At an EPA hearing last summer, representatives from Koch Industries argued that moderate levels of the toxic chemical dioxin should not be designated as a cancer risk for humans. Full Story »
Posted by Jon Mitchell - via Ron Steffens (t)
“Koch’s web of influence “is everything a good story can be because it just "is". It's hard to imagine a story that is so expansive that it touches on the topics of ethanol, toxic waste, global warming and low carbon fuel standards, energy industry tax breaks, Bush tax cuts, terrorism and national security, and financial regulation all through the lobbying efforts of one corporation. I think the best way for me to describe this article is that it is an example of excellent forensic journalism. Step-by-step and layer by layer the lobbying efforts of Koch industries are exposed to the reader leaving nothing to the imagination and providing a greater understanding of what is really at stake. It is one of those rare stories that provides the facts without hysteria or hyperbole making it a must read.
While I was reading this article I kept thinking of an article that recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal where David Koch was lamenting the fact that he felt completely misunderstood. After all he and his brother are great philanthropist and it completely baffles him that he is seen as some sort of Machiavellian corporate pirate or sociopath that is only interested in his own personal well-being. I think what is important to the Koch brothers and the way they see things is that this is just business and business is about making money there is nothing personal about it. None of this becomes really disturbing until you look at the mindset that is being created today which is that it is not only a personal imperative but it is a religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical imperative that we increase our own personal wealth regardless of its effects on those around us. The poor and destitute are that way because they choose to be, global warming is not a problem because we can learn how to live with it or engineer a way around it. Besides what difference does it make as many multinational corporations are fine with the prospect of getting paid to destroy the environment because they will be the same ones getting paid while they try to reverse the damage that they have done.