Wal-Mart Opens for Business In Tough Market: Washington

Wall Street Journal ^ | 3-24-04 | JEANNE CUMMINGS

[Redbob]

WASHINGTON -- China's entry into the World Trade Organization was essentially a done deal in the late 1990s when Wal-Mart Stores Inc. executives discovered a problem: U.S. negotiators had agreed to a 30-store limit on foreign retailers operating in China, an insufficient figure for the ambitious Arkansas retailer.

[Modernman]

Because as Trent Lott reminds us, the ones with the most money, win (buy) the prize...And the prize is the vote of the congressmen...

Without monetary donations, there is no way to fund political campaigns (unless you believe that the government should fun political campaigns). It takes dollars to buy airtime, print fliers etc. How is our system supposed to work if politicians have no way to raise money?

Furthermore, every American is a lobbyist. Send a letter, or a fax, or an e-mail and you are no different than the lobbyist that goes to the politician's office. He's just better at it than you are.

[TopQuark]

I don't think for a moment that Wal-Mart's campaign contributions come from anything other than a perfectly understandable desire to get on the good side of whichever party is currently in power; i.e., there's no particular conservative ideology driving their contributions.

If that were the case, it would imply that all the rest of the corporations are stupid, for they give to both. Has this occured to you?

[q_an_a]

want to lobby your congressman/woman? send $50.00 and then join a group that also sends money. the ____ association of gardeners. you will get heard. remember that johnny chung got into the white house for only 10K. a congressman listens for less. it is a shame that voting does not do it all, but the congress people don't know why you voted.

[jayhawk17]

Sure, such a PAC is wal-mart's or any company's legal right. And they found they were fools for not lobbying earlier

But the story brings these points to mind:

-- 1 in 5 managers voluntarily(?) contribute non-deductable contributions to this fund. Sounds like volunteering for something in the Army.

-- These contributions average $8.60/month or $103/yr per donor. I wonder what these same people contribute to the local United Way or Boy Scouts (in some cases maybe not even this much). Would they otherwise be giving this money to such a charity?

-- Why aren't PAC donations among those hyped in big banners over the doors at WMs and Sam's Clubs? You know, the ones that boast "this store has contributed xxx toward xxxx charity"