Charles Koch — CEO of Koch Industries (#381)

Won’t be listening to this one.

Don’t care how successful u say or think he is.

Koch brothers are not good for this country.

Tim

I am a long-time fan of your podcast and listen to most shows. I have to write to let you know that I am upset and disappointed that you would interview Charles Koch on your show. I know you are an independent thinker and have had controversial guests on before, however, David Koch is pure self-interested evil. Most of what he and his family does is destructive to our representational system of government.

David Koch and the Koch network have used their wealth to jerry rig the electoral process with their deep pockets to the benefit of the wealthy and corporations. Their combined efforts seek to strengthen the power of the wealthy to limit the protections the US government allows our citizens.

Among other things Charles Koch funded interest groups have tried to kill the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (and especially the expansion of Medicaid to poor uninsured adults) in states like Missouri and Tennessee. They have sought to roll back state efforts to address climate change (for instance, in Kansas and West Virginia), and their contributions led to passing massive tax cuts for wealthy individuals and companies (as in Kansas and Oklahoma).

Charles Koch and the millions he and his clandestine organizations spend to protect the rich and powerful are a cancer on our democracy and if left unfettered will eventual lead to the ruin on of our country and our democracy.

I don’t know what to say Tim. I am really disappointed.

Sorry Tim but there is nothing good about Charles Koch when it comes to his politics..

He is a 100% profit before people capitalist who chooses to use his intellect and fortune to repeal our environmental protections and gives millions to Republicans like Moscow Mitch and Trump. People who in my opinion are simply evil, selfish and stubborn white males of privilege. Due to Republican obstruction, nothing gets done in Washington despite the desires of the electorate.

A simple thing like Universal Background Checks, supported by over 70% of the population of both parties and including many gun owners never gets passed because of people with money like the Koch brothers buying Congress.

If Koch really believed in democracy he’d put his money behind getting big money out of politics and ending Citizens United. But he likes the status quo, where his money buys him influence, even if the majority disagrees with his politics.

Social Democracy has been proven to bring a higher quality of life and happier populations than America’s unregulated capitalism. But the Republicans scare people and lie about the benefits and mislabel it as socialism and communism.

Mr. Koch may be the nicest guy in person but he is on the wrong side of history.

Hi Tim

I’ve listened to your podcast for years and have enjoyed many of them. It’s good to see you progressing from pre-canned questions to more questions based on what people are saying.

I’ve noticed how you generally steer clear of politics on your podcast. You don’t seem comfortable. With US politics the way it is that’s understandable.

In this podcast, it’s almost with reluctance that you ask the difficult questions – and then you use the words of your listeners. Even after asking them, you don’t follow up and press on the answers Charles Koch gave you. Sometimes, I wish you would just ask the question and be quiet instead of the qualifying and watering down you occasionally do! Although the questions weren’t softballs, your failure to interrogate the replies meant that the issues were only superficially covered.Good interviewing is not just about batting a ball over the net then letting the person bat the ball back. You can bat the ball back again and not drop the return.

There is a real discrepancy between what many people believe about Charles Koch and, for example, what he says about climate change. This podcast did not clear that up or any of the other controversial topics. As a neutral, I feel you missed an opportunity.

Being nice is good but I think it’s possible to ask (and press on) difficult questions without being adversarial.

Praful

Great job, glad you were able to get him on. It is strange how the “tolerant” crowd never wants to hear from someone they have been told they should disagree with. Or even discover what they have in common.

Tim, you interviewed one of the greatest threats to our democracy in American. The Koch brothers are pure evil. I’ve always enjoyed your work. This is deeply disappointing an you think you maybe ask some hard questions here but you don’t. You celebrate a man who puts profits above all else.

Unfollowed.

My lesson sadly was that I only have one small power in this world so I’m voting with my feet and unsubscribing to your blog and bullets. There’s a distinct, dangerous and material difference between Charles Koch and many others you have interviewed. I enjoy listening to the views of others but I’m not actively subscribing to a blog that gives a platform to the lies of this dangerous individual who has actively used his money to undermine democracy.

Charles Koch has a cancerous influence on our democracy (specifically special interest influence buying politicians, voter suppression, allowing corporations to write law, etc etc), the health of our planet, education in this country, workers’ rights and so much more. It is extremely dangerous to be normalizing his influence and I can’t support that. I will be unsubscribing from your newsletter and encouraging others to do the same.

No effing way. I’m out. Been following you since 4HWW and have all your books. This is a complete dealbreaker and massive disappointment.

Mr. Koch has also poured significant wealth into ending Medicare and Social Security. I’m surprised that you’ve chosen to profile him on your blog.

As valuable as your communications have been for me, I have decided to stop following you due to your support of Mr. Koch.

