#1306 Kochland: How We All Became Residents of a Libertarian Fever Dream
Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Jay Tomlinson
4.5 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 18 September 2019
⏱️ 78 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Air Date: 9/17/2019
Today we take a look at the lives and legacies of the Koch Brothers. Or, put more pointedly, we look at how two decedents of a bonafide conspiracy theorist have almost single-handedly doomed us to endure runaway climate chaos while suffering from severely degraded labor standards and a broken democracy.
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SHOW NOTES
Ch. 1: Christopher Leonard on Secret History of Koch Industries - Democracy Now - Air Date 8-27-19
How David and his brother Charles Koch transformed the American economy and political system, from funding climate change deniers to fighting organized labor.
Ch. 2: David Koch Dead at 79 - The Young Turks - Air Date 8-23-19
David Koch has permanently clocked out from corruption. Cenk Uygur, John Iadarola, and Dan Evans, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.
Leonard explains how Charles Koch and his political network were able to amass so much power and influence over American life.
Ch. 4: Documentary: Trump, Koch Brothers and Their War on Climate Science - The Real News - Air Date 4-5-19
Narrated by Danny Glover, A documentary special reveals how climate change science has been under systematic attack; the multi-million dollar campaign allowed a climate change denier to be elected president
The Koch brothers transformed an obscure oil company based in Wichita into a $110 billion colossus, and reshaped the Republican Party—but failed to prevent Trump from becoming president.
Leonard explains how Charles Koch and his political network were able to amass so much power and influence over American life.
Christopher Leonard joins Sam to discuss his new book The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America.
Ch. 8: Christopher Leonard On The Koch Brothers - Live at Politics and Prose - Air Date 9-6-19
Christopher Leonard speaks about his book Kochland, and answers questions from the audience.
VOICEMAILS
Ch. 9: Thoughts on Larry Krasner, the Philadelphia DA - Erin from Philadelphia
FINAL COMMENTS
Ch. 10: Final comments on strategies to be as effective as possible during the upcoming elections
MUSIC(Blue Dot Sessions):
- Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr
- Cat's Eye - Marble Run
- Inessential - Bayou Birds
- Chilvat - Lillehammer
- Turning to You - Landsman Duets
- Neil Takes Two - Studio J
- Take a Tiny Train - Ray Catcher
- Vengeful - Warmbody
- Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
- Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to this episode of the award winning best of left podcast in which we shall learn |
| 0:08.1 | about the lives and legacies of the Koch brothers. |
| 0:11.4 | Now you may have heard that David Koch died recently and I took that as a signal that |
| 0:17.0 | it would be a good time to do sort of a wrap up of the reporting on his life and legacy. |
| 0:23.0 | But what I actually found surprised me, it turns out that a brand new book on Koch industries |
| 0:28.6 | had come out only about 10 days before David's death. |
| 0:32.8 | Therefore everyone who wanted to talk about the significance of David's death called to |
| 0:38.2 | the author of the book Kochland Christopher Leonard. |
| 0:41.7 | Well, it turns out that David was by sort of a long stretch the more vestigial Koch |
| 0:48.8 | brother. |
| 0:49.9 | He primarily lived as a philanthropist billionaire. |
| 0:53.4 | You know, he was involved in the political side, but his brother Charles was really the |
| 0:58.4 | driving force behind the Koch empire and everything else. |
| 1:02.0 | So in an effort to learn about the life of David, what I ended up with was effectively |
| 1:07.8 | a book report on Kochland, which is almost entirely dedicated to the life and efforts |
| 1:14.8 | of not David, but Charles. |
| 1:18.0 | So you know, this shows funny that way. |
| 1:19.4 | I often set out with a plan for my research, but then the research itself ends up taking |
| 1:23.9 | me in new and interesting directions. |
| 1:26.4 | So in that sense, it's normal. |
| 1:27.9 | It's just that this time it took me more by surprise than usual. |
| 1:31.6 | You know, you set out to research one specific person and you end up with a whole show on |
... |
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