S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley was one of several “rising conservative stars” in attendance at an exclusive Golden State gathering hosted by Charles and David Koch – two of the nation’s most influential “conservative” donors.
And obviously “conservative” is, well, what you make of it …
The Koch brothers’ event was held at the luxurious Renaissance Esmeralda resort in Palm Springs, California – and according to The New York Times it featured a “pep talk” from Charles Koch in the wake of a disastrous 2012 election cycle for the Republican Party (which the Kochs are doing their best to co-opt).
“After years of nurturing a political network and donor base largely independent from traditional Republican circles, the Kochs are planning to substantially increase their involvement in party affairs,” the Times reported. “They have not yet decided whether to intervene in Republican primaries, people involved in the discussions say. But the brothers want their network to play a bigger role in cultivating and promoting Republican candidates who hew to their vision of conservatism, emphasizing smaller government and deregulation more than immigration and social issues. They are also seeking closer control over groups within their network, purging or downgrading those that did not deliver last year and expanding financing for those that performed well.”
Good for them, right?
Sure it is. Unlike a lot of foaming-at-the-mouth “progressives,” we have no problem with the Kochs … they’ve made boatloads of money and they have every right to spent that money on the candidates and causes they believe in. Hell, we probably have a lot of ideological symmetry with the issues they advance.
What we don’t like, though, is when politicians cater to powerful elites like the Kochs at the expense of the people they are supposed to be representing – which Haley did in late 2011 with her infamous “Savannah River Sellout.”
Remember that scandal? For those of you who have forgotten, Haley chose to accommodate the state of Georgia’s government-funded Savannah port expansion project – effectively killing a public-private port facility in Jasper County, S.C.
You read that right … a Tea Party governor chose a taxpayer-funded project in another state over a public-private partnership that would have benefited her own state.
As we reported at the time, Koch Industries – the second-largest privately-held company in America – benefited tremendously from Haley’s decision.
Koch Industries owns GP Gypsum Corporation and Koch Materials Company, two companies which have extensive business with the Port of Savannah. In fact, both of those subsidiaries feature operations on prime real estate along the Savannah River. Koch Industries also owns Georgia Pacific – the Atlanta-based paper, packaging and construction materials manufacturer that’s a huge user of both the Port of Savannah and the Port of Brunswick.
So in other words the Koch brothers’ whole “limited government” shtick only extends to those taxpayer investments that don’t directly benefit them …
***
66 comments
Nice headline!
Nice headline!
FITS, nobody bothers you when you’re down at Two Notch Peep Hole, spending your welfare check on “Massages”…And it’s none of your GD business how they spend theirs…
I LMAO at how the liberals and liberal-tarians are so consumed w/ Kochs. They are free Americans, who can spend the money THEY EARNED, anyway they want.
Funny that FITS, who claims to love freedom, wants to attack people for expressing their freedoms…
Meanwhile: Obama has robbed us blind, like FITS and Sanford, using THE PEOPLES’ money for their corrupt schemes and failure..and not a word from the Freedom Police…
Yes, yes. The Koch boys are angels.
The Kochs are a walking advertisement for higher taxes on the wealthy!And oh yes,Gran Tango(Big T),Chuck and Dave said you can get of your knees now!
Two Notch Peep Hole? This explains so much…
Dang, Tango. Are you stalking SIC, or did you just “happen” to run into him at the TNPH?
I’m also confused because I thought the Koch Bros are self described libertarians* (You Know, what you derisively refer to as “Liberal-Tarians”). You must just love you some Koch……
FWIW, I call ’em LINOs.
Wait, so you’re fine with the Koch brothers and other billionaires spend vast sums of money to influence politics, but you aren’t fine with politicians being influenced to cater to billionaires who spend vast sums of money to influence politics? That’s like a fat kid eating an entire cake and expecting not to gain weight from it.
So I guess these rich bastards are just supposed to donate to politicians out of charity and not expect unfair treatment that benefits them? Let me guess, same with corporations too? Oh boy, you better not let Howie hear you say that.
