Aa
Inequality in America is at record levels.
The 400 richest Americans now have more wealth than the bottom 150 million of us put together
Five years ago this weekend, the Wall Street giant Lehman Brothers collapsed triggering the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Today, the divide between the 1 percent and the 99 percent is as great as ever. According to one recent study, the top 1 percent has captured about 95 percent of the income gains since the recession ended. “Since the recovery, almost all of the gains have gone to the very, very top. People who are in the top 1 percent are doing even better than they did before the Great Recession, better than they have done since 1928,” says former Labor Secretary Robert Reich. “Most Americans are on a downward escalator. Median wage in the United States, adjusted for inflation, keeps on dropping.” Reich is the focus of the new film, “Inequality for All.” In this interview, he also talks about Syria, the second anniversary of Occupy Wall Street on September 17, Obama’s healthcare plan and Milton Friedman’s connection to the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/9/13/inequality_for_all_robert_reich_warns
Five years ago this weekend, the Wall Street giant Lehman Brothers collapsed triggering the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Today, the divide between the 1 percent and the 99 percent is as great as ever. According to one recent study, the top 1 percent has captured about 95 percent of the income gains since the recession ended. “Since the recovery, almost all of the gains have gone to the very, very top. People who are in the top 1 percent are doing even better than they did before the Great Recession, better than they have done since 1928,” says former Labor Secretary Robert Reich. “Most Americans are on a downward escalator. Median wage in the United States, adjusted for inflation, keeps on dropping.” Reich is the focus of the new film, “Inequality for All.” In this interview, he also talks about Syria, the second anniversary of Occupy Wall Street on September 17, Obama’s healthcare plan and Milton Friedman’s connection to the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/9/13/inequality_for_all_robert_reich_warns
http://thesterlingroad.com/2013/09/19/my-name-is-jason-im-a-35-yr-old-white-male-combat-veteran-and-im-on-food-stamps/
http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2013/09/20/n-buffett-economy-inequality.cnnmoney/index.html?iid=MKT_Taboola
Thanks for the above link. The man seems to be extremely optimistic, but at the same time said that "Americans eventually do the right thing".... "Eventually" bothers me.
Believe me... I would love to be able to enjoy the fruits of my labor and not have to work 2 jobs to make ends meet, but I don't see it happening any time soon. Maybe years after my kids are out of college and on their own I might be able to slow down a little, but I can't see it happening before then.
I'm all for a raise of the minimum wage. It would help some people. But I also know that there are people out there whose current efforts aren't worth the going rate as well. Some of these people feel as if they are hard workers, simply because they "showed up". These people don't go the extra mile and don't show promise. (We just let go of a guy who is certainly not worthy of our starting wage, and this guy thinks he's God's gift! He's horrible....)
This particular guy that I am talking about won't "get it". He has had "pep talks", he has had the employee manual read to him, he has had his job outline gone over and over to him, and he is still not getting the job done. But, he feels he is worth more money even though he admits that he doesn't do his best....
Why should someone like that be rewarded? He was given the opportunity to come into compliance and neglected to do so.
I don't know where I was headed with that.... On the other side of things, I know that there are a lot of people worth twice what they are being paid. These people have options.
Believe me... I would love to be able to enjoy the fruits of my labor and not have to work 2 jobs to make ends meet, but I don't see it happening any time soon. Maybe years after my kids are out of college and on their own I might be able to slow down a little, but I can't see it happening before then.
I'm all for a raise of the minimum wage. It would help some people. But I also know that there are people out there whose current efforts aren't worth the going rate as well. Some of these people feel as if they are hard workers, simply because they "showed up". These people don't go the extra mile and don't show promise. (We just let go of a guy who is certainly not worthy of our starting wage, and this guy thinks he's God's gift! He's horrible....)
This particular guy that I am talking about won't "get it". He has had "pep talks", he has had the employee manual read to him, he has had his job outline gone over and over to him, and he is still not getting the job done. But, he feels he is worth more money even though he admits that he doesn't do his best....
Why should someone like that be rewarded? He was given the opportunity to come into compliance and neglected to do so.
I don't know where I was headed with that.... On the other side of things, I know that there are a lot of people worth twice what they are being paid. These people have options.
You know, I think you can do whatever you choose about the wealthiest in terms of bringing down their income, but that still will not resolve the problem of poverty. In fact, it may actually increase the problem. I can understand feeling upset with the very wealthy, but redistribution of their wealth just isn't the answer. If you look at socialist and even communist countries, they are some of the most corrupt and and poverty stricken. No, the solutions do lie more in capitalism, but has more to do with access to education and health care. It also has to do with finding a way to allow job creation to continue and encouraging those starting business' while at the same time paying a living wage. Not sure exactly how to do that, but I do believe that is where the real answer lies. Again, just my opinion.
http://www.upworthy.com/the-huge-lie-that-is-repeated-by-those-doing-extremely-well-in-our-country?c=ufb1
Koch brothers again? Boy, we keep blaming them because it is the political thing to do... Forget the fact that they have donated and or pledged $600 million dollars to education, the arts, medical research and technological research.
