The Koch Brothers have funded opposition to Obamacare and supported candidates that opposed it The Koch Brothers oppose Obamacare and work to defund and repeal the law. They view health care reform as an intrusion by the government into the private markets and an entitlement.
Full Answer
Who are the Koch brothers and why do they matter?
Not long ago, many Americans, including Washington, DC, insiders, had never heard of Charles and David Koch — now known as “the Koch brothers” — and were not aware of their vast political operation.
What do Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mean by ‘Koch brothers-funded study’?
Both Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez referred to the Mercatus Center report as a “Koch brothers-funded study.” They are referring, of course, to the billionaire brothers, Charles and David Koch, who spend hundreds of millions of dollars in support of Republican candidates that support their conservative/libertarian agenda.
Did Bernie Sanders accidentally say ‘thank you’ to the Koch brothers?
Our fact-checking colleagues at the Washington Post first wrote about this when, on July 30, Sanders tweeted, “Thank you, Koch brothers, for accidentally making the case for Medicare for All!” Thank you, Koch brothers, for accidentally making the case for Medicare for All! pic.twitter.com/speuEL6ETC
What is the Koch network?
The Koch network is a personal pet project of the brothers themselves. Much media attention has focused on David and Charles and on the controversial history of their family.
What businesses do the Koch Brothers own?
Koch Industries' Growth.Flint Hills Resources.Georgia-Pacific.Guardian Industries.Invista.Molex.Koch Ag & Energy Solutions.Koch Pipeline Company.More items...
How did the Koch Brothers make their money?
Charles and David Koch built a political network of libertarian and conservative donors and the brothers funneled financial revenue into television and multi-media advertising.
What products are made by Koch Industries?
Koch Industries Produces:Gasoline.Diesel.Jet fuel.Naphtha.Asphalt.Fracking Chemicals.Benzene.Toluene.More items...•
How much is the Koch family worth?
The Kochs with $124 billion.
What happened to Obamacare and the Koch brothers?
The Koch Brothers backed groups like AFP have spent scary amounts of money to defeat ObamaCare and to place politicians in office who will pass their legislation and toe their line. Instead of leading to some sort of reform or better plan for healthcare it has simply led to a Government shutdown on October 1st, 2013.
How much money do the Koch brothers give?
[1] . They have given more than $196 million to dozens of free-market and advocacy organizations. [1] .
What do you need to know about the Koch brothers?
Everything You Need to Know About the Koch Brothers. Get the Facts on the Koch Brothers and public programs like ObamaCare. The Koch Brothers lead the anti-ObamaCare message and champion free-market and a Conservative Libertarian ideology. The Kochs own the second largest privately owned company in the United States, Koch Industries.
What are the Koch brothers known for?
Koch Brother Politics Facts. The Koch Brothers are well known for their support of conservative, libertarian and free-market groups and individuals. The Kochs have helped to fund the Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation, FreedomWorks, and Americans for Prosperity which are some of the most active groups in supporting tea party politics ...
What is Koch philosophy?
While many Libertarian ideals are well supported by by the left and right, the complete hard-line disregard for the social safety net and environmental regulations tend to draw a lot of criticism.
What is the Koch Brothers exposed documentary about?
It’s important to note that Koch Brothers Exposed focuses on the darker side of the implications of the Koch Brothers and their political philosophies. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
What is ALEC in the US?
One of the most powerful forces in the US, ALEC, is a Koch Brothers backed group that drafts state level legislation. Take a look at how the Koch Brothers are helping to support the corruption of our democracy…. Watch this and you’ll understand why they don’t like PBS. Watch “The United States of ALEC” online.
How much would the Sanders Medicare for All plan increase federal budget commitments?
It concludes the Sanders Medicare-for-All plan would increase federal budget commitments by about $32 trillion over its first 10 years of implementation.
When did Charles Koch speak at Freedom Partners Summit?
Charles Koch talks during an interview with the Washington Post at the Freedom Partners Summit on Monday, Aug. 3, 2015 in Dana Point, Calif. (MORE: Koch network takes aim at 'protectionism,' slams Trump administration as 'divisive') Justin Sullivan/Getty Image, FILE.
When did Bernie Sanders speak on health?
Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks on health during an event on Capitol Hill, Sept. 13, 2017 in Washington. But Graboyes warned that, according to the report, even doubling all currently projected federal individual and corporate income tax collections would be “insufficient” to finance the costs of Medicare-for-All.
Who read Blahous' report?
Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks on health during an event on Capitol Hill, Sept. 13, 2017 in Washington. Robert Graboyes, a senior research fellow and health care scholar at the center who read Blahous’s report through its production, said the report doesn’t “predict” $2 trillion in savings.
Is Medicare for All a progressive?
Medicare- for-All, also known as single-payer healthcare, has become increasingly popular among Democrats, including progressive candidates such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who pulled off a shocking primary upset last month in New York’s 14th Congressional District and made the issue a central part of her platform.
Does Medicare for All save money?
“This is a right-wing think tank, and even they found that Medicare-for-All would save money compared to the current system,” he said.
Who are the Koch brothers?
They are referring, of course, to the billionaire brothers, Charles and David Koch, who spend hundreds of millions of dollars in support of Republican candidates that support their conservative/libertarian agenda.
How many cosponsors did the Medicare bill have?
