Liberal critics of Koch brothers ignore their philanthropy

Washington Times ^ | 03/22/2014 | Deroy Murdock

[SeekAndFind]

Do monsters get any meaner than Godzilla and King Kong? You bet. Charles and David Koch are ginormous and superbad. Just ask Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid.

“These two brothers,” the Nevadan said Feb. 26 on the Senate floor, “are about as un-American as anyone that I can imagine.”

Hedge fund billionaire and Democratic campaign contributor Tom Steyer told this month’s Men’s Journal that David Koch is “just a famously evil person.”

“They make up the heart and the thinking in the minds of those who would belong to the Ku Klux Klan,” singer-activist Harry Belafonte fumed last November. “They are white supremacists. They are men of evil. They have names the Koch brothers — that’s their name.”

The Kochs’ critics are free to disagree with the Kansas industrialists and their libertarian ideas. However, most who despise the Kochs would be shocked by what these “greedy capitalists” do with their profits, beyond campaign donations.

For starters, the Kochs support university programs and think tanks that try “to understand the nature of human freedom and how that freedom leads to prosperity,” as the Charles Koch Foundation explains. The foundation underwrites research and teaching at Brown, Mount Holyoke, Sarah Lawrence, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Vassar, and some 245 other colleges. This includes a speaker series, reading group and essay contest at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in Harry Reid’s home state. Koch Industries (which offers same-sex spousal benefits to its legally married employees) also donated $814,000 to the Kansas State University Office of Diversity to assist “historically under-represented students.”

The Kochs fund cures and treatments. David Koch survived a 1991 plane crash that killed 34 people, including everyone else in first class. He soon was diagnosed with, and then endured, prostate cancer. These challenges reinforced his passion for medical philanthropy.

[SeekAndFind]

[FlingWingFlyer]

The Alinskyites are just looking for more targets. Their taking potshots at the TEA Party all the time is getting old.

[rktman]

Dang. Time for another drink. From an earlier post:

http://americanthinker.com/blog/2014/03/is_it_time_for_a_koch_brothers_dinking_game_yet.html

;>}

[Lets Roll NOW]

If you fund Freedom you are a target.

Notice how evil people call good people evil. Look in the mirror Harry Reid if you want to see evil.

[MrEdd]

Not that the truth matters.

[politisite]

And then there was that Debunk WaPo article that claimed the Koch brothers owned major Canadian Oil Sands leases: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/03/washington-post-falls-for-left-wing-fraud-embarrasses-itself.php

[politisite]

Yeah.. but the Koch Bros are evil -

$15 million to New York-Presbyterian’s Weill Cornell Medical Center
$30 million to Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
$25 million to the Hospital for Special Surgery
$20 million to a dinosaur exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History
$65 million to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
$100 million to the Lincoln Center theater that is home to the New York City Ballet and the New York City Opera.

(Source: New York Post)

[Chode]

y.

