Cain's campaign manager and a number of aides have worked for Americans for Prosperity, or AFP, the advocacy group founded with support from billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, which lobbies for lower taxes and less government regulation and spending. Cain credits a businessman who served on an AFP advisory board with helping devise his "9-9-9" plan to rewrite the nation's tax code. And his years of speaking at AFP events have given the businessman and radio host a network of loyal grassroots fans.
October 17, 2011
"Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain has cast himself as the outsider, the pizza magnate with real-world experience..."
"... But Cain's economic ideas, support and organization have close ties to two billionaire brothers who bankroll right-leaning causes through their group Americans for Prosperity."
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75 comments:
As opposed to "ties with {insert names of left leaning billionaires and the organizations they bankroll}".
To ABC News I say "so?" Truly since 2008 the MSM has made it painfully clear what they stand for. Which does not include neutral, balanced coverage.
I didn't realize the Koch brothers were insiders. They haven't supported too many insider organizations. CATO and AFP are not considered Washington Insiders.
Oh noes, KOCHTAPUS!!!!
Cain should be pleased with this, it means he's being taken seriously.
STOP -- THE -- PRESSES!
Right wing non-profit corporation supported by right wing for-profit corporations!
Well, I never!
I wonder how they do it on the left?
Even if one buys the Koch Brothers = Evil mantra, this story is "Dog bites man" writ large.
Frankly, I'm glad he has this much substance behind him. What's wrong with rich people funding an organization that develops policy and organizes politics consistent with a particular ideology? What's wrong with an individual having an organization like that behind him?
It was a breathless, tiresome article.
BLUE MEANIES!!!
I WAS going to post a one-word comment: "SO?" But I see Rick 67 beat me to it..
Feature, not a bug.
It's important to know, with respect to any politician, where the money and the policy comes from. This kind of transparency is important.
Obviously, it was absurd for Cain to act like he's come up with all this policy on his own or that he knows some accountant in Cleveland who helped him whip it up.
So Cain takes dirty Iranian blood money? Sheesh.
Again with the Koch Brothers? The left really has crazy evil billionaire Soros envy. They want a bond villain on the other side too!
The left loves the smell of slander in the morning.
But painting Herman as a tool of super rich Corporations and who also hires campaign staff that has previously worked for a Koch sponsored entity sure is thin.
The image is in the semantics that identify Cain as a charismatic face controlled by others to hide their policies of destruction.
Amazing. Whatever the left is doing is what they accuse others of doing.
That sounds so dangerous...and he is off the plantation too.
It's not that that attracts me to him so much as the numerology and the superstition.
"CATO and AFP are not considered Washington Insiders."
No, but PBS sure is. I believe it's NOVA which gives a shout-out every episode to David Koch (named individually) for his support.
Folks who believe in free markets actually work together? Whodathunkit?
The 9-9-9 plan is similar to the Neil Boortz preached Fair Tax that has been around for 8+ years, and both these men are Talk Show hosts in Atlanta.
The plan is a simple one.
The only hard thing is explaining the plan over the natural angst of conservatives who hate change and liberals who smell a rat even if they can't do the math beyond "Sales Taxes Are Regressive.".
The standard reaction to date has been to shut people's ears and refusal to consider it. (Cain calls that stupid.)
Cain's addition here is his speaking skills to open ears to hear the plan.
He has practiced this so long that he can communicate it to the point that we listen.
That may not show a mensa intellect, but it shows a AAA rated leadership skill.
I agree with Rick67...So?
How can you be a businessman in American and not have ties to people who are richer than you are? How can you be a politician and not be a member of some group with ties to rich people?
This is how it is. You might not like it, and it is interesting, I guess to read about, but spare me the conspiracy theories.
Was the Accoutant in Dave from Cleveland? (I hope that's your allusion)
but spare me the conspiracy theories
So you don't want to hear about how fire isn't hot enough to melt steel?
Truly since 2008 the MSM has made it painfully clear what they stand for.
You must be quite young.
It's very telling when the MSM makes the assumption that tagging Cain with the Koch Brothers is a bad thing. What is wrong with the Koch Brothers? I mean, I really never have understood what they are supposed to have done wrong other than being "billionaires."
Only leftwing progressive democrats can be funded by big dollar donors. No one else.
Oh no, the Koch brothers. Now if he had ties to George Soros that would be reason to support him.
Garage. Unlike Soros i do not believe the Kochs ever were Nazis.
