How The Koch Brothers Remade America's Political Landscape

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hide captionDavid Koch is one-half of politically and economically powerful duo known as the Koch brothers. He and his brother, Charles, are tied in sixth place on the list of the wealthiest men on the planet.

David Koch is one-half of politically and economically powerful duo known as the Koch brothers. He and his brother, Charles, are tied in sixth place on the list of the wealthiest men on the planet.

Brothers Charles and David Koch are the subject of the new book Sons of Wichita: How the Koch Brothers Became America's Most Powerful and Private Dynasty. The author, Daniel Schulman, describes the Kochs as having pumped hundreds of millions into remaking the American political landscape, trying to bring their libertarian views into the mainstream.

In addition to backing individual candidates who reflect their views, the Koch brothers have played key roles in the Libertarian Party and in the formation of the Tea Party. Their father, who founded Koch Industries, was also a founding member of the far right group the John Birch Society.

Koch Industries is now the second largest private corporation in the U.S., with $115 billion in annual revenue and a presence in 60 countries. Charles and David are tied in sixth place on the list of the wealthiest men on the planet.

Daniel Schulman is a senior editor in the Washington bureau of Mother Jones, and a founding member of the magazine's investigative journalism team. He tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about how the Kochs have contributed to today's political landscape.

On the Kochs' political stances

Their ideology is very much a libertarian one. They are currently considered Republican kingmakers, but there are really a lot of places where their philosophy doesn't jive with the mainstream Republican one. For instance, they're generally anti-war. They're civil libertarians; they are not social conservatives in any sense of the word. David Koch has said he's pro-gay marriage. You wouldn't see these guys advocating against reproductive rights. The area that is the sweet spot for them with today's GOP is really economic issues, and they are staunch economic conservatives perhaps more hard-line than even the Republican mainstream...Charles has said in past that his view of government is that it really should be a night watchman that only exists to protect private property rights and to preserve the laws of supply and demand.

On the Kochs' political influence

In the Obama era, you've seen their political network grow by leaps and bounds. Part of this was because there was a major conservative backlash to Obama and the Kochs managed to capitalize on that. Part of this, too, was because the Democrats made the Kochs such boogeymen. They essentially drove a lot of Republicans into their arms.

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How The Koch Brothers Remade America's Political Landscape

Libertarian joins 2nd District race

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Hoping to reverse the growth of government and protect personal freedoms, Libertarian Jeff Petermann, of Elkhart, has joined the race for Congress in the 2nd District.

A former Republican who left the party because of what he saw as a slow turn away from conservative principles, Petermann hopes to serve as an alternative to the major party candidates in the race incumbent Republican Jackie Walorski and Democrat Joe Bock.

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Libertarian joins 2nd District race

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – Carnival Adult’s Parade 2014, St. Thomas This Week Magazine – Video

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St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands - Carnival Adult #39;s Parade 2014, St. Thomas This Week Magazine
In this video of the 2014 Carnival Adult #39;s Parade we offer a look into the festive event that took place on May 3, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. This year #39;s carnival theme, "The Biggest...

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St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands - Carnival Adult's Parade 2014, St. Thomas This Week Magazine - Video

SeaYRs -1000 Saturdays 1000 Islands-Part 8-Flyboard-featuring Chelsea Islan – Video

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SeaYRs -1000 Saturdays 1000 Islands-Part 8-Flyboard-featuring Chelsea Islan
SeaYRs - Jetski community Jakarta - First Flyboard in Indonesia second division of YRs - multi automotive club. do you think, you #39;ll live forever ? sg ====================================...

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SeaYRs -1000 Saturdays 1000 Islands-Part 8-Flyboard-featuring Chelsea Islan - Video

Islands vote just one day ahead in European and local elections

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Twelve offshore islands will cast their votes in the European and local elections just one day ahead of the rest of the State. Photograph: Cyril Byrne

Twelve offshore islands will cast their votes in the European and local elections today, just one day ahead of the rest of the State.

Residents of five islands in Donegal South-West, three in Mayo and four in Galway West will vote today, while those living on seven islands in the Cork South-West constituency will vote tomorrow.

The registered electorate on some offshore islands had been required to vote up to three and four days ahead in previous plebiscites. Bone of contention This had been a bone of contention for Comhdhl Oilain na hireann (the Irish Islands Federation), given improved transport services and communications.

The Department of the Environment, which had previously argued that returning officers need to provide for possible adverse weather conditions said there was no policy change yesterday.

Rather, it said the timing of the European Parliament elections has influenced the dates, as voting must take place within a specified period. Under rule 48 of the Second Schedule of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997, returning officers are only given one days leeway in allowing for island residents.

Former Fianna Fil minister amon Cuv, who held Cabinet responsibility for the islands, has tabled a Bill seeking to amend electoral law in line with this approach.

His Electoral Amendment (number 2) Bill aims to abolish the provision allowing elections to be held on the offshore islands before the date on the mainland.

