Reddit reviews Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right

Just to highlight some key info:

> As they dig into the viralizing of such stories, congressional investigations are probing not just Russia's role but whether Moscow had help from the Trump campaign. Sources familiar with the investigations say they are probing two Trump-linked organizations: Cambridge Analytica, a data-analytics company hired by the campaign that is partly owned by deep-pocketed Trump backer Robert Mercer; and Breitbart News, the right-wing website formerly run by Trump's top political adviser Stephen Bannon.

Wanna learn more about Mercer's connections? Check out Dark Money by Jane Mayer, an investigative journalist with The New Yorker.

I started reading Dark Money, where they outlined how a whole bunch of think tanks were created to push a libertarian philosophy while espousing non-partisanship, while being funded by hardcore libertarians and billionaires like the Koch brothers, Scaife etc. So bear in mind that some these "non-partisan" think tanks might just be that.

This might. Private funding, funneled through philantropic foundations to charitable and social causes. Aimed and organized specifically to swing close elections, influence their idea of a conservative ideology and culture and hand-pick candidates in their service. Billions of dollars from very very rich donors. Candidates either toe their line or find themselves either without funding, or run out of primaries. Paul Ryan and many others are featured.

Lots of names, lots of details. One of the best books I've read on american politics in a long time.

Some examples that help cultivate (rightfully so IMHO) the idea that the Koch brothers are "evil"-

1-Koch Industries is one of the top 15 polluters in the U.S. [source] (http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/apr/09/bob-beckel/bob-beckel-koch-brothers-are-one-biggest-polluters/)

2-All the while they've given upwards of 100 million dollars to the climate denial effort. [source] (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/global-warming/climate-deniers/koch-industries/)

3-Koch Industries produces over 2 billion pounds of carcinogen formaldehyde and has actively worked to keep it from being classified as a carcinogen. [source] (http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/08/30/covert-operations)

4-They've been accused of attempting to steal 31 million dollars worth of crude oil from Native Americans and were the biggest oil and gas industry donors to the congressional committee with oversight of the hazardous Keystone pipeline. I don't think all that cash was to make sure things were kept safe and clean. [source] (https://newrepublic.com/article/120922/keystone-xl-senate-bill-amendments-influenced-koch-brothers)

5-Just this month they did their part to smear the benefits of electric cars. [source] (http://insideevs.com/koch-brothers-attack-electric-cars/)

6-This [video] (https://youtu.be/2mbJhjCbwo8) gives a decent idea of how they've gone about promoting the dismantling of public education.

I could go on but I've got shit to do. Keep in mind this is nothing compared to the decades long campaign they've run to siphon away more and more money and influence from the poor. If you really want to see a bigger picture, read [Dark Money, by Jane Mayer] (https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597).

Links to articles, advertisements, new initiatives and books specifically mentioned:

Sarah Kliff & [The Weeds Podcast] (https://www.vox.com/the-weeds)

A Pro-Trump Conspiracy Theorist, a False Tweet and a Runaway Story

[Democrats in Split-Screen: The Base Wants It All. The Party Wants to Win](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/11/us/democrats-midterm-elections.html} Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theorist Gets Prison Time For Threatening 6-Year-Old Victim’s Father

The billionaire GOP patron behind Trump's social media bot army

Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right

UK Labour Film

TrumpCare Ten

Obamacare is in real danger

Nevada's legislature just passed a radical plan to let anybody sign up for Medicaid

Trump gives Priebus until July 4th to clean up White House

We know all parties and countries and special interests use shills. So why wouldn't there be paid conservative shills or propagandists?

I agree. More can be read on the topic of Koch and Walton donations in the fairly recent book Dark Money.

Not to mention NPR actually covered said book on Morning Edition.

The two books Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right by Jane Mayer and Listen, Liberal: Or, What Ever Happened to the Party of the People? by Thomas Frank pair extremely well and are required reading for anyone that wishes to understand how US politics has been shifted so far to the right these past decades. Dark Money, while extremely informative regarding the propaganda of billionaires, largely gives a pass to the Democratic party which Listen, Liberal reveals as being undeserved.

https://i.imgur.com/vCIawHP.png

Sadly, specific names are increasingly more difficult to pin down because they have shifted their funding to means which are not traceable. Regardless, a small number of names and insight are provided in Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right.

Fuck it. Finally ordering it now.

Really stoked to get fucking depressed about the CU decision again.

Edit: can I post a link to Amazon? I'm gonna post the link to Amazon. And here's the Smile.Amazon link.

Edit: Also, if you don't like reading and want a primer on this stuff... good documentary from HBO here.

Have you read Dark Money? https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597

Its a must read.

Oh dear Lord.

This looks like the same sort of hyperbolic screeching as Jane Meyer's Dark Money. Some of these muckrakers need a heavy dose of Hanlon's Razor.

Yes this! For anyone interested in learning more about how and why this whole situation came about (including right-wing media) I recommend checking out this book. I truly wish everyone in this country would give it a read (or listen) to better understand what the fuck has happened to our politics.

Yep, it's been going on since the late '70s. The Koch brothers and their billionaire friends (Richard Scaife, Rich DeVos, John M. Olin) have been slowly, systematically filling the government and academics from the bottom up with corporate-friendly lackeys.

Source: Jane Mayer's Dark Money

You need to read a book. For instance Dark Money by Jane Mayer

Once you've done that come back and talk to me about the Kock brothers.