What is wrong with the Koch Brothers?
"Paging Doctor Fine, Doctor Mahal, Doctor Fine."
Well at least it isn't Halliburton.
What's wrong with rich people funding an organization that develops policy and organizes politics consistent with a particular ideology?
Oh Ann, don't be so silly!
That approach is only allowed when said rich people & organizations support silly leftist ideas and candidates espousing them.
I like Cain. Don't know if I'm sold on him, but I like him. Wrote about him yesterday.
The Republicans have their black guy! I think that's hilarious. Might as well make use of the strategic advantage. Cain completely undercuts Obama's Vote for me or you're a racist! campaign.
I also don't see any reason why he should not associate with the Koch brothers. Bogus issue.
His association with an organization associated with the evil Koch brothers proves that he is even whiter than Garage thought him to be!,
Cain must be doing something right, the attacks from the left and the MSM (many times the same thing) are coming thick and fast.
Amazon
have close ties to two
Known domestic terrorists?
OH, wait, that is the current President.
Sorry.
Cain hires Mark Block. Who is Mark Block?
In late 2010, the liberal advocacy group, One Wisconsin Now, caught a Tea Party organizer on tape discussing Block's role in a vote-caging scheme apparently designed to suppress voter turnout in two Milwaukee districts that are heavily populated by college students and African Americans.
snip
The 2010 vote-caging scheme hardly marks Block's first game of dirty politics. In fact, his first day at Americans for Prosperity marked the expiration of a four-year ban on political campaign involvement imposed on him by a Wisconsin court for his illegal activity in a 2001 election.
Link.
Seems like an honorable enough guy!
Proof that Cain isn't an authentic African-American.
Rumor has it that when Cain's not campaigning David Koch make him stand outside his estate dressed in full jockey attire holding a lantern.
In Facebook conversations, lefties scream Koch Brothers! Gasoline! Oil! Evil!
I love gasoline. Gasoline got me to San Francisco and New York City. Gasoline is an incredibly great product.
So, I think that the fact that the Koch Brothers are in the oil business is a giant plus.
They produce great products and get them to market. I bless the Koch Brothers every time I fill up the gas tank in my car.
garbage continues to advocate vote fraud.
How many times should each Democrat get to vote, garbage?
God forbid that one should actually be a real U.S. citizen in order to vote.
We know you're 100% behind the vote fraud effort, garbage. Thanks for telling us, again.
Thomas
The article is actually about right wing voter fraud. Mark Block is a shady dude, and it reflects poorly on Cain.
I'm sure that troubles exactly nobody here, because in right wing world minorities and students voting, is voter fraud.
I'm sure that troubles exactly nobody here, because in right wing world minorities and students voting, is voter fraud.
Patently false and you know it.
altnet is about as bullshit a source imaginable.
You got anything else?
And, yes, what you are really in favor of is vote fraud.
As they say in Chicago: "Vote early and vote often."
You can't use the race bullshit any more, garbage.
Republicans have a black guy!
You are a fucking racist for opposing Cain! Stop these racist attacks on this noble black man.
You got anything else?
You mean, the same details from a different source?
"One Wisconsin Now, caught a Tea Party organizer on tape discussing Block's role in a vote-caging scheme"
OMG! A lefty journalist says he heard a second-(or third or fourth) hand rumor about vote manipulation that almost happened!
garage is either sure vote fraud is a CRISIS!!!111!!! or else it doesn't exist, depending on who we're talking about.
garage mahal said...
Thomas
The article is actually about right wing voter fraud. Mark Block is a shady dude, and it reflects poorly on Cain
Actually, it is a link to a left wing propaganda Web site.
Nothing more.
It is a story like I'm the King of Djibouti.
Idiot.
Any negative comments you make about Cain, I will immediately attribute to racism, garbage. You racist fuck.
Your racist hatred of black people is all over this Cain thing.
Why do you hate black people so, garbage?
LOL. Calypso, are you actually disputing anything? All the same facts are at jsonline.com
Fact: Herman Cain knowingly hired Mark Block.
Fact: Block was banned by a court for 4 years from any campaigning involvement in Wisconsin.
Fact: Block admits to his involvement in a voter-caging scheme to supress votes.
designed to suppress voter turnout in two Milwaukee districts that are heavily populated by college students and African Americans
Of course we already know how garage feels about those convicted (but strangely, not sentenced) for suppression of votes in black districts: "What else was the Obama DOJ supposed to prosecute? Wearing scary black man clothing at a voting place? "
Oh wait...that was different apparently.
