Koch Brothers Products — We’re Surrounded.
If you have been following news about the Koch brothers, you might be curious as to which products they manufacture.
It turns out, the Koch Brothers, with a net worth of over $40 billion each, own stakes in a ton of industries like paper and wood products, chemicals, textiles, plastics, etc.
Here are a list of companies and industries in which the Koch brothers own a stake:
- Paper Products: Angelsoft, Brawny, Dixie, Mardi Gras, Quilted Northern, Soft n Gentle, Sparkle, Vanity Fair
- Wood: Georgia-Pacific (largest plywood manufacturer in US – also owns most of the paper companies above).
- Textiles & Plastics: Polarguard, Stainmaster, Dacron, Lycra, CoolMax/SolarMax, Thermolite, and more.
- Chemicals, Coal, & Oil: Crude oil processing, Flint Hills Resources, lots of other commodities handled.
- Nitrogen: One more reason to make your own fertilizer – Koch Industries produces many synthetic fertilizers.
Those are just the best known brands – there’s many more on the list below. =(
Koch Brothers Products: Paper Products
Georgia-Pacific owns all of the brands above, and also distributes paper towels, napkins and soap dispensing systems used in commerical settings. Some GP commercial toilet paper brands: Envision, Coronet®, SCA, Tork and Fort James. GP also produces Pacific Garden liquid soaps.
Georgia-Pacific produces ink and office paper under the labels: Advantage, GP (including GP Harmon recycled papers), ImagePlus and the Spectrum® family of office paper products.
Koch Brothers Products: Wood
Georgia-Pacific is the largest manufacturer of plywood in the U.S.
Including Plytanium Plywood®, DryPly® plywood, Ply-Bead®.
Georgia-Pacific is one of the country’s largest suppliers of corrugated boxes and containers.
Various, numerous wood products, dimensional lumber and building materials: Blue Ribbon, Clutter Cutter, DensArmor Plus, DensDeck, DensGlass, DensShield® gypsum board, DryPly, Fireguard®, Grant Forest OSB Board, GP Lam, Hushboard, Nautilus, Ply-Bead, Plytanium, Southern Gold, Sta-Strait, Thermostat, ToughRock and Wood I Beam.
Koch Brothers Products: Textiles and Plastics
These are under the Koch Brothers brand Invista Products. Invista produces a large selection of products under this business, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymers for carbonated soft drink, water, beer, juice, food and custom container applications. Production also includes polyester intermediate feedstocks, film products, fibers, and specialty polymers for a variety of applications, inlcuding PBT-based engineering polymer.
- Stainmaster
- Dacron
- Lycra
- CoolMax
- SolarMax
- Polarguard
- Thermolite
- Antron
- Comforel fiberfill
- DBE® dibasic esters
- Tactel
- Tactesse Carpet Fibers
- Terathane
- ADI-Pure®
- Polyshield®
- Polyclear®
- Oxyclear™
- Performa®
- Cordura fabric
- Supplex® Fabric
- Somerelle® Bedding
Documentary: Koch Brothers Exposed
The full-length documentary starts with the background of the Koch brothers—their father started the empire with oil money earned in the Soviet Union. This is an updated edition of the documentary, showing the latest political contributions made by the Koch Brothers. It goes on to discuss their plans for eduction, their opposition to the minimum wage, their work to increase barriers to voting, their opposition to unions, and the environmental impact of their businesses.
Koch Brothers Products: Chemicals, Coal & Oil
Through its subsidiaries Koch operates refineries in Alaska, Minnesota and Texas, with a combined crude oil processing capacity of more than 800,000 barrels per day. Koch Industries owns or operates about 4,000 miles of pipelines that transport crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas liquids and chemicals. Koch Minerals and its affiliates are among the world’s largest dry-bulk commodity handlers, marketing and trading more than 40 million tons of coal, petcoke, cement and other related products annually. Flint Hills Resources produces about 9 billion pounds of building-block chemicals per year. Koch is a leading producer of paving and roofing asphalt. Koch Oil Sands Operating LLC has leases for 1.1 million acres of Alberta oil fields. Their Pine Bend, Minn. refinery is one of the largest single buyers and refiners of Canadian heavy oil. Source: www.kochind.com
Koch Industries Produces:
- Gasoline
- Diesel
- Jet fuel
- Naphtha
- Asphalt
- Fracking Chemicals
- Benzene
- Toluene
- Metaxylene
- Paraxylene
- Orthoxylene
- Cumene
- Cycohexane
- Heavy reformate
- Pseudocumene
- Sure Sol ® 100
- Sure Sol ® 150
- Purified Isophthalic Acid
- Maleic Anhydride
- Trimellitic Anhydride
- Ethylene
- Chemical Grade Propylene
- Polypropylene
- Polyethylene
“In Flint Hills Resources manufacturing plants, various hydrocarbon products are the basic feedstocks. At the refineries, the main feedstock is crude oil. The refineries produce a wide range of transportation fuels for motorists, truckers and the airline industry. In the olefins plants, the company processes natural gas liquids into ethylene and propylene. In the polymers plants, those two products are processed into various forms of olypropylene, which are key ingredients in products such as consumer and healthcare products, packaging and other plastic products. In the aromatics plant, products produced during the crude oil refining process become xylenes, cumenes and other light products. Those products are the building blocks for many other chemicals and plastics.” Source: fhrstage.fhr.com/ehs/certifications.aspx
Koch Carbon LLC and its affiliates globally trade and transport petroleum coke, coal, cement, pulp and paper, sulfur and other related commodities through a network of bulk import/export terminals in the United States and Europe. The C. Reiss Coal Company is a leading supplier of coal and related products typically used in industrial applications or to generate electricity.