There are people out there that no matter what "we" do for them, they still won't be able to make ends meet. They just aren't good with money and they have no idea what a budget is. There are plenty of situations where people that are supposed to have the where with all that continually live beyond their means. This puts a strain on the system.
We really aren't looking at the big picture if we are hung up on the Koch brothers. I am not defending them.... but they are not the sole reason for the state of affairs.
There are people out there that no matter what "we" do for them, they still won't be able to make ends meet. They just aren't good with money and they have no idea what a budget is. There are plenty of situations where people that are supposed to have the where with all that continually live beyond their means. This puts a strain on the system.
We really aren't looking at the big picture if we are hung up on the Koch brothers. I am not defending them.... but they are not the sole reason for the state of affairs.
The only way back to a buoyant economy is through a productive system whose gains are more widely shared. The only way back to a responsive democracy is through a political system whose monied interests are more effectively constrained.
Those words resonate. Thanks desrt.
Those words resonate. Thanks desrt.
http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/reich/article/Pay-middle-class-better-watch-economy-improve-4793110.php
Pay middle class better, watch economy improve
"Congress will reconvene shortly. That means more battles over taxes and spending, regulations and safety nets and how to get the economy out of first gear. Which means more gridlock and continual showdowns over budget resolutions and the debt ceiling.
But before the hostilities start again and we all get lost in political strategies and petty tactics, it's useful to consider what's really at stake for our economy and democracy.
For much of the past century, the basic bargain at the heart of America was that employers paid their workers enough to buy what American employers were selling. Government's role was to encourage and enforce this bargain. We thereby created a virtuous cycle of higher living standards, more jobs and better wages.
But the bargain has been broken. And until it's remade, the economy can't mend, and our democracy won't be responsive to the majority.
First, a bit of history. Back in 1914, Henry Ford announced he was paying workers on his Model T assembly line $5 a day - three times what the typical factory employee earned at the time. The Wall Street Journal termed his action "an economic crime."
But Ford knew it was a cunning business move. The higher wage turned Ford's auto workers into customers who could afford to buy Model T's. In two years, Ford's profits more than doubled.
Yet in the years leading up to the Great Crash of 1929, employers forgot Henry Ford's example. The wages of most American workers stagnated even as the economy surged. Gains went mainly into corporate profits and into the pockets of the very rich. American families maintained their standard of living by going deeper into debt, and the rich gambled with their gigantic winnings. In 1929, the debt bubble popped.
Sound familiar? It should. The same thing happened in the years leading up to the crash of 2008. The lesson should be obvious. When the economy becomes too lopsided - disproportionately benefiting corporate owners and top executives rather than average workers - it tips over.
It's still lopsided. We're slowly emerging from the depths of the worst downturn since the Great Depression, but nothing fundamentally has changed. Corporate profits are up largely because payrolls are down. Even Ford Motor Co. is now paying its new hires half what it paid new employees a few years ago.
All over the American economy, employee pay is down to the smallest share of the economy since the government began collecting wage and salary data 60 years ago. And corporate profits constitute the largest share of the economy since then. This is a losing game for corporations over the long term. Without enough American consumers, their profitable days are numbered. Europeans are in no mood to buy. India and China are slowing dramatically. Developing nations are in trouble.
Republicans claim rich people and big corporations are job creators, so their taxes must not be raised. This is blatantly untrue. In order to create jobs, businesses need customers. But the rich spend only a small fraction of what they earn. They park most of it wherever around the world they can get the highest return.
The real job creators are the vast middle class, whose spending drives the economy and creates jobs. But as the middle class's share of total income continues to drop, it can't spend as much as before. Nor can most Americans borrow as they did before the crash of 2008 - borrowing that temporarily masked their declining purchasing power.
As a result, businesses are still reluctant to hire and pay decent wages. Which is why the recovery continues to be so anemic.
As wealth and income rise to the top, moreover, so does political power. Corporations and the rich are able to entrench themselves by keeping low tax rates and special tax breaks (such as the "carried interest" loophole allowing private equity and hedge fund managers to treat their incomes as capital gains), and ensuring a steady flow of corporate welfare to their businesses (special breaks for oil and gas, big agriculture, big insurance, Big Pharma, and, of course, Wall Street).
All of this continues to squeeze public budgets, corrupt government and undermine our democracy. The issue is not and has never been the size of our government; it's who the government is for. Government has become less responsive to the needs of most citizens and more responsive to the demands of the monied interests.
The Republican response is to further reduce taxes on the rich, defund programs for the poor, fight unions, allow the median wage to continue to drop and oppose any limits on campaign contributions or spending. It does not take a great deal of brainpower to understand this strategy will lead to an even more lopsided economy, more entrenched wealth and a more corrupt democracy.