I call racist again on you, garbage.
You hate Herman Cain. You hate all black people.
Explain to us why you hate black people so fiercely.
I can book you into a Diversity Training session later this week where we can try to discover the roots of your vicious racism.
You're right about one thing, garage. I won't defend or disparage Mark Block directly until I know more about him. I just find your inconsistency fun!
PS-I still don't see anything about an admission of voter-caging. I see a RUMOR of a theoretical intent. No charges. As to his terrible 2001 "ban", it was a voluntary settlement for supposedly coordinating PAC actions with a candidacy (similar to the WEAC charges in the recent recall). No vote suppression.
Sorry, but gotta run. I'll check back later to see if you've got anything else on this terrible boogeyman!
It is obvious that the Obama campaign now sees Mr Cain as serious contender--the attacks will start, and continue.
This election cycle is not going to be pretty, but Mr Cain appears to be able to hold his own.
Whomsoever the media machine attacks is viewed as a serious contender.
I just find your inconsistency fun!
I find your inconsistency fun-er!
I thought Mr Cain handled himself very well with excrable David Greory on MTP--Mr Cain seems to be able to speak to issues in a style which can be easily understood by average Americans--No oceans rising, no earth beginning to heal. Just plain talk. I like that.
I am suspecting it will be a Romney Cain ticket, but at this point I dont know who the top slot goes to.
I am suspecting it will be a Romney Cain ticket, but at this point I dont know who the top slot goes to.
I'm not necessarily opposed to this thought, but I want the GOP nominee to come out, guns blazing from his first statement in the debates to the last, leaving The Lightbringer an rhetorical quivering mass. I don't know if Romney is that guy.
The visuals of seeing Obama have to go one-on-one with Herman Cain are interesting though. Frankly, any of the current candidates could eviscerate Slow Joe as a VP nominee.
Mid-Life Lawyer said...
It's very telling when the MSM makes the assumption that tagging Cain with the Koch Brothers is a bad thing. What is wrong with the Koch Brothers? I mean, I really never have understood what they are supposed to have done wrong other than being "billionaires."
They are billionaires involved in ... Oil ... oooooooooooh.
And they advocate, and support groups/people who advocate, free markets and capitalism ... ooooooh.
I, like ST, love oil. Thank God for oil.
Scott M--I thought Rick Perry, who appears to have been taken out of the mix, had a brilliant ad about the failures of Obama "economic policy." I do hope to see either Romney or Cain double down on the thrust of early Perry ads. And agree--the Repubilican need to be more aggressive and damn the torpedos of racism.
Shorter Garage: Left=Good. Right=Evil. All else follows.
Alternet.org, garage? Now there's an unbiased news source!
If truthfulness were their aim, the headline would have been, "As Herman Cain Surges, it's Time for the Character Assassination to Begin."
Alternet.org, garage? Now there's an unbiased news source!
Feel free to fact check them. Although I don't know what you would actually be fact checking. It's old news in Wisconsin.
Roger J. said..
I am suspecting it will be a Romney Cain ticket, but at this point I dont know who the top slot goes to.
Reminds me of when Bob Dole was seeking nomination and an interviewer brought up Dole's wife Elizabeth, asking whether he would consider a Dole-Dole ticket. "I might," he said, "but I don't want to be vice-president."
Oh my God! Herman Cain actually has opinions about economic and business matters, and a record of expressing them!
How can we possibly elect such a man?
Tyrone: LOL. Bob Dole did have a great sense of humor. And he was probably right :)
Incidentally, Cain is no outsider either (though it has nothing to do with Koch). He was a member/director/chairman of one of the regional Reserve Boards. So he probably is deeply connected to various banking and gov't interests.
He also worked and succeeded in private industry and seems to have a good feel for why that is so important.
If he continues to gain momentum, he will continue to see more and more hit pieces directed at him.
WV: conme - Really.
No, but PBS sure is. I believe it's NOVA which gives a shout-out every episode to David Koch (named individually) for his support.
PBS take "dirty Iranian blood money"?
@garage
From what I can make out at this distance, Block's infraction seems pretty minor. Campaign workers are in it to win, and they sail pretty close to the wind. This is true for both parties and you know it. I just don't have time or space to list all the bundlers for Obama and Hillary who have been busted cheating. Your error, and alternet's, is in reporting this as if Block were caught red-handed murdering babies in satanic rituals. Whatever he's alleged to have done, he's fulfilled the terms of the sanction, so you can untwist your panties.
