SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Economist Robert Reich has argued that this promotional effort is just the Koch brothers' "latest attempt to distort democracy." (Photo: Americans for Tax Fairness/Twitter)
In 'Latest Attempt to Distort Democracy,' Koch Brothers Bolster GOP Tax Cut Efforts
"The Trump administration's collaboration with the Koch brothers to cut corporate taxes is the pure distillation of the corrupt cronyism that candidate Trump promised to eliminate."
Jul 31, 2017
As Republicans attempt to quickly shift attention from their failed effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act to their goal of overhauling the tax code--an objective that is being cheered on and bankrolled by Charles and David Koch--early signs indicate that their plans will face similarly fierce resistance.
"Big money influence has led to spectacular concentrations of wealth, which is channeled back into politics in the service of helping the superrich become even richer."
--Robert Weissman, Public Citizen
Americans for Tax Fairness, Public Citizen, and several other watchdog groups descended on the nation's capital Monday to express their discontent with proposals that have been characterized as "absolutely immoral" attempts to give huge tax breaks to the wealthy and massive corporations.
The protest was held outside an event hosted by representatives of two Koch-backed groups: Freedom Partners and Americans for Prosperity. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House director of legislative affairs Marc Short attended the gathering, joining members of the Koch brothers' vast network on a panel of speakers.
In addition to organizing events in 36 states to push the GOP's right-wing tax agenda, Koch-affiliated groups have also begun running digital ads promoting tax cuts for individuals and businesses.
Economist Robert Reich argued that this promotional effort is just the Koch brothers' "latest attempt to distort democracy" after largely remaining on the sidelines during the 2016 presidential election.
The groups organizing the protests outside the event on Monday expressed similar sentiments.
"The Trump administration's collaboration with the Koch brothers to cut corporate taxes is the pure distillation of the corrupt cronyism that candidate Trump promised to eliminate," said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen. "Big money influence has led to spectacular concentrations of wealth, which is channeled back into politics in the service of helping the superrich become even richer."
As Common Dreams reported, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and several members of the Trump administration last week released a joint statement outlining their so-called tax principles, which include the goal of lowering tax rates "as much as possible."
"Luckily, the public has caught on to this sham 'reform' effort and is taking to the streets to demand that corporations and the wealthy finally pay their fair share of taxes."
--Susan Harley, Public Citizen
Attempting to propel the effort, pro-business donor networks are "activating their leadership" as Republicans begin their tax reform push, which is set to intensify in the coming days as money rolls in from the Kochs and other right-wing organizations.
Advocacy groups have, in response, urged the public--which opinion polls consistently show is against tax cuts for the rich--to mobilize and voice their opposition.
The GOP is attempting to "slash our Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education, and other vital services American families depend on--all to put more money into the already substantial tax breaks enjoyed by profitable corporations, millionaires, and billionaires," said Susan Harley, deputy director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch division.
"Luckily," Harley concluded, "the public has caught on to this sham 'reform' effort and is taking to the streets to demand that corporations and the wealthy finally pay their fair share of taxes."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
inequalitykoch brotherspaul ryanpeople powerpublic citizenrepublican partytaxationtrump resistancetrumpism
As Republicans attempt to quickly shift attention from their failed effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act to their goal of overhauling the tax code--an objective that is being cheered on and bankrolled by Charles and David Koch--early signs indicate that their plans will face similarly fierce resistance.
"Big money influence has led to spectacular concentrations of wealth, which is channeled back into politics in the service of helping the superrich become even richer."
--Robert Weissman, Public Citizen
Americans for Tax Fairness, Public Citizen, and several other watchdog groups descended on the nation's capital Monday to express their discontent with proposals that have been characterized as "absolutely immoral" attempts to give huge tax breaks to the wealthy and massive corporations.
The protest was held outside an event hosted by representatives of two Koch-backed groups: Freedom Partners and Americans for Prosperity. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House director of legislative affairs Marc Short attended the gathering, joining members of the Koch brothers' vast network on a panel of speakers.
In addition to organizing events in 36 states to push the GOP's right-wing tax agenda, Koch-affiliated groups have also begun running digital ads promoting tax cuts for individuals and businesses.