So, as Congress reconvenes and the battles resume, be clear about what's at stake. The only way back to a buoyant economy is through a productive system whose gains are more widely shared. The only way back to a responsive democracy is through a political system whose monied interests are more effectively constrained.
We must remake the basic bargain at the heart of America."
Pay middle class better, watch economy improve
"Congress will reconvene shortly. That means more battles over taxes and spending, regulations and safety nets and how to get the economy out of first gear. Which means more gridlock and continual showdowns over budget resolutions and the debt ceiling.
But before the hostilities start again and we all get lost in political strategies and petty tactics, it's useful to consider what's really at stake for our economy and democracy.
For much of the past century, the basic bargain at the heart of America was that employers paid their workers enough to buy what American employers were selling. Government's role was to encourage and enforce this bargain. We thereby created a virtuous cycle of higher living standards, more jobs and better wages.
But the bargain has been broken. And until it's remade, the economy can't mend, and our democracy won't be responsive to the majority.
First, a bit of history. Back in 1914, Henry Ford announced he was paying workers on his Model T assembly line $5 a day - three times what the typical factory employee earned at the time. The Wall Street Journal termed his action "an economic crime."
But Ford knew it was a cunning business move. The higher wage turned Ford's auto workers into customers who could afford to buy Model T's. In two years, Ford's profits more than doubled.
Yet in the years leading up to the Great Crash of 1929, employers forgot Henry Ford's example. The wages of most American workers stagnated even as the economy surged. Gains went mainly into corporate profits and into the pockets of the very rich. American families maintained their standard of living by going deeper into debt, and the rich gambled with their gigantic winnings. In 1929, the debt bubble popped.
Sound familiar? It should. The same thing happened in the years leading up to the crash of 2008. The lesson should be obvious. When the economy becomes too lopsided - disproportionately benefiting corporate owners and top executives rather than average workers - it tips over.
It's still lopsided. We're slowly emerging from the depths of the worst downturn since the Great Depression, but nothing fundamentally has changed. Corporate profits are up largely because payrolls are down. Even Ford Motor Co. is now paying its new hires half what it paid new employees a few years ago.
All over the American economy, employee pay is down to the smallest share of the economy since the government began collecting wage and salary data 60 years ago. And corporate profits constitute the largest share of the economy since then. This is a losing game for corporations over the long term. Without enough American consumers, their profitable days are numbered. Europeans are in no mood to buy. India and China are slowing dramatically. Developing nations are in trouble.
Republicans claim rich people and big corporations are job creators, so their taxes must not be raised. This is blatantly untrue. In order to create jobs, businesses need customers. But the rich spend only a small fraction of what they earn. They park most of it wherever around the world they can get the highest return.
The real job creators are the vast middle class, whose spending drives the economy and creates jobs. But as the middle class's share of total income continues to drop, it can't spend as much as before. Nor can most Americans borrow as they did before the crash of 2008 - borrowing that temporarily masked their declining purchasing power.
As a result, businesses are still reluctant to hire and pay decent wages. Which is why the recovery continues to be so anemic.
As wealth and income rise to the top, moreover, so does political power. Corporations and the rich are able to entrench themselves by keeping low tax rates and special tax breaks (such as the "carried interest" loophole allowing private equity and hedge fund managers to treat their incomes as capital gains), and ensuring a steady flow of corporate welfare to their businesses (special breaks for oil and gas, big agriculture, big insurance, Big Pharma, and, of course, Wall Street).
All of this continues to squeeze public budgets, corrupt government and undermine our democracy. The issue is not and has never been the size of our government; it's who the government is for. Government has become less responsive to the needs of most citizens and more responsive to the demands of the monied interests.
The Republican response is to further reduce taxes on the rich, defund programs for the poor, fight unions, allow the median wage to continue to drop and oppose any limits on campaign contributions or spending. It does not take a great deal of brainpower to understand this strategy will lead to an even more lopsided economy, more entrenched wealth and a more corrupt democracy.
So, as Congress reconvenes and the battles resume, be clear about what's at stake. The only way back to a buoyant economy is through a productive system whose gains are more widely shared. The only way back to a responsive democracy is through a political system whose monied interests are more effectively constrained.
We must remake the basic bargain at the heart of America."
Speaking of the unequal distribution of wealth has to be about both the super rich and poverty.
One is the cause of the other, or at least partially.
There is only so much wealth to go around so if someone has more, someone else has less.
I don't believe in everybody having the same amount of anything. That is not reality.
But I do believe that there is enough for everyone to have the basics, food, water and shelter.
One is the cause of the other, or at least partially.
There is only so much wealth to go around so if someone has more, someone else has less.
I don't believe in everybody having the same amount of anything. That is not reality.
But I do believe that there is enough for everyone to have the basics, food, water and shelter.
