Thursday, April 3, 2014

Charles Koch: I'm Fighting To Restore A Free Society

The central belief and fatal conceit of the current administration is that you are incapable of running your own life, but those in power are capable of running it for you. This is the essence of big government and collectivism.

Writes Charles Koch in today's Wall Street Journal. (It appears not to be locked behind a paywall, at least for now.)
 Instead of encouraging free and open debate, collectivists strive to discredit and intimidate opponents. They engage in character assassination. (I should know, as the almost daily target of their attacks.) This is the approach that Arthur Schopenhauer described in the 19th century, that Saul Alinsky famously advocated in the 20th, and that so many despots have infamously practiced. Such tactics are the antithesis of what is required for a free society—and a telltale sign that the collectivists do not have good answers.
Koch responded to the attacks from Harry Reid, et. al., with a clear explanation of what he has done and why he has done it.  He sounds libertarian, in the good sense of the meaning.
Far from trying to rig the system, I have spent decades opposing cronyism and all political favors, including mandates, subsidies and protective tariffs—even when we benefit from them. I believe that cronyism is nothing more than welfare for the rich and powerful, and should be abolished.
Opposing cronyism, political favors, mandates, subsidies, protective tariffs, welfare for the rich -  how could liberals not like that?  It aligns with things liberals and progressives say they want.

The article goes on to describe Koch Industries, its size, its record of environmental awards, and so on.   It is an interesting article written by a man we never hear from, and who has been demonized by those on the left who need a straw enemy.

11 comments:

The Dude said...

George Soros was not available for comment.

Shouting Thomas said...

The Koch Bros employ more than 10,000 people in good jobs.

I've never seen private individuals demonized by their own government in this way.

You'd think the Koch Bros were Satan to judge by the lefty commentary I read.

Preposterous stuff.

bagoh20 said...

These are the answers, and this is the tone long needed by the GOP. Listen up boys. This is what will win and then succeed afterward.

Fr Martin Fox said...

ST:

It's not only preposterous, it's a disgrace. It's wrong.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

This chart pretty much nails why the left fears these guys so much.

The arguments for what they want to do can only succeed when the alternative is silenced. Because their cause, at heart, is antithetical to what America is about.

Leftist arguments cant stand up on its own.

Fr Martin Fox said...

FWIW, I am waiting for some leftie to claim my views on the Kochs -- and the recent Supreme Court ruling protecting free speech -- are about helping "my side."

I disagree with the Kochs on several things...

And the recent court decision will likely help the unions more than anyone.

ricpic said...

I don't get the reference to Artie Schopenhauer. As I understand it Artie published his great tome, The World as Will and Idea (I think that's the title) in his twenties and it sank without making a ripple. So he went off and buried himself in some provincial German town for the next forty years until it, his tome, was rediscovered and then he could play The Great Man, which he did. So maybe he became paranoid during all those years of obscurity and thought they were out to get him when he was just being ignored.

Unknown said...

I've never seen private individuals demonized by their own government in this way.


The modern democrat party have turned into something amazingly sinister.

Unknown said...

Harry Reid(D) is a corrupt disgrace and should be removed from office. He should also be indicted put on trial and found guilty of money laundering, nepotism, and corruption.

Unknown said...

Harry Reid IS cronyism.

edutcher said...

Like Miss Sarah, Koch has the Lefties' number ("The central belief and fatal conceit of the current administration is that you are incapable of running your own life, but those in power are capable of running it for you." "Instead of encouraging free and open debate, collectivists strive to discredit and intimidate opponents. They engage in character assassination." "a telltale sign that the collectivists do not have good answers" ).

People like him are their worst nightmare.