Economist Robert Reich argued that this promotional effort is just the Koch brothers' "latest attempt to distort democracy" after largely remaining on the sidelines during the 2016 presidential election.
The groups organizing the protests outside the event on Monday expressed similar sentiments.
"The Trump administration's collaboration with the Koch brothers to cut corporate taxes is the pure distillation of the corrupt cronyism that candidate Trump promised to eliminate," said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen. "Big money influence has led to spectacular concentrations of wealth, which is channeled back into politics in the service of helping the superrich become even richer."
As Common Dreams reported, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and several members of the Trump administration last week released a joint statement outlining their so-called tax principles, which include the goal of lowering tax rates "as much as possible."
"Luckily, the public has caught on to this sham 'reform' effort and is taking to the streets to demand that corporations and the wealthy finally pay their fair share of taxes."
--Susan Harley, Public Citizen
Attempting to propel the effort, pro-business donor networks are "activating their leadership" as Republicans begin their tax reform push, which is set to intensify in the coming days as money rolls in from the Kochs and other right-wing organizations.
Advocacy groups have, in response, urged the public--which opinion polls consistently show is against tax cuts for the rich--to mobilize and voice their opposition.
The GOP is attempting to "slash our Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education, and other vital services American families depend on--all to put more money into the already substantial tax breaks enjoyed by profitable corporations, millionaires, and billionaires," said Susan Harley, deputy director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch division.
"Luckily," Harley concluded, "the public has caught on to this sham 'reform' effort and is taking to the streets to demand that corporations and the wealthy finally pay their fair share of taxes."
As Republicans attempt to quickly shift attention from their failed effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act to their goal of overhauling the tax code--an objective that is being cheered on and bankrolled by Charles and David Koch--early signs indicate that their plans will face similarly fierce resistance.
"Big money influence has led to spectacular concentrations of wealth, which is channeled back into politics in the service of helping the superrich become even richer."
--Robert Weissman, Public Citizen
Americans for Tax Fairness, Public Citizen, and several other watchdog groups descended on the nation's capital Monday to express their discontent with proposals that have been characterized as "absolutely immoral" attempts to give huge tax breaks to the wealthy and massive corporations.
The protest was held outside an event hosted by representatives of two Koch-backed groups: Freedom Partners and Americans for Prosperity. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House director of legislative affairs Marc Short attended the gathering, joining members of the Koch brothers' vast network on a panel of speakers.
In addition to organizing events in 36 states to push the GOP's right-wing tax agenda, Koch-affiliated groups have also begun running digital ads promoting tax cuts for individuals and businesses.
Economist Robert Reich argued that this promotional effort is just the Koch brothers' "latest attempt to distort democracy" after largely remaining on the sidelines during the 2016 presidential election.
The groups organizing the protests outside the event on Monday expressed similar sentiments.
"The Trump administration's collaboration with the Koch brothers to cut corporate taxes is the pure distillation of the corrupt cronyism that candidate Trump promised to eliminate," said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen. "Big money influence has led to spectacular concentrations of wealth, which is channeled back into politics in the service of helping the superrich become even richer."
As Common Dreams reported, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and several members of the Trump administration last week released a joint statement outlining their so-called tax principles, which include the goal of lowering tax rates "as much as possible."
"Luckily, the public has caught on to this sham 'reform' effort and is taking to the streets to demand that corporations and the wealthy finally pay their fair share of taxes."
--Susan Harley, Public Citizen
Attempting to propel the effort, pro-business donor networks are "activating their leadership" as Republicans begin their tax reform push, which is set to intensify in the coming days as money rolls in from the Kochs and other right-wing organizations.
Advocacy groups have, in response, urged the public--which opinion polls consistently show is against tax cuts for the rich--to mobilize and voice their opposition.
The GOP is attempting to "slash our Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education, and other vital services American families depend on--all to put more money into the already substantial tax breaks enjoyed by profitable corporations, millionaires, and billionaires," said Susan Harley, deputy director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch division.
"Luckily," Harley concluded, "the public has caught on to this sham 'reform' effort and is taking to the streets to demand that corporations and the wealthy finally pay their fair share of taxes."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.