It’s a simple concept, FITS. You get what you pay for. Only a moron would buy tools and then not use them as much as possible to their own benefit.
STFU, you carping little, brain-dead, idiot.
It’s their money to spend however they want. They EARNED it….
It’s unions taking good hardworking peoples’ money, and giving it to Leftwing Extremists, w/o permission. That, on top of Obama funding ACORN, Solyndra, The Volt, GM, Planned Parenthood and all the other Leftwing Thought-Militia groups…
Do you need something in your mouth?
I think he needs some KOCH!
GOOD ONE!
Unless it is George Soros.
These guys are dirtbags:
“From 1999 through 2003, Koch Industries was assessed more than $400 million in fines, penalties and judgments. In December 1999, a civil jury found that Koch Industries had taken oil it didn’t pay for from federal land by mismeasuring the amount of crude it was extracting. Koch paid a $25 million settlement to the U.S.” -Bloomberg
Sounds like these guys made, even w/ a FILTHY, Corrupt liberal government trying to steal it from them.
That’s gotta P!$$ off your Stupid @$$….makes me like em more…
“It’s their money to spend however they want. They EARNED it….”
They cheated their asses off, bribed more peeps worldwide than the fucking mafia.
Obama has not even done that for all the Billions he’s stolen…
They DID Build it….Dumb@$$…
Well big “T”urd, why do the KOCH brothers always use UNION construction crafts on all THEIR projects?
LIVE BETTER! WORK UNION!
YOU BETCHA!
YOU BETCHA!
Haha!
Also big idio”T”, a union members dues cannot be used for political purposes without his WRITTEN permission.
Of course you knew that is a FEDERAL law,because you so smart.
YOU BETCHA!
YOU BETCHA!
Let them throw their money away…didn’t stop Tammy Baldwin from becoming senator in Wisconsin.
Moronic right wingers like FITS and Big T, alias Grand Tango, think that greed doesn’t exist. Billionaires didn’t get that wealthy by spending money on things with no return on investment.
If a few million in campaign contributions can save them billions in taxes, why wouldn’t they do that? Of course, the rest of us have to make up the difference in what they don’t pay.
Democracy is on the auction block. Money is power and power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
and we all know a whore never turns down money…………
Wait, so you’re fine with the Koch brothers and other billionaires spend vast sums of money to influence politics, but you aren’t fine with politicians being influenced to cater to billionaires who spend vast sums of money to influence politics? That’s like a fat kid eating an entire cake and expecting not to gain weight from it.
So I guess these rich bastards are just supposed to donate to politicians out of charity and not expect unfair treatment that benefits them? Let me guess, same with corporations too? Oh boy, you better not let Howie hear you say that.
It’s a simple concept, FITS. You get what you pay for. Only a moron would buy tools and then not use them as much as possible to their own benefit.
Let them throw their money away…didn’t stop Tammy Baldwin from becoming senator in Wisconsin.
Moronic right wingers like FITS and Big T, alias Grand Tango, think that greed doesn’t exist. Billionaires didn’t get that wealthy by spending money on things with no return on investment.
If a few million in campaign contributions can save them billions in taxes, why wouldn’t they do that? Of course, the rest of us have to make up the difference in what they don’t pay.
Democracy is on the auction block. Money is power and power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
and we all know a whore never turns down money…………
I hope to hell the Koch boys get more for their support than I got
I hope to hell the Koch boys get more for their support than I got
Who is the bashful boy getting his ass chewed out by Haley — and why? Could it be that he suggested to her to wear a different outfit — again?
Who is the bashful boy getting his ass chewed out by Haley — and why? Could it be that he suggested to her to wear a different outfit — again?
I’m of German extraction. In Germany Koch is pronounced COCK!
Me thinks this would be the appropriate headline, “Nikki Haley loves COCK”!
Now, that is an accurate statement!
LOL…..well she probably does!!
