"To Strike at Kochs, Democrats Revive Tactic That Hurt Romney"

[applegrove]

To Strike at Kochs, Democrats Revive Tactic That Hurt Romney

By JEREMY W. PETERS and CARL HULSE at the New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/us/politics/to-hit-back-at-kochs-democrats-revive-tactic-that-hurt-romney.html?smid=re-share&_r=0

"SNIP.................


WASHINGTON — After months of wincing in the face of negative ads funded by the industrialists David and Charles Koch, Democrats believe they have finally found a way to fight back: attacking the brothers’ sprawling business conglomerate as callous and indifferent to the lives of ordinary people while pursuing profit and power.

By drawing public attention to layoffs by subsidiaries of Koch Industries across the country — a chemical plant in North Carolina, an oil refinery in Alaska, a lumber operation in Arkansas — Democrats are seeking to make villains of the reclusive billionaires, whose political organizations have spent more than $30 million on ads so far to help Republicans win control of the Senate.

The approach should seem familiar. President Obama and his allies ran against Mitt Romney in 2012 by painting a dark picture of Bain Capital, the firm Mr. Romney founded, as a company that cut jobs and prized the bottom line over the well-being of its employees.

Senator Mark Begich, Democrat of Alaska, has called out the Kochs — whose combined net worth is estimated to be $100 billion — in his latest ads. In one, which features a picture of the brothers grinning, one of them wearing a tuxedo, Alaskans look directly into the camera and unload. “They come into our town, buy our refinery,” says one. “Just running it into the ground,” says another. “A lot of Alaskans are losing jobs, and I’m definitely concerned about the drinking water,” says a young woman holding a baby.



................SNIP"

[Voice for Peace]

1. GOOD!!

GOOD!!

Educate the public about them, what they're really up to, what havoc they wreak with their billions.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. We must go on the offensive against the Koch brothers. MUST.

[applegrove]

3. And every penny the Koch brothers spend on the election will just play into the Democratic narrative

that the 1%/Kochs are using their wealth to buy the country.

[Frustratedlady]

10. And that includes the XL pipeline. eom

[cyclezealot]

18. Rubio is a Koch Tool

Its OK for the Koch's to attack everyone else, but they are above reproach. Sen. Harry Reid is right to go on the attack. This is Democratic money wisely spent. They are the Democrat's main vilifier's. Cut them off at the knees or they win.

[erronis]

57. But aren't we just feeding the media beast?

Aren't we being forced to play by their rules?

Your opponent is spending $xxx therefore you must spend $xxx+100, with us?

[drm604]

63. What's your solution?

We have to respond to them.

[erronis]

67. Some small ideas

1. Stop watching/patronizing any MSM that is in the pocket of political groups (and I think that should include democratic ones too.) We need objectivity.

2. Make a point of boycotting companies that are advertising in RW-oriented media.

3. Use the blogosphere, social media, emails as much as possible.

4. Wear your bumperstickers, t-shirts, placards proudly.

5. Write op-eds for inclusion in local papers. Even the biased local papers will frequently publish a contrarian piece if only to get their normal readers "involved".

6. Join one of the local walks for political reform:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_the_unstoppable_walk_to_political_reform

Now, I need to get off my ass reading/writing and do some of these!

[Triana]

4. It wasn't a "tactic". It was the TRUTH. I wish the media would learn the difference. n/t

[applegrove]

5. So true.

[daleanime]

22. Amen....

[BlancheSplanchnik]

24. yes! + a zillion. .. it's not some sports event....

Eff that, frickin "tactics" .....

Idiot dumb downed media, False equivalence, disconnected from game strategies and real suffering caused by titans of greed......

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

53. ONLY + a zillion?! What are you, a right-wing troll or something?

I kid, I kid.

I'm reminded of that great quote from Harry Truman: "I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they though it was hell."

And while Googling to get the quote right, I found what I'm sure is my second-favorite Harry Truman quote:

"Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day."

I have no clue what that means, but I like it...

[BlancheSplanchnik]

54. OMG!! Busted! My True identity is revealed!!

How did you manage to see through my clever disguise?







and thank you for that lesser-known Harry Truman quote. LOL!!

[demwing]

31. The truth is the BEST tactic

no need to wander away from either word

[KurtNYC]

33. Yes! The main thing that "hurt Romney" was ROMNEY.

How soon they forget. But, of course, Corporations can forget things because....

[randome]

38. And why did it need to be 'revived'?

It should never have stopped.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[freebrew]

52. +1...

[L0oniX]

43. Using the truth is just one of many media tactics ...it's just not used very often.

[progressoid]

55. Exactly what I was going to say.

[Cirque du So-What]

6. The beauty part

is that these thin-skinned bastids will continue whining about how they're being 'persecuted,' and the obedient lapdog corporate media will dutifully polly-parrot their every utterance to the public - unwitting allies in our effort to get everyone acquainted with the reprehensible Kochroaches, who are not very pretty in the light of day.

