Tuesday, February 18, 2014

A Billionaire Starts An Organization To Fund Action On Climate Change

The Koch brothers have been using their billions to prevent government actions to protect the environment.  Since they are among the leading polluters in the US they have a financial interest in a dirty economy.  Tom Steyer is a hedge fund billionaire.  He is starting up an organization of wealthy individuals who share his interest in preventing catastrophic climate change.  The organization will be funded with $50 million of his own money, and he expects to raise an additional $50 million from others who share his concerns.  He will also partner with Next Gen Climate which is one of the most active organizations on environmental issues.  They hope to enlist wealthy individuals from Silicone Valley who also support their cause.  The intent is to shift their focus from philanthropy and education to funding political campaigns.  They have targeted four Republicans who have been leading climate change deniers but they are also attacking a Democratic Senator from Louisiana who has been promoting the Keystone Pipeline.  They recognize that Republicans are aligned with the Koch brothers but they are agnostic about political party membership.  Democrats have been concerned about losing votes from their working class base which has been influenced by propaganda from the Koch brothers and other global warming denialists.

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