Opinion: Koch Brothers Personify The Subversion of American Democracy

You may be aware that neither Charles or David Koch hold an office in our government, as they are not American politicians empowered by votes of the majority of this country. The Koch brothers are wealthy businessmen and private citizens. However, this fact has not impeded their ascent as one of the most influential policymakers in Washington D.C. through their Americans for Prosperity Foundation.

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The Koch brothers represent a problem that subverts and strangles the ideology of the democratic process. Charles and David Koch, owners of Koch Industries, have thrust themselves in the midst of our government with the root of all evil: Money. Make no mistake; they have been welcomed with open arms by a government short on ideas and long on greed.

Charles and David Koch are the personifications of the “pay for play” model of government, who have no interest in the well-being of Americans who don’t reside within their exclusive tax bracket. They are fierce deniers of Climate Change, steadfast opponents of corporate regulations and dangerous loyalists and benefactors of the right wing Tea Party regime.

In 1980 David ran as the Libertarian Party vice presidential candidate. Almost 40 years ago the platform of David Koch consisted of such nefarious objectives as the elimination of the following: Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security, minimum wage, Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Act, FDA, FAA, Welfare and Relief programs, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Department of Energy and Campaign Finance Laws.

Each one of these staples of his failed campaign would result directly in personal profits and place undue hardships on the average American. Upon further inspection, you will also see that these tenets mirror the objectives of the Trump administration. The Obamacare repeal is a personally funded vendetta of the Koch brothers. Deregulation of the business industry, denouncement of Climate Change, removal of criminal liability of executives involved in hazardous operations, Medicaid cuts and tax breaks for the rich? All legislation founded and funded by Charles and David Koch.

The strings are not being pulled from the shadows. The Koch brothers have announced that they’ll be pledging upward of 400 million dollars to Republican candidates in 2018. Their desire to purchase favorable legislation is crystal clear. Our government is on the verge of being hijacked by the very same special interests that Donald Trump raged against during his presidential campaign. He’s once again been proven to be a shameless liar.

The voice of the middle-class American is being drowned out and buried by an avalanche of right-wing dollars designed to make profits for the right wing. Our government is not our government, it is however, a tool of manipulation used by the elite, for the elite. Our only recourse is to thoroughly vet our elected officials and vote for candidates that share our disdain and opposition to policy propelled by payment. We have to enact standards, laws, and protections from the rise of a tyranny funded by the few, ruling over the many. We must RESIST to put an end to the monopoly of OUR government by the likes of the Koch Brothers.