Your error, and alternet's, is in reporting this as if Block were caught red-handed murdering babies in satanic rituals
Nope, I just posted what actually happened. More to the point, the same people that lecture everybody about election integrity are the same ones trying to rig elections.
the same people that lecture everybody about election integrity are the same ones trying to rig elections
Got a link to such a quote from Mark Block, or anyone else who's tried to "rig elections," or just the usual hot air?
I didn't rig any elections, GM, and I'd still like the voting law to have the same minimum requirements my ban, the liquor store, and the smoke shop all have.
Tank said:
He was a member/director/chairman of one of the regional Reserve Boards.
No, he was not. He was a member of the board of directors of a Federal Reserve *Bank*
KC, IIRC.
There are 12 geographically distributed Federal Reserve Banks. They are private institutions owned by their member banks.
You may be confusing them with the Federal Reserve *Board*, a govt agency, of which there is only 1, in DC.
The Federal Reserve Board (govt) is charged with overseeing the Federal Reserve Banks (private)
It is roughly analogous to the relation of the NY Stock Exchange (private) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (govt regulator)
Yes, I know we could get into an interesting discussion about the effective ownership of the Federal Reserve Banks. Technically, though, they are privately owned.
As I have mentioned before, would not this directorship be a strong point in Cain's favor? It would indicate that he has more idea than most about how the Federal Reserve System works and doesn't work.
I for one would like that in a Prez. Even though I agree with Ron Paul that the Federal Reserve System should be abolished.
John Henry
Roll out Alinsky, we'll have a barrel of fun
Roll out Alinsky, we've got the blues on the run
Zing boom tararrel, ring out a song of good cheer
Now's the time to use Alinsky, for the mob's all here
Again the Koch machine raises it's ugly head.
(I know...)
In other news, do any of the Lefties want to comment on the fact Dr Evil has interests in Uganda, which explains the rush to send troops there?
Roger J. said...
Scott M--I thought Rick Perry, who appears to have been taken out of the mix, had a brilliant ad about the failures of Obama "economic policy."
Don't count Perry out yet. His economic proposals were pretty well-received and we have yet to see if Karl Rove(and Larry Sabato)'s warnings about Herman's campaign come true.
Don't count Perry out yet. His economic proposals were pretty well-received and we have yet to see if Karl Rove(and Larry Sabato)'s warnings about Herman's campaign come true.
At this point in '91, Clinton was an asterisk in the polls.
Scott M and Edutcher--I will be the first to stipulate a whole lot can happen in the next year plus--possibly a challenge from the progressive democrats to Mr Obama, perhaps more turmoil in the GOP side. My comment was made based on what I see now, but I am not sanguine enough to say other factors my crop up. For instance, the scandals the Obama administration may become more focused; his deployment of combat forces to Uganda, and his unsuccessful prosecution of the war in Afghanistan. At any rate, there will be interesting times ahead. It will be easier for me to choose in about a year.
The Koch brothers did not take half a billion "stimulus" to run a bankrupt company.
Mid-Life Lawyer said...
It's very telling when the MSM makes the assumption that tagging Cain with the Koch Brothers is a bad thing. What is wrong with the Koch Brothers?
==================
Nothing really wrong with the Koch Brothers...but 9-9-9 is shown to be another billionaire's tax overhaul proposal, with Cain as its stalking horse dutifully masking the source of it.
Like the billionaire Forbes Flat Tax plan - it is a windfall for the Rich. It promises something the masses really want - a simplification of the corrupt and byzantine tax code - but makes sure the benefits go mainly to the wealthy. Through elimination of tax progressivity and lowered business and cap gains taxes.
To those that argue that they see lowered taxes on the poor and the middle class somehow...not just the wealthy...where does the money to match the budget come from?
Simple.
Same as in Europe and communist lands of the past with the VAT. If everyone pays less than what is needed - you just increase the sales tax from DC. Stroke of a pen. You go to 9-9-11, 9-9-13% and so on. Plus hire several hundred thousand more Federal inspectors to monitor against cheating and black market activity.
The narrative is this, anyone who does not support the left is being duped by a conspiracy of the rich. All of the 99%, except those using public property for their domicile otherwise known as the vanguard of the 99%, have a false consciousness.
George Soros?
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