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posted by LaminatorX on Wednesday January 28 2015, @05:21AM   Printer-friendly
from the mo-money-mo-problems dept.

Nicholas Confessore reports at the New York Times that the Koch Brothers and their political network plan to spend close to $900 million in the 2016 election, an unparalleled effort by coordinated outside groups to shape a presidential election that is already on track to be the most expensive in history. The group’s budget reflects the rising ambition and expanded reach of the Koch operation, which has sought to distinguish itself from other outside groups by emphasizing the role of donors over consultants and political operatives. Hundreds of conservative donors recruited by the Kochs gathered over the weekend for three days of issue seminars, strategy sessions, and mingling with rising elected officials. These donors represent the largest concentration of political money outside the party establishment, one that has achieved enormous power in Republican circles in recent years. “It’s no wonder the candidates show up when the Koch brothers call,” says David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to Mr. Obama. “That’s exponentially more money than any party organization will spend. In many ways, they have superseded the party.”

Espousing a political worldview that protects free speech and individual and property rights with equal protection for everyone under the law Koch says: “It is up to us. Making this vision a reality will require more than a financial commitment. It requires making it a central part of our lives.” Told of the $889 million goal, Mark McKinnon, a veteran GOP operative who has worked to rally Republican support to reduce the role of money in politics, quipped: “For that kind of money, you could buy yourself a president. Oh, right. That’s the point.”

 
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  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 28 2015, @05:26AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 28 2015, @05:26AM (#138757)
    More for us and less for everyone else!

    When do we want it?

    All the time...

    Who should pay for it?

    Everyone else!
    Starting Score:    0  points
    Moderation   +1  
       Troll=1, Interesting=1, Informative=1, Total=3
    Extra 'Interesting' Modifier   0  

    Total Score:   1  
  • (Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Wednesday January 28 2015, @06:45PM

    by DeathMonkey (1380) on Wednesday January 28 2015, @06:45PM (#138975) Journal

    I was going to say something snarky about gay marriage when I read this line:
     
      with equal protection for everyone under the law
     
    But while trolling for some donation numbers on Google to support my argument I found a few along these lines instead:
     
      David Koch breaks from GOP on gay marriage, taxes, defense cuts [politico.com]
     
    So there, proved myself wrong. (although it could be argued that donating money to the GOP anyway gives them dirty hands)

    • (Score: 2) by hash14 on Thursday January 29 2015, @03:27AM

      by hash14 (1102) on Thursday January 29 2015, @03:27AM (#139087)

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

      So there, proved myself wrong. (although it could be argued that donating money to the GOP anyway gives them dirty hands)

      Well, when you put it that way, they sound like absolute angels!