I’m of German extraction. In Germany Koch is pronounced COCK!
Me thinks this would be the appropriate headline, “Nikki Haley loves COCK”!
Now, that is an accurate statement!
LOL…..well she probably does!!
Haley in bed w/ them? Big surprise!
Both, at the same time….do tell!!
Haley in bed w/ them? Big surprise!
Both, at the same time….do tell!!
The Republican Party is corrupt to the core when it comes to money. They will screw over their mother for a few bucks. Prior to Citizens United, it was never the rule that a person could spend all they wanted to spend buying politicians. Now, apparently billionaires are free to bribe politicians to get what they want. I don’t care how much you are worth or how much you earned, that system is wrong.
“What we don’t like, though, is when politicians cater to powerful elites like the Kochs at the expense of the people they are supposed to be representing…”
What a joke!!! You are a total hypocrite on this issue. The only reason billionaires give hundreds of millions of dollars to politicians is so they will ignore the people they represent and do what their billionaire donors want them to do. What you are really complaining about is that the Koch’s got more for their bribes than Howie Rich did for his.
Amen!!! Look at Sanford, Haley, Harrell, Eckstrom, Peeler, Leatherman, just to name the tip of the iceberg.
The Republican Party is corrupt to the core when it comes to money. They will screw over their mother for a few bucks. Prior to Citizens United, it was never the rule that a person could spend all they wanted to spend buying politicians. Now, apparently billionaires are free to bribe politicians to get what they want. I don’t care how much you are worth or how much you earned, that system is wrong.
“What we don’t like, though, is when politicians cater to powerful elites like the Kochs at the expense of the people they are supposed to be representing…”
What a joke!!! You are a total hypocrite on this issue. The only reason billionaires give hundreds of millions of dollars to politicians is so they will ignore the people they represent and do what their billionaire donors want them to do. What you are really complaining about is that the Koch’s got more for their bribes than Howie Rich did for his.
Amen!!! Look at Sanford, Haley, Harrell, Eckstrom, Peeler, Leatherman, just to name the tip of the iceberg.
1. Maximum mean low water draft at Kock gypsum terminal for bulk vessels discharging there is 38 feet.
2. Koch Terminal located between GPA’s Ocean Terminal (breakbulk) and Garden City Terminal (container + Ro-Ro).
3. GPA and Koch terminals all located 28 miles up Savannah River from sea bouy, compared with 8 miles in Charleston for Columbus Street Terminal (for instance).
4. Mean low water project depth for all vessels:
Savannah: 45 feet — GPA wants to dredge down to 50 feet. Environmental disaster.
Charleston: 48 feet — SCSPA wants to dredge down to 50 feet. Environmentally okay.
5. Koch is voyage charterer of all vessels discharging gypsum (originating St. Johns, Canada).
6. With 5 feet additional draft in Savannah, Koch can:
— Load an additional 9,000 metric tons of gypsum at no additional charter hire cost.
— Save $200,000 per vessel in better utilization of vessels’ weight capacity.
— Save $4 million per year in better utilization of vessels’ weight capacity. (25 voyages annually x $200,000 per voyage)
— Gain market share over other rival gypsum producers; add another $2 million annually (SWAG).
7. GPA, as dredging project administrator, has experienced / forecast cost overruns of $146 million ($646 million revised vs. $500 original), and cannot move forward with dredging without Congressional appropriation of additional $146 million. GPA is wringing its hands, stymied, cursing Obama administration. SCSPA project is on budget, on time (EIS due July 2013, dredging expected to commence 2015).
8. In view of this dilemma, GPA / Koch appreciate “all possible help” they receive from money-seeking S.C. governor, inaction by S.C. arm of Jasper Bi-Port Authority (Bill Bethea), local sleepy senators Pinckney and Davis, and dozing Senate Transportation CommitteeCommittee membersCommittee.Bethea BethaeBethea) and morons appointed to SCSPA board by S.C. Governor with assistance of Senators G
NICE
I see what you did there………..
