David Koch breaks from GOP on gay marriage, taxes, defense cuts

[highplainsdem]

Source: Politico

TAMPA, Fla. – Billionaire industrialist David Koch, who is helping steer millions of dollars to elect Mitt Romney and congressional Republicans, on Thursday told POLITICO he disagrees with the GOP’s stance on gay marriage and believes the U.S. needs to consider raising taxes to balance the budget.

Koch, who is serving as a delegate to the Republican National Convention from New York, spoke to POLITICO after delivering brief remarks at a reception held in his honor him by Americans for Prosperity, the political advocacy group he chairs and has helped fund.

The 1980 vice presidential nominee for the socially liberal – but fiscally conservative – Libertarian Party, Koch told POLITICO “I believe in gay marriage” when asked about the GOP’s stance on gay rights.

-snip-

Koch said he thinks the U.S. military should withdraw from the Middle East and said the government should consider defense spending cuts, as well as possible tax increases to get its fiscal house in order – a stance anathema to many in the Republican Party.

-snip-



Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80483.html

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He still thinks that "probably every federal department has to take cuts."

But now that he's said that "it’s going to require some tax increases" to balance the budget, there will be Republican heads exploding all over.

Starting with Grover Norquist's.

[banned from Kos]

1. Kochs are supporters of the ACLU as well

I also donate to the ACLU (full disclosure).

[DainBramaged]

3. As well as public TeeVee, maybe he had a moment of mortality finally

[Comrade_McKenzie]

29. Now their Citizens United stance makes sense. nt

[cyclezealot]

32. Could it be the Koch's are less crazy than Grover Norquist.

Norquist thinks he's the one who owns the Repukes. Could there be a fight between Grover and the Koch's. ? What the Koch's biggest concern is the EPA. They will not want to have to pay for all that Canadian crude poisoning the Ogallala Aquifer in Nebraska.
Just because the Koch's might go for a slight increase in income taxes on the rich. I'd wager they will fight tooth and nail to stop Obama's 5% increase in capital gains. That is the means by which the rich only pay 15% on average on their income.

[Hells Liberal]

2. Don't believe him! It's gotta be a trick!

Seriously, it sounds to me like he's on a public relations push to make himself seem more like he shares some progressive views or to look like he identifies more with the American people.

He's still a scumbag.

[safeinOhio]

4. If he'd throw a couple hundred million to

Obama's campaign, I might believe it.

[oldsarge54]

5. Actually, this makes sense

The Original Tea Partys were about taxes and smaller government. Then the social conservatives attempted to hijack the Tea Party and were partically successful. The reflects the long standing unholy marraige between the main Republican Party and the Moral Majority, and decendants.

[cyclezealot]

33. The real power in the GOP is the US Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber is less nuts than the tea people. In the end the Tea people will one day learn, they've been had by the Chamber. The Chamber being the defender of monopoly. When and will the chamber exert their power over their tar baby, the Tea people in order to not push the country over the cliff.

[oldsarge54]

34. Funny thing

You do know the biggest opponent to e-verify is the chamber of commerce.

[cyclezealot]

35. when it comes to their support of monopoly vs competitive Industry.

the Chamber will side in with the monopolists.

[oldsarge54]

44. No Disagrement from Me

Of course not! That has been the Republican ideal since 1870, starting with helping railroads out.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

6. "some tax increases"

Most likely on things like gasoline, tobacco and alcohol. That's the same trick Bush I used to cover the cost of cutting taxes on expensive cars, jewelry and boats. Don't be surprised if "some tax increases" also means "middle class paying their fair share". I'd be absolutely dumbfounded if his "some tax increases" included hikes for millionaires or corporations.

[magic59]

15. repukes are big on taxing pensions also

[polichick]

7. Hard to believe after all the whoring the GOP has done for him.

[otohara]

8. Why Didn't He Spend Millions in NC

or CA when they were having a vote on gay marriage?

He's a liar like the rest of them

[Poll_Blind]

9. And Sheldon Adelson describes himself as a "social liberal" and is pro-choice. No foolin. (VIDEO)

PB

[Lint Head]

10. I don't give a rat's ass what this piece of excrement likes or dislikes. He is a manipulative

control freak who is responsible for major pollution and support of a President who tortured and murdered innocent human beings.

[alp227]

11. +++++!!!

My thoughts exactly. His support for these issues doesn't change any of the bad things Koch Industries have done to the world.

[AllyCat]

17. Now I see your post. Said about the same downstream.

He's a complete jerk and if we agree on this one little thing, it does not make up for the cruelty he has inflicted on the American people by poisoning our entire political system. May he rot in hell.

[cstanleytech]

12. Considering its Koch though he probably meant tax hikes on the middle class only. nt

[BadGimp]

13. IT'S A TRAP!

[GEOpix]

14. Look at the entire picture...

The republicans have proposed such a draconian agenda to this point that it's hard for the majority of Americans not to be concerned, and turned off. All of a sudden we are seeing an attempt all across the Republican party to put on a human face for the time remaining until the election. If David Koch was the only one, I might give it some credence, but when they all start doing it simultaneously, it's a tactic. My belief is that IT'S A TACTIC!!!

