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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 In many ways, they have superseded the party.”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.”
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday January 28 2015, @12:32PM
This link (admittedly half a decade old) shows its more like millions not billions, at least up to that point, and there is or used to be a huge difference in how they donated money so they were not strictly apples to apples comparison.
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/09/opensecrets-battle-koch-brothers/ [opensecrets.org]
One thing I don't really understand is most americans don't make a choice and that number is collapsing every year, looking at measures of extreme-ism and party affiliation. Much like the collapse of rome where everybody belonged to the blues or the greens. Anyway the point I'm making is superficially the number of voters who make a decision has declined from like 20% of voters who are 50% of the population, to something like 5% of voters who are 50% of the population. However rather than expenses going down because there's 1/4 as many important voters, the expenses seem to have gone up by a factor of 10x or so. That means they're paying about 40x as much per vote compared to years ago.
What I mean by americans who don't make a choice, or voters who don't matter, is not just the half or so who outright don't vote, but only 5% to 20% are swing voters, and they're the only voters who matter. The sheeple who would vote for a donkey if it were nominated are politically neutered and don't matter because their votes are already owned.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday January 28 2015, @12:51PM
Anyway the point I'm making is superficially the number of voters who make a decision has declined from like 20% of voters who are 50% of the population, to something like 5% of voters who are 50% of the population.
WRT the exact percentages, I think these are pretty accurate, although the pew research link claims a decline from 1/3 to 1/4, the problem is its self reported. So the guy who calls himself a swing voter but always votes for the X party really isn't a swing voter. So I have a strong upper bound based on statistical research, but how much lower reality is from that strong upper boundary is unclear. Unless someone finds a better link to statistical results.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday January 28 2015, @04:57PM
When you realize that no matter whom you vote for, nothing changes, then you're closer to the actual reality in this country and this world. The corporate media is gearing up to present us with part 3 of Clinton vs. Bush, without the slightest acknowledgement that the public is sick to death of this series. It doesn't matter which of them wins. Everyone will lose, because the whole will dissolve in chaos and fire. That might be stayed if the secular equivalent of Pope Francis were elected, but we all, Right and Left, know that won't ever, ever happen.
Washington DC delenda est.