palingates: The secret meetings of Koch Industries revealed: Plotting the Republican victory and the corporate domination of America

As a person who writes for a blog which is sometimes accused of promoting the "conspiracy theory" that Sarah Palin is not the biological mother of Trig, it's refreshing for me to see the REAL conspiracies exposed. But these do not concern that birth of a baby in Alaska. These are the plans which are plotted by the rich and powerful, in order to maximize wealth and power. The plans that the general public or Sarah Palin courted "little guy" doesn't usually hear about.

So we are incredibly grateful to "Think Progress" who have obtained and analyzed a document that proves how Koch Industries uses their vast resources in order to ensure the Republican victory in the 2010 elections and secretly "rallies the troops" in business, politics and media. This document makes it blatantly obvious that the "elites" are in fact the ones who are pulling the strings, when at the same time the Republican "stars" like Palin and Beck try to blame the "elites" for the current economic problems - the DEMOCRATIC elites, of course. This is all just a huge scam, and these new revelations are hugely embarrassing for everybody involved.

And the "little guy" is the last thing these people care about.

Other media outlets report this story as well, for example Salon, Huffington Post and The New York Times. However, it's not my impression that this story is real "frontpage news" - which is a mistake, as it's in my opinion one of the biggest scandals we have heard about this year.

It is already known that Koch Industries organize regular meetings in order to influence politics, as Think Progress writes:

"In 2006, Koch Industries owner Charles Koch revealed to the Wall Street Journal’s Stephen Moore that he coordinates the funding of the conservative infrastructure of front groups, political campaigns, think tanks, media outlets and other anti-government efforts through a twice annual meeting of wealthy right-wing donors."

However, the details of these meetings were not public. This has now changed:

"While the Koch brothers — each worth over $21.5 billion — have certainly underwritten much of the right, their hidden coordination with other big business money has gone largely unnoticed.
ThinkProgress has obtained a memo outlining the details of the last Koch gathering held in June of this year. The memo, along with an attendee list of about 210 people, shows the titans of industry — from health insurance companies, oil executives, Wall Street investors, and real estate tycoons — working together with conservative journalists and Republican operatives to plan the 2010 election, as well as ongoing conservative efforts through 2012.
According to the memo, David Chavern, the number two at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Fox News hate-talker Glenn Beck also met with these representatives of the corporate elite. In an election season with the most undisclosed secret corporate giving since the Watergate-era, the memo sheds light on the symbiotic relationship between extremely profitable, multi-billion dollar corporations and much of the conservative infrastructure. The memo describes the prospective corporate donors as “investors,” and it makes clear that many of the Republican operatives managing shadowy, undisclosed fronts running attack ads against Democrats were involved in the Koch’s election-planning event."

I believe in the power of documents, and this memo, which can be downloaded HERE, is incredibly powerful, as it completely exposes the secretive Koch Brothers, their strategies and the network which they have "accumulated."

Right at the beginning of the document, Koch Industries make it clear that they are on a mission, and they are announcing the next meeting to be held in Palm Springs in January 2011:

"If not us, who? If not now, when?"

Conveniently, Koch Industries explain exactly what their "Goals & Missions" are - and don't forget about "confidentiality and security":

"In order to understand issues and develop strategies more effectively, the proceedings of these meetings are confidential. The meetings are closed to the public, including media. Please be mindful of the security and confidentiality of your meeting notes and materials."

Well, dear Koch brothers, I guess that somebody didn't follow your instructions this time.

Then follows the agenda of the previous meeting in Aspen in June 2010, where in a plush environment the strategy for the elections in November was discussed in great detail:

Then follows another fascinating piece of information - Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas were "featured" at previous meetings:

How can this be reconciled with the fact that Scalia and Thomas were also involved in the landmark decision "Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, in which the Supreme Court was holding that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited under the First Amendment?

The list of attendees at the meeting in Aspen in June 2010 is long, and is a clear indication of the immense power which is behind these meetings: Business leaders are secretly meeting with the leaders of "front groups" as well as with journalists, for example from Fox News (Glenn Beck, Nancy Pfotenhauer), the conservative outlets National Review and Weekly Standard and Charles Krauthammer from the Washington Post. I don't believe that any journalist who attends such a secret meeting would be capable of "independent" reporting, and the involvement of Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas in earlier meetings is even worse.