I guess what I'm trying to say is I think that we can discuss poverty and we can discuss the super rich and they are different topics.
They are not criminal unless they are breaking the laws, but what about laws that are made for them and by them, or rather by their think tanks and lobbyists ?
There are things that are morally and ethically criminal whether man made laws degree them as such or not.
Brice~ sorry if I gave you the impression that I believe all people are born equal. Obviously they are not. Still, I do believe that we all live here on this planet together and if we tried to do so harmoniously there would be more happiness and wealth for all.
As for the Koch brothers, they think they are emperors but I do recall what happened to Cesar.
There are things that are morally and ethically criminal whether man made laws degree them as such or not.
Brice~ sorry if I gave you the impression that I believe all people are born equal. Obviously they are not. Still, I do believe that we all live here on this planet together and if we tried to do so harmoniously there would be more happiness and wealth for all.
As for the Koch brothers, they think they are emperors but I do recall what happened to Cesar.
Got NO praise for the Koch brothers. Cherry picking out of the whole picture doesnt impress me a bit. sorry.
People complain, and complain and complain. Well I dont have all the answers but when you cannot work and make enuff to eat without having to go get food stamps that we the taxpayer provide, then imo these so called employers that are making record profits as a result are doing more damage to us as a country than they are worth....One example of how this huge disparity happens. Only one......
People complain, and complain and complain. Well I dont have all the answers but when you cannot work and make enuff to eat without having to go get food stamps that we the taxpayer provide, then imo these so called employers that are making record profits as a result are doing more damage to us as a country than they are worth....One example of how this huge disparity happens. Only one......
I guess desrt, I do believe that if people are unethical to get ahead, perhaps karma will get them but they are not criminals unless they are breaking laws. I really do think everyone can take advantage of laws that benefit them and save them money when it comes to handing it over the govt. But if someone is breaking a law, hiding money, etc. then that is a different story.
But all in all, I still don't understand the correlation between that sub group of people and those that are in poverty, near poverty and the growing numbers of people just trying to keep their head above water.
But all in all, I still don't understand the correlation between that sub group of people and those that are in poverty, near poverty and the growing numbers of people just trying to keep their head above water.
$100 million for guys in tutus? Not impressed. That would pay the salaries of thousands of teachers if the Kochs weren't tax cheats and thieves. Calling it "loopholes" makes it sounds like everyone does it so it must be OK. As for cancer research, you'll have to show me that having your name on the side of a building has cured more cancer than your investments have caused.
Funny rivll, I didn't see where I even posted an opinion.
Perhaps you should read "The Robber Barons" (a great book) to really gain some perspective on the nasty super rich.
Perhaps you should read "The Robber Barons" (a great book) to really gain some perspective on the nasty super rich.
I didn't say they are my heroes. Please don't overreact and make it emotional. I've said on many threads that I notice the good works some of these people that people love to hate do. That doesn't mean that I think they are a hero but rather that they aren't all bad.
Few people are all bad.
I'm not a proponent of some of the things the original source slants its articles towards. I don't think it really solves problems to just focus on the super rich. I really don't care if we close their loopholes, change policies or whatever it is that makes them so bad to the source of this article. It can happen. I'm not totally against that although I know that I take advantage of things that help me out tax wise and don't see why everyone shouldn't have that same right. I still don't think it solves any of the problems of those families and people struggling to make ends meet though if we do that.
And it really is okay for me to feel that way and for others here to feel differently.
Few people are all bad.
I'm not a proponent of some of the things the original source slants its articles towards. I don't think it really solves problems to just focus on the super rich. I really don't care if we close their loopholes, change policies or whatever it is that makes them so bad to the source of this article. It can happen. I'm not totally against that although I know that I take advantage of things that help me out tax wise and don't see why everyone shouldn't have that same right. I still don't think it solves any of the problems of those families and people struggling to make ends meet though if we do that.
And it really is okay for me to feel that way and for others here to feel differently.
@sm and pro-I freaking give up.
Go ahead and embrace your heros.
Go ahead and embrace your heros.
Proactive, sounds like they do a lot of good with their money. I'm thankful for that.
David H. Koch Charitable Foundation and Personal Philanthropy
Ultra-sensitive chip-based devices allow researchers at the
David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research to
study changes in nanoparticles or living cells with a million
times greater precision than ever before. Diagnosed with
prostate cancer in 1993, Mr. Koch has given millions for
research to beat the disease.
Foundations & Philanthropy
Fred and Mary Koch Foundation
Koch Cultural Trust
Charles Koch Foundation
Charles Koch Institute
David H. Koch Charitable Foundation
& Personal Philanthropy
David H. Koch earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined Koch Industries, Inc. in 1970 and today serves as an executive vice president and board member. As chairman and president of Koch Membrane Systems, Inc., his passion for water technology has led to clean water innovations that have been exhibited at the International Desalination Association World Congress. Koch Membrane Systems is part of Koch Chemical Technology Group, LLC, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc.
