Libertarian Kochs have reasons behind their activities

Barbara Foreman replied to Fran Alexander’s Aug. 1 column “Influence in the Shadows” about Jane Mayer’s book Dark Money, concerning the control of federal and state governments by wealthy libertarians like Charles and David Koch. Foreman lauded the brothers for being dedicated to principles of limited government and free, unregulated capitalism.

Foreman may not have read Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean, a book tracing the rise of the libertarian faction of the Republican Party under the guidance of the economist James McGill Buchanan and his single-minded effort to weaken federal regulatory agencies and someday abolish Social Security and Medicare. The Koch Brothers have long bankrolled this effort. They do so because the federal government alone is powerful enough to regulate environmental concerns nationwide, such as pollution caused by petrochemical companies like Koch Industries.

Foreman mentions that Koch Industries employs more than 100,000 well-compensated people. Supposing the average Koch employee’s monthly paycheck is $5,000 and the company must contribute 7.65 percent to federal retirement and medical insurance programs, it will pay out $459 million yearly to Uncle Sam, not to mention income tax withholding. Charles and David would love to keep that cash and let their employees provide as they might for their retirement income and old-age medical expenses.

If you are a grandparent drawing Social Security and benefiting from Medicare, you should consider that your grandchildren may not have these benefits someday. If so, they may thank the Koch brothers and the libertarian economists for their domination of the Republican Party and American government. GARY BRODNAX Fayetteville