Koch Exploration Company LLC and its affiliates acquire, develop and trade petroleum and natural gas properties in the United States, Canada and Brazil.
Koch Oil Sands Operating LLC has leases for 1.1 million acres of Alberta oil fields. The Koch’s are developing a bitumen recovery project known as the Dunkirk In Situ Project which is roughly 60 km West of the Fort McKay native community. Source: The Globe & Mail.
Frac-Chem: is an oilfield chemical manufacturer & wholesale chemical supplier with an emphasis on hydraulic fracturing, stimulation and coil tubing chemistries.
Bernie Sanders Speaks About The Koch Brothers
This report from the show The Young Turks explains that the Koch Brothers are backing a new organization trying to stop the rising tide of electric vehicle adoption. This would hurt petroleum producers like the Koch Brothers. The group is likely to run ads attacking the subsidies given to electric cars.
Thought I’d better admit to the typos in my last message since it was hastily typed. As we all know, liberals when confronted with the truth can only respond by insulting ones intelligence and correcting your spelling.
I do not understand why Soros is considered anti-big business. Soros helped transition his native Hungary from communism to capitalism. He funds many pro-democracy movements in Eastern Europe and Russia. He promotes ‘open societies’ – meaning open commerce. He funds Universites all over the world. He has given much money to alleviate poverty in Africa. He did put up money to try to prevent George W. from being ‘re-elected’. But that was a rare use of his money. He gave more money to New York State for under-privileged children than to that campaign. In total he has given away 7 billion dollars. And he is worth less than one Koch brother. If you did a listing of what the Koch brothers have given away and what Soros has, you will be amazed. The Koch Brothers mostly give back to themselves and the wealthy – such as sponsoring Operas.
Amma, Love the ‘such as sponsoring operas’! In fact the Koch Brothers gave 100 Million to the N.Y. City Ballet and Opera Therter for renvations, over 200 million for cancer research, 20 million to the Natural History Museum… Now thats what I call heartless! Just so people understand… Individual donations to Federal Candidates, Parties, and PAC’s From 1989 to 2010 the Koch Brothers gave 2.58 million. George Sorrors gave 1.74 million. 20001 to2010 Indv. donations to 527 organazations were…. Koch Bros. 1.5 million, George Sorros 32.5 milion. People give to what THEY choose to support and you can do the same! Amma please be honest and do not make it sound like ‘Sponsoring Operas’ Is the Koch Bros giving back to the wealthy because i am sure the Fine Arts community of NY would not agree with you! Side note… I bet you are mad that Congress has defunded PBS??? As well if you need an explanation as to what a 527 org. is post it and I will explain. George Sorros ‘rare use’ of money statement made me laugh!
You go ahead and give 77-91% of YOUR money away to the Gov. for at least 10 years and I will go ahead and think about letting the Gov. tax me at that rate for a few more years after that 10 year example you will set for the rest of us. You do not need to wait fot the IRS to tax you if you were not aware… just cut a check from you acct to make up for what is not being taxed yet and send it in with your tax return! I do think you should really think about the 91% rate as more of your money will help!
You forgot to mention how many jobs would be created by taxing George Sorros.
You keep bringing up Soros – but what laws is Soros violating? Koch – many; Soros – none. How many lives is Soros responsible for taking due to irresponsible business practice and withholding information about safety violations? Soros – zero; Koch – 2 (at least). How many jobs is Soros responsible for eliminating? S-none; K – tens of thousands. How many jobs did Soros send overseas? S – none; K- tens of thousands. It’s idiotic to continue trying to drop Soros name as comparable whenever the Koch bros are mentioned; do both sides put up big bucks to different groups? You betcha. but Koch puts it up for themselves and their own advantage, while screwing everybody else at the same time.
What you’re comparing isn’t relevant. Soros and the Kochs both make lots; both donate lots to causes and political groups … but it’s the Kochs that are sending jobs overseas to communist countries, not Soros. The Kochs are trying to take away basic employment rights, not Soros. The Kochs are behind the movement to knock down middle class America and to their own exclusive benefit – not Soros. So stick to the subject, people. You want to support the Kochs and their actions? Then get the hell out of my country before you trip over your ancestors rolling over in their graves. Because their efforts are pro-Communist, pro-Plutocratic … and ANTI-American. Join the Kochs in China.
Your website is so visually beautiful. The music videos are inspiring and the art is stunning. Thank you for the Koch list. I will pass it on to MANY who are tired of the bully brothers trying to rule the world. The motivation behind their master plan is a disgrace to all who believe in democracy.
I feel you are angry? The Koch Industries employees over 50,000 people in the US and some 20,000 world wide. I think as far as your pont of how many lives Sorros has ruined… Lets ask the Middle class of England how him making over a billion dollars by breaking the Bank of England effected them! And as for the Laws that Sorros is Violating??? Well when you set up your Company in an off shore Country and are not subject to US laws and taxes then i guess you are right, he broke no US laws. I could be wrong but the French nailed him on insider trading !French law broke?) China will not allow him to do business in their country (could it be that he is a dishonest buisnessman?) Reg please be honest to yourself as well as everyone else, Thank-you!
I am not in the top income percentages so I would not have to pay 91%. We Tax on an ability to pay basis. Are you a billionaire?