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Islands vote just one day ahead in European and local elections

Voters on Irelands 12 offshore islands cast early ballots

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Presiding officer Hugh ODonnell (left) and Garda officer P.J. McHugh carry the ballot box off the island of Innishfree, Co Donegal. A local home was turned into a temporary polling station where islanders Phil and Hans Schleweck from Stuttgart, Germany, cast their vote. The rest of Ireland will cast their votes on 23 May. Photograph: Paul McErlane/EPA

Sgt Val Murray assists Carmel McBride, presiding officer for Inishbofin, off Co Donegal, with the ballot box as Islanders go to the polls a day earlier in the local and European elections. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Presiding officer Hugh ODonnell (left) and Garda officer P.J. McHugh carry the ballot box to the island of Innishfree, Co Donegal. Photograph: Paul McErlane/EPA

Voters on 12 offshore islands have already cast their ballots for the European and local elections today, just one day ahead of the rest of the State.

Residents of five islands in Donegal South-West, three in Mayo and four in Galway West were able to vote up to 9pm this evening, while those living on seven islands in the Cork South-West constituency will vote tomorrow.

A total of 2,131 people are registered to vote on the 12 islands. In Donegal, where there are five islands, 753 people are entitled to vote.

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Voters on Irelands 12 offshore islands cast early ballots

INTERVIEW: Bright spots can help islands navigate towards sustainable future, says UN biodiversity chief

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22 May 2014 Tiny though some may be, islands play a huge role in sustaining life on the planet making up less than 5 per cent of Earths landmass, they are home to 20 per cent of all bird, reptile and plant species and protecting their fragile ecosystems from ill-considered development, polluted waters and invasive species is the main focus of this years International Day for Biodiversity.

While islands and their surrounding near-shore marine areas face immense challenges, especially those triggered by a rapidly warming planet, the head of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is convinced there are bright spots; that the innovation, experience and knowledge of islands and the communities that thrive among them can contribute significantly to the conservation and sustainable use of Earths biodiversity and natural resources.

Thats the big agenda this year, said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, the Conventions Executive Secretary, in an interview with the UN News Centre. On the International Day and throughout 2014, the CBD Secretariat will aim to boost overall support for islands party to the Convention and States parties that have island territories to make better use of existing solutions, enhance partnerships and mobilize more global attention to the threats islands face.

Along these lines, the UN will be convening the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States from 1 to 4 September in Apia, Samoa, to focus worldwide attention on the sustainable development of this unique group of countries.

Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias (left), Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, speaks at special event on the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity (22 May), on the theme "Water and Biodiversity". UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz

We plan to keep up the momentum generated by the [spotlight cast on] islands and oceans at the 2012 Rio+20 conference, said Mr. Dias, referring to the culmination of a series of landmark UN meetings on sustainable development. Rio+20 was preceded in 2002 by the Johannesburg World Summit, which itself was preceded by the historic 1992 Earth Summit, where nations agreed on what have become known as the Rio conventions: the UN Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC); the Convention on Desertification; and the CBD itself.

Sunset in Havana. UN Photo/Milton Grant

Noting the inextricable link between the fate of island biodiversity and islands themselves, under pressure as they are from many of the same threats, he said: Islands are isolated and they have precious biodiversity that is unique to them; if we lose this biodiversityit its gone forever, he said, explaining why it is so vitally important to keep the issue at the top of the development agenda.

[They] are fragile ecosystems, facing threats from desertification, as well as unsustainable fishing, forestry and agriculture. Increasingly, with the onset of climate change, they are also being threatened by sea-level rise and ocean acidification, he added.

Major drivers of biodiversity loss are invasive alien species both animals and plants that colonize an island, out-compete the native fauna and flora and destroy them. For a species to become invasive it must arrive, survive and thrive, according to the CBD.

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INTERVIEW: Bright spots can help islands navigate towards sustainable future, says UN biodiversity chief

Voting begins on Irelands 12 offshore islands

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Presiding officer Hugh ODonnell (left) and Garda officer P.J. McHugh carry the ballot box off the island of Innishfree, Co Donegal. A local home was turned into a temporary polling station where islanders Phil and Hans Schleweck from Stuttgart, Germany, cast their vote. The rest of Ireland will cast their votes on 23 May. Photograph: Paul McErlane/EPA

Sgt Val Murray assists Carmel McBride, presiding officer for Inishbofin, off Co Donegal, with the ballot box as Islanders go to the polls a day earlier in the local and European elections. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Presiding officer Hugh ODonnell (left) and Garda officer P.J. McHugh carry the ballot box to the island of Innishfree, Co Donegal. Photograph: Paul McErlane/EPA

Voters on 12 offshore islands have already cast their ballots for the European and local elections today, just one day ahead of the rest of the State.

Residents of five islands in Donegal South-West, three in Mayo and four in Galway West were able to vote up to 9pm this evening, while those living on seven islands in the Cork South-West constituency will vote tomorrow.

A total of 2,131 people are registered to vote on the 12 islands. In Donegal, where there are five islands, 753 people are entitled to vote.

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Voting begins on Irelands 12 offshore islands