'Koch Brothers Exposed:' New Film Examines How Billionaire Brothers Shaped The Political Narrative Posted: 03/26/2012 6:18 pm Updated: 03/26/2012 7:38 pm
WASHINGTON -- Over the past two years, Charles and David Koch have commanded a great deal of attention and been held up as an example of how corporate forces have corrupted the democratic process in America. Now a provocative new film, "Koch Brothers Exposed," seeks to uncover how the Koch brothers have manipulated the political narrative for personal and ideological gain, particularly in the post-Citizens United era.
The film, directed by Robert Greenwald, who notably uncovered unethical labor practices at Wal-Mart in his documentary "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Wages," is set to premiere in New York City on March 29.
In an interview with The Huffington Post, Greenwald said that the Kochs' money and power have had an "unparalleled" impact.
"The Kochs are using their money, their power and the inequalities of our system for personal gain," he said, "and the size and scale that they're doing it at is fairly impressive."
The political media company Greenwald founded, Brave New Films, conducted financial research and interviewed people around the country, asking them questions about how the Kochs have impacted their lives. Notable subjects include Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), environmental advocate Van Jones and Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel.
Koch Industries has disputed the claims on their website KochFacts.com, calling the film "intellectually dishonest" and a "propaganda video."
The filmmakers' requests to interview the Koch brothers themselves were denied. "They hide," said Greenwald, "and [they're] not just hiding from us."
See the trailer and a full list of the film's findings, via a press release, below.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The political media company Greenwald founded, Brave New Films, conducted financial research and interviewed people around the country, asking them questions about how the Kochs have impacted their lives. Notable subjects include Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), environmental advocate Van Jones and Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel. That says volumes.
The Koch brothers ARE the Tea Party. Without the Koch bros... the tea party would still be a few concerned citizens meeting in someone's garage.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The Koch brothers ARE the Tea Party. Without the Koch bros... the tea party would still be a few concerned citizens meeting in someone's garage.
The same can be said about George Soros...
Don't you get tired of regurgitating your left wing talking points? Think Progress and MoveOn have been filling your head with garbage for years.
I'll give you an example - Repeat after me - "It's Bush's fault", "It's Bush's fault", "and It’s Bush's fault". I don't even have to read Soros sponsored drivel to know the theme. >
Greenwald’s Brave New Films is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization, which means that while the organization is tax-exempt, contributions to it are not. The organization’s board members are Greenwald, entertainment executive Danny Goldberg, Progressive Majority president Gloria Totten, plaintiffs’ attorney Guy Saperstein, and Jane Fonda ex-husband Tom Hayden. The group reported contributions of just over $1,000,000 in 2009 and total revenues of about $1.465 million. In 2010, Brave New Films reported just $257,000 in contributions and $850,000 in total revenues. Distributing videos online is not expensive, but producing documentary films and the public campaigns against the film’s targets does require added funding. Brave New Films appears to rely on the Brave New Foundation (also known publicly as Dreamcatchers), a registered 501(c)(3) public charity located at the same street address as Brave New Films – 10510 Culver Boulevard in Culver City, California. The foundation’s mission “is to champion social justice issues by using a model of media, education and grassroots volunteer involvement that inspires, empowers, motivates and teaches civic participation and makes a difference.” In its 2010 annual report Brave New Foundation reported about $3.2 million in income, including $1.665 million in foundation grants and $875,000 in major gifts. The foundation’s 2009 IRS Form 990 reports $1.449 million in contributions and grants and total revenue of $3 million. Expenses, mainly media production, have been about $3 million. The Foundation board of directors consists of Greenwald, United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, entertainment industry financier Irene Romero, labor lawyer Madeline Janis, activist law professor Lawrence Lessig, and Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel. Brave New Foundation receives substantial grants from major foundations: In 2009, the Public Welfare Foundation approved a $175,000 grant for “media strategies for health & safety workplace reform.” The Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation committed $75,000 to “champion social justice by using media.” The Park Foundation in Ithaca, N.Y. gave $25,000 to support the “No War in Afghanistan Awareness and Advocacy” campaign. The Arcadia, Calif.