Think Progress has thankfully already analyzed the list of attendees for the last meeting in June 2010 in Aspen:

Name(s)	Industry	Notes
Jack and Rose Marie Anderson	Finance	Culver Corp, Rose Marie and Jack R. Anderson Foundation- Financial Advisor
Neil Anderson and Amy Fisher-Smith		Runs Rose Marie and Jack R. Anderson Foundation
Phil and Nancy Anschutz	Investment	Industrialist, Owner, Weekly Standard, Examiner newspapers
Cliff Asness	Investment	AQR Capital Management
Nate and Lynda Bachman	Finance	The Bachman Group-Financial Advisor
Whitney Ball	Think Tank	Owner of a firm that helps corporations give anonymous gifts to front groups
Michael Barone	Media	Fox News
Frank and Kathy Baxter	Banking	Ambassador Frank E. Baxter is Chairman Emeritus of Jefferies and Company, Inc., a global investment bank focusing on mid-cap companies.
Steve and Betty Bechtel	Engineering	Owns the Bechtel Group (Corporation), Largest engineering company in United States
Glenn Beck	Media	Fox News
Bernard and Margaret Blasingame	Manufacturing	President and owner of Aqua Dynamics Systems, Inc
Alan and Lisa Boeckmann	Oil	CEO Fluor Corporation
Boysie Bollinger	Shipping/Commerce	Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Bollinger Shipyards
Patrick and Paula Broe	Real Estate	Founder and CEO of Denver-based real estate asset management firm, The Broe Group
Arthur Brooks	Think Tank	President, American Enterprise Institute
David and Ann Brown	Think Tank	Heritage Foundation
John Bryan
Bob and Martha Buford	Oil	C. Robert Buford has been President and owner of Zenith Drilling Corporation
Tim Busch
Shelby and Nell Bush	Energy	Vice President, Legal and Administration – Hillwood Energy
Tim Carney	Media	Political Columnist, Washington Examiner
Charlies and Marla Chandler
David Chavern	Lobbyist	Executive Vice President and COO at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
John Childs	Insurance	Chairman and CEO of J.W. Childs and Associates
Paul and Lea Clifton		Runs Robert and Marie Hansen Family Foundation
Susie Coelhoe	Media	founder and CEO of Susie Coelho Enterprises Inc.
Bill Cooper and Kristin Tollefson	Finance/Banking	CEO of TCF Financial
Dino and Joan Cortopassi
Joe Craft	Coal	Joseph W. Craft III is president, chief executive officer and director of Alliance Resource Partners LP
Alex Cranberg	Energy	Aspect Holdings, LLC – Chairman
Jeff Crank	Americans For Prosperity / Radio Pundit	AFP State Director
Karl Crow	Policy Analyst	Capital Research Center
Eric Crown and Isabella King	Technology Sales	Sell Technology Equipment
Kevin Crutchfield	Coal	Kevin S. Crutchfield serves as Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Coal Sales Co., LLC.
Ravenell and Beth Curry
Jim and Shirley Dannenbaum	Engineering	Mr. Dannenbaum, Chairman of Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation
Veronique de Rugy	Think Tank	Senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center
Rich and Helen DeVos	Business	Founder and CEO of Amway
Annie Dickerson	Business	CBRE analyst
Ned and Nancy Diefenthal
Jim and Dorothy Patterson	Oil	Gulf Stream Petroleum
Dan and Kellie Peters	Non-for Profit	Daniel S. Peters is president of the Ruth and Lovett Peters Foundation in Cincinnati, Ohio
Tom Petrie	Banking	Co-founder of BofA Merrill Lynch Petrie Divestiture Advisors
Dixon and Carol Doll	Technology	Co-Founder and General Partner of DCM
Karl and Stevie Eller	Advertising
Ron and Kris Erickson	Retail	Ronald A. Erickson is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Holiday Companies
Melvyn and Suellen Estrin	Natural Gas	Director of WGL Holdings INC
Dick Farmer
Peter Farrell	Biomed	Founder of Resmed
Bob Kohlhepp	Manufacturing/Services	Vice Chairman, Cintas Corp.
Charles Krauthammer	Media	Washington Post
Jim and Zibbie Ferrell	Fuel Oil	Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. engages in the distribution and sale of propane and related equipment primarily in the United States.
Dave Fettig	Natural Gas	Tank Craft, Duracraft Fuel energy
Bob Fettig	Natural Gas	Tank Craft, Duracraft Fuel energy
Steve Fettig	Natural Gas	Tank Craft, Duracraft Fuel energy
Jerry and Nanette Finger	Banking	Managing Partner, Finger Interests LTD
Richard Fink	Koch Industries	Director of Georgia-Pacific, EVP of Koch Industries
Budd and Lauri Florkiewicz	Manufacturing	Foam Fabricators
Charlie and Kaye Lynn Fote	Finance	Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Fotec Group LLC
Randy and Jean Foutch	Oil	Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Laredo Petroleum, Inc.
