One has to wonder why the Democrats hate the Koch Brothers so much. I mean, other than they have been publically vilified by the President of the United States in a State of the Union speech....the Senate Majority Leader on the floor of the Senate.....and publically vilified by the V.P. of the United States, and Democrat Senator after Democrat Senator, that is. Most fair-minded people would think it terrible how these citizens of the U.S. have been targeted and publically vilified by the top leaders of this country. The ONLY reason they get vilified, is because they are conservative/Libertarian and NOT Democrat or Socialists. Here's some interesting facts they might want to take into consideration before demonizing these two Americans. These FACTS you will NOT hear on the liberal news: 1) David Koch ran as VP on the Libertarian ticket in 1980. He broke with them in 1984 when they placed on their platform the extreme position of "elimination of all taxes." Since then he's been a Republican, although still participates in Libertarian causes. 2) Americans For Prosperity is not new. It's been around since 2004 and started from the Citizens for a Sound Economy....which split in to AFP and FreedomWorks. Koch has no ties whatsoever to FreedomWorks, but continues as Chairman of the Board for AFP. 3). David Koch sits on the board and donates to the LIBERTARIAN Cato Institute and Reason Foundation. 4) Time Magazine said of the Koch Brothers in a 2011 article, "the brothers' are committed to free-market capitalist principles, the growth and development of their business, their passion for philanthropy, and their support for conservative organizations and political candidates." 5) The Koch Brothers gives million to good causes. Some are even liberal organizations: $185 million to MIT; $100 million for the construction of a research and technology facility for Cancer Research Center. $20 million to John Hopkins University School of Medicine. Financed a building. $30 million to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York $25 million the Univ. of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston $15 million to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center $5 to the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles....to create a center for hearing restoration $25 million to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City $100 million, the largest philanthropic donation in history to the NY-Presbyterian Hospital, beginning a $2 BILLION campaign which will conclude in 2019 to create a new ambulatory care center and renovate the infrastructure of all the hospital's 5 sites. $100 million to renovate NY State Theater in the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts $10 million to renovate the outdoor fountains at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. More than $6 million to the American Ballet Theatre......he's a Trustee. Even a few liberal causes. $7 million to PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) shoe Nova Contributor to the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. $15 million to the American Museum of Natural History In 2012, he contributed $35 million to the Smithsonian to build a new dinosaur exhibition hall at the Natural Museum of Natural History. $68 million to Deerfield Academy's for the construction of the Koch Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology. $10 million to the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he was honored with the Double Helix Medal for Corporate Leadership for supporting research that "improves the health of people everywhere." 87% of David Koch's contributions went to Republicans in 2012.....meaning some did not. Personal Stuff: He went to MIT where he played basketball, average 21 pts per game over 3 years; a school record. He also held the single-game scoring record of 41 pts from 1962 until 2009 when it was eclipsed by Jimmy Bartolotta. Political Views: ---David Koch opposed the Iraq war. --opposed the Affordable Care Act & the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. --Opposed the "war on drugs." --is skeptical about anthropogenic global warming. --is opposed to most of Obama's policies.....saying he's the "most radical president we've ever had as a nation....and has done more damage to the free enterprise system and long-term prosperity than any president we've ever had." Believes Obama is a "hardcore socialist," but is "marvelous at pretending to be something other than that." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_H._Koch
