Instead of welcoming free debate, collectivists engage in character assassination
Updated April 2, 2014 7:47 p.m. ET
I have devoted most of my life to understanding the principles
that enable people to improve their lives. It is those principles—the
principles of a free society—that have shaped my life, my family, our company
and America itself.
Unfortunately, the fundamental concepts of dignity, respect,
equality before the law and personal freedom are under attack by the nation's
own government. That's why, if we want to restore a free society and create
greater well-being and opportunity for all Americans, we have no choice but to
fight for those principles. I have been doing so for more than 50 years,
primarily through educational efforts. It was only in the past decade that I
realized the need to also engage in the political process.
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A truly free society is based on a vision of respect for people
and what they value. In a truly free society, any business that disrespects its
customers will fail, and deserves to do so. The same should be true of any
government that disrespects its citizens. The central belief and fatal conceit
of the current administration is that you are incapable of running your own
life, but those in power are capable of running it for you. This is the essence
of big government and collectivism.
More than 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson warned that this could
happen. "The natural progress of things," Jefferson wrote, "is
for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." He knew that no
government could possibly run citizens' lives for the better. The more
government tries to control, the greater the disaster, as shown by the current
health-care debacle. Collectivists (those who stand for government control of
the means of production and how people live their lives) promise heaven but
deliver hell. For them, the promised end justifies the means.
Instead
of encouraging free and open debate, collectivists strive to discredit and
intimidate opponents. They engage in character assassination. (I should know,
as the almost daily target of their attacks.) This is the approach that Arthur
Schopenhauer described in the 19th century, that Saul Alinsky famously advocated in the 20th, and that
so many despots have infamously practiced. Such tactics are the antithesis of
what is required for a free society—and a telltale sign that the collectivists
do not have good answers.
Rather than try to understand my vision for a free society or
accurately report the facts about Koch Industries, our critics would have you
believe we're "un-American" and trying to "rig the system,"
that we're against "environmental protection" or eager to "end
workplace safety standards." These falsehoods remind me of the late Sen.
Daniel Patrick Moynihan's observation, "Everyone is entitled to his own
opinion, but not to his own facts." Here are some facts about my
philosophy and our company:
Koch companies employ 60,000 Americans, who make many thousands of
products that Americans want and need. According to government figures, our
employees and the 143,000 additional American jobs they support generate nearly
$11.7 billion in compensation and benefits. About one-third of our U.S.-based
employees are union members.
Koch employees have earned well over 700 awards for environmental,
health and safety excellence since 2009, many of them from the Environmental
Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. EPA
officials have commended us for our "commitment to a cleaner
environment" and called us "a model for other companies."
Our refineries have consistently ranked among the best in the
nation for low per-barrel emissions. In 2012, our Total Case Incident Rate (an
important safety measure) was 67% better than a Bureau of Labor Statistics
average for peer industries. Even so, we have never rested on our laurels. We
believe there is always room for innovation and improvement.
Far from trying to rig the system, I have spent decades opposing
cronyism and all political favors, including mandates, subsidies and protective
tariffs—even when we benefit from them. I believe that cronyism is nothing more
than welfare for the rich and powerful, and should be abolished.
Koch Industries was the only major producer in the ethanol
industry to argue for the demise of the ethanol tax credit in 2011. That
government handout (which cost taxpayers billions) needlessly drove up food and
fuel prices as well as other costs for consumers—many of whom were poor or
otherwise disadvantaged. Now the mandate needs to go, so that consumers and the
marketplace are the ones who decide the future of ethanol.
Instead of fostering a system that enables people to help
themselves, America is now saddled with a system that destroys value, raises
costs, hinders innovation and relegates millions of citizens to a life of poverty,
dependency and hopelessness. This is what happens when elected officials
believe that people's lives are better run by politicians and regulators than
by the people themselves. Those in power fail to see that more government means
less liberty, and liberty is the essence of what it means to be American. Love
of liberty is the American ideal.
If more businesses (and elected officials) were to embrace a
vision of creating real value for people in a principled way, our nation would
be far better off—not just today, but for generations to come. I'm dedicated to
fighting for that vision. I'm convinced most Americans believe it's worth
fighting for, too.
Mr.
Koch is chairman and CEO of Koch Industries.
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