I am grateful to here4tehbeer for the comment in poopdogcomedy's Friday diary on the North Carolina legislature stomping down expansion of the state's tax credits for film and television production, which inspired this ad.
Such incentives have made North Carolina, Georgia and my own state production powerhouses that have set Hollywood back on its heels. In fact, last year Louisiana surpassed California and New York in production, making our humble Sportsman's Paradise the World Capital of Film. Thanks to production tax breaks.
Something that, for reasons of pure ideology, divorced from all economic reality, the Koch brothers hate.
So, as here4tehbeer pointed out, they jumped into the debate on expanding North Carolina's incentive program, using their political arm Americans for Prosperity to run radio ads against the subsidies and issuing a celebratory press release when the expansion failed.
The Kochs are rigidly opposed to government subsidies of any kind, a stance which, it should be noted, doesn't prevent them from partaking in the generous incentives offered to their own, already lucrative, industries. That ideology has fired their crusade against film and entertainment production tax credits, a crusade that paid off in North Carolina.
And, for the Kochs and their numerous political puppets, nothing inspires like success. Take a look at today's Republican party, its pols and policies, and ask if the Kochs think their investment in the Tea Party was worth it.
I decided not to wait for the Kochs and AFP to get around to the tax credits in my state, which have brought jobs and security to dozens of my friends, but to fire a warning shot across their bow.
Brother Charles, Brother David--don't try it. In our state, we know the value of these incentives and the jobs they bring.
And we're pretty good at making movies.
As always, a direct link to the video is provided.