As others have indicated, Charles and David Koch are not good examples of leaders and don’t deserve this platform. The only thing I can imagine, trying to step into their shoes, is that they are experts in compartmentalization. If they would truly let sink in what impact their decades of climate denial funding has caused… As is well documented in various articles and books. I am afraid the companies are so big, and their lawyers, lobbyists and social media strategists all do the same: they compartmentalize and try to not see in the mirror what a small voice in the back of their mind says. Massive profits may help the compartmentalization. If you add it all up, the cumulative net impact of the Koch brothers and their companies on people and planet is very negative. And there is no way they can be taken seriously on science with this track record.

I’m really disgusted and disappointed that you would give a platform for Koch to spread his agenda. You do realize he is probably using you for PR reasons to make himself and his industries look good in the eyes of younger people and influencers. The actions of the Koch brothers are undermining democracy, destroying the planet, and doing everything they can to give the rich more money and power. Their money helped put Trump into office and other people like him. Please read about their destructive influence and do not give them a platform to spread their ideas further.

Inside the Koch Brothers’ Toxic Empire

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/inside-the-koch-brothers-toxic-empire-164403/

[Moderator: two links removed.]

hey Tim, we don’t like Koch industries for funding climate denial machine. not because of “identity politics” or because we like our “labels”. its condescending to characterize your audience like that

Oh Tim…oh man. Ugh. The Koch brothers are not good for this country dude. I like you, I really do, but please do some research before dipping your toe into politics. This is a red flag that maybe you haven’t been paying attention to current events in the past few years. Now I’m also a little alarmed about who your listening to and who has your ear. Nah, I know your smarter than this dude. You just need to read up on this guy a little more to bring yourself up to speed. “Gut punch” is accurate. Did not expect this today LOL.

I work in environmental advocacy. I’ve really enjoyed your stuff, but having Koch on crosses a line. Poor judgement, Tim Ferris. He and his cronies are destroying our planet and our social fabric. I don’t care how wealthy or famous he is he doesn’t deserve air time.

For many years, people say he is evil.

You ask them, for what?

They say he funds anti-climate change propaganda.

What else?

Well………..that’s generally the extent of it.

Then, the more you look into climate change, you find that it’s truly cyclical.

Very much looking forward to this interview as I will be listening tonight.

Look forward to hearing HIS perspective rather than so many who feel it’s ok to speak for him.

– Ringo –

Really disappointed about this one. As others have said below he is not a leader. As a leading funder of climate change denial, he is culpable for the destruction of the lives of many millions of people worldwide, with many hundreds of millions more to come. Shame on you for giving him a platform and for failing to adequately address this. You don’t live in an underground bunker – there is plenty of evidence that is very easy to find, demonstrating the disgraceful activities of the Koch brothers. I’m a longtime listener of your podcast, and buyer of your books. I shan’t be continuing unless there is a public u-turn on this. Koch is an abhorrent man. We can do without billionaire parasites like him.

Always appreciate hearing contrary opinions. Suggestions for future shows:

Bashar al-Assad

David Berkowitz

Dylann Roof

Bernie Madoff

Seriously, Tim, I follow your podcast for inspiration and high guideposts in living an engaged and meaningful life. If you would have actually challenged Koch’s grotesque ideologies (think Ted Koppel), the interview might have had some redeeming value. But you didn’t, and it didn’t. A complete disaster.

This is more than a wasted opportunity. It reveals a deep vacancy in your own moral and social compass.

Sorry, I can’t support normalization of someone who’s used every privilege and power he has to undermine fair elections and effective government, and hastened the end of a viable planet for human life. Unsubscribing.

Tim,

You have had more positive influence on me than both of my parents combined- so I do listen twice (and thrice) when you say something, or bring a would-be controversial guest on.

After pondering on this a bit I believe you have made a mistake. I agree that we could all learn something about business from C. Koch, but his moral failings are of a sort that cannot easily be disentangled from his strategies for success.

If you would change your stance on this in the future, I think taking this episode down would be a reasonable. Do not see this as “caving in”, or setting a precedent of people feeling they can censor you.

I just feel this is so out of character that you could genuinely change your mind on this. At that point it would be a sort of consistency bias to keep it.

Thanks Tim.

It’s typical that your left leaning listeners, or “Progressives,” have no open mind for anyone who disagree with them. Even though I disagree a lot of what the Kochs support I can appreciate and listen to what Charles Koch is trying to accomplish.

As someone neutral on politics I’ve looked into the claims about the Kochs and find they are misrepresented, wrong, or highly exaggerated. What little time you had with him disputes a lot that has been said.

Continue to have more guests from this side. It’s fun to see people’s heads explode.

