One of two foremost issues at the Vail summit was the need to win the White House in the coming election. Charles Koch said, “We've had a lot of tough battles. We've lost a lot over the years and we've won some recently. Set the stage for, as I've said, the ‘mother of all battles’ coming up a year from November, and I've pledged to all of you who've stepped forward and are partnering with us that we are absolutely going to do our utmost to invest this money wisely and get the best possible payoff for you in the future of our country.” The other issue was the matter of the media. Charles Koch, in introducing guest speaker former New Jersey Superior Court judge and libertarian Fox News host Andrew P. Napolitano, began, "We've talked about our competitive disadvantage, how we're overwhelmed in a number of areas," Koch said. "One of those areas, of course, is the media, and we're overwhelmed. The media is 90-plus percent against us. But we have a few bright stars, and Judge [Napolitano] here is one of them.” Following the controversial and outspoken Judge Napolitano’s speech, Charles Koch re-mounted the stage and began to wind up the affair, again petitioning for donations. “Because it isn't just your money we need. We need your energy. We have to multiply ourselves. Just as to change the media we just can't have the judge. We need to clone him thousands and thousands-fold. And so…God bless you and God bless America!”
The Koch brothers have every right to speak. They are generous philanthropists who donate millions to charity, and make the charitable donations a private and personal matter. Their political views are extreme but not impossibly so. The concern is with the new thrust on changing the media.
We have witnessed profound changes to our congress, and therefore to our nation, in recent times. Many new era politicians seem to favor corporate power at the expense of individuals. With the allowance of the Supreme Court to unlimited influence on legislators and judges, America now seems in danger of being dominated not by and for the people, but by corporate hierarchy. This is a troubling trend, but if the corporate influence were to extend to and pervade the popular news media, it could be catastrophic. We are fortunate now to have a dedicated and wise media (the possible exception being radio sites) which for the most part report in an unbiased and objective manner. We can allow ourselves to form opinions based on their reporting. We feel we have an accurate interpretation of events, foreign and domestic. If the media says the students in Egypt are seeking freedom and democracy, we allow ourselves to believe that is true. If the media tells us this or that about a political candidate we are fortunate that we can accept their word as truth.
Article comments
1 - Conservablogger
If you are concerned about a 'biased, subjective, and subjugated media', why no mention of George Soros and his ilk? Is that because he's a Liberal/Socialist? To see bias, sir, you should look in a mirror.
2 - Bill
No surprise. Many on the right easily accept propaganda over FACTS. This will widen their echo chamber of distortions and divisive rhetoric.
If the Tea Party was really a grassroots organization, they would be exposing this sort of threat to democracy. Sadly, they have become puppets for shadowy corporate handlers like the Kock Brothers.
3 - Dr Dreadful
@ Conservablogger:
Typical of what passes for political debate in America these days. Rather than address the specifics of any criticism, simply retort, "But what about so-and-so on your side? They're doing the same thing only even worse!"
Might as well just do away with Congress and the media and replace them with the Three Stooges.
4 - zingzing
"Might as well just do away with Congress and the media and replace them with the Three Stooges."
but would it be more entertaining or comedic? that that question must be asked is a condemnation in itself.
congress y media have more varied stories to tell, but the stooges get to the point quicker...
american politics is pretty much evil dead 2 these days, i guess. unknown forces gathering against us, and all we've got is a shotgun, a chainsaw and a holy text to defend ourselves with. our infrastructure has crumbled, we killed grandma, our cars guzzle too much gas, our girlfriend is doing ballet with her severed head out in the woods...
5 - Clavos
My, you're certainly upbeat today, zing...
6 - Dr Dreadful
I remember seeing Evil Dead 2, long ago when the world was young. It was pretty much The Three Stooges with gore.
7 - zingzing
and tree-rape. don't forget the tree-rape. (although the tree-rape was much more rapey in the first one.)
8 - Glenn Contrarian
I think anyone who compares Congress to the Three Stooges and the Evil Dead series owes Hollywood an abject apology. IMO, Larry, Curly, Moe, and Ash and his boomstick could do a much better job than Boehner, Cantor, and company...and all we'd need for the military is King Arthur and his Holy Hand Grenade to defend us against the vorpal bunnies of the world.