Hey, a Koch Brother died today

[Michchamp]

I'll refrain from any further comment, out of concern for billionaire bootlicker feelings. I am sure this news is hitting you hard.

 

[tomdalton22]

never met the man, so I really don't care. Just like when other "famous" people die that I don't know.

 

[tinselwolverine]

There’s another thread about this.

He must have been beloved to the posters on this board.

 

[Michchamp]

There?s another thread about this.

He must have been beloved to the posters on this board.

He was... to some of the posters here.

A brilliant man, born to humble circumstances, who pulled himself up by his bootstraps, and had principled libertarian views that he never tried to force on other people, on our government, or institutions like public television.

 

[TheVictors]

Got this note today from a trading desk out of NYC in their daily briefing ...

"RIP David Koch, who passed away at 79. The billionaire who built his wealth along with his brother in founding an energy and chemical company, donated massive amounts of money to both medical research and the arts. Cond? Nast Portfolio described him as "one of the most generous but low-key philanthropists in America." Whether you agreed with his political and economic views, you have to respect generous but low key philanthropy."

 

[Michchamp]

His principled libertarian views included:

- government should heavily subsidize the energy industry because that's my business

- billionaires like me should pay lower taxes because we're more important than everyone else.

- no one can tell me how to run my business or treat my workers.

- if i want to use my power to crush workers right movements, unions, and destroy the environment, it's bad for the economy if anyone tries to stop me

 

[tinselwolverine]

He was... to some of the posters here.

A brilliant man, born to humble circumstances, who pulled himself up by his bootstraps, and had principled libertarian views that he never tried to force on other people, on our government, or institutions like public television.

What politically active person isn?t trying to ?force their views? on - in a democracy with a first amendment, a more apt description would be ?influence? - other people?

Certainly, Koch?s political opponents were trying to influence other people.

 

[tomdalton22]

I didn't know he was worth $42 billion. That seems like a lot.

I have an ieda...maybe the government should take it all and pass it out to poor people that are too lazy to work.

 

[Michchamp]

What politically active person isn?t trying to ?force their views? on - in a democracy with a first amendment, a more apt description would be ?influence? - other people?

Certainly, Koch?s political opponents were trying to influence other people.

See VIC's post above; billionaire bootlickers are trying to downplay the Koch's for doing this.

 

[Michchamp]

I didn't know he was worth $42 billion. That seems like a lot.

I have an ieda...maybe the government should take it all and pass it out to poor people that are too lazy to work.

what about people that work, but still can't afford basic necessities, like rent, food and water, medical care, daycare, etc.?

 

[tomdalton22]

what about people that work, but still can't afford basic necessities, like rent, food and water, medical care, daycare, etc.?

good point. Give it to them, not the deadbeats that don't work.

On second thought, fuck them all. Give it to me!

 

[tinselwolverine]

See VIC's post above; billionaire bootlickers are trying to downplay the Koch's for doing this.

That has nothing to do with the question I asked in #7, that you quoted in #9.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I didn't know he was worth $42 billion. That seems like a lot.

I have an ieda...maybe the government should take it all and pass it out to poor people that are too lazy to work.

I?m pretty sure estate taxes aren?t specifically earmarked for the deadbeat portion of the budget.

I?m pretty sure they go into the general fund, which includes funding the military, military veteran pensions, infrastructure, federal investigations into crimes against children, and various other noble endeavors.

 

[tomdalton22]

I?m pretty sure estate taxes aren?t specifically earmarked for the deadbeat portion of the budget.

I?m pretty sure they go into the general fund, which includes funding the military, military veteran pensions, infrastructure, federal investigations into crimes against children, and various other noble endeavors.

I know how it works, it was a new idea. When billionaires die give it directly to poor people.

It's a pretty shitty idea!

 

[Michchamp]

That has nothing to do with the question I asked in #7, that you quoted in #9.

I'm not criticising the Koch's for doing this; I'm criticising the bullshit spin from their PR flacks that for them these are "deeply held libertarian principles"... but like everyone else is involved in street gutter politics? bullshit.

The Koch's are no better than some Ukrainian or Russian oligarch type. same shit different country.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I know how it works, it was a new idea. When billionaires die give it directly to poor people.

It's a pretty shitty idea!

Yeah, let?s not do that.

Just keep it the way it is.

Just keep the same amount that has been going to working poor people?s rent, food and water, medical care, daycare etc., through programs like Section 8, EBT, Medicaid, and various child care subsidy programs that have been in existence for generations, regardless of the efforts of the late David Koch.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I'm not criticising the Koch's for doing this; I'm criticising the bullshit spin from their PR flacks that for them these are "deeply held libertarian principles"... but like everyone else is involved in street gutter politics? bullshit.

The Koch's are no better than some Ukrainian or Russian oligarch type. same shit different country.

Okay.

I?m pretty sure David Koch never changed my life much for better or worse, just like no Ukrainian or Russian oligarch has either.

The only person I?m hearing using the term ?deeply held libertarian principles? about him is you.

 

[Michchamp]

Okay.

I?m pretty sure David Koch never changed my life much for better or worse, just like no Ukrainian or Russian oligarch has either.

The only person I?m hearing using the term ?deeply held libertarian principles? about him is you.

I've read the comment or something along those lines on twitter from several people, such as ben shapiro.

it dovetails with the "low key philantropy" BS in vic's post.

 

[tinselwolverine]

If I am in anyway a beneficiary of his “low-key philanthropy,” I am not aware of it.

 

[TheVictors]

Being a "philanthropist" vs donating to charitable causes for the tax deduction/benefit ...

Remember, there is the Trump "foundation" that was nothing more than a shell for laundering and fraud. But I'm sure there are some places that got "money" from Trump in a charitable way ...with strings attached.