Question for all of you about the Koch Bros and Rachel Maddow...

[jillan]

Did anyone of you ever hear of the Koch Brothers before Rachel spoke about them on one of her shows?

I hadn't.

I have been wondering if we should be thanking Rachel, in part, for the enlightenment that is occurring across our country today. I know that I am.

I love this lady!

[cutlassmama]

1. Rachel is the best!

[RKP5637]

2. Me neither and I love her too! n/t

[DURHAM D]

3. Yes but I am from central Kansas. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Yes I've known of them for years

but I am a Kansan.

[BanzaiBonnie]

15. I've known about their influence for a couple of years

[Cleita]

5. We should not only be thanking Rachel for this

revelation but many others that she digs up on her show. Her connecting the dots between Wackenhut and Walker recently was one of her in depth revelations.

[HopeHoops]

6. Since the teabaggers hit the scene. The Koch-wads funded the astroturf.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. k&r

[BadGimp]

8. Yes but Rachel has shed much needed light on the Plutocratic Predators

The woman is a true American Treasure. And smarter than the next 20 cable talking heads.

Thank you for giving her the credit she so richly deserves.

[dkofos]

9. Heard about them from Thomm Hartmann.

He has been talking about the koch brothers financing the teabaggers
for at least a year.

[jillan]

11. Thom Hartmann is another voice for the truth. I am trying to listen to him more.

I work from home and most of the time I just put on msnbc in the background.
Starting to stream him more often instead.

[hlthe2b]

10. I give Rachel her due, but yes, certainly I'd heard of the Koch Brothers

Thom Hartman and other Air America Radio hosts had certainly discussed them and we had on DU as well over the years.

But, I'm glad to see Rachel Maddow bringing them out from under their well hidden luxury rat holes.

[ChiciB1]

12. Read Several Articles About Them Quite A While Ago...BUT Would Like

to add that Rachel has done a superb job getting THE information out about them. They've been at this for a loooooooong time!!

[Blue_In_AK]

13. All I knew of the Koch Brothers

was that David Koch used to be a sponsor of Bill Moyers Journal, oddly enough. He also sponsors Nova. I guess he wants to own PBS, too, along with the rest of America.

[hlthe2b]

14. I give Rachel her due, but yes, certainly I'd heard of the Koch Brothers

Thom Hartman has long discussed them and their devious role in politics. Other Air America Radio hosts had certainly discussed them and we had on DU as well over the years. Fans of Sam Seder and Janeane Garofalo will likely also recall them discussing them on their old Majority Report, as too, did Marc Maron on his long defunct show, as I recall. Not much ever got past Janeane and certainly not from Thom Hartman. Though I am not much of a Randi Rhodes fan, I am certain she has reported on them as well.

But, I'm glad to see Rachel Maddow bringing them out from under their well hidden luxury rat holes.

[Warpy]

16. Yes, I've been mentioning them here and elsewhere for years

as being the more visible members of a cabal of obscenely rich men who have been trying to steal this country out from under us since the 70s. I kept hoping that people with more resources than I have would pick up on it and out the bastards.

I finally got my wish last year when The New Yorker did an expose on them and Rachel Maddow also picked it up. Now two of the roaches have a bright light shining on them and I'm hoping people with more resources are able to spot the ones still scuttling around in the shadows.

These men always hide behind dummy corporations investing in "conservative" groups pushing outright fascism. I rarely get that upset about men like Limbaugh, Ailes, and even the Bush family. They're all just the hired help.

The expose: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_mayer

If you haven't yet read it, do so.

[jillan]

17. Thanks Warpy - I will!

[PA Democrat]

19. WOW. That is a must-read.

Thank you for the link. I'm sending this out top as many people as possible.

[lunatica]

18. I heard of them when the teabaggers started disrupting the Town Hall meetings

But she may have been talking about them back then too.

[Raine]

20. Yes I had heard of them from a couple years back. nt

[Shagbark Hickory]

21. No. Further evidence the Kohkheads are not controlling media coverage. nt

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

22. They were outed because of Citizens United

flew under the radar prior

[Left coast liberal]

23. Lots of thanks goes to Rachel for many things! What would we do...

...without her?

:)

[WorseBeforeBetter]

24. Yes. "Banana Republicans: How the Right Wing is Turning America into a One-Party State"...

is something I read back in 2005. The Koch brothers are featured, along with the Coors family, the Scaife foundations, the Olin Foundation, and others.

It's a quick, easy read, and very informative.

http://www.amazon.com/Banana-Republicans-Turning-America-One-Party/dp/1585423424

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Y8ZHW4PDL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg

[donheld]

25. That's why I pray for her safety.

[Kat45]

26. Yes, I've known about them for quite some time.

But I've been learning more details lately, and I'm also glad the information is getting out so that more people are learning about these despicable men.

[quiller4]

28. First heard about them 15 years ago or so but hear much more

now that mainstream Republicans turn to them. They were dismissed as wealthy kooks years ago.

[PA Democrat]

29. Which goes to show how far right the Republican party has moved

because the Kochs have not moderated their extreme views.

[eppur_se_muova]

27. Yes, but no one gives them exposure like RM. nt