According to the IRS at least 70% of ALL income taxes filed in the US have individual incomes that are below $58,000…none of which would be subjected to any top tier tax rate. In the 50’s and 60’s that tax rate was 91% on those who make $500,000 or more, which today would be the equivalent of incomes $3,672,602.04 ($3.672 million) and up. Do you make $3,672,602.04 or more a year? If so then you should be paying taxes that control the income gaps in America if that be 91%. And I, if I made $3,672,602.04 or more would gladly pay any rate that helps the American middle class stay within a fair income gap compared to the wealthy, be it 91% or higher. Taxes on an income of $3,672,602.04 at a 91% rate would leave me with $330,534.83. Which is more than I need. Do you make $330,534.83 even before taxes?
This tax rate is fair and if I made $3,672,602.04 a year I would gladly pay high taxes that grow the middle class allowing them to fuel the economy of my country.
Also, I was using the tax rate as an example. The point which you missed, James, is that the Koch Bros. and every other rich person are greedy. And their greed is killing our economy. Leaving a broken middle class behind in the largest income gap in history of any country. Why do you let them brain wash you into thinking that it is unfair to tax the rich? Should we tax the poor?
Do the math before you accuse me of being unwilling to cooperate with my own ideas. Do the math before you spout conservative rhetoric that favors the greedy. Do the math and you will find that a tax rate of 91% isn’t unfair for those who make more than $3,672,602.04, again leaving them with $330,534.83 of spending cash. Yes Yes Yes I would pay it if I were rich, you should too if you are rich. But considering how rare and few in number the rich are, you most likely wouldn’t be affected by an increase in taxes to those who make more than $3,672,602.04. In fact you are more likely to be amongst the 70% of incomes that are below $58,000. And if you are in the top tier, stop being so greedy and help your country. Pay a tax rate that lets you remain rich, but not a hoarder of wealth.
Also, I would settle for less of an increase in top tier tax rates short of 91%. Currently set at 36%, I would settle for a modest increase to 39%, which was the rate under Reagan & Clinton and the rate that Pres. Obama suggested. Instead we keep giving them tax cuts. Even Pres. Obama agreed to extend the 36% rate formed under Bush Jr. in return for extending unemployment benefits. Why are we continuing to give the rich a tax break? They do not create jobs with the money from income tax breaks, jobs are created from company revenue, incomes are what they took from the company revenue and put in their pockets. The proof is that when tax rates were the highest (50’s and 60’s) the unemployment rate was at its lowest, reaching 2.9% in 1953.
Oh those poor billionaires if we tax them 91% (like the 50s-60s, the most prosperous time is America, with the lowest unemployment rate) they would only be…billionaires, poor poor billionaires! Such as the example of a tax on the Koch Bros. $43 billion of 91% would still leave them with $3.913 billion or $1.45 billion each. (by the way that is taxing their worth, I don’t have their annual incomes in front of me)
It is about income gap control. Controlling greed. And building up the middle class (the majority of the population).
Trickle up economics!
p.s. George Soros would be taxed as well, all incomes over $3.672 million would be under the rate, though Soros has nothing to do with this. We can compare rich people to rich people all day with no finite result. Everyone here needs to stop trying to win an argument by changing the topic.
According to all sources the Koch Bros. are worth $43 billion ($21.5 billion each). But I am trying to find what their annual income is. Does any one know this or know where I can find the information if at all possible?
I want the information so I can accurately assess the hypothetical tax rate from the discussions below. Regardless of annual income the Koch Bros. worth would still be billionaire status. Read my previous posts and their corresponding comments below for more of the discussion.
According to info on line…the Koch brothers made 11 billion in the past two years…so 5.5 each…so just 2.75 billion per year, per brother, poor guys. I think a few Countries could live on that!
All the damage from the recent tsunami and earthquake in Japan is estimated to be: ‘March 18–The insurance industry is tallying insured losses that could mount to an estimated $35 billion from the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown in Japan.’ (and Japan is an expensive place!) Do think the Koch’s should help out…they would still be left with 8 billion.
I am glad to hear that you would give up 91% of your money, I would not! If I earn it I want to pay my FAIR share and 91% is not fair! I would love to see a flat tax rate so EVERYONE pays thier share. Last stats posted by IRS show that The top 1% pay apx 18% of all income taxes paid, top 25% pay apx 84% of all income taxes paid, and the to 50% pay 89% of all income taxes paid. That means the bottom 50% pay 11% of all income taxes, What is fair about that? I am all for helping those that cna not help themselves but to pay for those that will not is not fine with me. The Koch Bros do pay taxes and I believe they have a right to do with their money as they please. George Sorros keeps his money in tax-free Caribbean county of Curaco and pays little to nothing in taxes in the US and yet spends Millions upon Millions to influance our Popolitical system, where is your outrage for that? Now on to your 50’s and 60’s stats… there were 11 months out of 20 years that were as low as 2.4% but the 20 years averaged close to 6%. My wife and I make a good living and pay a large amount in Federal, State, and Local taxes so do not tell me that I should pay more, if you feel that the Federal Gov. needs more again i encourage you to sit down and write out a check and if 91% of your income is to much then give just the 39% because if you expect someone else to pay, then you should as well! (or do you live by the do as I say not as I do mantra)? And by the way because Sorros keeps his money well hidden his worth is estimated to be 8 billion.
James, your stats prove my point, that we need to control the income gap in the US. If 25% pay 84% of tax revenue, that means they own that much of the wealth. In fact the top 20% owns 85% of the net wealth (all assets) in America, leaving the bottom 80% with only 15% of the net wealth.
The top 20% own 93% of total financial wealth (total net worth minus home values and other property), leaving the bottom 80% with only 7% of financial wealth. Is that fair?
The top 1% owns 34.6% of total net wealth, and 42.7% of total financial wealth. There are 134,372,678 taxpayers in the US (2005 number). That means the top 1% consists of 1,343,726 (1.3 million) individuals. Meaning 1.3 million own 42.7% of financial wealth leaving the bottom 99% (133 million) with 57.3% of financial wealth.
