I have already transitioned away from all things Koch Brothers (Angel Soft, Quilted Northern, Soft N Gentle, Brawny, Dixie) because these mega-rich brothers lobby for and fund policies I find ethically, environmentally and socially reprehensible. But now I have to stop shopping at Home Depot and Target too??? Ok, it hurts, but I will do what I can to stop funding the madness. I'm going to miss you guys, but your politics suck. Target not only donated to Michelle Bachman's political campaign, they support anti-choice and anti-gay policies. And if you know me at all, you know I think Bachman makes Palin look normal, and I love my freedom of choice and my gay family and friends.
Lest I offend any of my handful of readers, I claim no membership in our two party system. I love the Constitution, especially the parts that ensure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and I'm pretty taken with the separation of Church and State part too. I'm a moderate, a libertarian (according to the political affiliation quiz I took), and most importantly, the grandaughter of a woman who resigned from the Daughters of the American Revolution because of their racist policies in the 1950's, a woman who fiercely loved this country, and taught us to do the same. It's important to have some standards, and if corporations are using my dollars to support policies that undermine the ideals my ancestors fought and died for when they built this country, the very least I can do is shop somewhere else. I hope you do too.
Big business special interests have no place in politics. I'm pretty sure the founding fathers would agree.
Big Corporations Donating to Conservative Agendas
If you'd like a little more nausea with your morning coffee, you might want to know a little about ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, where the Koch Brothers, lawyers and state legislators meet to craft legislation for proposal at the state level that is pro business and anti everything else I hold dear - consumer protection, environment, worker's rights, - you know, the usual screw the regular citizen and keep the rich rich bullshit. Currently under investigation by the IRS for abuse of non-profit status, and despite their claims, there is nothing non-partisan or transparent about what they are doing. Again, I'm pretty sure the founding fathers would beat these people with a cane if they could.
ALEC Exposed
That's enough political outrage for one morning. Have a nice, earthquake and hurricane free day.
Turn off your mind
3 hours ago
I've done the same thing--no Koch products.
ReplyDeleteYou know what's crazy....my first job in DC, back when I was a fresh-faced 22 year old, was a legislative monitoring firm with a variety of clients. One of them was...Koch. I had no idea who/what they were, and it only recently occured to me in the past year or two that it was THE Koch brothers. Gag.
Good for you -- and thanks for sharing this list. I'm not much of a consumer and as I've only ever been to Target once, it's no biggie to stay away.
ReplyDeleteYour politics sound much like mine -- though I identify as a yellow dog Democrat. It's not that I think the Democrats are always a great choice but rather that, for me, the Republicans are always a bad one.
You made me realize that just by chance I'm not supporting those corporation by not using their products. Although I pay more for my goods, they are more ethically correct. I guess. I don't shop at Target, Wal-Mart, or use any Koch products. Thanks for making me feel better about spending my money in greener ways.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this post....you and I are on the same page politically. And I'm glad to have this list to help me make better choices in a better direction. i had no idea about Koch...and I have been boycotting Target for a while now.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great place to start in making changes in our world. Hit 'em in the pocket.
Thank you for this. You come from a good woman, your grandmother. She would be proud.
ReplyDeleteHey Mel....
ReplyDeleteBack again....Hope you don't mind...but I linked to you today on my blog. I thought this was an amazing post and it really gave us a way to do something/act in a positive way for change. Thank you....this I CAN do. I will study the lists and make better choices now that I see what the money I do spend can do. I love the lists exposing the money trails...great post...
Update with some creepy Koch facts, from the Bloomberg documentary Game Changers:
ReplyDeleteSome key findings from the Koch project:
Koch Industries has increased its lobbying from $857,000 in 2004 to $20 million in the last two years.
Koch has 165 manufacturing facilities and lobbies against increased regulation of toxic byproducts like dioxin, asbestos and formaldehyde.
Koch has purchased four ethanol plants with a combined capacity of 435 million gallons; ethanol subsidies cost the government $6 billion each year.
Koch lobbies to protect the Section 199 deduction to help U.S. manufacturers; the subsidy for energy firms cost the Treasury $14 billion over 10 years.
Koch had $100 billion revenues in 2009, second only to Cargill as a private U.S. company.
excellent info.... i have been boycotting koch bros products for a while.
ReplyDeletei've long avoided home depot in favor instead of going to independent hardware stores, and this info gives more backing to my habits....
but oh target! this is going to be difficult - but i will do my best!
Great post. I have never shopped at Walmart's, but didn't realize this about Target's policies.Bachman is a wacko.
ReplyDelete