The bill, which has 16 Democratic cosponsors, would expand Medicare into a universal health insurance program, phased in over four years. (The bill hasn’t gone anywhere in a Republican-controlled Senate.)
Who funded the Mercatus Center?
The Mercatus Center gets some of its funding from the libertarian Koch brothers, but more about that later.
Who is Charles Blahous?
The author of the paper, Charles Blahous, a s enior research strategist at the Mercatus Center who once was the deputy director of President Bush’s National Economic Council, says the two proponents of a universal health care system are distorting the findings of his paper. The study looked at the impact of the Medicare for All Act introduced by ...
Will Medicare have negative margins in 2040?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of the Actuary has projected that even upholding current-law reimbursement rates for treat ing Medicare beneficiaries alone would cause nearly half of all hospitals to have negative total facility margins by 2040. The same study found that by 2019, over 80 percent ...
How much is David Koch's brother worth?
Forbes magazine estimates that each brother is worth approximately sixty billion dollars, tying them as America’s ninth-richest men. Steve Lombardo, Koch Industries’ chief of corporate communications, did not respond to questions about who would exercise control of David’s shares, should he prove unable to function.
Who took control of Koch Industries?
Charles took control.”. The decision became public on Tuesday, when Charles, who is the chairman and chief executive officer of Koch Industries, sent a letter to employees announcing that David would be retiring as vice-president, a development that he attributed to David’s deteriorating health.
How many kids does David Koch have?
David has three children, the oldest of whom is college-aged. Charles has two children, including a son, Chase Koch, who has assumed a growing role in running the company. The Kochs’ future prospects are of public interest because of the oversized influence they have exerted in American politics.
What is David Koch's company?
It is unclear, however, what will become of David’s ownership of nearly half of Koch Industries, the second-largest private company in the country, which began as oil refineries and pipelines , and has grown into a multinational conglomerate encompassing lumber, paper, chemicals, coal, fertilizer, and sophisticated financial-trading operations.
Is David Koch stepping down?
Although David Koch is also stepping down from his role as chairman of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, the foundation wing of the Kochs’ main political-advocacy group, their influence isn’t likely to wane anytime soon.
Does Charles Koch work?
Charles Koch, meanwhile, continues to work through the weekends , often arriving at Koch Industries’ Wichita headquarters earlier than many other employees. “He’s a workaholic, like Warren Buffett. He lives to work,” the well-informed business associate told me.
Who called the Kochs anarcho-totalitarianism?
The conservative stalwart William F. Buckley, Jr., called the Kochs’ views “Anarcho-Totalitarianism.”. The voters’ verdict was equally harsh. David spent two million dollars of his own money on his candidacy in 1980, but he was trounced. The Libertarian Party earned only one per cent of the vote.
What is the Koch brothers' focus?
According to the environmental group Greenpeace, the Koch brothers “direct a web of financing that supports conservative special interest groups and think-tanks, with a strong focus on fighting environmental regulation, opposing clean energy legislation and easing limits on industrial pollution.”.
Is Koch Industries a political group?
Especially on the left, there is a strong tendency to view the Koch network as merely a political front for their privately owned corporate conglomerate, Koch Industries, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Or else the network is portrayed as a somewhat broader front for many companies represented by participants in the Koch seminars. Liberal activists and researchers are quick to notice any time the policies backed by the Koch network might feed Koch Industries’ bottom line. According to the environmental group Greenpeace, the Koch brothers “direct a web of financing that supports conservative special interest groups and think-tanks, with a strong focus on fighting environmental regulation, opposing clean energy legislation and easing limits on industrial pollution.”
What are the Koch brothers known for?
Other Notable Companies. The Koch brothers, Charles and David, became well-known for their libertarian and conservative politics, often portrayed as significant personalities that impact elections and government decisions.
How many people does Koch employ?
Koch companies collectively employ over 130,000 people in 70 countries, and more than half are in the United States. 3 . The company owns subsidiaries that produce various goods such as resins, polymers, glass, oil pipelines, tissue paper, robotics, and more. Koch Industries controls some lesser-known companies as well, ...
How many states does Koch Pipeline operate in?
The pipelines transport oil and refined petroleum, as well as natural gas. Koch Pipeline Company operates approximately 4,000 miles of pipeline in six U.S. states, the longest of which include the 580-mile Wood River line in Missouri and a 540-mile pipeline system in South Texas, both of which transport crude oil. 16 17
How much did Koch Industries pay to acquire Molex?
Koch Industries paid $7.2 billion to acquire Molex in Sept. 2013. The company counted nearly 100,000 products in its catalog in 2013 and had more than 35,000 employees in 15 countries. For the year ending June 30, 2013, Molex had about $3.6 billion in revenues. 13
When did Koch Industries buy Invista?
When Koch Industries purchased Invista in 2004, the conglomerate merged the polymers subsidiary with its existing KoSa subsidiary in order to create a new company under the Invista name. 12 . 5. Molex. Koch Industries paid $7.2 billion to acquire Molex in Sept. 2013.
What are the industries that are under the Koch umbrella?
The industries under the Koch umbrella are diverse, ranging from companies that deal with energy to spandex. Koch companies manufacture paper, process minerals, create fertilizers, and refine oil. Some of the subsidiaries are also involved in ranching, commodities trading, and investing. 1.
How much is Koch Industries?
Koch Industries is a private company that has annual revenues topping $110 billion. 2 The company is not really a single business, but rather a conglomerate of different companies under one umbrella.
