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Billionaire Koch: President Obama Is "Saddam Hussein"
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 6, 2011
Modified Sep 6, 2011
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 6, 2011
Modified Sep 6, 2011
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Over the weekend, a recently-retired Republican staffer of 28 years wrote an article about why he was leaving his party and his job, citing, among many other things, his belief that "the GOP cares solely and exclusively about its rich contributors." An exclusive look at the biannual fundraising and strategy conference held by billionaire GOP benefactors Charles and David Koch, shows why. Mother Jones reports that before Charles Koch names the 32 donors of $1 million or more in the last year who supported their right-wing causes, he promises that the 2012 election will be the "mother of all wars" against "Saddam Hussein." Specifically, Koch said:
This is the Mother of All Wars we've got in the next 18 months. For the life or death of this country. So, I'm not going to do this to put any pressure on anyone here, mind you. This is not pressure. But if this makes your heart feel glad and you want to be more forthcoming, then so be it.
It's the Gulf War for this country's very survival, but hey, no pressure! Audio of the secretive gathering at a Vail, Colorado Ritz-Carlton in June was obtained surreptitiously because "audio technicians even set up outward-pointing speakers around the perimeter of the outdoor dining pavilion…emitting static to frustrate would-be eavesdroppers."
Charles and David Koch, the co-owners of the second-largest privately owned company in the United States, are worth $22 billion apiece, and "have spent more than $100 million supporting hard-right political campaigns and institutions" to date. The New Yorker profiled how they almost singlehandedly funded the "grassroots" Tea Party movement, and their names cropped up in the news earlier this year thanks to their fervent support of union-busting Wisconsin governor Scott Walker.
Previous attendees to the mini-Bilderberg include Supreme Court Justices Scalia and Thomas, as well as Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and scores of GOP senators and congressmen. Texas Governor Rick Perry attended in June, but didn't bother to tell his constituents like Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell did. After noting, "The media is 90-plus percent against us," Charles Koch goes on to urge the attendees that, "it isn't just your money we need. We need your energy. We need you bringing in new partners, new people. We can't do it alone. This group can't do it alone. We have to multiply ourselves."
With the help of President Bachmann (who the Koch brothers donated $10K to in May), we just might see this dream of a corporate-owned USA come true. Looks like the GOP has its priorities straight after all.
Tagged
2012
gop
Koch Brothers
labor unions
mother jones
obama
president obama
rich people
taxes
wall street
wisconsin
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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