I used your stats on the top 20% and that proves my point, but I wasn’t talking about the top 20%. I was talking about individuals that make $3.672 million or more. I got that number using the 50s-60s 91% tax rate on incomes of $500,000 or more. Adjusting for inflation that means today that tax rate would be on incomes of $3.672 million or more. The top 1% of incomes start at $350,000, which would not be subjected to the 91% tax rate (again only incomes $3.672 million or more).
I can’t find out how many individuals make $3.672 million or more, but I did find that 13,480 individuals/families make $10 million or more. There are 134,372,678 taxpayers in the US (2005 number). That means that 0.000100318% of taxpayers make $10 million or more, which is a fraction of the top 1% of incomes. There are 1,343,726 individuals in the top 1% which makes the 13,480 incomes over $10 million 1.003% of the top 1%.
These small segments of incomes are the ones subjected to the 91% tax rate of the 50s-60s. 13,480 incomes over $10 million out of a total population of 307,006,550 is 0.0000439% of the US population. This is who we are talking about.
I am glad you, james, are arguing with me because I am learning even more accurate statistics. The source I quoted that had the 91% tax rate on incomes $500,000 and over was incorrect. I found more accurate data at http://www.taxfoundation.org. This data also includes the tax rates at other income levels as well.
They report that the 91% rate was on individuals that made $300,000 or more (not $500,000). The 91% rate was at $400,000 for joint marriage filing and $200,000 for separate marriage filing. Let me change the figures for the new information. I will use the $300,000 individual incomes. (These are for individuals not joint incomes)
Adjusting for inflation $300,000 in 1960, today would be $2,149,036.95 ($2.149 million). If we apply the 91% tax rate from 1960 it would leave the tax payer with $193,413.32 spending cash. Do you make $193,413.32 individually even before taxes?
Now that I have more information I can go further. I mentioned before that the top 1% of incomes starts at $350,000. In 1960 the equivalent of a $350,000 income was $47,897.30. In 1960 the tax rate on incomes of $47,897.30 would have been 66%,(incomes between $44,000-$50,000), which means today only 1% of taxpayers would pay 66% or higher.
Today the top 25% (beginning of the upper class) tax payers start at incomes of $77,500 and up. In 1960 the equivalent of a $77,500 income was $10,605.83. In 1960 the tax rate on $10,605.83 was at 32% (incomes between $8,000-$12,000), which means today the top 25% of incomes would pay a mere 32% or higher.
Are you in the top 25%? -or- Like 75% of Americans do you make less than $77,500. If you make less than the upper 25% your tax rate would be less than 32% according to the 1950’s-60s rates (the most prosperous time with the lowest unemployment rate.)
The current tax rates on the top tiers are currently no higher than 36%. In 1960 a 36% tax rate coincided with incomes of $12,000. Today a 1960 income of $12,000 would be $85,961.48. Do you make $85,961.48 (individually not jointly) or more? Then you should pay 36% or more.
If you are one of the rich in the top 1.003% of the top 1% of incomes that would be taxed a rate of 91% in the 50’s-60s, then I will tell you again: You need to pay more. If you are above an individual income of $85,961.48 then your tax rate should be 36% or higher. Don’t tell me I should sit by while the rich don’t pay tax rates that control the income gaps of this country. Just because of their greed.
I understand that the 1953 2.9% unemployment rate was only for the year 1953 (I wrote ‘at its lowest’, which was the lowest ever in US history). At its highest between 1950-69, the unemployment reached 6.84% in 1958. From 1950-1969 the average unemployment rate was 4.88%. (These are yearly averages monthly rates vary further but average to these figures) I dare you to find another 20 year period with such a low average. Thus I am still right that our countries lowest unemployment rates coincide with the highest tax rates, and most prosperous times of growth in US history. Where did you get 6% james? It’s wrong.
What is fair? A flat tax rate which destroys the middle class, and grows the income gaps, or an ability to pay tax rate that controls income gaps to make sure the rich can’t own everything. Do you want a fraction of the country to be extremely wealthy, or have a large middle class that fuels our economy? By the way we have always been under an ability to pay tax rate, only radical right-wing conservatives argue flat taxes. Not even main stream conservative legislators or presidents would even entertain the unfair idea of a flat tax rate. No one agrees with james that we should all pay the same rate.
If I make $50,000 and we tax it at a flat tax rate of 30% it would leave me with $35,000. If we tax the top tier income of $2.149 million that same flat rate of 30% it leaves them with $1.504 million. This is called a high income gap. If we use the 1960 tax rate, an income of $50,000 ($6842.47 in 1960) would be taxed a rate of 26% leaving the taxpayer with $37,000. Taxing the top tier income of $2.149 million at a 1960 tax rate of 91% leaves them with $193,413.32. They are still rich, but the income gap is controlled. (Also, a flat tax rate would need to be even higher than 30% to make up for lost revenue from the top tiers under an ability to pay tax)
Controlling the income gap is important for controlling fair market prices. If the rich weren’t so rich prices would fall comparatively, allowing more citizens the ability to purchase products and services that fuel our economy. That is why growth was the highest in history during the 50s-60s, when the rich were taxed fairly. By the way, the rich will always contribute more tax revenue than the poor, even under a flat tax. The question is how much more. Do you want a democracy? Where wealth and power is distributed evenly? Or do you want a capitalist aristocracy where the few hold the power? We all know that money runs the world of currency we live in. The rich have the power. What kind of democracy do we have if we allow the few to own the majority of the wealth/power?
If the top 1% owns 42.7% of the financial wealth of the country, and there are only 1,343,726 individuals in the top 1%, and there is a 307,006,550 population in the US. That means that 0.4% of the population owns 42.7% of the wealth.
According to Forbes magazine there are 400 individuals with a net worth of $1.37 trillion. The net worth of the bottom 60 percent of U.S. households was $1.26 trillion in 2010. 60% of US households out of a 307,006,550 population comes to roughly 184 million US citizens. These figures mean that 400 individuals own more ($11 million more) than 184 million US citizens. Is that fair?
A flat tax rate only serves a small fraction of this country, which you and those you know statistically would not be a part of. Why are you doing the bidding of the rich? What do you gain out of putting our countries wealth into the hands of a few? They don’t create jobs. If that were true then the unemployment rate would be low during low tax rates, but it is the opposite. Again the lowest rate of unemployment coincides with the highest tax rates on the wealthy (4.88% from the 20 year period between 1950-69 when the top tier was taxed 91%).
Are you hoping that someday you will be one of the few that own everything? Then you have greedy eyes, you want to own it all. You care nothing of the health/wealth of the majority of citizens. You don’t care about your countries economy, if you want to someday be able to own the majority of the wealth, or even think it is fair to let someone else own it. By the way you will never get there. Money makes money. If you don’t have it now the few that have it won’t share with you.
Let me guess, you think the rich ‘worked hard and earned’ their wealth. Everyone I know works hard. Everyone I know earns the right to make an income that is fair comparatively to the ‘rich’. The top 20% rich don’t work 85% harder than the other 80% of taxpayers, so why do the have 85% of the wealth. Those 400 persons who own more wealth than 184 million taxpayers didn’t work harder than them. They certainly don’t deserve, and haven’t ‘earned’ the right to that much. It is about income gap control.
I guarantee that you are getting your ideas about flat tax rates from sources controlled by the rich. Such as fox news. I bet you think that public radio and TV are liberal liars. You need to do some research for yourself on the income gaps in this country. Start here:
Article on wealth distribution:
https://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html
Statistics on the income gap found on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_inequality_in_the_United_States
Income tax history:
https://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html
Unemployment statistics:
https://data.bls.gov/pdq/SurveyOutputServlet
Also visit the US census website for population and more facts:
https://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
p.s. Again I am not talking about what Soros does, it has nothing to do with my arguments. He would be subjected to these rates as well. I am not favoring any rich person here, and am ‘outraged’ at all rich people not paying enough taxes. I am conversing with you because you commented on what I said. I never said anything about Soros.
Ann, what site did you find the information that the Koch Bros. made $11 billion in two years? For my own use.
Here are the figures of the Koch Bros. income taxes under the hypothetical scenario where the rich would pay the tax rates of the 1950-60s. A rate of 91% on incomes $300,000 (today $2.149 million) or more. (The 50s-60s was the most prosperous time in American history, with the lowest unemployment rate of 4.88% over the period from 1950-69). For more of this discussion scroll below to read previous statements/comments.
According to Ann’s research (thank you ann), the Koch Brothers make $5.5 billion of annual income ($2.25 billion each). At a 91% tax rate from $2.25 billion annually it would leave them with $202,500,000 ($202.5 million) annually in spending cash, or $405,000,000 ($405 million annually). Even if they together spent $100 million every year, they would be billionaires in less than 3 years. Each of them separately would be billionaires in less than 7 years. Poor poor millionaires/billionaires.
The rates from the 50s-60s are used as an example. As well as using the Koch Bros. income as an example (since this page deals with them directly). But these rates would be applied to every rich person.
My major point is that the current tax rates (no more than 36%), fuel the income gaps that destroy our democracy.
Go to this site for US federal tax rate history:
https://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html
Go to these sites to see information on the income gaps in the US :
https://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html
or
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_inequality_in_the_United_States
In 1960 there wer 26 tax brackets. In 2011 there were just 6 brackets.
The wealthy complain that taxes are too high and that flat taxes are more fair. yet the current tax rate is 35% on incomes $379,150 and up.
In a sense the rich have their favored flat tax rate from $379,150 – the richest billionaires. Perhaps including more and higher income brackets would lessen the strain on the upper class as well as control the income gaps, and grow the middle class.
More on the discussion below.
The Koch Bros. are worth $43 billion ($21.5 billion each). Their company pulls in $100 billion annually. They make $5.5 billion of annual income ($2.25 billion each).
They laid off 8000 workers in a time of growth…lets pay those laid off workers $50,000 each that is $400 million. Take that from $5.5 billion annual incomes = $5.1 billion (a 7.3% pay cut), and those 8,000 workers could have kept their jobs. The WI bills the Kochs support take 8% pay cuts from 200,000 workers and this is fair to the Kochs. Or pay those workers $25,000/yr. and they could have hired 8,000 + keep the 8,000 they fired. That is 16,000 jobs, and the Koch brothers would still make $5.1 billion annually.
-or- Take $400 million for worker compensation out of $100 billion annual revenue = 0.4% decrease or $99.6 billion annually.
If we took the $37.9 million invested in oil lobbying alone we could pay $50,000 to 758 workers or $25,000 to 1,516 workers. Do the Kochs care about the economy and unemployment rates or do they care about greed?
Do we not understand the term billion? Do you know that if you count to 1 billion without stopping it would take you 31.6 years, which means it would take you 126 years to count the $43 billion the Koch brothers have, if you count by 10 dollar bills (1,260 years by ones)!
Do yourself a favor and look at the income gap charts of this country. The rich are far too rich and greedy.
What if we taxed the Koch brothers under the top tier tax rates of the 1950’s and 60’s? In 1960 the tax rate on the top tier/bracket was 91%. That 91% was on incomes $300,000 and up, today $300k = $2.149 million so only incomes of $2.149 million or more would be subjected to the top tier rate of 91% from 1960.
The 1950s-60s was the most prosperous time in American history with the lowest unemployment rates (averaging 4.88% from 1950-69). In fact the lowest unemployment rate in history was 2.9% in 1953 which coincides with the highest tax rates.
The Koch Brothers make a $5.5 billion annual income ($2.25 billion each). At a 91% tax rate from $2.25 billion annually it would leave them with $202,500,000 ($202.5 million) annually in spending cash, or $405,000,000 ($405 million collectively). Poor poor millionaires, it would takes them 5 years to become poor poor billionaires.
With the $4.095 billion taxed ($2.0475 billion each), we could pay $50,000 to 40,950 workers or $25,000 to 81,900 workers. That is a lot of public sector positions. What would 81,900 jobs do for unemployment rates?
If the Kochs weren’t forced to pay a 91% tax but instead invested 91% into their own company they could more than double their workforce, or pay to clean up the pollution they’ve caused.
Keep in mind I am not singling out the Kochs (they just happen to be the topic on this page). Everyone is subjected to taxes. That means everyone could create tax revenue/jobs like this.
Tax rates vary according to income brackets, again a 91% rate would only be on incomes $2.149 million or more (top tier, less than 1% of all incomes).
Tax rates from the 50s-60s contained 26 tax tiers/brackets ranging from 20% on incomes below $2,000 ($14,326.91 today) to a tax rate of 91% on incomes above $300,000 ($2.149 million today).
TrickleUP economics
Boycott Koch Industries!
The Koch brother’s Americans for Prosperity, has the attention of Florida’s Gov. Rick Scott, backing Scott,s political agenda. Also Reason Foundation, where David Koch is a Trustee , is who Scott based his decision to kill High- Speed Rail in FL. Our local news , just named the Koch brothers as a think tank, no background history on these billionaires political influence. The local T.V. doesn’t even mention their names, so most people in Fl. are clueless about the Koch brothers, and Gov. Scott connection.
Doesn’t it seem like spending 37.9 million on researching and developing sustainable energy alternatives or something instead of oil and gas lobbying would be a little more productive. They could even sell us the clean energy and continue making piles of money. I can’t even begin to understand why they would devote so many resources to ensuring that what they sell us is as detrimental as possible in every way. I don’t get it.
“Obama didn’t really interact with his father face-to-face very much, but was apparently from what I read a great admirer of his father’s points of view. So he had sort of antibusiness, anti-free enterprise influences affecting him almost all his life. It just shows you what a person with a silver tongue can achieve.”
— Conservative activist David Koch, in an interview with the Weekly Standard, on President Obama.
https://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/03/26/bonus_quote_of_the_day.html
If you read Obama’s book you would know that he did not agree with his father’s points of view…
if u look at their web site you would think they are an awesome company…wow…what a shocker to see the big picture….sad that people are so greedy..how much money is enough money to satisfy a person….dont they have grandkids to worry about…what they are doing to the planet is sinful
Look at all the contributions these guys have made to our world!
I wonder how many jobs they have created over the years? Plenty I bet.
Opposing fanatical ‘green’ energy initiatives? Fantastic! Recycling (except for aluminum perhaps) is BAD for the environment people!
Here’ are some ideas: Read, Analyze, Think!
You can put lipstick on a Marxist…
Greed like this is absolutely mind boggling!! These people have everything anyone could EVER wish for, yet they want MORE!
We can do something, though. We can hit ’em where it hurts. No…not their testicles (although I’d LOVE to take a whack at those!) Where it hurts for them the most is hitting them in their wallets! It doesn’t make sense does it? They have more money than anyone could spend in ten lifetimes. Yet, boycotting their products WILL impact these greedy boys’ lives. I pledge that I will never wipe my hands, mouth, face or butt with Koch bros. products again!!
I boycott their products (the ones I have control over). I carry around a list of what they sell in stores and NEVER buy them. As far as Lycra, well it is very difficult to buy a bra that doesn’t contain Lycra. This page is going into my favorites list on my computer so I have a handy reference to consult before I buy almost anything. Even carpet!
We need to put pressure on them ot to carry their products, as they offer quite a few…
I ran across this report while searching for grant opportunities for a non profit in a town with an invista plant. Koch industries is very proud of donating $1m to the victims of Japan’s earthquake. Other than that, I see no giving in their local communities or nation wide. $1! Look at how much they have spent in legal fees paying off law suits and in lobbying! Amazing
Have begun an immediate boycott of all Georgia-Pacific products due to the company being owned by the Koch brothers. I will also write to Costco and ask them to reconsider carrying other products.
As I read different people analyzing what these miscreants would have paid in reasonable times, I can’t help notice that there seems no recognition that the top tax rate only applies to income above the limit…most income is subjected to lower limits.
If these brands were owned by 1000 different people, would that make it okay for the makers of the products to receive a fair price? Who cares if they are all owned by two brothers. Society rewards them for the value they create. BTW, add these brands: Chevron, Exxon, Mobil, BP, Shell, Phillips Connoco, Unocal 76, etc. Koch refines gasoline for all of them. Good luck with the boycott. And forget the hospital. You can’t be treated without Koch products.
No wonder Fred Upton is relaxing pollution regulations. The koch boys and he are buddies. They probably said, ‘Hey Freddie, how about letting us dump more crap and poisonous pollutants in the waterways. That way every drop of water will be poison and then we can sell purified water back to the little people so we can make even more money. We think it’s a good idea, what do you think Freddie?’
No one should be buying these ‘products’ anyway. They endanger us all due to their use of trees, natural resources and toxic chemicals. Is your life really so difficult that you need virgin forest toilet paper and can’t find reusable plates? Corporations dominate us because we let them. Stop supporting the Koch brothers with your lazy incompetence.
According to David Cay Johnston of tax.com, there is 2 TRILLION dollars wrapped up in the corporate tax code. We need that money now.
my dad’s retirement pension is now owned by Koch enterprises, some type of investment firm his check is late????? Watch out America!!!!!
IM NOT GOING INTO DETAIL…RESEARCH INDUSTRIAL HEMP IT CAN MAKE OVER 50000 DIFFERENT PRODUCTS!! ALL ECO FRIENDLY!!! WILL PROVIDE NEW INDUSTRIES!!
research hemp…we need a change and being a mother and wanting the safest products is my passion!
Hemp is currently ilegal to grow because out stupid government cant tell the difference between hemp and cannabis…even when hemp has no thc and can not be used as a drug….
Isaid I wasn’t going into detail so just imagine how much more info is ohn this plant….
Please rrsearch and ask ur state to legalize!!!!
The criminal collusion of pollution of Koch Industries against America’s public and environment is horrifically displayed in the scientific research that has indicted Koch Industries for their willful negligence and collusive bribery of legislators (primarily Republican state and national legislators) has created an asault upon the health, environment and well-being of our nation’s children and families.
BOYCOTT KOCH INDUSTRIES as the despicable and willfully destructive polluters that numerous indicments have proven them to reflect such arrogant and egregious pollution against the people of America!
Thanks for the list. I will plan to purchase from this list over the next year to counteract any lame, leftist boycott attempt.
Thanks for the list. Thes guys know no end to greed. I will forward yjod ;ody to at least 25 friends. As for ‘Willy’ below…there are all sorts of things he can do to work against his own interests. I think if he really feels strongly about screwing himself
he should donate money directly to the koch brothers.
Ohh, Jonathan, the evil greed. It just breaks your heart, doesn’t it? Except when it’s practiced by the likes of Oprah Winfrey, George Soros, or your favorite Hollywood celebrity. And, Jonathan, did you ever compare your own income to the median income of, say, Bangladesh?
Oprah Winfrey, George Soros, and my favorite Hollywood celebrities do not disperse millions of tons of greenhouse gases into ‘our’ atmosphere every year, nor do they produce millions of pounds of carcinogenic chemicals each year that end up in ‘our’ homes, nor do they dump aviation fuel into ‘our’ wetlands, nor make caustic fertilizers that kill ‘our’ fish, nor do they fund climate change denial groups from the money taken out of ‘our’ pocketbooks… Wake up. This is ‘our’ planet, we only have one! Don’t you care about the health and welfare of your grandchildren? Of ALL grandchildren?
Thanks for listing the Koch brother’s products! Now I know which to buy to support their efforts. Go ahead and blast them for making their millions. I don’t see any of you accomplishing what they have. I don’t see you mentioning the number of employees they have. Sure they could have joined a union, worked when and where they were told to, gone home at the end of the and sat on the couch until bedtime. Instead they took a chance, worked their asses off and built an empire. That’s America. Deal with it! As for ‘RESPONSE’ who mentioned George Soros like he is some sort of man to be admired, check again. He collapsed the Bank of England and has wrecked havoc all around the globe. If it stinks, his fingers are usually stirring the pot. I guess how he makes his money doesn’t bother you?
This has absolutely nothing to do with George Soros. This is about the Koch brothers and their raping of the American people’s resources. This is about their utter greed, they take but do not give. You know nothing about the other people who commented here, why do you categorize them as couch potatoes. I know not your line of thinking. Small businesses employ more than large in America… Or would you rather have just a few employers, and the rest can be slaves to them? Sounds like that is what you would like… Well, I don’t and a lot more I know do not, and this is America, and it is time we took our country back out of the hands of ‘gigantic’ corporations who are only concerned with lining the pockets of their wealthiest/largest shareholders, or in the Koch brothers case with their personal pockets, with no regard to the environment, nor to the well being of the American public as a whole…
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.’
We the ‘people’ – not we the ‘exclusive few people’ – a more perfect Union – yes Union! – a joining together in common cause and good. Insure domestic tranquility… well getting harder with two political extremes…but there must be a way, other wise we will not uphold this inspiring hope of a great nation… Promote general welfare… well, again I do not think the founding fathers meant only for the very few. Secure liberty for our posterity – that is a big one, I want to leave my children with a healthy nation, a fair nation, one where they have a loud and heard voice, one that respects the environment and all its people. I want there to be something left to give to my children. Clean air, clean water, hope, health, a future…
It never fails to amaze me, how much contempt the average working stiff has for the guy(s) who sign their paychecks! Had it not been for the people who put their personal financial worth at risk then most of us would probably not have incomes, homes, food, cars or computers to play with.
Mary K, I find it hard to believe that people on the right scream about wealth redistribution and government imposed class warfare, when every day in this country the Koch brothers and their shadow PAC’s, practice class warfare. If it were up to them, labor laws, environmental laws and wage minimums would all be things of the past. The top 1% continues to get rich off the working man’s labor. The Koch brothers are the most obvious form of privately funded tyranny. There are CEO’s and companies out there that care about their workers. The Koch’s are not among them. The Koch brothers + Dick Armey (anything but an outsider) = The Tea Party . . Screw them.
I also am glad you are providing a list of product for me and my friend to buy. I got my start over 30 years ago pumping gas at a Koch gas station. I am now a well paid IT guy, thanks to the Koch brothers letting me get a start out of high school.
‘Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.’ — Benjamin Franklin
Had to look up that Ben Franklin quote you referenced – Ben did not, and would not say anything like that! ‘Widely attributed to Franklin on the internet, sometimes without the second sentence. It is not found in any of his known writings, and the word ‘lunch’ is not known to have appeared anywhere in English literature until the 1820s, decades after his death. The phrasing itself has a very modern tone and the second sentence especially might not even be as old as the internet.’
I am not suprized by your nom de plume, because even though you show an aptitude for math you show a lack of knowledge of economics and what it is to be an American.
I agree that the Koch brothers and those like them (billionaire G. soros included) could do quite a bit to help the economic situation of thousands of people and help to clean up thier messes (and prevent future ones), but it is thier money and thier decision. To tax them more is just giving more money to other greedy rich people. I have yet to see anyone with a greater capacity to flush money down the toilet than the government (all governments). Everyone in this country has the right to spend the money that they make in whatever way they see fit. It is thier money.
To focus on them because of how much money they make is just jelousy. If you want to make a difference, put environmental pressure on them. Make them become the poster children of industrial safety by shining a light on all the ‘accidents’ that have happened in thier companies and make them step up to the plate and be an example for other companies to follow.
It may be idealistic, but in America anything is possible.
KOCH BROTHERS DESERVE TO BE IN JAIL ALONG WITH THEIR TEA PARTIES SCUMBAGS.
My name is Ian Doite…you have your economics backwards like you have my name backwards.
Income gaps are higher than ever…
Do you know what income gaps like todays do to the supply/demand curve? When the rich are allowed to be as rich as they are today prices follow the averages. Making prices out of reach for the middle class. Restructuring the wealth would bring prices down and allow for more consumerism, which would fuel the economy. We need to control the income gaps and grow the middle class, that is smart economics. The numbers prove this. When taxes were highest economic growth was the highest, the middle class was at its strongest, and the unemployment rate was at its lowest.
Obviously, you are misinformed about economics…I bet you took classes on economics, or even majored in it. Economists teach greed.
I once had a professor brag to an auditorium how he had a client who owed $2 million in taxes and how he laundered the money through chicken farms (accountants call it re-investing) to get him a $200,000 tax return. Thats receiving $200,000 instead of paying $2million in taxes. He never saw a chicken in his life, there was no chicken coup.
I agree that we need stronger regulations on industry. Thanks to Reaganomics we’ve been deregulating industry/business since the 80’s.
Lets put the taxes back where they were, lets put the regulations back in place, and be proud of our country again.
Is the American dream ‘I could own it all’ or is it ‘We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity’.
Controlling the income gap is important for controlling fair market prices. If the rich weren’t so rich prices would fall comparatively, allowing more citizens the ability to purchase products and services that fuel our economy. That is why growth was the highest in history during the 50s-60s, when the rich were taxed fairly. Do you want a democracy? Where wealth and power is distributed evenly? Or do you want a capitalist aristocracy where the few hold the power? We all know that money runs the world of currency we live in. The rich have the power. What kind of democracy do we have if we allow the few to own the majority of the wealth/power?
The 50-60’s experienced the most prosperous times with the lowest unemployment rates (4.88% avg. 50-69). The 50’s-60’s had 26 tax tiers and rates were as high as 91% on incomes over $300,000 ($2.149 million today). Presently we have only 6 tax tiers and the top tier rate is only 35%, which creates a flat tax of 35% on incomes $379,150 and up. Why don’t we look at reinstating more tax tiers and raising the tax rates on the uber-rich? We need income gap control. Going back to what worked in the 50-60’s would only affect the wealthiest citizens, only 1%. 99% of citizens wouldn’t receive a tax increase. Only incomes $379,150 and up would be affected or 1%. Incrementally add 20 more tiers to the tax system ranging from 35%-91% on those making $379,150 and up. Flat tax, trickledown economics doesn’t work. Ability to pay, trickleUP economics is needed. Want proof, google ‘US income gap’, that is the real problem, created by an unfair tax system. Let’s go back to what works.
According to Forbes magazine there are 400 individuals with a net worth of $1.37 trillion. The net worth of the bottom 60 percent of U.S. households was $1.26 trillion in 2010. 60% of US households out of a 307,006,550 population comes to roughly 184 million US citizens. These figures mean that 400 individuals own more ($11 million more) than 184 million US citizens. Is that fair?
Some think the rich ‘worked hard and earned’ their wealth. Everyone I know works hard. Everyone I know earns the right to make an income that is fair comparatively to the ‘rich’. The top 20% rich don’t work 85% harder than the other 80% of taxpayers, so why do they have 85% of the wealth. Those 400 persons who own more wealth than 184 million taxpayers didn’t work harder than them. They certainly don’t deserve, and haven’t ‘earned’ the right to that much. It is about income gap control. TrickleUP economics!
Lawrence, do yourself a favor, everyone do themselves a favor and look at these sites.
See for yourselves what the tax history says about economic history, and what the runaway income gaps and deregulation has done to our country…
We don’t have a spending problem, we have a revenue problem. We need to reinstate the taxes of former mid 20th century decades. To redistribute the wealth, grow the middle class, and fuel our economy. We also need to regulate business and industry to create fair non-monopolistic markets, and control environmental destruction.
Review these sites:
Article on wealth distribution: https://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html
Statistics on the income gap found on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_inequality_in_the_United_States
Income tax history:
https://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html
Unemployment statistics:
https://data.bls.gov/pdq/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNS14000000
Also visit the US census website for population and more facts:
With the exception of our governor Scott, I can’t think of anyone who deserves jail time than the Koch Brothers.