Oil oligarchs Charles and David Koch are now worth $50 billion - more than five times what it was ten years ago – making their combined wealth second only to Bill Gates. And it looks like they made a large chunk of their money screwing the rest of us over at the gas pump. According to the Center for American Progress - for the last several years – the Kochs have engaged in rampant oil speculation – meaning they place bets that the price of oil will go up – and when it does go up – they make a ton of money – while the rest of us have to deal with paying more at the pump to keep our cars running.

According to Goldman Sachs – thanks to banksters and the Kochs manipulating oil prices – each barrel of oil is roughly $27 more expensive because of speculation. Between 2004 and 2008, when the price of oil surged from around 30 bucks a barrel to well over 100 bucks a barrel – the Kochs also saw their fortunes surge – from $5 billion to well over $35 billion.

And back in 2009 – ThinkProgress reports that the Kochs admitted they are one of the top 5 oil speculators in the world. These guys aren’t “job creators” – they are apparently among the hucksters who are running up the price of gas and ruining our economy.

-Thom

(What would you do about this? Tell us here.)

The Daily Stack

Hour One: Repeal of DADT...is Lt. Choi re-enlisting? Lt. Dan Choi

Article: "‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Policy Comes to an End for the Military [VIDEO]" by Shauna Wright.

Article: "After Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Former Lt. Dan Choi Doubles Down On His Fight For Gay Equality" by Kevin Douglas Grant.

Article: "Emails Reveal White House Alerted Secret Service to Dan Choi, GetEqual Protests in November 2010" by Jane Hamsher.

Article: "Troy Davis executed, supporters cry injustice" by CBS/AP.

Article: "Forbes: Koch Brothers Now Worth $50 Billion" by Brad Johnson.

Article: "US markets extend losses, Dow down 4%" by AFP.

Article: "Republican Leaders Urge Federal Reserve To Resist New Stimulus " by Martin Crutsinger.

Book: "Greenspan's Fraud: How Two Decades of His Policies Have Undermined the Global Economy" by Ravi Batra.

Book: "Screwed: The Undeclared War Against The Middle Class" by Thom Hartmann. Get "Screwed" by Thom Hartmann!

Article: "U.S. Stocks Extend Drop as Fed Plans Long-Term Bond Purchases" by Michael P. Regan.

Article: "Strikes sweep Greece as contagion threat sweeps stocks" by AFP.

Article: "Conservatives Stop New Boehner CR That Permitted Funding for Obamacare, Planned Parenthood, Palestinian Authority" by Terence P. Jeffrey.

Article: "Millionaires, The Middle Class, and Taxes — Actual Numbers" by Paul Krugman.

Article: "Palestinians undeterred in UN statehood bid" by AP.

Article: "Benjamin Netanyahu: President Obama deserves 'badge of honor'" by Josh Gerstein & Jennifer Epstein.

Article: "Poll: 70% of Israelis say Israel should accept UN decision" by JPost.

Article: "Anti-austerity strikes plague Greece" by UPI.

Article: "Greeks ask: Why all the suffering?" by Gavin Hewitt.

Article: "Anonymous Promises Revenge Attacks For Occupy Wall Street Police Violence" by Alastair Stevenson.

Article: "Olbermann calls out media hypocrisy on ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protest" by Eric W. Dolan.

Article: "Multimillionaire Mitt Romney Tells Miami Audience He's Middle Class " by Kyle Munzenrieder.

Article: "BP back from political exile, giving big in 2012" by Dave Levinthal.

Hour Two: It's too late for Troy Davis...what about other possible innocents on death row? Barry Scheck, The Innocence Project

Article: "Troy Davis Executed in Georgia Despite Substantial Evidence Pointing to Innocence" by Paul Cates.

Article: "Rick Perry’s Lethal Overconfidence" by David R. Dow.

Article: "IMF warning over stimulus policies" by Alan Beattie.

Article: "Proverbs 6:16-19 (New International Version)". "There are six things the LORD hates... hands that shed innocent blood."

Grinch alert: "Immune cells link brain and immune system" by Tina Hesman Saey.

Article: "Could world social unrest hit America's streets?" by Daniel Nasaw.

Book: "Why Some Politicians are More Dangerous to Your Health than Others" by James Gilligan.

Article: "More suicides under Conservative rule", 18 September, 2002.

Article: "The Fox News/Google Debate live tonight on YouTube: GOP candidates answer your questions" by Google.

Article: "Presidency 5 debate, FL straw poll could separate "wheat from the chaff"" by Marc Caputo.

Article: "'I was just relaying what the woman said': Bachmann claims she did not say the HPV vaccine can cause mental retardation" by Daily Mail.

Book: "Unequal Protection: How Corporations Became "People" - And How You Can Fight Back" by Thom Hartmann - new updated version out now!

Site: "Bernie Sanders campaign site".

Site: "Elizabeth Warren".

Site: "Progressive Democrats of America".

Talk Radio News Segment: Victoria Jones, White House Correspondent

Site: "Goats for the old Goat".

Article: "Boehner: Government Will Not Shutdown" by Elianna Mintz.

Article: "Pelosi Defends Democrats' Rejection Of CR Bill" by Elianna Mintz.

Hour Three: Ill cancer patient prosecuted for possession Bob Crouse

Article: "Seriously ill cancer patient may face jail time for medical marijuana" by Scot Kersgaard.

Bridging the gap...President's speech from Ohio Cliff Schecter, Libertas, LLC

Book: "The Real McCain: Why Conservatives Don't Trust Him and Why Independents Shouldn't" by Cliff Schecter.

Article: "Obama Assails Boehner, McConnell Over Jobs Bill in Ohio Bridge Speech" by Mary Bruce.

Article: "Obama sparks middle-of-road rage" by Glenn Thrush.

Article: "Tea Party Candidate: 'Boehner Is A Socialist'" by David.

Article: "The rock party is over " by Cliff Schecter.

The good: "Carter: Davis execution shows system is "unjust"" by CBS/AP.

The bad: "Rick Perry Rewrites His Own History Again, Claims He Never Considered Secession" by Ian Millhiser.

The very, very ugly: "Rush Limbaugh: Skin Color Is The Only Thing Saving Obama From Black Caucus’ Pitchforks" by Jon Bershad.

Article: "Patent 6,630,507: Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants" by Hampson, et al. October 7, 2003.

Video: "RUN FROM THE CURE - The Rick Simpson Story (Part 1 of 7) ".

Video: "Davis: may God bless your souls".

Hour One: If it's Friday, it's "Brunch With Bernie"... the honorable Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will be here with all the news from our nation's capitol and as always he'll be spending the hour taking your calls and answering your questions too...

Plus, It's Anything Goes on Townhall Friday...you choose the topics and we'll talk...

Plus, "Anything Goes on Townhall Friday!" You choose the topic and let's talk!

And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...

The Thom Hartmann Program... your media support group for we the people.

Read an excerpt here, and buy the book!