• Koch network backing $4 million criminal justice reform initiative
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[URL]https://www.axios.com/koch-network-launching-4-million-criminal-justice-reform-effort-1516752506-9bce9310-6f54-4771-b31e-760ec5672434.html[/URL] [QUOTE]The Texas Public Policy Foundation's Right on Crime initiative — supported by Koch Industries — is launching an effort focused on reducing repeat offenses and successfully reintegrating the incarcerated into society. The initiative will begin in four states —Texas, Louisiana, Florida and Pennsylvania — and will focus on using research to craft new approaches to re-entry. Why this matters: Criminal justice reform will be a major focus of the Koch network this year, both at state and the federal level. While congressional efforts to tackle the subject fell apart two years ago, there's been chatter about potentially trying again this year — which would seem to have the Koch blessing.[/QUOTE] Strange to see the kochs doing something that seems actually good. (besides funding PBS)
This is what they do. They contribute to philanthropic causes like this and public broadcasting, and then turn around to push far right political positions.
[QUOTE=mcharest;53080656]This is what they do. They contribute to philanthropic causes like this and public broadcasting, and then turn around to push far right political positions.[/QUOTE] The Kochs are libetarians, though, and one of the few points that progressives and libertarians overlap is on criminal justice reforms. Libertarians see excessive sentencing and unjust crimes as an extension of government overreach, and simultaneously would rather the government not waste so much money on prisons that they'd rather see as tax cuts. I am no fan of the Kochs interests generally, and oppose the ability of the wealthy to utilize their wealth as political power like this. That said, I can accept it for once if it's directed at a good cause. They're going to bankroll various pet projects, may as well hope it's a good one.
[QUOTE=Maegord;53081155]The Kochs are libetarians, though, and one of the few points that progressives and libertarians overlap is on criminal justice reforms. Libertarians see excessive sentencing and unjust crimes as an extension of government overreach, and simultaneously would rather the government not waste so much money on prisons that they'd rather see as tax cuts. I am no fan of the Kochs interests generally, and oppose the ability of the wealthy to utilize their wealth as political power like this. That said, I can accept it for once if it's directed at a good cause. They're going to bankroll various pet projects, may as well hope it's a good one.[/QUOTE] Kochs are libertarians as far as ripping down regulations so they can exploit the system goes. Which I guess is the current state of libertarianism.
Well really, the ultra rich would benefit from not having recidivist criminals in society. They own a lot of property and businesses that probably lose money to petty crimes.
I don't know. In the big picture, $4 million dollars doesn't go very far.
[QUOTE=TheBorealis;53080618][URL]https://www.axios.com/koch-network-launching-4-million-criminal-justice-reform-effort-1516752506-9bce9310-6f54-4771-b31e-760ec5672434.html[/URL] Strange to see the kochs doing something that seems actually good. (besides funding PBS)[/QUOTE] The fund a lot of things: PBS (as you mentioned), half the population of Kansas, and many institutes of medicine and science. They also buy up a lot of stocks to the point where they own a little bit of everyone's pie and combined with their oil business there probably isn't a thing you own that wasn't touched by Koch industries at one point or another. Oh and I believe its Charles that owns the wild west town and lets no one in it. Yeah they're libertarians who want to go back to the articles of confederation days but they've set themselves up so well that even if you're the most vigilant person in the world all it takes is a blink and they're that much closer to their goal.
[QUOTE=TheBorealis;53080618][URL]https://www.axios.com/koch-network-launching-4-million-criminal-justice-reform-effort-1516752506-9bce9310-6f54-4771-b31e-760ec5672434.html[/URL] Strange to see the kochs doing something that seems actually good. (besides funding PBS)[/QUOTE] theres always a catch.
[QUOTE=Aztec;53081177]Kochs are libertarians as far as ripping down regulations so they can exploit the system goes. Which I guess is the current state of libertarianism.[/QUOTE] Libertarianism is literally just anarchy lite™. Lack of government and everything works out because it's a Utopia in the minds of theirs.
[QUOTE=TheDestroyerOfall;53089997]Libertarianism is literally just anarchy lite™. Lack of government and everything works out because it's a Utopia in the minds of theirs.[/QUOTE] libertarianism is a misguided antithesis to the great society. Johnson's goal with great society was very much in line with what republicans want today, for people to be able to lift themselves out of poverty through their own hard work, but Johnson and FDR both wanted to achieve that by using the government to remove barriers to social movement. Libertarians don't want the government to do anything, assuming that people's failures are their own.
[QUOTE=Sableye;53090248]libertarianism is a misguided antithesis to the great society. Johnson's goal with great society was very much in line with what republicans want today, for people to be able to lift themselves out of poverty through their own hard work, but Johnson and FDR both wanted to achieve that by using the government to remove barriers to social movement. Libertarians don't want the government to do anything, assuming that people's failures are their own.[/QUOTE] Libertarianism assumes that free market forces will not become the new oppressors, which is a hilarious assumption given that many large corporations look for every way possible to save money, which easily veers into 'oppression' territory when they employ managers as union busters and employ you just a couple hours short of full-time so they don't have to give you benefits. Then again such benefits will not be a concern without the government mandating worker's rights, so without worker's rights we could slip back into an industrial age society where workers who stand up for themselves are either replaced or beat into submission by private police.
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