The Koch conspiracy theorists are having a field day this weekend, as the bi-annual confab of Koch brothers donors got underway on Saturday.
In addition to about 450 contributores, no less than 5 GOP presidential candidates will make an appearance through Sunday.Saturday featured "auditions" by two prominent White House hopefuls Scott Walker and Carly Fiorina. Jeb Bush will address the gathering today.
In his opening remarks, Charles Koch called for an end to "corporate welfare," specifically targetiing the big banks.
The press-shy 79-year-old chief executive of Koch Industries took the nation’s biggest banks to task for accepting “massive bailouts” and cheap loans from the Federal Reserve in return for the federal government wielding increased influence over how they run their businesses.The comments came at a cocktail reception kicking off the latest gathering of wealthy conservatives assembled by Mr. Koch and his brother David. In brief remarks welcoming donors to the event at the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort, Charles Koch challenged the assembled business leaders to encourage other corporate chieftains to “start opposing rather than promoting corporate welfare.”
[...]Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, one of the Republican White House contenders invited to appear, presented himself as the only candidate in the GOP field with a record of both fighting for conservative principles and winning those battles. He questioned why Republican majorities in Congress couldn’t repeal the 2010 health law or the Dodd-Frank financial-market reforms, a not-so-veiled shot at the senators in the race.
But on other occasions, Mr. Walker sidestepped opportunities to take direct shots at two top rivals, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and real-estate developer Donald Trump.“You’re not going to hear me belittle any other Republicans,” he said, before restating his criticism of Mr. Trump for questioning the war record of Arizona Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee who spent more than five years in a Vietnamese prison camp.l
Former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Carly Fiorina, the other 2016 contender to appear at the event Saturday, was much more assertive in her critique of Mr. Bush, questioning whether the son and brother of former presidents is the best candidate in the field to reform Washington. “Why do you think you’re the Bush who can change that?” she said, when asked what question she would pose to the former Florida governor, who will make an appearance on Sunday.
The big banks give generously to both parties, in order to ensure they can keep their perks and advantages. But change is in the wind. The Republican who emerges as the nominee will almost certainly souind a more populist note when it comes to Wall Street and the big banks. Market friendly reforms could become an issue in the campaign as Democrats will seek to demonize Wall Street (while grasping for as much campaign cash as they can").
But Fiorina highlights the big question that should concern GOP primary voters; how can Jeb Bush be a credible candidate for "change"? He may end up raising more money than anyone else, but his policies reek of the Washington establishment and, in many cases, are in direct opposition to what the conservative mainstream believes. Right now, his poll numbers reflect his name recognition. But it should be interesting to see where he stands after the first debate when every other candidate attacks him for some of his more problematic proposals.
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