Foster Friess	Investment	Mr. Foster Stephen Friess is the Founder and Chairman of Friess Associates, LLC
Steve and Polly Friess
Jerry and Leah Fullinwider	Energy/Petroleum	Vice Chairman, Hillwood International Energy, L.P.
Richard and Leslie Gilliam	Coal	Richard Gilliam has been President of Cumberland Resources Corporation since 1993.
Susan Gore	Think Tank	Founder, Wyoming Liberty Group
Oliver and Carolyn Grace Jr.	Med and Telecom	President and chief executive officer of Anderson Group, Inc.,
Judson and Joyce Green	Energy and Med	Mr. Judson C. Green is the President and Chief Executive Officer of NAVTEQ Corp.
Ken and Anne Griffin	Investment Banking	Founder and CEO of Citadel Investment Group
Gretchen Hamel
Fred and Jane Hamilton	Oil	Mr. Frederic C. Hamilton served as the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of BHP Petroleum, Hamilton Oil Company and various Hamilton Oil Corporation subsidiaries and affiliates
Bob and Mary Sue Hawk	Communications	President of Hawk Communications
Dick and Ethie Haworth	Retail	Head of Haworth Furniture, Multi-national corporation, 3rd largest corporate furniture company in US
Robin and Barbara Hayes	Government	Former NC Congressman
Dan and Carolyn Heard	Manufacturing	Executive Officer of John H. Carter Co.,
Diane Hendricks	Manufacturing	Husband of Ken Hendricks
Steve and Regina Hennessy	Auto Sales	Auto Sales
James and Heather Higgins	Think Tank	Independent Women’s Forum
Paul Hill	Oil	Paul J. Hill serves as the Chief Executive Officer and has been President of Harvard Developments Inc. since 1978. Mr. Hill serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President of The Hill Companies.
John and Joan Hotchkis	Education	Board of Directors for Teach for America UC Berkley
Allan and Kathy Hubbard	Chemicals and Manufacturing	Founder and Chief Executive Officer, E & A Industries, Inc.
Stan and Karen Hubbard	Communications	Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc.
Ethelmae Humphreys	Think Tank	Cato Institute
Manley and Mary Johnson	Political Consultant
Merritt Johnson
Gerry and Priscilla O’Shaughnessy	Oil	Gerald Eugene O’Shaughnessy Co-founded Geopark Holding Limited in 2002.
Michael O’Shaunessy	Technology	Petters Consumer Brands, LLC develops consumer electronics and appliances.
Tim O’Shaughnessy	Media	Hungry Machine, Inc., doing business as LivingSocial.com, is a social discovery and cataloging network.
Marshall Johnson
Kyle and Kirsten Johnstone
Mike and Beth Kasser	Real Estate	President, Holualoa Inc
Ken and Randy Kendrick	Education/Technology	Chairman, Datatel
Phil and Joanna Kerpen	Advocacy Group/Think Tank	VP of Policy, Americans for Prosperity
Gerry and Kathryn Kingen	Restauranteur	Red Robin, Happy Guests Int’ll
Scott Kirkpatrick	Investor	Teton Capital
Charles and Liz Koch	Koch Industries
Chase and Annie Koch	Koch Industries
David and Julia Koch	Koch Industries
Elizabeth Koch	Koch Industries
Bob and Cindy Koch	Koch Industries
Bob Kohlhepp	Manufacturing/Services	Vice Chairman, Cintas Corp.
Dennis Kuester	Banking	Retired CEO of M&I Bank
Andrew Kupersmith	Consultant	MD, Cardiology Consultants
Andre Lacy	Investment	Chairman, Lacy Diversified Industries
Ken and Elaine Langone	Retail	Invemed, Home Depot
Jay and Sally Lapeyre	Services	Laitram Corp
Ken and Frayda Levy	Investment	JLM Investment Mgmt
Tom Love	Retail	CEO, President, Love’s Country Stores
Bob Luddy	Manufacturing	President, Captive Aire Systems
Fred and Marlene Malek	Investment Management	Thayer Capital Partners
Elaine Marshall		Homemaker
Pierce Marshall	Administrative Management	MAROPCO
Preston Marshall
Bill Mayer	Health Care	MD, Mayer & Cope Family Practice
Glen and Diane Meakem	Business Solutions	CEO, Freemarkets Inc.
Ed Meese	Think Tank	Heritage Foundation
Lew and Suzy Meibergen	Goods/Services	President, Johnston Enterprises/WG Johnston Grain Co
Don and Deede Meyers	Attorney	Self Employed
Jerry and Caroline Milbank	Investment Management	CEO/Principal, Milbank Winthrop & Co.
Jack and Goldie Miller	Retail	CEO/President, Quill Corp.
Mark Mix	Advocacy Group	President, National Right to Work Committee
Joe and Mary Moeller	Koch Industries	Vice Chairman
Steve Moore	Media	member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board
David Murfin	Energy	President, Murfin Drilling Co.
Walter and Suzette Negley
Mina Nguyen
Larry and Polly Nichols	Energy	Executive Chairman, Devon Energy Corp
Sean Noble	Front Group	Americans for Prosperity
Tim and Teresa Oelke	Advocacy Group/Construction	Teresa – State Director of Americans for Prosperity, Tim – Crossland Construction Corp
