Wal-Mart Versus Obama
RETAILER STICKS ITS LEG OUT FOR THE DEMOCRATS
By Mande Wilkes
FITSNews - August 1, 2008 - Love it or hate it, the Wal-Mart juggernaut is definitely not a force you want working against you. As such, it’s a good thing that the Democrats have the Messiah at their helm, since the retailing behemoth is angling to squash Barack Obama’s lead.
Wal-Mart has recently set up mandatory meetings, during which its store managers are coached about the importance of defeating Obama in November. The managers are warned of the potential business detriments that may occur if Obama becomes president, the most serious of which is labor unionization.
Specifically, Wal-Mart opposes the Employee Free Choice Act, which like most friendly-sounding laws would actually squelch the freedom that it claims to defend. Currently dangling in congressional limbo, the bill, if passed, would result in the birth of many new unions and the rapid growth of those already in existence.
That Wal-Mart is so purposefully engaging its managers signals the threat that Obama poses to businesses, the continued success of which will in large part determine just how bad the impending recession gets.
We know it’s hip to hate Wal-Mart, but seriously, beggars just can’t be choosers. Wal-Mart provides a paycheck to millions, and rock-bottom prices to millions more. If Obama is elected - and if the EFCA is passed - we’ll literally be biting the hand that feeds us, and that’s not good for anybody. Except, of course, the union leaders, who stand to profit almost as much the congressman who support them.
And speaking of campaign donations, who is Wal-Mart giving to? You’d think, given the companies vested interest in business-friendly legislation, that it would throw all of its weight behind the Republicans. Well, it used to - 98% of its donations went to Republicans in 1996 - but it looks like Wal-Mart is hedging its bets, giving just 52% of donations to Republicans while the rest goes to Democrats.
It seems Wal-Mart may be creating the monster it claims to hate …
Comments
By Tim on August 1st, 2008 at 5:02 pm
1) Good article on this in today’s WSJ.
2) Does anyone hate China-Mart for the right reasons? Rod Dreher does, but, true, the Dems would only make it worse.
By "Anonymous" on August 1st, 2008 at 7:58 pm
This election is finally getting interesting again. Maybe there IS hope for America yet. Bad as I hate Wal-Mart, Bamy creeps me out more.
Kudos on the new John McCain ad, eh? With Brit and Paris and Bamy? And a confident candidate with a sense of humor. I take back all my comments about John McCain and the soup sandwich. I think he could really pull this thing off.
And it’s not just because we want to see more of Mitt Romney. (!)
By male sapphist on August 1st, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Everyone has a right to vote for their self-interest; Unless you are in a welfare class voting for Obama is slitting your own throat.
By Repack Rider on August 1st, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Any threat to a predatory, anti-American business like Walmart is automatically a good thing. They are shipping millions of jobs overseas and selling America to the Chinese.
If you don’t like unions, DON’T join one, but remember that unions brought your work week down from 60 hours to 40, got you vacations and workers comp, and raised the standard of living for all of working class America.
You don’t like unions, go back to working 60 hours for minimum wage, forgo your vacations and your protection from workplace injury, because criticizing their existence while enjoying the benefits they gave you is disgusting.
My employees don’t have a union because they don’t need one. I pay a lot better than union wages because I value my employees, and they reward me with utter loyalty. If they want to form a union, I have no problem with that, but it seems unlikely at this point
Treating employees like human beings. What a concept. Sonmehow it has eluded Walmart.
Say do YOU own a business? How do you treat YOUR employees?
Ah, I see. You are not an employer. You just like those low, low prices and you don’t care what is done to your fellow citizens to get them for you.
By CL on August 4th, 2008 at 6:56 am
“If you don’t like unions, DON’T join one, but remember that unions brought your work week down from 60 hours to 40, got you vacations and workers comp, and raised the standard of living for all of working class America.”
Unions also killed the Rust Belt. Your simplistic statement also ignores the fact that employees are allowed to vote right now on whether to unionize. But the dirty little secret is that the unions usually lose these elections when they are fair and democratic. Because they can’t win a fair vote, the unions want a law that would ban secret ballots, allowing union thugs to threaten and harass employees repeatedly until they sign union cards. It is a sad commentary that we have to debate whether unions have the right to force people to join.