Month: September 2022

WHO IS THE CATO INSTITUTE? "The Cato Institute is an American libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded as the Charles Koch Foundation in 1974 by Ed Crane, Murray Rothbard, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries." http://lnkd.in/diTe8xC View in LinkedIn

POWERFUL RIGHT WING INTERESTS. "The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank that often works in coalitions with right-wing groups. Cato's extensive publications program deals with a host of policy issues including budget issues, Social Security, monetary policy, natural resource policy, military spending, government regulation, international trade, and myriad other issues." http://lnkd.in/dD4DktQ View in LinkedIn

KOCH INDUSTRIES AND CHAIR OF CATO, "the 2nd largest private US company after Cargill. Koch also owns Invista, Georgia-Pacific ... Koch Pipeline, Koch Fertilizer, Koch Minerals and Matador Cattle Company ... involved in core industries such as ... petroleum, chemicals, energy, fiber, intermediates and polymers, minerals, fertilizers, pulp and paper ... ranching ..." Bingo. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koch_Industries View in LinkedIn

FLUOUROSILICATES AND PUBLIC WATER TREATMENT. "Koch Fertilizer ... which is one of the world’s largest makers of nitrogen fertilizers ... from 1999 to 2003, Koch Industries ... "more than $400 million in fines, penalties and judgments. In 2008, the French affiliate had violated bribery laws ... in Algeria, Egypt, India, Morocco, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia." See my upcoming blog on fertilizers and water fluorination. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koch_Industries View in LinkedIn

KOCH INDUSTRY LOBBYING "has spent more than $50 million to lobby in Washington between 2006 and October 2011, according to the Center for Responsive Politics." The sponsor list includes big tobacco, banks, petroleum and pharmaceuticals. A pure hatred of the US EPA. http://lnkd.in/dD4DktQ View in LinkedIn

FODDER FOR THE PROPAGANDA WAR. "Some Latin American officials are holding American environmental groups and the EPA responsible for the recent cholera epidemic that killed 10,000 people in Peru." It is apparently almost impossible not to gloat at this tragedy. An easy statement to make. Where is the evidence? http://lnkd.in/dz63V5m View in LinkedIn

NCPA AND KOCH DRUM BEATERS. "According to an article in The Guardian newspaper, in 2008 the NCPA received USD 75,000 from ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil's public policy giving report for 2012 shows no donations to the NCPA. According to Greenpeace, the NCPA received at least USD 570,000 from Koch Industries in the eleven-year period ending in 2008." http://lnkd.in/dPAwk5X View in LinkedIn

FALSE STORY IN FIRST PLACE. "precaution caused a cholera epidemic in Peru in 1991. The story isn't true -- and it was revealed as untrue in 1992 -- but that hasn't stopped it from being told, retold, and told again. It has now taken on the characteristics of an urban legend with a life all its own." http://www.rachel.org/?q=en/node/6430 View in LinkedIn

OLD HAW. "Opponents of the precautionary principle -- mainly friends of the chemical industry -- seized upon the "cholera in Peru" legend and began to tell it and retell it at every opportunity." http://www.rachel.org/?q=en/node/6430 View in LinkedIn

PERU WAS NOT ABOUT CHLORINE. "Lancet said in no uncertain terms in 1992 that the cholera outbreak did not result from a deliberate decision by health officials ... the causes of the cholera epidemic in Peru were far more complex .... (a) the absence of water chlorination systems (or other water disinfection systems) in most of Peru; (e) the absence of sewage systems in many communities." http://www.rachel.org/?q=en/node/6430 View in LinkedIn