Rank	Organization	Total '89-'14	Dem %	Repub %	Tilt
1	ActBlue	$97,433,753	99%	0%
2	American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees	$60,949,129	81%	1%
3	National Education Assn	$58,587,238	56%	4%
4	AT&T Inc	$56,772,482	41%	57%
5	National Assn of Realtors	$51,431,322	44%	47%
6	Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers	$45,162,930	92%	2%
7	Goldman Sachs	$44,957,516	53%	44%
8	United Auto Workers	$41,665,653	71%	0%
9	Carpenters & Joiners Union	$39,800,371	74%	9%
10	Service Employees International Union	$38,454,790	84%	2%
11	Laborers Union	$37,929,860	84%	7%
12	American Federation of Teachers	$36,718,575	89%	0%
13	Teamsters Union	$36,155,707	88%	5%
14	Communications Workers of America	$36,073,135	87%	0%
15	JPMorgan Chase & Co	$34,577,982	48%	51%
16	United Food & Commercial Workers Union	$33,876,350	86%	0%
17	United Parcel Service	$32,469,632	35%	64%
18	Citigroup Inc	$32,346,892	48%	50%
19	National Auto Dealers Assn	$32,136,910	31%	68%
20	American Bankers Assn	$31,365,002	36%	63%
21	EMILY's List	$31,362,908	98%	0%
22	Machinists & Aerospace Workers Union	$31,356,147	98%	1%
23	AFL-CIO	$30,981,527	61%	3%
24	American Medical Assn	$30,028,079	40%	59%
25	Microsoft Corp	$29,394,945	55%	43%
26	National Beer Wholesalers Assn	$29,240,010	35%	64%
27	Blue Cross/Blue Shield	$28,845,378	36%	63%
28	General Electric	$28,031,423	47%	51%
29	National Assn of Home Builders	$27,583,880	34%	65%
30	Lockheed Martin	$27,459,523	42%	56%
31	Bank of America	$27,010,428	41%	57%
32	National Assn of Letter Carriers	$26,211,359	84%	9%
33	Morgan Stanley	$26,096,380	42%	56%
34	Verizon Communications	$25,552,735	40%	58%
35	Deloitte LLP	$25,198,883	35%	63%
36	Time Warner	$24,496,722	72%	25%
37	Plumbers & Pipefitters Union	$24,405,648	84%	4%
38	Newsweb Corp	$24,387,371	41%	0%
39	Credit Union National Assn	$24,270,155	47%	51%
40	Altria Group	$23,886,398	28%	71%
41	Ernst & Young	$23,350,168	42%	57%
42	Operating Engineers Union	$23,228,173	82%	14%
43	American Hospital Assn	$23,071,901	52%	46%
44	International Assn of Fire Fighters	$23,002,060	79%	16%
45	Sheet Metal Workers Union	$22,554,778	95%	2%
46	PricewaterhouseCoopers	$22,529,796	35%	64%
47	American Dental Assn	$21,940,258	44%	54%
48	Boeing Co	$21,664,282	46%	52%
49	UBS AG	$21,463,722	40%	58%
50	Comcast Corp	$20,736,760	57%	42%
51	AFLAC Inc	$19,862,059	43%	56%
52	National Rifle Assn	$19,819,553	17%	82%
53	Pfizer Inc	$19,817,239	35%	64%
54	Air Line Pilots Assn	$19,782,547	82%	17%
55	Northrop Grumman	$19,758,351	42%	57%
56	Union Pacific Corp	$19,711,718	27%	72%
57	Honeywell International	$19,592,047	44%	54%
58	Natl Assn/Insurance & Financial Advisors	$19,355,124	41%	58%
59	Koch Industries	$18,139,448	8%	91%
60	American Postal Workers Union	$18,071,408	86%	2%
61	FedEx Corp	$17,717,593	39%	60%
62	American Assn for Justice	$17,714,358	81%	3%
63	Ironworkers Union	$17,482,940	92%	6%
64	Club for Growth	$17,425,010	0%	95%
65	Credit Suisse Group	$17,269,890	41%	57%
66	United Transportation Union	$17,198,250	87%	11%
67	Raytheon Co	$17,059,996	44%	55%
68	New York Life Insurance	$17,000,487	49%	50%
69	General Dynamics	$16,714,927	46%	53%
70	National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn	$16,710,813	47%	52%
71	United Steelworkers	$16,566,444	98%	0%
72	Akin, Gump et al	$16,540,037	61%	37%
73	National Air Traffic Controllers Assn	$16,081,050	78%	20%
74	American Institute of CPAs	$16,052,055	41%	58%
75	Chevron	$15,868,664	19%	64%
76	Anheuser-Busch	$15,718,463	47%	51%
77	Reynolds American	$15,583,198	22%	77%
78	National Cable & Telecommunications Assn	$15,551,560	47%	52%
79	Exxon Mobil	$15,256,487	13%	85%
80	KPMG LLP	$15,192,828	34%	65%
81	Wal-Mart Stores	$14,998,099	32%	67%
82	DLA Piper	$14,925,792	68%	31%
83	Merrill Lynch	$14,864,717	37%	62%
84	GlaxoSmithKline	$14,647,293	30%	69%
85	CSX Corp	$14,400,761	34%	65%
86	Walt Disney Co	$14,141,782	68%	30%
87	News Corp	$14,067,983	58%	41%
88	American Financial Group	$13,986,255	15%	73%
89	Indep Insurance Agents & Brokers/America	$13,841,700	34%	64%
90	American Health Care Assn	$13,807,478	51%	48%
91	Wells Fargo	$13,686,673	36%	62%
92	Associated Builders & Contractors	$13,665,082	1%	98%
93	Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance	$13,629,254	38%	60%
94	University of California	$13,613,133	89%	9%
95	American Crystal Sugar	$13,443,709	62%	37%
96	American Society of Anesthesiologists	$13,385,537	41%	58%
97	WPP Group	$13,260,747	53%	45%
98	Southern Co	$13,103,439	28%	70%
99	Prudential Financial	$13,097,716	49%	50%
100	National Restaurant Assn	$12,621,431	16%	83%
101	Securities Industry & Financial Mkt Assn	$12,451,748	40%	59%
102	Human Rights Campaign	$12,227,659	89%	8%
103	American Optometric Assn	$12,142,933	57%	41%
104	MetLife Inc	$12,064,711	51%	47%
105	Home Depot	$11,953,260	25%	74%
106	American Academy of Ophthalmology	$11,940,708	50%	49%
107	Natl Active & Retired Fed Employees Assn	$11,802,200	78%	21%
108	Saban Capital Group	$11,715,072	89%	0%
109	Eli Lilly & Co	$11,653,605	31%	67%
110	United Technologies	$11,635,694	45%	52%
111	General Motors	$11,382,472	38%	60%
112	Associated General Contractors	$11,313,897	14%	85%
113	National Assn of Broadcasters	$11,290,655	44%	55%
114	Painters & Allied Trades Union	$11,279,480	85%	12%
115	American Maritime Officers	$11,072,831	46%	53%
116	UST Inc	$10,930,093	22%	77%
117	Ford Motor Co	$10,857,519	39%	60%
118	Skadden, Arps et al	$10,738,441	77%	22%
119	BellSouth Corp	$10,681,784	43%	56%
120	Exelon Corp	$10,597,720	43%	56%
121	AIG	$10,549,871	49%	50%
122	Seafarers International Union	$10,493,915	83%	16%
123	Independent Community Bankers of America	$10,440,535	42%	57%
124	National Cmte to Preserve Social Security & Medicare	$10,414,606	82%	17%
125	Amway/Alticor Inc	$10,400,413	0%	97%
126	Freddie Mac	$10,295,909	43%	56%
127	MBNA Corp	$10,282,913	16%	83%
128	Patton Boggs LLP	$10,164,706	72%	27%
129	American Airlines	$10,107,131	43%	55%
130	American Trucking Assns	$9,989,648	27%	72%
131	Blackstone Group	$9,903,753	45%	51%
132	American Physical Therapy Assn	$9,833,983	49%	50%
133	Lehman Brothers	$9,711,364	52%	46%
134	National Fedn of Independent Business	$9,640,533	6%	93%
135	Amalgamated Transit Union	$9,571,618	93%	6%
136	Greenberg Traurig LLP	$9,567,253	62%	37%
137	Transport Workers Union	$9,549,899	95%	4%
138	American Council of Life Insurers	$9,470,228	38%	61%
139	Harvard University	$9,456,565	87%	12%
140	Archer Daniels Midland	$9,411,817	42%	57%
141	Aircraft Owners & Pilots Assn	$9,377,913	43%	56%
142	Fannie Mae	$9,140,477	53%	46%
143	National Rural Letter Carriers Assn	$9,059,600	71%	27%
144	Wachovia Corp	$8,575,944	30%	69%
145	National Cmte for an Effective Congress	$8,447,690	99%	0%
146	Interpublic Group	$8,272,933	65%	33%
147	Marine Engineers Beneficial Assn	$8,177,679	73%	25%
148	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$7,943,399	23%	76%
149	MCI Inc	$7,659,226	45%	54%
150	Bear Stearns	$7,280,973	55%	43%
151	BP	$6,922,020	30%	69%
152	Enron Corp	$6,544,528	28%	71%
153	Andersen	$6,267,045	37%	62%
154	Vivendi	$6,048,917	60%	33%
155	MGM Resorts International	$5,906,055	45%	47%
156	Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp	$5,089,791	39%	60%

