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U.S. economic prosperity demands more freedom (by CHARLES KOCH)
Kansas City Red Star ^ | May 20, 2011 | CHARLES KOCH

Posted on 05/20/2011 5:57:19 AM PDT by Second Amendment First

My brother David and I have long supported the principles that help societies prosper. I have actively done so for nearly 50 years, as has my brother for more than 40.

Recently, we have stepped up our efforts to deal with enormous threats to the future well-being of the country. This has prompted some extreme criticism. From the White House to fringe bloggers, we are vilified, mischaracterized and threatened.

In a perverse way, these attacks indicate we are having a positive effect on public awareness and policymaking. It’s why we are working even harder to advance economic freedom and prosperity.

We do so because we believe economic freedom is essential for improving the well-being of society as a whole, especially those who work hard to provide for their families, as well as our most vulnerable. History and sound theory are clear on this point. If we allow our government to waste scarce resources and become the ultimate decision-maker, almost everyone will suffer a lower standard of living.

For evidence, look at what ethanol policies have done to fuel and food prices. And who is hurt most by higher prices? Working men and women, and the less fortunate.

Our government made a point of reforming its welfare policies for individuals but not for corporations. Cap-and-trade proposals, the health care bill, federal bailouts and so-called “green” subsidies all favor a few businesses (usually large ones) at the expense of consumers, taxpayers and most other companies.

Unfair programs that favor certain companies — such as the current well-intentioned but misguided suggestion that the natural gas industry should receive enormous new subsidies — don’t just happen. They are promoted, in large part, by those seeking to profit politically, rather than by competing in a market where consumers vote with their wallets.

(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:
We need voters, leaders and businesspeople to support economic freedom. If we all depend on the government for everything, who will provide all the goods and services our government promises?

A recent cartoon illustrated this well. The king announces that from now on there will be free health care, housing, clothing, food and jobs for everybody. To which a peasant responds: “If we’re given all that, why do we need jobs?”


1 posted on 05/20/2011 5:57:21 AM PDT by Second Amendment First
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To: Second Amendment First

Federal Gov’mt...once an asset to the states-which is why the states petitioned to join the union-is in every respect today a liability to the states.


2 posted on 05/20/2011 6:04:16 AM PDT by mo ("If you understand, no explanation is needed; if you do not, no explanation is possible")
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To: mo

“Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success.” Mark Skousen


3 posted on 05/20/2011 6:08:05 AM PDT by SMARTY (Conforming to non-conformity is conforming just the same.)
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To: Second Amendment First

It takes courage to say what he is saying right now. The environment is stinko with pinkos.


4 posted on 05/20/2011 6:08:43 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: mo
I admire his family. The left attacks them like they are in the league of George Soros.

The actually work and run companies not trading to do harm and ACTUALLY pay US Taxes.

In 1988, he was asked to join a takeover attempt of the French bank Société Générale. He declined to participate in the bid but later bought a number of shares in the company. French authorities began an investigation in 1989, and in 2002 a French court ruled that it was insider trading, a felony conviction as defined under French securities laws, and fined him $2.3 million, which was the amount that he made using the insider information.

5 posted on 05/20/2011 6:12:38 AM PDT by scooby321
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To: Second Amendment First

HOW DO WE SUPPORT THESE GUYS?

Do they have businesses we can go to and support? (like an anit-boycott)

Or what?

They deserve all the help we can give them - they are going to get hit by the media while the evil Soros is never mentioned.


6 posted on 05/20/2011 6:17:10 AM PDT by Mr. K (this administration is WEARING OUT MY CAPSLOCK KEY~!! [Palin/Bachman 2012])
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To: Mr. K
HOW DO WE SUPPORT THESE GUYS?

Buy Georgia Pacific and Dixie products!

7 posted on 05/20/2011 6:20:19 AM PDT by papertyger
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To: Second Amendment First

I put my shopping money in their pocket - only buy Brawny, Quilted Northern, Sparkle, Mardi Gras, Dixie.

A very tiny way to say FUBO.


8 posted on 05/20/2011 6:21:13 AM PDT by oldmomster
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To: Mr. K
From wiki:

Among Koch Industries' subsidiaries across various industries[17] are:

Georgia-Pacific paper and pulp company, maker of "Brawny" paper towels, "Angel Soft" toilet paper, "Mardi Gras" napkins and towels, "Quilted Northern" toilet paper and paper towels, "Dixie" paper plates, bowls, napkins and cups, "Sparkle" paper towels, and "Vanity Fair" paper napkins, bowls, plates and tablecloths. The Atlanta-based company has operations in 27 states.[18]

Invista, a polymer and fibers company that makes "Stainmaster" carpet, and "Lycra" fiber, among other products.

