)
Courtesy of Politicususa:
Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) has been in the crosshairs of the Koch brothers and their SuperPAC, Americans for Prosperity, for the past few months. Obviously, the Kochs feel that Begich is vulnerable in this election cycle as he represents a state that went for Mitt Romney by a fairly sizable margin in the 2012 Presidential election. Of the $30 million that AFP has spent on ads so far this election cycle, nearly a million dollars has gone towards attack ads against Begich.
One ad that AFP ran came under fire not just for twisting the truth (a Koch specialty) but by using a paid actress from Maryland and portraying her as a legitimate Alaskan resident and voter. After AFP ran another attack ad, this time falsely claiming that Begich supported a carbon tax, Begich had enough with the Koch brothers’ interference in his reelection campaign and decided to fight fire with fire. On Monday, a new ad was released by Begich hitting the Kochs for lying to the Alaskan people, killing jobs in Alaska and interfering with the state’s political process.
Well personally I am proud of my Senator for taking the fight to the Koch brothers and calling them out publicly. Apparently he is taking point on this with other Democrats, also under attack by the Koch brothers, planning to follow his lead.
One thing for certain about Alaskans, we absolute hate it when outside forces try to hijack one of our elections. And that has cost more than a few wannabe politicians their chance to represent the state, and its people.
The Koch anti-Gary Peters (Dem running for the Senate) involved a "cancer victim" who is the ex-wife of a former head of Michigan county GOP and now a judge on the Court of Appeals, appointed by our teabagger governor, Rick Snyder. In the ad, the woman moans about the "high cost" of Obamacare: her new policy costs half of her old one and has a lower co-pay maximum. Even Blue Cross of Michigan got involved trying to explain to her why her new plan is better but she refuses to believe facts and wants Gary Peters and the Democratic Party to apologize to her. It should be the Kochs, their front Americans for Prosperity, and he ex-husband who should apologize - not to her (she was a willing participant in the fraud) but to Rep. Peters, President Obama, Blue Cross of Michigan and the residents of the state. I am absolutely sick and tired of the meddling of the Koch Brothers in our lives.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
Yes, I can't believe they are still running her ad, now there is a new ad with her complaining they are smearing her.
DeleteI wish Gary would do a rebuttal ad with BCBS. Heaven help us if Terri Lynn wins, what a smack down to Levine
Who is laughing all the way to the bank? Why the media people who make, produce and present these ads- that's who!
ReplyDeleteBesides this "campaign" against Begich, how much money has Big Oil put into ads to keep people confused about SB21 - the billion(s) of $'s giveaway to the oil companies?
I am VERY glad we got that one provision to Citizen's United passed that the makers of these political advertisements have to list who they are. At the end of the ad, spoken in the fast voice of the pharmaceutical rep going through the side-effects list, you hear the names and orgs of those who are tying to protect their pocketbooks at the expense of Alaska and Alaskans. Should be a no-brainer, but unfortunately we have a bunch of no-brain-users who are knee jerk reactionaries that will push a button for anyone with an R beside their name, or who is perceived to be "against the commie liberals".
I do think that enough Alaskans right now are waking up and seeing how Parnell and his bunch of oil soaked GOPers are screwing us left and right (pun intended) and perhaps will actually vote for their best interests this time?
Well, we knew it was coming but the skank has a Facebook post up that she's ready to roll out her choices for 2014 soon. Time to fight fire with fire, people!
ReplyDeleteGood for Mark Begich in standing up to the Koch brothers - he is the only one doing it so far across the nation. Hopefully, others will follow.
ReplyDeleteAlaskans need to know and understand that the Koch Brothers are the ones that originally owned the facility in Fairbanks (doing damage to drinking water for some residents) - sold it - walked away doing none of the cleanup that was required as to the chemicals in the ground.
The Anchorage media never mentions the fact that the Koch Brothers were involved when discussing the matter. What does that tell you? Aren't they the outlets taking the money from the Koch Brothers to run their ads (that are proving to be false information)?
Alaskans also need to be watching the oil industry and their current Gov Parnell! Is he their shell?
Here comes the Palin CURSE:
ReplyDeletePalin Promises 'Lots Of Vetting' Before She Gives Her Endorsements
Sarah Palin is promising to do her due diligence before handing her precious endorsement to Republican candidates this year.
"I’m convinced it’s now or never to save our free republic," she wrote on her Facebook page Wednesday. "So, I’m excited to announce that big U.S. Senate and House of Representative endorsements are on the way! We’ll tackle some state races, too. Lots of vetting and research goes into these endorsements because this is for YOU."
The pledge invites memories of the 2008 campaign, when John McCain's team tapped the little-known Alaska governor to serve as his running mate after an alarmingly brief vetting process.
Palin closed her endorsement preview with one of her trademark rhetorical flourishes.
"I’ll roll out endorsements in coming days; I’ll ask you to support the good guys, and we’ll all covet prayers for them and for the great awakening I’m confident our nation is experiencing as people open their eyes to the present harsh reality but also to America’s future positive possibilities as we seek our nation’s good destiny!"
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/palin-endorsements-vetting
He should wear a bulletproof helmet.
ReplyDeleteEvery last Democrat up for re-election should have an ad like this.
ReplyDeleteGood for Mark! Contrary to what Anon 10:32 says, there has been push-back from at least one other candidate - Gary Peters, my current Congressperson and candidate for the Senate position being vacated by Carl Levin. By now everyone knows of the infamous Julie Boonstra ad which is targeted at Gary. He tried to get the local media to stop running the ad because it's provably untrue. They wouldn't do it and she asked for an apology for Peters bullying her and blaming the victim. Instead, Gary's running a great counter ad with the Koch brothers appearing prominently. The ad doesn't debunk the specifics of the Boonstra piece, but warns of further incursion by the Koch's into Michigan government. All the spending by billionaires on ads in this non-Presidential year will have much more influence than it did in the national election year, witness Alex Sink's loss in Florida yesterday. She was ahead until the final week before the election and Koch's ad started running virtually non-stop. It's very scary.
ReplyDeleteIncredibly sad that being for a carbon tax is seen as such a negative. We are already suffering the effects of climate change & our children/grandchildren will be devastated by what the past 100 years have done to the planet..
ReplyDelete