[applegrove]

7. Actually the beauty is that since it is the democrat's main campaign theme, or so it seems, the MSM

has to cover the topic.

[Cirque du So-What]

9. Actually, I don't expect as much coverage on the DNC side

as I expect talking heads to read straight from Koch-produced transcripts, and if they do that, it'll go over like a lead balloon with the public.

[freshwest]

20. Agreed.

[onecaliberal]

8. It's about time

We need our own ads highlighting every last detail of the extent these anti American slime balls have gone to destroy our environment and economy all in the name of more money. Because 92 Billion isn't enough for these people. No amount will ever be enough.

[Douglas Carpenter]

11. good idea

[rocktivity]

12. Romney's callousness and indifference weren't "tactics"

they were his reality.


rocktivity

[applegrove]

13. The "tactic" was that Democrats highlighted Romney's hedge fund and lack of job creation.

[Brigid]

14. It may be true that 95% of Americans have never heard of the Kochroaches now . . .

but they will.

[mazzarro]

32. Wow Brigid! the Kochroaches - that is an apt description - n/t

[gulliver]

15. Invite the Kochs and Adelson to the debates.

Might as well talk to the bosses, not their Republican work force.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

25. lol, I second the motion! n/t

[eShirl]

68. Yeah! They want their voices heard, let's hear 'em straight from the source.

[freshwest]

16. K&R

[DesertDiamond]

17. Hit them with the truth??? I LIKE that strategy!!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

19. The Truth Hurts. Telling it, like it is, Brothers. Telling it, like it is. K&R for the TRUTH.

[mindwalker_i]

21. "Striking at Kocks"

Sounds just a little bit suggestive.

[cprise]

23. Now THAT is an oligarchy--

When politicians have to run against people who aren't even trying to get themselves on the ballot!!!

[ShazzieB]

26. "To Strike at Kochs, Democrats Revive Tactic That Hurt Romney"

[Enthusiast]

27. President Obama and his allies were too easy on Bain Capital and private equity groups.

[deutsey]

28. "they have finally found a way to fight back"

As if this line of attack were some hidden mystery that the great brain trust in the Party have been diligently working to decipher, lo, these many years.

I've been wanting them to fight back this way since Reagan.

[hue]

29. Keep it up!!!! More, more, more of this!!!!

[Auggie]

30. Be sure to make the connection between the Kochs and those they support too

[Curmudgeoness]

60. I was thinking the same thing.

We know all about the Kochs, but most people don't. They have to be told that these are the people financing all the other ads. And why.

[pangaia]

34. Why don't these Democratic morons hire.....ME!!

For $300,000--one time payment- I will tell them what to do..

Just for starters---
Tell the truth about corporate thieves and liars, about the stupid teapartiests who don't even know what the Boston "Teaparty" was about, and while they are at it prepare a defense of some sort for millionaire/billionaire Democrats giving money to Democrats.

Then don't run ads with the same old dumb 'this is a political ad' copy. make ads with human beings! Human beings who SOUND like human beings.

I mean, how hard can this be? A third grader could figure it out.

[MaeScott]

35. Way past time....

...keep it up, please

[Blanks]

36. I'm getting 'Koch Brother' fatigue...

Don't get me wrong, they're despicable - but I've seen clips of Glenn Beck go on and on about George Soros and he looks like an obsessed moron. Is that really how we want to look?

I get 6 or more emails a day from everyone from Al Franken to Harry Reid where they mention the Koch Brothers. I think it can be over done. They have come to represent the generic conservative contributor and I think its lazy to associate them with ALL the bad things that are going on. There are bound to be other conservative contributors that can be targeted and discussing specific Koch brothers ACTIONS can be pointed out as despicable - they don't have to be mentioned every time.

My concern (and I've already seen it) is that in the social media people will begin defending the Koch brothers and then all of this bluster will look like a Glenn Beck schtick. I'd rather see specific areas that they are poisoning highlighted and let the people defend the generic polluters. Constantly attacking the Koch brothers is putting all the eggs in one basket, and it's like a couple of people have pointed out - it isn't like Romney. Romney's problem was his complete lack of charisma and social skills.

The Koch brothers can simply donate a couple of million to feed the children and make that known and any gains by this smear campaign will evaporate almost instantly. I don't agree with the approach.

[TBF]

42. They are the face of Capitalism -

and if you want to save it you'd be very smart to destroy them.

I personally would rather get rid of capitalism itself but I sense many on this site think it can be reined in. If you believe that the only way to do it is to rein in the excess - and the Koch Bros. typify that excess.

YOU may be fatigued, but the average person on the street has no idea who they are. It's time to change that.

(If you'd like to discuss resistance - getting rid of capitalism - we discuss that to some degree in progressive socialists & on other websites)

[Blanks]

46. There's already a significant amount of socialism in this country...

I recognize it, and have no problem with it. However, a lot of people have kind of a gag reflex toward the words socialism and communism. The tea party puppeteers use this 'gag reflex' as a way to lead people around by the nose.

