7 Ways the Koch Bros. Benefit from Corporate Welfare | The New York Observer

7 Ways the Koch Bros. Benefit from Corporate Welfare | The New York Observer: "Charles and David Koch, the secretive billionaire brothers who own Koch Industries, the largest private oil company in America, have spent millions bankrolling free-market think tanks and pro-business politicians in order, as David Koch has put it, 'to minimize the role of government, to maximize the role of private economy and to maximize personal freedoms.' But a closer look at their dealings reveals that for the past 35 years the brothers have never shied away from using government subsidies to maximize their own profits, even while endeavoring to limit government spending on anything else."

Actually, we can’t afford a car — Carfree with Kids

Actually, we can’t afford a car — Carfree with Kids: "We actively choose to live our lives without a car. When our truck died, way back in 2004, we probably could have found enough money to get another one if we’d really wanted to. We wouldn’t have been happy about it, but we could have done it. Really though, we were just happy to see it go.

Since then, our financial situation only improved (what with finishing grad school and actually getting jobs, not amazingly well-paying jobs, but it doesn’t take much to beat grad student pay). We paid off all our debt (well, other than our tiny condo), saved up a nice emergency fund, and bought our house, all in no small part due to our savings from not owning a car. I’ve always assumed we could get a car if we wanted one, but since we don’t, we just enjoy that extra cushion in our cash flow and try our best to save it or put it to good use."