[AllyCat]

16. The Republicans don't mind tax increases on the poor and middle class

so it will all be fine.

The Kochs are slime. I really don't care how they think about gay rights because they do so much harm to all people, including LGBTs.

I am completely opposed to the Republican platform, including gay rights, but just don't give a rat's behind about what this f*ck thinks.

[Kingofalldems]

18. He's the Good Cop today.

These people must have some diabolical plans in store.

[nanabugg]

19. Don't believe any of it. If it's true he must just dislike Obama for other reasons. nt

[heaven05]

20. so

your billions has helped to make the statement, "the damage is done" true. who gives a damn what you're against you repig bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DissidentVoice]

21. Norquist is going to crap himself

Grover Norquist is the real power behind the GOP...and has coerced so many of them into his Faustian "bargain."

In the end, I think most of them are going to listen to Norquist because he has them all by the short and curlies.

[wordpix]

41. no, Norquist is not the "real power behind the GOP" - money is

That is so obvious.

[wordpix]

42. In a future millennium, people will be wondering why in our age the rich worshipped pieces of paper

If you think about it, it's crazy

[DissidentVoice]

43. It is crazy

Correct. It's crazy.

However, Norquist has so many of the Republican elected representatives on his leash, one has to wonder how and why he got them there.

He's a modern-day Rasputin.

[wordpix]

45. Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform has "nonprofit" status although it's a political org funded by

the 1%. http://www.atr.org/ This group is about as nonprofit as Faux News. It's another RW media moneymaking machine.

Go to the ATR website and you'll see it can accept donations as a 501 c-3 non profit org. Also, the ATR "nonprofit affiliates" for various issues are all under the same umbrella---click "contact" for each indiv. "group" and the contact info is the same as ATR's.

IOW, Norquist has no magical power, he GETS his power from the 1% RW that funds his org and his website as a "nonprofit," so any money they make they can plow back into their propaganda machine or donate to the secret Superpacs.

I really hope IRS takes a look at this complete bullshit "nonprofit."

[DissidentVoice]

47. I have long wondered...

I have long wondered how an unelected demagogue like Norquist has come to have such power (if only in shaping opinions) over nearly an entire political party.

[tomm2thumbs]

22. I guess he DOESN'T put his money where his MOUTH is... literally

Did a child recently come out of the closet?

Seems to have that effect on people... suddenly it is about THEM instead of someone else... so very Republican

[MADem]

23. Is he having a Lee Atwater moment? Some medical issue?

Can't take it with ya, Dave...!!!

[and-justice-for-all]

24. WOW, that is a serious fucking blow to the repukes teahadist..

I fucking love it.

[blkmusclmachine]

25. Suuuuuuuuuuuure he does:

[silvershadow]

26. Sure he did. See? He hasn't purchased anything...He too has disagreements

with himself.

[aquart]

27. How generous that he's willing to allow us something.

85% from all sources after first seven million. Same on inheritance. Make a sacrifice for your country.

[olddad56]

28. I think he is lying in an attempt to offset his sinister personna.

the corporate pigs will say and do anything to they have to.

[Jamaal510]

30. ;

[IMG][/IMG]

[rks306]

31. Koch actually said that

Well, the next thing he will say is that he wants Obama reelected.

[Lunabelle]

36. What?

Well, shut my mouth. He just want to pollute our planet without regulations, but on the other shit, he's A-ok? Wow, what a strange mind.

[Javaman]

37. did he say exactly who he wants taxes to be raised on?

the mantra of the right wing has always been to raise taxes, but on the middle and lower class, never on the rich.

and far as him now coming out in favor of gay rights, I think that's a balloon he's floating to see how fast his paid politicians jump.

if none bite, he won't say anything and slink back into the control room of his corporate machine to pull more levers and squeeze out more money. He doesn't care. and making the mistake that he suddenly does, would be complete stupidity on our part.

[bamacrat]

38. In the words of Charles Barkley "I vote republican because I'm rich."

[wordpix]

39. gee all these prounouncements sound like the Dems' - he should start spreading his millions for O

[Cannikin]

40. The Shadow President has spoken...

n/t

[turtlerescue1]

46. So glad to finally find something of this.

Thanks highplainsdem.

Up until your post all I had heard was on ThomHartmann today, that Grover and David Koch are not seeing eye-to-eye.

Have wondered with SO many names and egos involved if there wouldn't be some controversies among the repiglicans. Too many cooks. Okay, too many CROOKS, hard to be any honor among that many theives, sheisters and moneylovers.

Still I would trust them as far as I can throw my vehicle.

What I still don't get is the motives of the Catholic church and the Fundies being openly in bed with these folks. Time will tell eh?