The point that I try to get across is that it isn't REALLY capitalism that is so great, but competition in the marketplace that makes a good economic system. This is one of the reasons why Obamacare is good - because it forces competition in a marketplace where none existed. So the problem isn't socialism, but any economic system that allows markets with no competition. Which is what capitalism has become without the anti-trust laws that used to be so ubiquitous.

I understand that the Koch brothers are unknown to the person on the street, that's one of the reasons why I don't think an anti-Koch blitz will work. If awareness is raised about THEM then all they have to do is do a few good deeds and then point out those deeds - it'll probably break about 50-50 (pro-Koch vs anti-Koch). It is the bad deeds themselves that should be pointed out.

I posit that the Koch brothers are so opposed to Obamacare because they are polluting in areas where poor people have no health insurance (Kentucky for example) and with Medicaid expansion 'clusters' will emerge where they are polluting and making people sick. These poor sick people will have class action suits against the Koch brothers and environmental regulations that they are violating will be brought to light - so they will not only have the class action suits - they will have EPA fines, and mandatory clean-up expenses. This is just my guess (as to why they are so opposed to Obamacare). There's a limit to how much I can know sitting in my living room typing on my iPhone.

If I were a campaign guru - I would be out identifying those 'polluted' areas and tying them back to Koch brothers industries. Then at a time close to the mid-term election make a mad dash to tie the Koch brothers to these industries (and the republicans to the Koch brothers) so that they don't have time to slick up their image. As it is with the full court press against them - they have over six months to 'shape' their image.

[jeff47]

51. Yes, reality just gets so TIRESOME.

Can't we go back to pretending they don't matter?

The Koch brothers are a target because of the vast attacks they are making against Democrats. Pretending those attacks don't matter is utterly moronic. The attacks have to be countered, and one of the best ways of countering in this situation is to show who is doing the attacking.

The Koch brothers are not at all appealing. So yes, we are going to have to talk about them. So that people don't just hear the Koch-funded ads talking about how Obamacare is going to kill us all.

[davidpdx]

65. I actually ended up removing myself from the DCCC and Democratic Senator email list

as I was just getting sick of the emails. I understand they need money, but getting pounded with up to 5 emails a day from the two lists alone is just fucking overkill. After dropping those two the volume of emails I get has been cut significantly. Some of the emails like petitions and other stuff I wouldn't mind still getting. I've contributed in the past to both as well as a lot to the campaign for Obama.

[sheshe2]

37. K&R!

[whathehell]

39. Chuck Schumer absolutely destroyed Jeremy "I so much look like a tust rund baby" Peters this am

on Morning Joke.

Schumer may be a blue dog, but he's a pro.

[TBF]

40. Important OP. K&R nt

[ProSense]

41. Harry Reid is still

playing a big part.

Charles Koch whines in WSJ op-ed
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024774266

[bluemarkers]

44. living in NC tv commercial hell

first, I'm so glad I don't watch a lot of TV, but when I do it's full of negative ads about Obamacare funded by the Kochs.

second, the ads that are running against Thom "where did I go to school" Tillis links him directly to the Kochs

third, I'm already tired of the political ads! It's freaking April

Sadly, I had a conversation with a young kid who works at Target. He said something to the effect that the Koch's have more to lose so they should have more influence.... omg. I tried to explain that with their wealth they will never loose, That working people will continue to lose (minimum wage, medical care, retirement etc) if they continue to influence - don't know if I made my point but that's the point that needs to be made. This was before the SCOTOS ruling.

[CanonRay]

45. Why not fight back...there's nothing to lose.

What, are the Koch bros going to get mad at us?

[dhill926]

47. well….

they could withhold all their toilet paper…..

[Doctor_J]

48. It only took them months to decide to fight back!

I wonder why they are this century's Washington Generals?

[Eleanors38]

49. Democrats Touch Wires Together: Discover Spark

[SomethingFishy]

62. +1

If this is what they consider making progress, you know, using common sense, then we are in worse shape than I thought.

[BumRushDaShow]

50. The truth will set you free. nt

[Sarah Ibarruri]

56. Perfect! nt

[Veilex]

58. "Democrats are seeking to make villains of the reclusive billionaires..."

You can't make the Koch brothers into villains... they've already done it.

They ARE villains. Or at the very least villainous.

They've done enormous amounts of damage to our country.

[Jamaal510]

59. Exactly what I was thinking. nt

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

61. Time for American spring?

[Cha]

64. mahalo apple!

[applegrove]

70. Hey Cha!

[B Calm]

66. Republicans hate working people!

[alfredo]

69. Found this on Facebook

[Liberal_in_LA]

71. kick

[Aerows]

72. I'm absolutely certain

that Romney's problem is that he is Mitt Romney. The man is so wooden, I'm pretty sure he pisses sawdust.