[jz638]

I’m not a fan of the tactic of trying to deflect attacks about a company/organization/person’s main business by playing up unrelated charitable activities. There is nothing wrong with their main business activities, making profits, or supporting political candidates. There is all manner of something wrong with the senate majority leader effectively accusing the Kochs of sedition from the senate floor. If a political party will stoop to this level to defame wealthy citizens who have the means to fight back, what do you think they will do with us nobodies who can’t afford a full page ad in the new york times.

[BreezyDog]

There are 4 Koch brothers. They give tons of money to democrats.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Time for another drink.”

No, time for another “dink!”

[rktman]

LOL! Did you see the first/original post this morning? The title did say “...dinking game.” and the author’s name came out as Thomkas Lifson. So, who’s been getting a head start on the Koch brothers drinking game. Oh, wait maybe you did see the first one. LOL!

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I did see the first one! 8^)

[xkaydet65]

This actually goes well beyond the Koch Bros. Angered by charitable giving. The Left will claim, and the media will parrot, that the Kochs and others are avoiding taxes with their donations. They never address the fact that the deduction is one third of the actual amount and that the donor does not keep the other two thirds. Their complaint is that the donor is deciding where his money will be spent. And every good Progressive believes only the Progressive Elites in govt should decide where money is to be used and spent. Someone on Huff Post even openly advocated ending the deduction for charity, not because it would recoup the one third but because it would defund those institutions not deemed worthy and allow govt to spend where it pleased.

[politisite]

Lets see who else avoids taxes by charitable donations... Seems now that Obama is making a hefty income he now gives more than his 22% of his income to charity... prior he gave around 2%... Now what would be the reason for that 20% increase in giving? Oh, yes, I know... he evolved!

[rktman]

Yeah, that kinda dawned on me as I finished. ;>}

[SunkenCiv]

related: What is it with Democrats attacking Republicans’ service to the nation?

[Berosus]

As if we didn’t already have plenty of reasons to detest Harry Reid! Now it appears he is an anti-Semite, too.

[Amagi]

In certain Circles of the Insane you may have seen that smear financier George Soros (Dr. Evil) is actually described as a “philanthropist” as well.