A long-time philanthropist, Mr. Koch has given generously to a variety of organizations and programs. In his lifetime, he and the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation have pledged or contributed more than $1 billion to cancer research, medical centers, educational institutions, arts and cultural institutions, and to assist public policy organizations.
Medical & Cancer Research
A prostate cancer survivor, Mr. Koch has donated $100 million as prime contributor for the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT. Other support for medical and cancer research includes:
$100 million to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital to help build the David H. Koch Center, a new ambulatory care center
$20 million to Johns Hopkins University for the David H. Koch Cancer Research Center
$30 million to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City
$25 million to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for the David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancers
$15 million to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center
$25 million to The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City
$10 million to Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at the Mount Sinai Medical Center to create the David H. and Julia Koch Research Program in Food Allergy Therapeutics
In 2011, Mr. Koch received the Humanitarian of the Year award from the American Apparel and Footwear Association for his long-standing support of organizations working to find a cure for prostate cancer. The awards gala raised more than $1.1 million for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. In 2007, he was honored with the Double Helix Medal for Corporate Leadership from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for supporting research that, “improves the health of people everywhere.”
Mr. Koch was honored by the Smithsonian Institution in
2012 for his generous support, and presented with a piece of
Smithsonite by G. Wayne Clough (left), secretary of the
Smithsonian Institution.
Education & Science
Mr. Koch supports science-related projects including funding the long-running PBS documentary series, “Nova,” and a science and technology center at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts.
A $35 million pledge to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History will renovate the dinosaur hall, which will be named after him. Once renovated, the hall will showcase the museum's unrivaled collection of 46 million fossils and present the most up-to-date scientific research. His $15 million gift to the museum created the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins that opened in 2010. The 15,000-square-foot exhibit helps answer the question, “What does it mean to be human?“
Other education and science-related support includes:
The Koch Biology Building and the David H. Koch School of Chemical Engineering Practice at MIT
A $20 million gift to the American Museum of Natural History, establishing the David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing
The Bill of Rights Institute, which educates students and teachers about our nation's Founding principles, including national sponsor of the 2009-2010 high school essay contest, “Being an American“
Arts & Culture
In 2013, the Metropolitan Museum of Art formally broke ground for the new David H. Koch Plaza. His $65 million gift will give the 140-year-old museum a beautiful outdoor setting with new fountains, landscaping and improved access, all designed with sustainability in mind.
Gifts from the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation have benefited the American Ballet Theater. In 2008, his foundation gave $100 million for the preservation and renovation of the State Theater of New York at Lincoln Center. Now known as the David H. Koch Theater, it is home to the New York City Ballet and New York City Opera.
Public Policy
A passionate believer in free societies, Mr. Koch has funded research and education programs that analyze how freedom creates prosperity and advances social progress. He serves on the boards of the Cato Institute, Reason Foundation and Americans for Prosperity Foundation.
Ultra-sensitive chip-based devices allow researchers at the
David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research to
study changes in nanoparticles or living cells with a million
times greater precision than ever before. Diagnosed with
prostate cancer in 1993, Mr. Koch has given millions for
research to beat the disease.
Foundations & Philanthropy
Fred and Mary Koch Foundation
Koch Cultural Trust
Charles Koch Foundation
Charles Koch Institute
David H. Koch Charitable Foundation
& Personal Philanthropy
David H. Koch earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined Koch Industries, Inc. in 1970 and today serves as an executive vice president and board member. As chairman and president of Koch Membrane Systems, Inc., his passion for water technology has led to clean water innovations that have been exhibited at the International Desalination Association World Congress. Koch Membrane Systems is part of Koch Chemical Technology Group, LLC, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc.
A long-time philanthropist, Mr. Koch has given generously to a variety of organizations and programs. In his lifetime, he and the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation have pledged or contributed more than $1 billion to cancer research, medical centers, educational institutions, arts and cultural institutions, and to assist public policy organizations.
Medical & Cancer Research
A prostate cancer survivor, Mr. Koch has donated $100 million as prime contributor for the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT. Other support for medical and cancer research includes:
$100 million to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital to help build the David H. Koch Center, a new ambulatory care center
$20 million to Johns Hopkins University for the David H. Koch Cancer Research Center
$30 million to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City
$25 million to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for the David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancers
$15 million to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center
$25 million to The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City
$10 million to Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at the Mount Sinai Medical Center to create the David H. and Julia Koch Research Program in Food Allergy Therapeutics
In 2011, Mr. Koch received the Humanitarian of the Year award from the American Apparel and Footwear Association for his long-standing support of organizations working to find a cure for prostate cancer. The awards gala raised more than $1.1 million for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. In 2007, he was honored with the Double Helix Medal for Corporate Leadership from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for supporting research that, “improves the health of people everywhere.”