This is a very good book on Koch Bro's: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597

“from 2005 to 2008, a single source, the Kochs, poured almost $25 million into dozens of different organizations fighting climate reform . . . Charles and David had outspent what was then the world’s largest public oil company, ExxonMobil, by a factor of three.”



Source: Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right by Jane Mayer

This here is just bursting at the seems with real life examples of the state doing its best to save small property owners from the predation of the ultra wealthy. Can't imagine how "please don't dump mercury into the river that waters my farm" would go over without the state there to back that up.

If you like non-fiction:

Periodic Tales - Hugh Aldersey-Williams


Dark Money - Jane Mayer


Between the World and Me - Ta-Nehisi Coates

Yep, I'm supes liberal. Sorry.

>A tinge of anti-government rhetoric is justified and healthy given government's role as the primary enforcer of feminist injustice against men.

This anti government rhetoric isn't grass roots. The right wing of the mrm has been astroturfed. Its not really for mens interests, its for the interests of billionaires.

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597

Yes, it was a Princeton study iirc... a short summary can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tu32CCA_Ig

If you're interested in a detailed and quite focused historical review of how the US went from democracy to oligarchy I would recommend Jane Mayer's, "Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right"

Your assertion that there is absolutely no state-sponsored influence on any facets of American media, and that there are no power players who involve themselves in advertising, is obviously, categorically false. Your argument is founded solely on either naivety or misinformation. I'd recommend to everybody seeing this read The Dictator's Handbook, NY Times best-selling Dark Money, and maybe even Pulitzer-prize winning Black Flag for a more in-depth study on the complicated issue of how exactly we're manipulated and exploited.

People ought to read Dark Money.

This thing may just well be a long con, well thought out on a timeline that exceeds the intelligence and collective memory of most US citizens.

Jane Meyer wrote a interesting book about the Kochs and Dark Money

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597

Whatever your persuasion, this should concern you.

Mainly pushed by the Koch Brothers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1O94kDLV7E''

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597

You're probably right... One of those books on this subject matter: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597

There are good reasons why they're so well organized: Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right.

This is the first time I've seen anybody mention that name in ages. Why is there not more awareness about just how significant those two are in the current GOP shitstorm?

The book bringing this point to light is Dark Money according to the article. The Koch family is not providing sources for the author and they are critical of the book. Let's all keep in mind that whatever you may think of the Koch family it is completely possibly that this book twists truth and stretches evidence beyond reason. Take that mindset to heart with any such book.

Read Dark Money and you will find who is really running the country into the ground.

I suggest you this book -> https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597

Plus I just finished reading this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597

I feel a little drained and like the whole political system has gone through the process I described in the last 40 years and that the last stage has already started..

Especially in Kansas. Koch Industries is headquartered in Wichita and this is basically Charles Koch's idea. Read Dark Money.

I see you edited your comment. Now we're talking about geopolitical systems of government now?

For the record, I agree with you on income inequality. I'm familiar (and agree) with Piketty's analysis of wealth accumulation. I've followed the Koch Brothers and their machinations against climate change for years now. I've worked in finance for well over 10 years, with CNBC on the TV next to me. I don't see how this is relevant to the business model of card games.

Don't assume I'm some uninformed schmuck.

Hmm, if you read https://www.amazon.ca/Dark-Money-History-Billionaires-Radical/dp/0385535597 Koch is an all out free market anarchist, i.e. the government should enforce property rights and nothing else.

I've been playing around the with idea of doing a project (series of articles, book, whatever) about the influence of occult groups and Alternative Religious Movements on contemporary right-wing politics, inspired by both Dark Money and Occult America. Mitch Horowitz's book is great, but I feel like it tapers off after the 60's and focuses heavy on East coast history. There are a ton of interesting, obscure tangents and threads of inquiry between the two coasts that are often ignored, and the effect some groups have had on right-wing politics is a story worth telling.

As an example, Charles Koch funded an organization in Colorado Springs during the 60's/70's called the Freedom School, which was ran by self-described "autarchist" Robert LeFevre. Lefevre was heavily involved with the I AM Activity movement in Chicago, a Theosophy-inspired group that derived their teachings from Ascended Masters. Around the same time in Colorado Springs, another theosophy derivative called the Summit Lighthouse was also running pretty hot and heavy. They would eventually change their name to the Church Universal & Triumphant and become a relatively spooky doomsday cult in Montana that became embroiled in an illegal gun purchasing scandal in the 80's.

Jane Mayer's book, Dark Money should be required reading for all college students. Really, for all voters. The manipulation of our Democracy can only be overcome by widespread knowledge and a massive rejection of the politicians who are supported by Dark Money

"Some random journalist" = a highly respected and decorated investigative journalist who has been on the bestseller list with her highly rated, factually based recent release.

Jane Mayer is not some Alex Jones bullshit artist, she's basically an authority in her field, but keep trying to muddy the waters.

Absolutely. The way that conservatives have taken over the public policy narratives by weaseling their way into local positions of leadership using gerrymandering and the media has been the biggest threat to democracy because it's so structural, yet some people can't even explain gerrymandering to the average voter. This needs to be the highest priority in every state.

Have you read Dark Money about how the Koch bros have been setting up this libertarian infrastructure and control of non-profits for 80 years? It's terrifying. They even have PBS and NPR under thei thumb these days.

https://youtu.be/2N8y2SVerW8

read this book http://amzn.com/0385535597

also citizen koch on netflix