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Charles and David have run fundraising/seminars on conservative public policy and political strategy twice a year since 2003. Only about 17 people participated in 2003, but that grew to around 500 in early 2016. The seminars grew from raising less than $100 million in 2008, under $300 million in 2014, and somewhere between $700 and $900 million for the 2016 election cycle.[38] The gatherings were characterized by great secrecy (participants were routinely urged to destroy all paperwork of the gatherings), commitment to conservative free market ideology, and the wealth of the participants, known as “investors” (in 2015, for example, 18 billionaires were present at a seminar). An example of a seminar at the network gatherings was one entitled “Understanding and Addressing Threats to American Free Enterprise and Prosperity”, at the June 2010 event in Aspen, Colorado. The meeting invitation stated that “[our] prosperity is under attack by the current [i.e. the Obama] Administration and many of our elected officials” and “we cannot rely on politicians to [defend our free society], so it is up to us to combat what is now the greatest assault on American freedom and prosperity in our lifetimes”.[96] The seminar program indicated that past meetings have featured speakers including Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas; Governors Bobby Jindal and Haley Barbour; commentators John Stossel, Charles Krauthammer, Glenn Beck, and Rush Limbaugh; Senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn; and Representatives Paul Ryan, Mike Pence, and Tom Price.[97] Some presentations at the gatherings are restricted. Guests may be required to give up their cell phones, media presence limited to only “a handful” of organizations, and photos and videos “strictly prohibited”.[92]

  • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
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    15 hours ago

    The real “illuminati” or new world order. Not some jewish or liberal cabal, no…it’s these clowns working to shift the world to right wing oligarchy and fascism. As usual, it’s projection. The right wing actually doing what they make up about everyone else.

  • thefartographer@lemm.ee
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    21 hours ago

    Charles and David have run fundraising/seminars

    David hasn’t been participating as much these past few years.

    The gatherings were characterized by great secrecy

    David’s GREAT at keeping secrets now!

  • d00phy@lemmy.world
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    16 hours ago

    So here’s the thing - this is not illegal, and there’s nothing wrong with that. People have a right to gather and exercise free speech. Now, where are the same meetings for Democrats!?

    This is my problem with the Dems. They play this game like the same rules from 70 years ago are in play! Republicans are so much better at formulating a message and beating it into peoples’ heads over decades! Every poll taken on abortion rights indicate the majority of Americans want them and yet here we are! They won that one, and people gave them a victory lap with a clean sweep of congress and the Executive! Dems need to wake the fuck up and start playing to win like their opponents have been doing! That includes sessions like the Koch’s are having, and things like P2025.

    • brlemworld@lemmy.world
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      12 hours ago

      The Democratic meetings are in the back rooms of the DNC where they plot to kill Bernie Sanders.

    • djsoren19@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      13 hours ago

      The problem is that you think the Democrats want to win. Their only goal is enriching themselves, which they did better than ever in 2024. Why would they have secret collaborative meetings to try and be more effective, when they could have secret collaborative meetings with their donors to collect more money?

      • kandoh@reddthat.com
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        12 hours ago

        This is a very emotionally satisfying way to think but it’s not based in reality.