Mr. Koch was honored by the Smithsonian Institution in
2012 for his generous support, and presented with a piece of
Smithsonite by G. Wayne Clough (left), secretary of the
Smithsonian Institution.
Education & Science
Mr. Koch supports science-related projects including funding the long-running PBS documentary series, “Nova,” and a science and technology center at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts.
A $35 million pledge to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History will renovate the dinosaur hall, which will be named after him. Once renovated, the hall will showcase the museum's unrivaled collection of 46 million fossils and present the most up-to-date scientific research. His $15 million gift to the museum created the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins that opened in 2010. The 15,000-square-foot exhibit helps answer the question, “What does it mean to be human?“
Other education and science-related support includes:
The Koch Biology Building and the David H. Koch School of Chemical Engineering Practice at MIT
A $20 million gift to the American Museum of Natural History, establishing the David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing
The Bill of Rights Institute, which educates students and teachers about our nation's Founding principles, including national sponsor of the 2009-2010 high school essay contest, “Being an American“
Arts & Culture
In 2013, the Metropolitan Museum of Art formally broke ground for the new David H. Koch Plaza. His $65 million gift will give the 140-year-old museum a beautiful outdoor setting with new fountains, landscaping and improved access, all designed with sustainability in mind.
Gifts from the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation have benefited the American Ballet Theater. In 2008, his foundation gave $100 million for the preservation and renovation of the State Theater of New York at Lincoln Center. Now known as the David H. Koch Theater, it is home to the New York City Ballet and New York City Opera.
Public Policy
A passionate believer in free societies, Mr. Koch has funded research and education programs that analyze how freedom creates prosperity and advances social progress. He serves on the boards of the Cato Institute, Reason Foundation and Americans for Prosperity Foundation.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2013/05/14/new-app-lets-you-boycott-koch-brothers-monsanto-and-more-by-scanning-your-shopping-cart/
One way of fighting back!
One way of fighting back!
Thanks for reading them.
Mike
Mike
Thanks for those posts.
Poverty Exacts a High Cognitive Toll
Megan Brooks
Sep 05, 2013
For people struggling to live paycheck to paycheck, money is not the only thing in short supply.
New research suggests that poverty directly impedes cognitive function, and this "cognitive deficit" caused by poverty translates into as many as 10 IQ points.
"Previous views of poverty have attributed low mental functioning to personal failings of the poor individuals, or a lack of education or nutrition," Jiaying Zhao, PhD, from the Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, who worked on the study, told Medscape Medical News.
On the contrary, the new study suggests a "causal, not merely correlational" relationship between poverty and mental function, Dr. Zhao said. "We find that the lack of financial resources itself can lead to impaired cognitive function."
The study is published in the August 30 issue of Science.
"Eye-Opening" Study
Kathleen D. Vohs, PhD, of the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, calls the study "eye-opening" in a linked Perspective article in the same issue.
"It's fascinating," she added in an interview with Medscape Medical News, "and fits extremely well with a model we've been working with for decades on the impact of limited resources on cognitive abilities. It can overwhelm your whole system."
To explore the cognitive load that comes from financial pressures, Dr. Zhao and colleagues studied 2 dramatically different groups ― shoppers at a mall in New Jersey and sugar cane farmers in rural India.
In the mall study, they gave low- and middle-income shoppers (defined by household income) hypothetical financial decisions, followed by tasks that measured mental abilities.
The low-income shoppers who earlier had to contemplate a difficult financial decision (spending $1500 on a car repair) showed worse mental performance than the more well-off shoppers.
In the study of farmers, they found that the mental acuities of the same farmer varied with swings in income. These rural farmers typically are paid once per year, after the harvest, meaning they are under significant financial pressure before the harvest.
The researchers gave the farmers challenging cognitive tests before and after the harvest. They saw clear and demonstrable improvement in cognitive capacity after the harvest, as well as after payday. This outcome held after accounting for the stress of preharvest periods, they say.
Policy Implications?
Taken together, the findings suggest that poverty itself reduces cognitive capacity, Dr. Zhao and colleagues say.
The investigators conclude that this study suggests a different perspective on poverty: being poor means coping not just with a shortfall of money but also with a concurrent shortfall of cognitive resources. "The poor, in this view, are less capable not because of inherent traits, but because the very context of poverty imposes load and impedes cognitive capacity. The findings, in other words, are not about poor people, but about any people who find themselves poor," they write.
Professor Simon de Lusignan, MD(Res), from the Department of Health Care Management and Policy, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom, who was not involved in the study but who reviewed it for Medscape Medical News, called it "very thought provoking."
Dr. Zhao thinks policymakers "must beware of imposing cognitive taxes on the poor just as they avoid monetary taxes on the poor. They should try to reduce the cognitive taxes, such as simplifying forms, shortening procedures of benefit programs, and setting up smart defaults and reminders. Policymakers should also recognize the natural variation in the person's cognitive capacity and synchronize programs and services to periods when resources are abundant," Dr. Zhao said.