Super disappointed. If your aim was to ask tough questions to a Koch brother, you better study the masters; i.e. Amy Goodman/Democracy Now

If this was a controversial marketing ploy to get comments, that’s even worse.

Yours is one of my favorite podcasts. However, this guy is at the center of corruption of our political system and trying to hide his deeds. It seems like he is using you to make himself seem presentable.

As a libertarian, I fear and despise cynical authoritarians like the Kochs. I’m disappointed you promoted the harm he does for our society by giving him a platform. I’m forced to unsubscribe.

Seriously? Charles Koch?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/26/koch-brothers-americans-for-prosperity-rightwing-political-group

“Shifting the political terrain

The transformation of Wisconsin from the birthplace of public-sector unionization to a conservative stronghold with a battered labor movement is remarkable on its own terms. But even more remarkable is how the same story is playing out across dozens of other states. To be sure, AFP has not enjoyed the same success in every state as in Wisconsin and has endured some high-profile losses, too – most notably the re-election of Barack Obama to the White House in 2012.

But all told the Koch network has racked up important victories across many policy areas, like stymieing the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (and especially the expansion of Medicaid to poor uninsured adults) in states like Missouri and Tennessee, rolling back state efforts to address climate change (for instance, in Kansas and West Virginia), and passing massive tax cuts for wealthy individuals and companies (as in Kansas and Oklahoma).”

Thank you so much for doing this one. Very good call.

Great episode Tim, congrats. People that label themselves, limit themselves.

Hi Tim,

I’m a forensic software engineer, and I have some thoughts about your recent interview with Charles Koch.

First of all, I appreciate the sentiment of trying to get know Koch as human being instead of the one-dimensional villain he is often labeled as. Making politics less personally toxic is a worthy goal.

But my word, he talked like such a slimeball in that interview! The only existential threat to humanity he could name was the “tyranny of experts” – nothing about wealth inequality or climate change – both of which are in feedback accelerated loops trending toward existential threat. Even meteorites would have been more logical an answer. No, the biggest and only existential threat he could name of is too many people acting under expert advice.

When asked about climate change directly and whether he deliberately misrepresents it, he denied ever doing that then proceeded immediately to represent it 🤦‍♂️ Claiming those supporting strong climate action say “the world ending in ten years” – that’s a nonsensical thing no one is legitimately predicting, which one can only assume is a mixed up and oversimplified version of projected climate change creating feedback loops in the next decade.

That China spin was particularly slimey – if we don’t pollute, the pollution business will go to China where they will pollute worse than we would. Well, if you spin China in the other direction, they’re manufacturing more solar panels than every other county and doing many other innovations to address their well known pollution problems. If you remove the spin, whatever China does or does not do to address the climate crisis does not absolve our responsibility for our actions. If you want to change others, leadership starts with you doing what is right and then trying to succeed so hard that others would be dumb not to copy your actions.

I don’t hate you giving him air time – but I do think it warrants airing other viewpoints to undo damage and earn some redemption. An interview with a clean energy entrepreneur or a green new deal activist of similar stature / credentials to Koch would go far to restore balance.

Thanks Tim!

Tim,

I’ve read all of your books and listened to hundreds of your podcasts. Many here have put it better than I can. I wish to only add my request that you respond to our concerns about giving this man and what he stands for a platform on your show. Your introduction falls far short of explaining your decision. I await your answer, but am finding it hard to continue following you and your content.

Great interview Tim. From the comments, it’s disheartening to see how many people who probably consider themselves “open-minded & tolerant” clearly are NOT, not even close. This man provides tens of thousands of jobs for Americans through great businesses. I disagree with much of his politics, but he’s a level headed man with a perfectly fine point of view. I’m way more afraid of the totalitarians here that want to squelch free exchange of ideas.

This is extremely disappointing. Have always seen this podcast as mostly a positive force for change but this last podcast is just tone deaf on Tim’s part.

Unfortunately I cannot support this podcast or subscribe.

I started to feel like Tim’s Podcast had become played out and a lot of his billionaire rhetoric is starting to seem like it will land on the wrong side of history. I think the intentions are good but this one jumped the shark.. Sorry Tim, I think you’re out of touch.

Tim- Thank you for taking a big risk and recording this interview. I think it’s hugely important to try to find common ground.

Would have loved to see more discussion of campaign financing and climate change for which the Koch brothers have come under fire for.

Having listened to the whole podcast, I’m less sure of what I have heard about the Kochs, as at least Charles doesn’t seem to be climate deniers and support a number of bipartisan causes. Hard to see him as the incarnation of evil I had been led to believe, even if we still disagree on some/most things.

Would also see to see Tim summarized the fallout from this podcast on his blog or future podcast (looking at the comments, there is definitely some fallout)

Thanks again!