1. Maximum mean low water draft at Kock gypsum terminal for bulk vessels discharging there is 38 feet.
2. Koch Terminal located between GPA’s Ocean Terminal (breakbulk) and Garden City Terminal (container + Ro-Ro).
3. GPA and Koch terminals all located 28 miles up Savannah River from sea bouy, compared with 8 miles in Charleston for Columbus Street Terminal (for instance).
4. Mean low water project depth for all vessels:
Savannah: 45 feet — GPA wants to dredge down to 50 feet. Environmental disaster.
Charleston: 48 feet — SCSPA wants to dredge down to 50 feet. Environmentally okay.
5. Koch is voyage charterer of all vessels discharging gypsum (originating St. Johns, Canada).
6. With 5 feet additional draft in Savannah, Koch can:
— Load an additional 9,000 metric tons of gypsum at no additional charter hire cost.
— Save $200,000 per vessel in better utilization of vessels’ weight capacity.
— Save $4 million per year in better utilization of vessels’ weight capacity. (25 voyages annually x $200,000 per voyage)
— Gain market share over other rival gypsum producers; add another $2 million annually (SWAG).
7. GPA, as dredging project administrator, has experienced / forecast cost overruns of $146 million ($646 million revised vs. $500 original), and cannot move forward with dredging without Congressional appropriation of additional $146 million. GPA is wringing its hands, stymied, cursing Obama administration. SCSPA project is on budget, on time (EIS due July 2013, dredging expected to commence 2015).
8. In view of this dilemma, GPA / Koch appreciate “all possible help” they receive from money-seeking S.C. governor, inaction by S.C. arm of Jasper Bi-Port Authority (Bill Bethea), local sleepy senators Pinckney and Davis, and dozing Senate Transportation CommitteeCommittee membersCommittee.Bethea BethaeBethea) and morons appointed to SCSPA board by S.C. Governor with assistance of Senators G
NICE
I see what you did there………..
Gov. Nik: Agent Johnny, you’re my special favorite body guard. You make me up when I’m feeling down. You didn’t really shoplift Almond Joys from the gift shop, did you?
SLED Agent Johnny: Well, Glenn McConnell’s special body guards get away with murder — porno magazines, candy, boiled peanuts, life savers — and he buys that stuff for them. I only stole one Almond Joy.
Gov. Nic: Agent Johnny, where’s those Almond Joy now?
SLED Agent Johnny: Well, I done ate ’em.
Gov. Nik: Agent Johnny, you’re my special favorite body guard. You make me up when I’m feeling down. You didn’t really shoplift Almond Joys from the gift shop, did you?
SLED Agent Johnny: Well, Glenn McConnell’s special body guards get away with murder — porno magazines, candy, boiled peanuts, life savers — and he buys that stuff for them. I only stole one Almond Joy.
Gov. Nic: Agent Johnny, where’s those Almond Joy now?
SLED Agent Johnny: Well, I done ate ’em.
She is another one that need to be voted off the island when the time comes. Her fine plan for unemployment in South Carolina, was to create more unemployment, by laying off a bunch of folks who were working at the South Carolina Department of Unemployment. Then to tell those folks, they can reapply for some jobs that are available. If that’s not the dumbest management plan for reorganizing a workforce. How ironic!!
I guess she could care less if the working people had to take low paying, I barely can eat kind of jobs. Whew…..what a mess!!!
Maybe the Koch brothers will hire her, which would do us South Carolinian a favor.
She is another one that need to be voted off the island when the time comes. Her fine plan for unemployment in South Carolina, was to create more unemployment, by laying off a bunch of folks who were working at the South Carolina Department of Unemployment. Then to tell those folks, they can reapply for some jobs that are available. If that’s not the dumbest management plan for reorganizing a workforce. How ironic!!
I guess she could care less if the working people had to take low paying, I barely can eat kind of jobs. Whew…..what a mess!!!
Maybe the Koch brothers will hire her, which would do us South Carolinian a favor.