Current estimates are that roughly 20% of the world's population is in poverty, Dr. Vohs notes in her article. Although that is half of what it was 20 years ago, it is nonetheless a "huge number."
"Economists," she points out, "are fond of the theory that the more people on Earth, the better, because people create ideas. With more people come greater odds of discovering the cure for cancer, renewable energy sources, or how to cultivate world peace. That premise rests on the notion that all people have adequate mental capacity, a premise now called into question by this study for a fifth of the world’s population," Dr. Vohs concludes.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/810514?nlid=33330_1882&src=wnl_edit_dail&uac=39980BG
Megan Brooks
Sep 05, 2013
For people struggling to live paycheck to paycheck, money is not the only thing in short supply.
New research suggests that poverty directly impedes cognitive function, and this "cognitive deficit" caused by poverty translates into as many as 10 IQ points.
"Previous views of poverty have attributed low mental functioning to personal failings of the poor individuals, or a lack of education or nutrition," Jiaying Zhao, PhD, from the Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, who worked on the study, told Medscape Medical News.
On the contrary, the new study suggests a "causal, not merely correlational" relationship between poverty and mental function, Dr. Zhao said. "We find that the lack of financial resources itself can lead to impaired cognitive function."
The study is published in the August 30 issue of Science.
"Eye-Opening" Study
Kathleen D. Vohs, PhD, of the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, calls the study "eye-opening" in a linked Perspective article in the same issue.
"It's fascinating," she added in an interview with Medscape Medical News, "and fits extremely well with a model we've been working with for decades on the impact of limited resources on cognitive abilities. It can overwhelm your whole system."
To explore the cognitive load that comes from financial pressures, Dr. Zhao and colleagues studied 2 dramatically different groups ― shoppers at a mall in New Jersey and sugar cane farmers in rural India.
In the mall study, they gave low- and middle-income shoppers (defined by household income) hypothetical financial decisions, followed by tasks that measured mental abilities.
The low-income shoppers who earlier had to contemplate a difficult financial decision (spending $1500 on a car repair) showed worse mental performance than the more well-off shoppers.
In the study of farmers, they found that the mental acuities of the same farmer varied with swings in income. These rural farmers typically are paid once per year, after the harvest, meaning they are under significant financial pressure before the harvest.
The researchers gave the farmers challenging cognitive tests before and after the harvest. They saw clear and demonstrable improvement in cognitive capacity after the harvest, as well as after payday. This outcome held after accounting for the stress of preharvest periods, they say.
Policy Implications?
Taken together, the findings suggest that poverty itself reduces cognitive capacity, Dr. Zhao and colleagues say.
The investigators conclude that this study suggests a different perspective on poverty: being poor means coping not just with a shortfall of money but also with a concurrent shortfall of cognitive resources. "The poor, in this view, are less capable not because of inherent traits, but because the very context of poverty imposes load and impedes cognitive capacity. The findings, in other words, are not about poor people, but about any people who find themselves poor," they write.
Professor Simon de Lusignan, MD(Res), from the Department of Health Care Management and Policy, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom, who was not involved in the study but who reviewed it for Medscape Medical News, called it "very thought provoking."
Dr. Zhao thinks policymakers "must beware of imposing cognitive taxes on the poor just as they avoid monetary taxes on the poor. They should try to reduce the cognitive taxes, such as simplifying forms, shortening procedures of benefit programs, and setting up smart defaults and reminders. Policymakers should also recognize the natural variation in the person's cognitive capacity and synchronize programs and services to periods when resources are abundant," Dr. Zhao said.
Current estimates are that roughly 20% of the world's population is in poverty, Dr. Vohs notes in her article. Although that is half of what it was 20 years ago, it is nonetheless a "huge number."
"Economists," she points out, "are fond of the theory that the more people on Earth, the better, because people create ideas. With more people come greater odds of discovering the cure for cancer, renewable energy sources, or how to cultivate world peace. That premise rests on the notion that all people have adequate mental capacity, a premise now called into question by this study for a fifth of the world’s population," Dr. Vohs concludes.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/810514?nlid=33330_1882&src=wnl_edit_dail&uac=39980BG
Economic Crisis Blamed for International Increase in Suicide
Caroline Cassels
Sep 17, 2013
The global economic crisis of 2008 is being blamed for an international increase in suicide rates.
The first study to look at international trends in suicide, which included 54 countries, showed there was an excess of almost 5000 suicides in 2009 compared with the number expected on the basis of previous trends.
These increases mainly occurred in men and in countries with higher levels of job loss.
"We found a clear rise in suicide after the 2008 global economic crisis; there were about 4900 excess suicides in the year 2009 alone compared with those expected based on previous trends (2000-07)," the authors, led by Shu-Sen Chang, MD, University of Hong Kong, write.
