Dear editor:
Politico reported on Thursday that Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will attend the "American Recovery Policy Forum," hosted by the Kochs' Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce in Palm Springs, Calif. The billionaire Libertarians, not Conservatives by any stretch of the imagination, Koch brothers hold these retreats twice a year and invite Republican politicians, never any Democrats, which should concern those who always vote Republican just because they are Republicans and for no other reason.
ABC is also sending a reporter there and paying his expenses, even though this event is closed to media and public. Some journalism ethics experts feel that this might cross the line from neutral reporting to aiding a political organization, such as billionaire oil magnates David and Charles Koch and their anti-government political network.
We could all do ourselves a huge favor if we learned more about what the Koch brothers want and not worry so much about the politicians, because what the Koch's want, the Republicans, and some Democrats, want. Only about 3 percent of all legislation in recent years is what the majority of Americans are in favor of, 97 percent is all pro business. Already, the very first day of Congress, Republicans are busy doing the business of what the Koch's, Adelson, etc., want, nothing of what the people who voted them into office want.
Like changing House rules that will create a problem with SS and SSDI next year, and then they will declare SS is in need of "reform," a code word for cutting a program, that it is going bankrupt, again, which it is not. This "rule" change will most likely cause a 20 percent benefit cut to those on SS disability, the most vulnerable among us. SS has a trust fund of $2.8 trillion. It is not going bankrupt. Republicans want to hand it off to Wall Street. Do not listen to their lies. G.W. Bush tried it when he was president and it didn't work, but 80 years after SS was created, the Republicans are still trying to destroy it.
Judith Zitko
Hot Springs Village
Editorial on 01/28/2015