Are you the type who likes to put your money where your politics are? Part II (sort of).
A 11-27-04 post's message was contained in its title: "Surprise: In '03 & '04 the top-giving corporate PAC's did not hedge their bets. They favored Republican candidates 10 to 1." As usual, I noted the source of my post, with a link to an article from the Associated Press.
Others must have seen the article. On December 3 ago the Web site BuyBlue.org appreared, listing the political contributions of major companies to encourage people to shop at stores and buy products from businesses that supported Democratic candidates.
And right before Thanksgiving ChoosetheBlue.com bare-bones Web site appeared, listing companies and urging people to vote with their pocketbooks when they buy gifts, shop for groceries or fill up at the gas station.
As noted in my earlier post, the red-blue distinction is based exclusively on the political donations of businesses' political action committees or giving by corporate officers and employees. Corporations cannot donate directly.
The Web sites do not consider a company's labor practices, environmental record or other positions.
Some reds, in addition to those noted in my earlier post, include Wal-Mart, Circuit City, Outback Steakhouse, Safeway, Anheuser-Busch, May Department Stores (which owns Hecht's and Filene's Basement) and Marriott.
Bulk retailer Costco, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks are blues.
Alex Knott, political editor at the Center for Public Integrity, a nonpartisan watchdog group in Washington, warned that the information "may not be as telling as they think it is." Knott said corporate America's political spending is foremost a business decision. "Donations are not actually given on a partisan level," he said. "Most of the time, it's incumbent versus non-incumbent."
Often, major corporate donors give to both parties to hedge their bets. The Center for Public Integrity found that four of the top 10 contributors to Bush and Kerry were the same.
"A lot of corporate givers are very pragmatic," said Lawrence M. Noble, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics. "They want to make sure they can get access."
The Center for Responsive Politics runs Opensecrets.org is the primary source of data for both BuyBlue.org and ChoosetheBlue.com.
Although both groups cite the same sources of data, their information does not always match. BuyBlue.org identifies online retailer Amazon.com as a red company; ChoosetheBlue.com says Amazon.com is blue.
(The Washington Post, 12-19-04.)
Others must have seen the article. On December 3 ago the Web site BuyBlue.org appreared, listing the political contributions of major companies to encourage people to shop at stores and buy products from businesses that supported Democratic candidates.
And right before Thanksgiving ChoosetheBlue.com bare-bones Web site appeared, listing companies and urging people to vote with their pocketbooks when they buy gifts, shop for groceries or fill up at the gas station.
As noted in my earlier post, the red-blue distinction is based exclusively on the political donations of businesses' political action committees or giving by corporate officers and employees. Corporations cannot donate directly.
The Web sites do not consider a company's labor practices, environmental record or other positions.
Some reds, in addition to those noted in my earlier post, include Wal-Mart, Circuit City, Outback Steakhouse, Safeway, Anheuser-Busch, May Department Stores (which owns Hecht's and Filene's Basement) and Marriott.
Bulk retailer Costco, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks are blues.
Alex Knott, political editor at the Center for Public Integrity, a nonpartisan watchdog group in Washington, warned that the information "may not be as telling as they think it is." Knott said corporate America's political spending is foremost a business decision. "Donations are not actually given on a partisan level," he said. "Most of the time, it's incumbent versus non-incumbent."
Often, major corporate donors give to both parties to hedge their bets. The Center for Public Integrity found that four of the top 10 contributors to Bush and Kerry were the same.
"A lot of corporate givers are very pragmatic," said Lawrence M. Noble, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics. "They want to make sure they can get access."
The Center for Responsive Politics runs Opensecrets.org is the primary source of data for both BuyBlue.org and ChoosetheBlue.com.
Although both groups cite the same sources of data, their information does not always match. BuyBlue.org identifies online retailer Amazon.com as a red company; ChoosetheBlue.com says Amazon.com is blue.
(The Washington Post, 12-19-04.)
posted by Sid Cottingham | 1:45 PM
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