Eric O’Keefe	Front Group	Sam Adams Alliance
Kurt and Nancy Pfotenhauer	Media	President of MediaSpeak Strategies/former political commentator on Fox News, CNN and MSNBC and former Senior Policy Advisor and National Spokesperson with the 2008 John McCain presidential campaign
Tim Phillips	Advocacy Group	president, Americans for Prosperity
Ramesh Ponnuru	Media	National Review magazine
Art and Kathy Pope	Goods/Services	Senior Exec, Variety Wholesaler
Russ Roberts	Attorney	Roberts, Ashby & Parrish
Corbin and Barbara Robertson	Energy	President, Quintana Minerals Corp
Richard Roder and Karin Hsu	Construction Management	CEO, Cmt-Construction Management
Gary and Kathleen Rogers	Goods	Former CEO, Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream
Durk Rorie	Manufacturing	United Air Specialists
Chris Rufer	Goods/Manufacturing	Morningstar Company
Peter Schiff and Martha O’Brien	Investor	Schiff: Euro Pacific Capital Inc.,
Steve and Christine Schwarzman	Financial Services	CEO/founder, Blackstone Group
Rick and Sherry Sharp	Retail	Former CEO, Circuit City
Mike and Lin Simmonds	Services	CEO, Simmonds Restaurant Mgmt
Peter Smith	Services	CEO, Service Group of America
Dick Strong	Investment Services	Strong/Corneliuson Capital Mgmt
Michael Sullivan	Investment Services	CR Intrinsic Investors
Ray and Ladeline Thompson	Manufacturing	President/CEO, Semitool
Lynn Tilton	Investment Management	CEO, Patriarch Partners LLC
Dave and Melanie True	Oil	Partner
Steve Twist	Consultant	Rose & Allyn PR Consultants
Jim and Gayla Von Ehr	Research/Development	CEO, Zyvex Corp
Rick and Debra Waller	Manufacturing	Owner, Rollmeister Inc
Peter Wallison	Think Tank	Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
Bill and Sarah Walton	Real Estate	Allied Capital Corp
Lew and Myra Ward	Oil	Ward Petroleum Corporation owns and operates wells. It engages in oil and gas exploration and production. The company was founded in 1963 and is based in Enid, Oklahoma.
Dick Weekley	Real Estate	Weekley Properties
Fred and Susie Wehba	Real Estate	Bentley Forbes Real Estate
Nestor Weigand and Darcy Buehler	Real Estate	JP Weigand & Sons Real Estate
Dick and Mary Beth Weiss	Life Insurance	Wells Fargo, Hawthorne Rances
Howard and Rhonda Wilkins	Insurance	Diversified Insurance
Don and Sue Wills	Oil
Bob Kohlhepp	Manufacturing/Services	Vice Chairman, Cintas Corp.
Bob Kohlhepp	Manufacturing/Services	Vice Chairman, Cintas Corp.
Larry and Lorraine Winnerman	Real Estate	Win Win Enterprises
Joe Woodford
Earl Wright	Finance	AMG Natinal Trust
Karen Wright and Tom Rastin	Energy/Manufacturing	Tom Rastin, vice president of marketing and engineering, Ariel Corp – Karen Wright, Ariel CEO
Cliff and Susan Yonce	Investment Banking	Goldman Sachs
Fred and Sandra Young	Services	Diversified Search, LLC provides senior-level executive and corporate board search services in the United States and internationally. It provides recruitment services for various organizations in consumer and industrial, education, not-for-profit, arts and culture, financial and professional services, business, healthcare and human services, life sciences, media and entertainment, sports and leisure, energy and utilities, private equity, retail, and technology and communications industries.

It's also especially interesting to see that Fred Malek, who is one of the people pulling the strings in the background for Sarah Palin, has attended the event in June 2010.

There are of course many more connections to Sarah Palin: For example, Glenn Beck, Bill Kristol's Weekly Standard and of course Fox News in general are firmly on Sarah Palin's side.

It's fascinating to see the scale of these meetings, which the public never really knew about. The Koch brothers must spend a fortune. But it's certainly worth it: If everything goes according to plan, then the top 3% of the population will make a nice cut, and maybe they can get rid of some of these pesky regulations, so that they can pollute the environment even more (their ambitious goal is to get rid of 90% of all regulations).

The Koch brothers are in fact "political businessmen", as is now more obvious than ever.

And where is the "little guy" in this plan?

He can worship Sarah Palin and watch Glenn Beck and listen to Rush Limbaugh. It's not certain that he will have social security or healthcare, but only evil liberals want these kind of things anyway, not the "real Americans."

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I would like to include again the clip I made about the Koch brothers: