Koch Brothers

Exclusive Expose: Privatization backers shown to use the commons every day

APRIL 1, 2011—David and Charles Koch, brothers who have grown outrageously wealthy from their family-owned energy company, stand as two of the most zealous advocates of privatization in the U.S. today. They have funneled truckloads of cash into the Tea Party movement and the libertarian Cato Institute, both of which champion selfish individualism over the common good.

In fact, many think of the Brothers Koch as leading opponents of the commons.

Yet, our team of investigative reporters has discovered that both David and Charles repeatedly and habitually use the commons everyday.

David Koch lives on Park Avenue in New York City and Aspen, Colorado, and was repeatedly caught in the act of drinking and bathing in water from a municipal utility; riding in limousines on public streets; reading documents that were sent to his executive assistant via the Internet; strolling in Central Park; listening to orchestral works that are in the public domain; and using colorful phrases of speech that have been handed down through the generations with no copyright.

Charles Koch lives in Palm Desert, California, and Wichita, Kansas, where he leads a life as hypocritical as that of his brother. Not only does he use the public water supply to flush his toilet, order his chauffeur to use government-built highways, demand his staff use the internet, he also makes regular use of weather forecasts drawing upon information from the National Weather Service, flies in airplanes that take advantage of safety procedures developed by the Federal Aeronautics Administration and enjoys good health in part thanks to public health programs administered by local, state and federal agencies. These are all public services made possible by the government, which he purports to hate.

FROM A SPECIAL APRIL FOOLS EDITION OF ON THE COMMONS.