Paul Ryan’s Koch Problem

Original Link: http://wisconsinjobsnow.org/2012/09/07/paul-ryans-koch-problem/

It should come as no surprise that the Koch brothers are big supporters of Paul Ryan. Koch money has a long history of meddling in Wisconsin politics and Paul Ryan has never had a problem taking money from big businesses. Although his recent run for VP has attracted a lot of attention (money) from Wall St. types like Goldman Sachs, over the years the Koch’s have always been there (with a check) for Paul. Koch’s are the sixth largest all-time Ryan contributor according to the Center for Responsive Politics, and the Koch PAC has given more to Ryan and his PAC (over $100,000) than any other corporate PAC in America.

Moreover, Americans for Prosperity, the Koch founded/funded radical conservative group counts Ryan among their favorite all stars. Ryan not only receives a solid B on his voting record, but whether or not Congresspeople voted for his disastrous budget proposal was one of the determining factors in their scoring.
AFP adds:

Paul Ryan has been a regular participant in AFP rallies and events over the years. Our organization supported his 2010 budget plan and we have been proud to work with him . . .

The group and Ryan are so buddy-buddy he addressed hundreds of their organizers and is one of the few elected officials to have attended the Koch’s semi-annual conferences; where they strategize tactics to bust unions, deny climate change, and cut public services. Essentially, Ryan and AFP have been one and the same since it’s Wisconsin inception. According to the New York Times:

In 2008, the Wisconsin chapter gave Mr. Ryan its annual “Defender of the American Dream” award. Mr. Ryan also began attending the Kochs’ annual donor seminars. Last spring, Mr. Ryan was a speaker at a “Hands Off My Health Care” rally organized by Tea Party leaders outside the Capitol, drawing enthusiastic applause.

It’s worth noting that in 2008 Ryan received that “prestigious” award from none other than Scott Walker, another up and coming Koch sycophant.

Overall, what the Koch’s have managed to achieve is the anointment of their Prince to the top of the ticket and the complete takeover of the Republican party from the bottom up. One need only look at the party AFP had at the Republican National Convention. The event featured politicians bought-and-paid for by Koch money including several Wisconsin friends of Koch: Sen. Ron Johnson, RNC Chair Reince Priebus, Gov. Scott Walker, and Paul Ryan himself.

With AFP having already spent $27 million in anti-Obama ads and the Koch brothers promising to contribute $100 million in this election alone, will they be able to buy more than just the GOP? Will they be able to complete their grand coup and buy the executive and what’s left of the legislative branch as well?

Will America become one nation under Koch? Only if you refuse to fight back. Get involved, or get used to rule by oligarch.