The study was published online September 17 in BMJ.
Concern Over Austerity Measures
The 2008 economic crisis had a far-reaching impact around the world. Its effects included downturns in stock markets, bankruptcies, housing repossessions, and mass unemployment, the investigators note.
Estimates from the International Labour Organization show that worldwide unemployment increased by about 34 million between 2007 and 2009.
Previous studies on the impact of economic downturns on suicide rates have only included a limited number of countries or single countries, but the researchers point out that to date, "there has been no systematic investigation into the broader international pattern or sex/age groups and the regions most affected."
This information, they add, "is urgently needed as there is a concern that governments' austerity measures might inadvertently lead to negative impact on population mental health and further increase suicide rates."
For the study, the researchers analyzed suicide data from 54 countries in individuals aged 15 years or older.
The study's main outcome measure was the suicide rate and number of excess suicides in 2009.
The results revealed that on the basis of expected trends, there were 4884 excess suicides in 2009. This increase mainly occurred in men in the 27 European and 18 American countries included in the study.
Suicide rates were 4.2% higher than expected in European countries and 6.4% higher in American countries in 2009.
The largest increase in Europe was seen in 15- to 24-year-old men (11.7%) and 45- to 64-year-old men (5.2%).
There was no change in suicide in European women; a small increase was observed in American women.
Tip of the Iceberg
Also in 2009, new European Union member states, including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia, showed the largest increase inmale suicide rates (13.3%) within Europe.
The United States and Canada showed an increase of 8.9%, and Caribbean and Central American countries showed a 6.4% increase in male suicide compared with a smaller increase in South American countries.
Data were unavailable for a number of countries affected by the crisis, including Italy and Australia, and so these findings are very likely an "underestimate of the true global impact of the economic crisis on suicide."
Furthermore, the researchers note that the rise in suicides represents just a small fraction of the emotional distress caused by the economic crisis.
"Non-fatal suicide attempts could be 40 times more common than completed suicides, and for every suicide attempt about 10 people experience suicidal thoughts," they write.
The authors report no relevant financial relationships.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/811110?nlid=33783_1882&src=wnl_edit_dail&uac=39980BG
Caroline Cassels
Sep 17, 2013
The global economic crisis of 2008 is being blamed for an international increase in suicide rates.
The first study to look at international trends in suicide, which included 54 countries, showed there was an excess of almost 5000 suicides in 2009 compared with the number expected on the basis of previous trends.
These increases mainly occurred in men and in countries with higher levels of job loss.
"We found a clear rise in suicide after the 2008 global economic crisis; there were about 4900 excess suicides in the year 2009 alone compared with those expected based on previous trends (2000-07)," the authors, led by Shu-Sen Chang, MD, University of Hong Kong, write.
The study was published online September 17 in BMJ.
Concern Over Austerity Measures
The 2008 economic crisis had a far-reaching impact around the world. Its effects included downturns in stock markets, bankruptcies, housing repossessions, and mass unemployment, the investigators note.
Estimates from the International Labour Organization show that worldwide unemployment increased by about 34 million between 2007 and 2009.
Previous studies on the impact of economic downturns on suicide rates have only included a limited number of countries or single countries, but the researchers point out that to date, "there has been no systematic investigation into the broader international pattern or sex/age groups and the regions most affected."
This information, they add, "is urgently needed as there is a concern that governments' austerity measures might inadvertently lead to negative impact on population mental health and further increase suicide rates."
For the study, the researchers analyzed suicide data from 54 countries in individuals aged 15 years or older.
The study's main outcome measure was the suicide rate and number of excess suicides in 2009.
The results revealed that on the basis of expected trends, there were 4884 excess suicides in 2009. This increase mainly occurred in men in the 27 European and 18 American countries included in the study.
Suicide rates were 4.2% higher than expected in European countries and 6.4% higher in American countries in 2009.
The largest increase in Europe was seen in 15- to 24-year-old men (11.7%) and 45- to 64-year-old men (5.2%).
There was no change in suicide in European women; a small increase was observed in American women.
Tip of the Iceberg
Also in 2009, new European Union member states, including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia, showed the largest increase inmale suicide rates (13.3%) within Europe.
The United States and Canada showed an increase of 8.9%, and Caribbean and Central American countries showed a 6.4% increase in male suicide compared with a smaller increase in South American countries.
Data were unavailable for a number of countries affected by the crisis, including Italy and Australia, and so these findings are very likely an "underestimate of the true global impact of the economic crisis on suicide."
Furthermore, the researchers note that the rise in suicides represents just a small fraction of the emotional distress caused by the economic crisis.
"Non-fatal suicide attempts could be 40 times more common than completed suicides, and for every suicide attempt about 10 people experience suicidal thoughts," they write.
The authors report no relevant financial relationships.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/811110?nlid=33783_1882&src=wnl_edit_dail&uac=39980BG
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