in a very self-serving way, in this Wall Street Journal op ed.
I said it was self-serving. It is also self-justifying.
It begins like this
I have devoted most of my life to understanding the principles that enable people to improve their lives. It is those principles—the principles of a free society—that have shaped my life, my family, our company and America itself.
Unfortunately, the fundamental concepts of dignity, respect, equality before the law and personal freedom are under attack by the nation's own government. That's why, if we want to restore a free society and create greater well-being and opportunity for all Americans, we have no choice but to fight for those principles. I have been doing so for more than 50 years, primarily through educational efforts. It was only in the past decade that I realized the need to also engage in the political process.
From there we learn that all that is wrong is the fault of collectivists, which somehow allows him to connect all that with Saul Alinksy - an indirect slap perhaps at the President for his former job as a community organizer, hired by a disciple of Alinsky? If you have any doubt read this:
The central belief and fatal conceit of the current administration is that you are incapable of running your own life, but those in power are capable of running it for you. This is the essence of big government and collectivism.
He never names Harry Reid, but clearly Reid's attacks have stung.
The key part of his argument is in this penultimate paragraph:
Instead of fostering a system that enables people to help themselves, America is now saddled with a system that destroys value, raises costs, hinders innovation and relegates millions of citizens to a life of poverty, dependency and hopelessness. This is what happens when elected officials believe that people's lives are better run by politicians and regulators than by the people themselves. Those in power fail to see that more government means less liberty, and liberty is the essence of what it means to be American. Love of liberty is the American ideal.
Of course the distortions of the ads funded at least indirectly by Charles Koch and his brother David through their various organizations go completely unmentioned.
As I said, it is self-serving.
And of course it appears in the Wall Street Journal, which like Fox News is owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Somehow I do not think Mr. Koch's words will have all that much effect upon those not already convinced that the only purpose of government is to be shaped to help maximize the profits of the corporate class.