NMP Trump is sucking all of the air out of the room. Meanwhile, after more than a decade of plotting and working in the shadows, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) has stepped up their game — and they aren’t afraid to go public.
It isn’t happening in DC — where we are all watching in horror as the Trump/GOP Senate/GOP House circus has grabbed all media attention. It is happening right where the Koch brothers planned to make it happen — at the state level where they have carefully ensured both the legislature and governor are in GOP hands.
Today, using our state legislature’s Request To Speak (RTS) system, I was researching a new bill (SB1002). The bill is designed to rip control from municipalities for managing businesses operating in residential areas — essentially usurping zoning regulatory authority from city officials who are most in touch with local community needs.
Looking at the list of who’s on record (in the RTS system) in support of the bill, I saw an individual who publicly listed his affiliation as “Americans for Prosperity” (versus the usual “self”). Listing Americans for Prosperity publicly means he wants legislators to get the message — AFP supports the bill. Why? Well, it sends a signal to all Republican legislators that they’re expected to support the bill or run the risk of having the Koch brothers fund another primary candidate in their next re-election cycle.
I doubt that this is the first bill like this (I noticed there were others with the same AFP supporter). In fact, the bill’s sponsor seems to have a dozen new bills — more than any other state legislator so far this year. It’s likely AFP drafted or at least helped draft this bill, and many others.
This was a shock, a wake-up call. It means the more than decade-long effort to take over our political system by the Koch brothers has moved squarely into the "we own it" phase.
So while we’ve been busy marching and calling Washington DC about health care and immigration and tax cuts and … well, they’ve been quietly taking over and passing masses of legislation at the state level. The Koch brothers are well on their way to remaking our country’s laws and government to put business first — above all else.
I don’t know about you, but I am going to keep watching what’s happening locally and working to elect as many Democrats as possible in 2018 — especially to our state governor's office - someone who can wield a steady veto pen.