Posted on 06/12/2010 11:44:50 AM PDT by Bob Hyneman
. . .Mr. Saint, a former newspaper reporter and political press secretary, founded his firm 26 years ago. It specializes in using political-campaign tactics—petition drives, phone banks, websites—to build support for or against controversial projects, from oil refineries and shopping centers to quarries and landfills. Over the years, it has conducted about 1,500 campaigns in 44 states. Mr. Saint says about 500 have involved trying to block a development, and most of those have been clandestine.
For the typical anti-Wal-Mart assignment, a Saint manager will drop into town using an assumed name to create or take control of local opposition, according to former Saint employees. They flood local politicians with calls, using multiple phones to make it appear that the calls are coming from different people, the former employees say. . . .
In 2005, Giant Foods hired Saint to stop a proposed Wal-Mart in North Cornwall, Pa., a town of 6,000, a Saint report indicates. Saint planned to charge Giant $7,500 to $10,000 a month for legal services, mailings, phone banks and 60 hours a month of Saint staff time, according to a preliminary budget.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
yeah I can see how that slithers right alongside today’s demcrat tactics
Typical union-esque and democratic party corporate campaign tactics.
yeah, except this is being done by
***- Ahold*** a mult-ibillion dollar Dutch Corporation (Ahold, owners of Stop and Shop, Giant Supermarkets etc.) with $30 b in annual sales
***- Supervalu*** (owners of Acme, Albertsons, Bristol Farms, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher’s, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Save-A-Lot, Shaw’s, Shop ‘n Save, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, and Star Market banners, as well as in-store pharmacies under the Osco and Sav-on banners) with $40b in annual sales, and
***- Safeway,*** (a supermarket chain and manufacturer of generic brand foods), with $41 b in annual sales
About the same revenue streams as the DNC and SEIU I’d say...
Either way, I think a lot of Walmart protesters have a lot of egg on their face now.
I’ll bet they had no idea they were doing the bidding of multi bilion dollar grocery corporations
This article explains a lot of things, including a lot of posts/posters right here at FR.
Funny how the supermarket chains don’t use the same tactics against each other, only against WalMart...
bookmark.
Giant (Netherlands-based Royal Ahold), not to be confused with competitor American-owned Giant Eagle of Pittsburgh, which operates in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland and operates Get-Go gas stations.
Yinz gawt it?
We have a super walmart in our town now. Initially lots of folks went there and the local supermarkets took a hit. Now I can’t find a parking place at the local supermarket. They have a better selection, they have employees who are helpful and friendly and their prices are just about in line with Walmarts.
After all - if Walmart can make money at their store, then why can’t the local make money at their store?
I have shopped at both for identical products and I generally pay within $1.00 at either place.
Giant Foods should go the market way and do what it takes to compete with Wal*Mart. The customers would benefit. Instead it took the dirty Liberal-Democrat way - Communist, really - in attacking the competitor underhandedly. The people lose.
Robber Barons at least won by out-competing their competition.
The political economy hurts people.
The free market helps.
When will libs realize that only the already wealthy and powerful benefit from more government?
Bump
Belated Wal*Mart ping.
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