David Koch's legacy wasn't perfect – but it was far more positive than you've been led to believe

David Koch, the political philanthropist who nearly everyone has an opinion on, has passed away at the age of 79. Many remember him as a cartoon villain of modern politics; however, the truth of his legacy is that, along with his brother, he championed many positive and noble causes that tend to be supported across the political aisle.

David was philosophically a libertarian, and even once, in 1980, ran as the VP candidate on the Libertarian Party ticket.

When he stepped down from his position at Koch Industries due to his failing health during June of last year, the LP reflected on all he and his brother gave to the movement: “The Kochs have teamed with the American Civil Liberties Union, the Centre for American Progress, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, the Coalition for Public Safety, and the MacArthur Foundation to reduce incarceration and promote criminal justice reform. It’s informative that Koch political activism and charitable activities are motivated by classical liberal idealism, not by crony capitalist self-interest. They have changed the political atmosphere in a way that both conservatives and liberals can comfortably move in a more libertarian direction.”

Of course, since then it is well known that David and his brother, Charles, have supported candidates who didn't always reflect libertarian ideology. It is not uncommon for people of any ideology to support the “lesser evil” candidate in their eyes. Much like how many liberals in 2016 only voted for Hillary Clinton to try to keep Trump out of the White House, so too did David Koch support candidates who were the closest aligned to his belief in liberty.

But even that rationality has its limitations, as neither David nor Charles supported President Trump in 2016. While many may understandably be frustrated by his choice of candidates to support, when it came to the issues themselves, David was a titan for several worthy causes.

Criminal justice reform is perhaps the one issue that is universally supported, more or less, by all political persuasions. Indeed, it is currently enjoying its moment in the sun due to the recent passage of the First STEP Act, as well as several State initiatives sweeping the country. The wide-reaching support the issue is currently receiving is thanks in large part to the Koch Brothers being early supporters. Through Koch-backed groups such as Americans for Prosperity, thousands of conservative activists who may otherwise have been “tough-on-crime” as a default have heard and now advocate for smart and effective reform measures. Even individuals such as Van Jones and President Obama have applauded both David and Charles for the positive work they did where justice reform was concerned.

Likewise, David was just as strong in his convictions towards issues such as privacy, a more sober foreign policy, a more open immigration system, and tolerance for other people. In some ways, David was actually better on “left-wing issues” than even a lot of prominent Democrats have been. In 2015, Senator Bernie Sanders went after the Koch Brothers for essentially being too pro-open borders. In an interview with Vox, Sanders specifically called open borders “a Koch Brothers proposal… which essentially says there is no United States.”

For many, this may come as a shock, but for those who understand libertarian ideology, and how closely associated David Koch was to it, it is of no surprise. One could easily make that argument that because of the work that David has done on many of these issues that are commonly thought of as “left of centre,” the GOP has become a better version of itself as a result.

Certainly, David was not a perfect man, and he didn’t leave the world a perfect place, but it is better than when he entered it, and he made a significant contribution to make that happen.

For many of the right, David was far too liberal, and for many on the left, he was way too conservative. Both sides, however, should look back on his legacy and acknowledge the positive reforms he pushed for and helped enact. While it certainly may not feel like it at times, we understand our fellow countrymen a lot better because of the work David Koch has done.

And during a time when there are those in power who seek to divide us, he left a positive legacy that unified thousands around noble causes.

Want to read the other side of the argument? Read Walker Bragman on Koch's legacy