. It has called on state legislators to engage in “Guerrilla Warfare” against the EPA, and urged politicians to recruit their state attorney general to sue over the EPA’s new emissions rules.
We will stay on the beat, fighting the fossil fuel barons and keeping companies like Google honest. Can you help us with a small donation today?
With deepest gratitude.
Your friends at CMD
September 24th, 2014 at 11:13 am
George, WN#9, poor little whitey, whining and moaning about being treated like everybody else. Are all of you misogynist cowards just little pansies who sniffle and cry when you’re accurately characterized?
I am quite certain that Social Butterfly understands exactly what the white boy has contributed to this nation as well as the rest of the planet. The problem is whatever that was it has been effectively negated by the things he as taken away from it. That includes the progress this country could have made if the entire brain pool had been used.
It is mind boggling to consider where America would be if OTWs and white women had been allowed to contribute to the science, economics, social fields, etc of this country in its formative years.
The next time you post an email to your fellow bigots against immigration or some other racist rant consider that you wouldn’t be able to bitch by email if it weren’t for an Indian immigrant, Dr. VA Shiva Ayyadurai.
He invented Email in 1978. http://www.inventorofemail.com/history_of_email.asp
Just another example of what this country could have been if not for the greed and narcissism of white boy.
September 24th, 2014 at 11:41 am
#30 Josie, thank you.
#31 Barbara, I hope it will help someone, if you feel a lump in your throat and it is isn’t your hesitation to speak up, get it checked out
#37 /SB, sorry for your friends situation, I am extremely fortunate, the next morning after blood work, the good doc informed me that the half left inside took over full function and no need for meds at all including extra calcium, and that is exactly why it’s a part time job to me staying fit and healthy, it is a must & bc all of the mils and bils in the world cannot buy it back for you.
And that’s another good reason to just let.it.go whatever you may be holding onto that’s NOT serving you…
George WN, you should really do some investigating into what whites actually discovered/invented and you’ll see that more often than not a white snagged credit for shit an OTW brought to your modern ease of living party, don’t be ignorant all your life…you’re sense of entitlement is shameful…
Luv, Zen Lill
September 24th, 2014 at 11:42 am
Zen Lill, sorry to hear you had to have surgery. I was happy to see you are back and true to form.
I had the same experience Social Butterfly’s friend had with synthroid. It took me about 9 months to adjust to a correct dose.
September 24th, 2014 at 11:52 am
Forgot to say: Shana Tova!
Carl, sorry to hear that, in fact, my daughter has hereditary hypothroidism so she and her lovely Indian female doc are perfecting her dosage now, another downfall of my dismay with Western doctors, I thought she was just being a tired teen … live and learn … though I am doing some thorough research on auto-immune system now, there’s got to be a reason this is becoming so commonplace.
- ZL
September 24th, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Zen Lill, I have found that many who get the disease have a vitamin 12 deficiency or have had one too many xRays that has damaged their thyroids.
September 24th, 2014 at 4:12 pm
The Kochs are just despicable. They work for themselves. Those they corrupt are corruptible because of their own greed.
Unless we get out and vote these criminals will own it all.
September 24th, 2014 at 8:36 pm
Social Butterfly #6:
That was a beautiful and informative comment you posted today.
I do not have a Hebrew font on my computer or I would throw in the occasional Hebrew type because I read and write fluently.
Once again, I thank you for your comment #6.
HOWIE
September 24th, 2014 at 11:01 pm
Also, forgot, /SB, I’m with you, I’m an Elizabeth Warren woman, Hilary’s got other interests…
Henri, that’s part of the research though I’ve been on pretty high doses of 12 and B complex for a long time, also have had Meditaranean anemia (thalasamia) for most of my life, it’s not a big deal but supplements have always been big for me, no history of radiation either … I’ll post my findings, thanks for throwing that out there, also tyrosine and iodine from kelp products is helpful.
- ZL
September 25th, 2014 at 7:00 am
Hafa adai
Guam is the crown jewel of the Pacific. We have the most amazing sunsets and our people embody the Håfa Adai Spirit. We have been blessed with a rare opportunity to showcase our island home with a little help of technology thanks to Google. Now everyone around the globe will know of the treasures that our island paradise has to offer.
Take a look around the new map of Guam provided google by clicking here: https://goo.gl/maps/M1HaO
September 26th, 2014 at 9:22 am
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