The Koch Brothers have decided that South Dakota is not anti-worker enough for their tastes and have decided to open an office in Sioux Falls. This has caused the Senate candidates to start discussing concern (as reported on South Dakota Public Radio) over the influence they might have on the election. Weiland called for candidates to back away from outside influence and raised the biggest concern:
"Their approach to politics is pretty straight-up. If you have a big enough checkbook, you can literally buy yourself a government," Weiland says. "And if they follow their usual pattern here in South Dakota, they could spend literally millions of dollars on this Senate seat."Pressler and Howie also have concerns, but don't think a calling to prevent outside money from influencing South Dakota politics is going to work:
Independent candidate Gordon Howie says he believes outside money is bad for the campaign, but he’s not going to make a declaration. He says money from outside the state already influences South Dakota politics.
"For me to be presumptive enough to think that, by me just calling for big money to stay away, that they’re going to listen to me, are we kidding ourselves? Big money has a real interest in this South Dakota Senate seat," Howie says.I agree with Pressler and Howie. Rounds obviously is not concerned, but there will be no way to keep out outside money from trying to buy the election. The only problem is I think the Koch brothers will be more focused on fighting minimum wage than helping Mike Rounds maintain his crony capitalism support for big oil, EB-5, and other business friendly practices. I think they will be major players in fighting minimum wage initiative.
The Koch Brothers plan for a major spending spree across the nation to influence politics the way they think all of us should live.
The Koch brothers’ main political arm intends to spend more than $125 million this year on an aggressive ground, air and data operation benefiting conservatives, according to a memo distributed to major donors and sources familiar with the group.
The projected budget for Americans for Prosperity would be unprecedented for a private political group in a midterm, and would likely rival even the spending of the Republican and Democratic parties’ congressional campaign arms.
The point of it, Koch said, is that he believes prosperity grows where economic freedom is greatest, where government intervention in business affairs is kept to a minimum. He hopes his ideas will help the country grow, he said. In his interview he emphasized several times that he believes his ideas on economics will help disadvantaged people. Government regulations – including the minimum wage law – tend to hold everyone back, he said.This is the same guy that thinks if you are living on $34,000 a year, you should be thankful. You are one of the richest people in the world! You are one the 1%!
The video, available on YouTube, starts by saying that if you earn more than $34,000, “you are one of the wealthiest 1 percent in the world.” Koch, one of the richest men in the world, acknowledged that assertion might be pounced upon.The only way to cut through the upcoming AFP disinformation campaign is to fight back with activity and providing real facts. It is wrong that any single individuals can have so much influence on a campaign. The difference is that critical thinking people can overcome the money the Koch Brothers will be throwing against the Minimum Wage campaign and Rick Weiland.
You nailed this one.
ReplyDeleteThey are here for the minimum wage first and foremost. In fact, it might be the only reason they will set up shop here.
Like I said last Sunday when I put up the blurb about them coming, they already have a branch office wherever the Republicans caucus in Pierre. Rounds, Noem and Daugaard don't really need the help. The minimum wage fight has the potential to be a much closer fight.