-based Baytree Foundation gave $25,000 for ”general support”, while the Houston, TX-based Lotus Foundation gave $50,000 for “operational support”. In 2010 the Tides Foundation gave the Foundation nearly $14,000. Greenwald has boasted that the Foundation has “3,000 small-dollar donors” and that its list of large donors includes television producer Norman Lear, who gave $1,000. Brave New Films is a member of a networking group known as the Media Consortium, which counts some 40 left-wing media outlets such as Nation magazine, AlterNet, and the Center for Independent Media. The Consortium’s sponsor is the San Francisco-based Foundation for National Progress, which is best known for its financial support for the far-left magazine Mother Jones. Liberal foundations supporting the work of the Consortium frequently channel their contributions through the Foundation for National Progress (2009 income: $9.2 million). In 2010 George Soros’s Open Society Institute announced a two-year, $200,000 commitment to the Consortium through the Foundation for National Progress. The Surdna Foundation earmarked $100,000 to the Consortium, as did the Wyncote Foundation, which contributed $70,000. Both grants were made through the Foundation for National Progress. The link to Soros shows how Brave New Films and its online videos participate in his foundation-funded campaigns to influence U.S. politics. For at least a decade and a half George Soros has been interested in creating documentaries “to advance his goal of tilting America to the left,” as a Capital Research Center report observed. (See “George Soros, Movie Mogul” by Rondi Adamson, Foundation Watch, March 2008.) A $2 million Soros Documentary Fund was launched in 1996, and in 2001 it merged with Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute to create “The Sundance Fund to Support International Documentary Projects.” Gara LaMarche, former director of U.S. programs for the Open Society Institute, notes: “Nonfiction film can spur awareness and action, sometimes touching audiences beyond the reach of other methods.” Movies “teach us about the world, what is happening to our fellow travelers on the globe—what is happening to us—and what we might do about it.” Why add Hollywood producers to an already-massive Soros network of radical filmmakers, activists and liberal foundation officials? Because, as columnist James Hirsen has observed, entertainment industry producers have skills that others don’t.
It's not an accident that the Least Educated States... The Poorest States... The States With the Most Uninsured and the States with the Worst Health Care, are all Republican States.
The Koch Bros spend millions to keep it that way.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The funniest part about all of this is that people are actually believing the rhetoric that comes out of the Koch/Soro's empires and have been for decades. Can't fault the billionaires for spewing the political garbage..........it's the sheople that actually believe it!!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
The funniest part about all of this is that people are actually believing the rhetoric that comes out of the Koch/Soro's empires and have been for decades. Can't fault the billionaires for spewing the political garbage..........it's the sheople that actually believe it!!!
I find the same thing amusing... When George Soros wants to help the poor and unemployed... I would expect the Poor and the Unemployed to follow George. When The Koch Brothers want to help the rich and powerful of this country.... I'm amazed that average middle class citizens (like the TeaBaggers) will follow them against their own best interest.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Soros and Koch brothers only care about putting money in their bank accounts.
Exactly..............and the dumbed down believe it and think it is all in the name of 'for the greater good'! Poor bastards!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
It's not an accident that the Least Educated States... The Poorest States... The States With the Most Uninsured and the States with the Worst Health Care, are all Republican States.
The Koch Bros spend millions to keep it that way.
Gee, let's see here. Less educated, as far as who is concerned? Someone who lives in one of the "Most Educated States?" And what leads to them being "more educated?" "Free" schooling? And who controls the schools? They are considered the poorest by who? Why is it that they are paid less? Because they have lower county taxes state mandates due to they know what they need and what they don't? Most Uninsured, well, if they don't need the insurance and don't have it forced upon them, of COURSE they're not going to have it. If I didn't have to pay for CAR insurance, I wouldn't, and then my boss could pay me that much less and I would be bringing NY down as (probably) the HIGHEST PAID state. Worst health care as told by who? Maybe the people know how to take care of themselves? Or do they just head to a state with better health care when / IF they get sick?
...and if the people in these states were "smart" as per your standards, they would change who they elect, and they would have all of these, then they would no longer be Republican states. It's all in the eyes of the beholder (or the beerholder).
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