Koch Pipeline Company LP, which owns and operates 4,000 miles of pipeline used to transport oil, natural gas liquids and chemicals. Its pipelines are located across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Alberta, Canada. The firm operates offices in Wichita, Kansas, St. Paul, Minnesota and Corpus Christi, Texas.

Flint Hill Resources LP, is a major refining and chemicals company based in Wichita, Kansas. It sells products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, ethanol, polymers, intermediate chemicals, base oils and asphalt. It operates oil refineries in six states. Flint Hill has chemical plants in Illinois, Texas and Michigan. The firm is also a major manufacturer of asphalt used for paving and roofing applications. It operates 13 asphalt terminals located in six states including Alaska (2 terminals), Wisconsin (2), Iowa (3), Minnesota (4), Nebraska (1), and North Dakota(1).[19] The firm manages the purchasing of domestic crude oil from Texas and Colorado offices, has four ethanol plants across Iowa, operates three refineries in Alaska, Texas, and Minnesota, and has a refinery terminal in Alaska. The Minnesota refinery can process 320,000 barrels of crude a day, most of which comes from from Alberta, and handles one quarter of all Tar Sands crude entering the U.S.[20] It also operates fuel terminals in Wisconsin (4 locations), Texas (6), and one each in Iowa and Minnesota.[21]

Koch Fertilizer, LLC, which is one of the world’s largest makers of nitrogen fertilizers.[22] Koch Fertilizer owns or has interests in fertilizer plants the United States, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and Italy, among others.[23][24] In October 2010, a plant in Venezuela was nationalized by the government.[25]

Koch Agricultural Company's Matador Cattle Company division operates three ranches totaling 425,000 acres located in Beaverhead, Montana, Matador, Texas and the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas. There are more than 15,000 head of cattle raised on the ranches.[26]

9 posted on 05/20/2011 6:22:10 AM PDT by Second Amendment First ("Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..." - Thomas Jefferson.)
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To: mo
I have a better example than ethanol to illustrate the problem that I use on my social justice acquaintances.

When government respects the Natural Rights of its citizens, the country will prosper. Between 1800 and 1900 the fed govt was nothing in the lives of most Americans. We went from a largely subsistence agricultural society to a second tier industrial powerhouse.

When government stomps the Natural Rights of it citizens, society will founder and dissolve. In the USSR, the government owned all, including the lives of its citizens, all property, all output, religion, press etc. The system struggled for 70 years until it literally fell apart, not from outside invasion, but from the contradictions imposed on our Natures.

Our gov’t is rapidly losing all legitimacy. Anarchy and ruin are then guaranteed.

10 posted on 05/20/2011 6:30:24 AM PDT by Jacquerie
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To: Jacquerie

“Anarchy and ruin are then guaranteed. ...”

the redundancy of state government is to prevent just that..

The future of the “United States” is pretty bright regardless. In the end....and it WILL happen...is that we will be somewhat less “united” as we currently know it...and more free and prosperous than we can currently imagine. We are watching central Federal Government implode as it can no longer look after its basic interests. The “FBI” cannot even perform its elementary obligations to the government ...which if it had been doing so sometime during the last 20 years the current White House occupant would’ve long ago been locked up long ago!!


11 posted on 05/20/2011 6:38:10 AM PDT by mo ("If you understand, no explanation is needed; if you do not, no explanation is possible")
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To: oldmomster

You’re right - buy those products. Koch Industries is a family-owned business out of Wichita, KS. They were clients of our consulting company back in the late 80’s - good people. Fred, the dad, founded it and now his sons have it - the second largest privately-owned company in the US next to Cargill.

One thing I like about them (that causes the Left to hate them) is they were big in refuting Gore’s man-made global warming myth/propaganda. How come lefties sneer and practically spit when they say “the Koch Brothers” (like they did about GW, Cheney and Haliburton), but have NO problem with the truly evil billionaire, George Soros???


12 posted on 05/21/2011 7:37:29 PM PDT by llandres (Forget the "New America" - restore the original one!!!)
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