Koch $$ Funds Chorus of Lies on Social Security

Original Link: http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/06/23/koch-fund-chorus-of-lies-on-social-security/

By Mike Hall

There’s a cacophony of misinformation from Fox News, right-wing think tanks and extreme conservative politicians about Social Security. “Privatize it,” they yell. “It’s going broke,” they scream. “Raise the retirement age,” they bellow.

But who is conducting this dissonant symphony? The latest installment of Koch Brothers Exposed from the Brave New Foundation says the baton is being wielded by the David and Charles Koch, the right-wing extremist billionaire brothers who are out to dismantle Social Security, overturn financial regulations, corporate rules, environmental standards, workers’ rights and just about any “evil on the radical right agenda.

When it comes to the attacks on Social Security, “The Koch Brothers Echo Chamber” video shows how $28.4 million of Koch money to think tanks like the Cato Institute ($13.6 million), the Heritage Foundation ($3.4 million) and a host of others has helped produce more than 300 “scholarly” position papers on dismantling Social Security and a choir of economists and political scientists all singing from the same hymnal.

Then campaign contributions to politicians like Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)—$63,000—architect of the Republican budget, House Speaker John “Raise the Retirement Age to 70” Boehner (R-Ohio)—$30,000—and others helps add their voices to off key chorus.

Finally in venues like Fox News, mainstream media and talk radio, they belt out verse after verse of lies about Social Security. Says Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the video:

They’re very effective in getting their positions out into the media, getting on television and people don’t know they represent at an organization heavily funded by [the Kochs]…so you have an echo chamber which starts repeating a lot of misinformation.

You can help change the tune by sharing the “Koch Brothers Echo Chamber” video through Facebook, Twitter and e-mail messages to your friends and colleagues.

For more information, check out the Strengthen Social Security Campaign.

For a humorous look at the Koch brothers, click here to take a look at a video set to the tune—but with far different lyrics—of the classic Coca-Cola commercial, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing.” Here’s a sample:

I’d like to buy the Kochs a world,

So, they’d leave ours alone.

Then go back to Park Avenue

And crawl beneath their stone.