America Has a Koch Problem
Letter to the editor templates
Letters to the editor [recommend linking this to a recent article about a Tea
Party-backed candidate, campaign finance reform, money in politics, new EPA
ruling, minimum wage, voting rights, education, the November elections,
Americans for Prosperity, Koch Industries, or the Koch brothers]
Version 1 [politics/government, general political hook]
[Introduction, i.e., Regarding “<Headline>” of <Date> missed the mark on the
pervasive influence of money in politics.] David and Charles Koch, two of the richest
men in the country, have poured millions upon millions into an exhaustive effort to
saturate politics, government, and academia with their self-interested, right-wing
corporate ideology. They’ve bankrolled extremist political candidates [like <local
example of candidate/elected official, if relevant>] pushed for an end to the minimum
wage, and supported legislation to curtail voting rights, and disenfranchise millions of
elderly and low-income voters. [Local connection/tie to story, i.e. “What our district
needs isn’t…, but rather …] It’s time to put an end to the toxic influence of the Koch
brothers in our community.
Version 2 [climate change/pollution- candidate-linked]
The billionaire Koch brothers have bankrolled extremist right-wing candidates [like
<local candidate>, subject of “Headline” from <Date>], pulling levers behind the
scenes to put politicians in office who will pave the way for the Kochs to enrich
themselves and impose their self-interested ideological agenda on the rest of us at
the expense of our democracy. In addition to their pervasive political influence,
they’ve funded bogus scientific studies in an effort to discredit the reality of climate
change, and dumped chemicals and pollutants into our environment, harming local
communities and fragile ecosystems. [City] needs elected officials who put the
health of our communities and environment ahead of the interests of selfish
billionaires.
Version 3 [politics/government, candidate-linked]
[<”Headline>, <Date> illustrated the kind of priorities <Candidate> is looking to
impose on our community and reflects how out-of-touch <s/he> is.] [Candidate] is
backed by right-wing front groups bankrolled by the billionaire Koch brothers, who
are bound and determined to dismantle organized labor, workplace protections,
environmental regulations, and the minimum wage. At a time when millions of
families across the country are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the
table, we need to raise the minimum wage and strengthen our social safety
net. Instead, [Candidate] is following the Kochs’ marching orders to put more money
in the pockets of corporate special interests, without regard to the toll taken on local
communities like ours.
Version 4 [education- candidate-linked]
Our public education system here in [City or state] is a source of pride for our
community but [Candidate] fails to mention (<“Headline,”> <Date>) that political front
groups, bankrolled by the billionaire Koch brothers, are financing [his/her] campaign
and have already tried to dismantle public education in other cities. In Wake County,
North Carolina, Americans for Prosperity (both founded and funded by the Kochs)
intervened in a local school board race to secure victories for candidates determined
to re-segregate Wake County schools. The community fought back, voting out the
Koch-backed candidates and reversing the damage, but the lesson is clear: we need
to fight back against attempts to take apart public education, harming our children
and our communities in the process.
Version 5 [voting rights- general political hook linked to an election story]
The political season is heating up here in [City/state] and across the country, as
outlined in [<”Headline,> <Date>] and election day is fast approaching. But the
billionaire Koch brothers and their right-wing allies are trying to make it harder for
people to vote, imposing voter ID requirements and intimidating voters at the polls,
particularly affecting low-income people and communities of color. This
fundamentally anti-democratic effort can’t go unnoticed and candidates [like <local
candidate, if applicable] should refuse any Koch money and stand up for the rights of
all citizens to cast a ballot and have a say in our democracy.