The Koch brothers, university donations, and getting to pick the professors

[Cyrano]

Charles Koch is donating $1.5 million to Florida State University. But along with this donation he is retaining the right to "help choose" professors.

Every time you think that pricks like the Koch Brothers have figured out every possible way in the world to screw us, and pervert our freedoms and our society, they come up with something new.

Of course, the university has accepted the donation which, makes them whores.

The Koch's aren't content to own just about everything there is to own. They want to own the future. And the way to do that is to control the thinking of generations to come. Thus, donations to a university where they get to name the propagandists -- um, professors -- who teach there.

At one time, I believed there were people in this world who sucked, but, being an agnostic, I didn't believe in the existence of "evil." Well, you can now count me among those who do believe that evil exists. And the Koch Brothers are a prime example of it.

So that's my opinion. What's yours?

[ensho]

1. the Koch brothers are like Oliver North

where ever they go they do crimes

proffs that succumb to their bribes should be mocked, fired.

[Cyrano]

2. It's not the profs. They are just the tools. It's the universities that are

willing to sell out their academic freedom and integrity that need to be condemned and shunned.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Oh, it's the professors.

Think Bell Curve. That book was put out where everyone could work on trashing it. But, imagine the damage that professors can have on their students if they can convince them with statistics and Economics that the U.S. cannot continue programs and policies which are not popular with the right-wing.

I think that's what happened in this case, below. If you read the reader forums, you will see that an Economic professor and alumnis from Economics came to her rescue.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/os-rollins-student-newspaper-immigran20110324,0,1530297.story

[defendandprotect]

8. It's all of it -- Education at all levels has been corporatized -- with only one message now -- !!

[Buns_of_Fire]

3. Did FSU need his donation THAT bad?

Charlie's just doing what a good Kook Brother does -- trying to buy influence wherever and whenever he can.

In more rational times, he would have been politely but firmly shown the door when he made clear the cost of his donation. So, in this instance, I blame FSU more than him.

(Charlie and David are still bottom-feeding scum, but I don't believe for a minute that FSU had to crawl down there with them. Educational integrity, indeed.)

[Cyrano]

4. The descent of universities into the sewers started with Ronald Reagan

And it has only accelerated and intensified since.

There are many great professors out there who see this first hand and are greatly saddened by it. But, like the rest of us, they're helpless to do anything about it.

In today's world, the "Haves" have all the power. And all the rest of us have is the ability to bitch about it. We let our freedoms seep away an inch at a time and now, we are where we are. If we want those freedoms back, it's going to take a lot more than bitching.

[defendandprotect]

10. This is also continuation of McCarthy Era -- purging government/edu of liberals/progressives--!!

[defendandprotect]

12. Misplaced --

[Fuzz]

6. I saw that on Maddow last night and couldn't believe that was actually possible

especially at a state university.

What a huge pile of shit that is. And for what? 1.5 million?

[Cyrano]

7. I didn't know that Rachel had covered this. Good for her.

What this world needs is a few million more Rachel Maddows.

[Fuzz]

11. Just last night I think.

[barbtries]

9. imo

you are absolutely right. no private people should be owning a public university to this extent.

[defendandprotect]

13. And what did they get when Koch Bros Funded the DLC --- ?

The Rightwing Koch Bros. Funded the DLC --

http://www.democrats.com/node/7789

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x498414

If you knew about this, why didn't you tell us?

If you didn't know, pass it along -- !!

:)

[Cyrano]

14. Yep, I knew that. But any good OP should focus on only one issue.

As far as the Dems who bought into the DLC crap, there was no way they didn't know that they were selling out the magnificent New Deal/Great Society accomplishments of the Democratic Party.

[Dr Fate]

20. How can we discuss the Koch brothers w/o discusssing DLCers who just awarded them with tax cuts?

So let me get this straight- Centrist Democrats take money from the Kochs, then the same DEMS extend the Bush tax cuts to the Kochs, then the Koch's use the money that centrist DEMS gave them to attack the DEM party and Liberal issues and other wise support a far-right wing aganda...

Where the Koch brothers got their money is very much part of the issue, and we should focus on it. They got a lot of it from the tax breaks that DLCers and other DEMS fought to award them.

If "The Koch Brothers" are attacking the DEM party and the Liberal agenda, then they are doing it with money that Democrats themselves awarded them- tax breaks they could have fought to give to the middle class, etc.

[highplainsdem]

15. Link to the topic I posted about this Sunday night:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1066868

I'd known of Koch funding at some private schools but was surprised and disappointed to find out that a state university would accept their money with strings attached.

[Cyrano]

16. The money was the carrot. It makes me wonder what the stick was.

[EC]

17. They are trying to remake the economic basics

by picking only supply side teachers.

[Cyrano]

18. Well, at this rate, it won't be only the homeless who are living in cardboard boxes or caves.

[Dr Fate]

19. Reid, Pelosi and Obama have all issued statements demanding a Federal Investigation. (link included)

LOL! made you look.

Could someone link me to Reid, Pelosi and the Obama Admin's official positions on what they are going to do about "the Koch Brothers" and all the awful things they do?

"The Koch Brothers" is obviously a major issue of our time- so surely the top leadership of our party has specifically addressed this.

Besides giving them massive tax cuts, that is- that is not the info I'm looking for. Show me the links where they are taking action to stop the Kochs. Dont show me DEMS using them as a fund raising cry- but actually doing somtehing to stop or punish them-something besides "punishing" them with tax breaks of the likes I will never enjoy.

[Cyrano]

21. The Dems are doing what they always do to combat those who

who screw the average, powerless American. Nothing.

[Dr Fate]

22. Wrong- they will write fund raising letters....

...warning us that if we do not donate to the same centrist DEMS who gave the Koch Brothers their tax cuts, then "The Koch Brothers will get you!"

[Cyrano]

23. My bad. You're absolutely right, Dr Fate.

What a disgusting game it is they play. And the only rule is that we always lose.

[Liberal In Texas]

24. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly why it's a bad idea to

depend on private donations/funding for the arts, scientific research, and education. Private or corporate money almost always has an agenda.

Florida State needs to turn down the donation unless the conditions are removed.

[defendandprotect]

27. We have to find a way to uninvent the dollar -- otherwise, it will always work as a

way to transfer legitimate power into illegitimate hands --

And, one of the posters is a making a very valid point -- tax cuts are

enriching our corporate enemies like Koch Bros. and funding the further

corruption of government.

With every product we buy, we are enriching and making some corporation

more powerful!

PLUS we have a huge numbers of millionaires and multi-millionaires in

Congress now and it would be naive to expect them to be working in the

interests of citizens -- !!

[eppur_se_muova]

25. Evil is not a supernatural force. It is a creation of (certain) humans.

Even atheists can believe in evil, without contradiction.

[Cyrano]

26. It's hard to not believe in evil when it engulfs our lives every daly.

It's why I never turn on Fox "News." Evil has a way of creeping into your life no matter what you do. There's no reason to let Rupert Murdoch pump it into your home with full force and volume.

[donheld]

28. Change your headline to Soros, and Fox would be going nuclear