Dear David Koch:
You helped launch the Tea Party. You have contributed millions, maybe hundreds of millions of your own money to advance Republican party political efforts, especially the Tea Party element. You have demonstrated that you are willing to commit very large sums of money to achieve political objectives.
My question for you, Mr. Koch, is this: Is marriage equality a political priority for you?
To date, your actions indicate otherwise. The candidates aided by your super-pac "Americans for Prosperity" universally oppose marriage equality. Nearly all of them, including Mitt Romney, oppose the Employment Non-discrimination Act, which would make it illegal to fire or not hire someone, or deny them housing, because you think they might be gay.
There are broadly two explanations for why you have stated your support of gay marriage. 1) You think gays should be able to marry. 2) You could give a rats ass about gay marriage but think phony public support of it will improve your image.
So what is it, Mr. Koch, are you pandering? Are you just giving lip-service? Are you genuinely committed to gay rights? Since you have given generously to efforts to elect politicians who oppose gay rights while supporting tax cuts, subsidies, and regulation that would benefit you financially, I can only assume that greed trumps your social conscience.
Prove me wrong.
You give massively, maybe more than any other human being in the entire world, to influence public policy. The only way you can have any credibility at all on the gay marriage issue it to contribute substantially to the cause. Absent any contribution, one can only conclude that you are an insatiably greedy, callous, self serving ass that is merely trying to manipulate public opinion by feigning support for gay rights.
Gay marriage has been put to the voters 32 times in this country. It has been voted down 32 times. In Washington State, Referendum 74 could be the very first time gay marriage is approved at the ballot box. Deep pocketed opponents are pouring money into efforts to defeat marriage equality in Washington State. You, Mr. Koch, as much as anyone, understand the influence of money on campaigns. If you didn't recognize the value of outspending opponents, you wouldn't waste your money on donations to political entities.
Mr. Koch, you are one of the richest people on the face of the planet. You, and your companies, spend very large sums of money on lobbyists, super-pacs, and candidates in order to achieve public policy outcomes that benefit you financially. In so doing, you invariably undermine the very marriage equality efforts you claim you support.
If you really support marriage equality, please put your money where your mouth is. A $1 million dollar contribution to Washington United for Marriage would be a good start. Otherwise, one might conclude that your are interested in public policy only to the extent it benefits you personally, which is kind of sad.
Warm regards,
Robert Sargent
P.S. If you have already contributed significantly to the cause, please accept my apology, but also, please consider contributing to Washington United for Marriage if you haven't already.