A Koch Brothers-Commissioned Survey Found Americans Really Like Free College and Universal Health Care

Source: AlterNet
Published: Aug 10, 2018
Author: Alex Henderson
Post Date: 2018-08-10 17:39:12 by Willie Green
Views: 1661

The billionaires didn't get the results they were hoping for at all.

When Charles and David Koch’s marketing and communications group In Pursuit Of  conducted a survey on a variety of issues in late July, the billionaires were obviously hoping for a very libertarian outcome. But the survey indicated that while many Americans are libertarian on social issues, they aren’t so libertarian economically—and in some areas, their views are more in line with Sen. Bernie Sanders or Sen. Elizabeth Warren than with libertarian icons like former Texas Rep. Ron Paul and 2012/2016 Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson.

Participants in the survey were asked to rank possible solutions to the U.S.’ problems as a “very effective solution,” “somewhat effective solution,” “not a solution at all,” or “don’t know.” They were very much in line with libertarians when it comes to “ending harsh sentences for nonviolent petty crimes,” which most considered either “very effective” (37%) or “somewhat effective” (40%). So on that issue, the participants would clearly be in agreement with Paul or Johnson.

But when it came to “more regulation on Wall Street,” participants had more in common with Warren. Participants felt that greater Wall Street regulation would be either “very effective” (33%) or “somewhat effective” (36%).

Another Warren-ish response: “ending the cronyism that leads to corporate welfare” was rated as “very effective” by 37% of participants or “somewhat effective” by 35%.

Here’s a part Sanders would like: participants felt that “government-paid college tuition” would be either “very effective” (35%) or “somewhat effective” (31%). And Sanders would also appreciate the fact that participants felt a $15 minimum wage would be either “very effective” (35%) or “somewhat effective” (30%).

Another one liberals and progressives would like: “increasing government assistance for child care” was rated as “very effective” by 30% of participants or “somewhat effective” by 39% of them. In other words, almost seven out of ten Americans see the need to make child care easier.

Another one on the list was “preparing ex-offenders to re-enter society as law-abiding and productive citizens,” which was described as “very effective” by 39% of participants and “somewhat effective” by 45% of participants. That one could be spun as either a libertarian result or a liberal/progressive result: Sanders on the left and Ron Paul and Gary Johnson on the right have all been extremely critical of the Prison/Industrial Complex and mass incarceration.

So, to summarize: the Koch brothers hoped for a consistently libertarian result—but they received a lot of liberal/progressive results instead.

Post Comment   Private Reply

#1: Justified    To: Willie Green (#0)

I like free stuff too but who is going to pay for it?

This has been the age old issue.

Will teachers be upset when they are told they will not get paid because its deemed for the best interest of the people that education is to be free?

Will Doctors and nurses be happy to work for free after spending a decade in school sacrificing to get an education they wanted?

Someone has to pay and there are not enough rich people to provide these wants more than once. After that there are no rich people and no business owners so there are no jobs. Good luck dingle brains!

Justified posted on 2018-08-10 18:07:51   Reply   Private Reply


#2: Hondo68    To: Willie Green, Bernie Bros (#0)

Where Charles Koch agrees with Bernie Sanders

The Koch boys are Bernie Bros.

Hondo68 posted on 2018-08-10 18:12:14   Reply   Private Reply


#3: GrandIsland    To: Willie Green (#0)

Your kin get free schooling... if you qualify for it in prison or they don’t get snuffed out young in Chicago.

GrandIsland posted on 2018-08-10 18:43:08   Reply   Private Reply


#4: misterwhite    To: Justified (#1)

Will teachers be upset when they are told they will not get paid because its deemed for the best interest of the people that education is to be free?

How many students will major in education when they're told they'll have to work for free when they graduate?

Free for me but not for thee.

misterwhite posted on 2018-08-10 19:48:22   Reply   Private Reply


#5: Justified    To: misterwhite (#4)

How many students will major in education when they're told they'll have to work for free when they graduate? Free for me but not for thee.

Well they have been told that government can just print more money so government can just create jobs and then print money to pay for those jobs. This is socialism! Well wait till the rest of the world who holds our money find out we are debasing our money and stop taking the USD. This will turn into a world depression like we have never seen and or war to end all wars. This will also end one world nut feast by the left because they will be at each others throats!

Justified posted on 2018-08-11 10:32:07   Reply   Private Reply


#6: sneakypete    To: Willie Green (#0)

First of all,there is no such critter as a "free" anything. EVERYTHING cost someone something. Ask the chicken how much your egg cost this morning,or the pig how much your bacon cost.

Secondly,TAXPAYERS pay the freight for public institutions,so TAXPAYERS/the children of taxpayers should be allowed to attend public colleges,universities,and/or trade schools for free because it serves the public interest to have fewer unemployed people,and it serves the public interest to have more workers employed at higher levels and paying more taxes.

As for private institutions of higher learning,they do have a right to charge tuition,but ONLY if they receive ZERO dollars from the US Treasury.

sneakypete posted on 2018-08-11 11:52:51   Reply   Private Reply


#7: sneakypete    To: Justified (#1)

I like free stuff too but who is going to pay for it?

This has been the age old issue.

Will teachers be upset when they are told they will not get paid because its deemed for the best interest of the people that education is to be free?

Uhhhh,taxpayers pay for it all,including the teachers salaries. If you pay a fee each week out of your check to the public treasury,WHY should you be expected to pay more to send your children there to get an education? ESPECIALLY since an education also benefits the government?

Not to belabor the point,but it is NOT "Free". We,and our ancestors paid for it in advance so our children could receive an education.

sneakypete posted on 2018-08-11 11:56:13   Reply   Private Reply


#8: nolu chan    To: Justified (#1)

I like free stuff too but who is going to pay for it?

The problem with free stuff is that it costs too much. Kalifornia tested the cost of free health care for all and it was more than the entire state budget.

nolu chan posted on 2018-08-11 15:23:21   Reply   Private Reply