Posted on 04/01/2015 6:23:01 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Walmart's CEO is standing up against a religious freedom law that just landed on the governor's desk in Arkansas, home to the company's headquarters.
It's similar to the law Indiana adopted last week, which sparked outrage from those who say it opens the door for discrimination against gays and lesbians.
Walmart (WMT) CEO Doug McMillon asked Gov. Asa Hutchinson to veto the bill, which was approved by the Arkansas House on Tuesday.
The company is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. "Today's passage of HB1228 threatens to undermine the spirit of inclusion present throughout the state of Arkansas and does not reflect the values we proudly uphold," McMillon said in a statement.
It's not the only other state currently considering a religious freedom law. There are 14 other states looking at similar proposals this year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
A number of big companies have spoken out against the Indiana law, including Starbucks (SBUX), Apple (AAPL, Tech30), Angie's List (ANGI), Yelp (YELP), Salesforce (CRM, Tech30), and Eli Lilly (LLY). NASCAR, as well as the NCAA, NBA, WNBA, Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever have also expressed disappointment. And Connecticut banned all state-funded travel to Indiana over the law.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Let’s boycott Walmart.....it worked with Cracker Barrell!
Money buys influence. Influence buys votes.
If Walmart decides to take their money and give it to the other candidate, you will lose. Not just because of the hard cash, but because of the GOP doing everything they can to take you down.
RE: If Walmart decides to take their money and give it to the other candidate, you will lose
So, corporations do not have limits to how much they can contribute to a candidate but individuals do?
The people in charge of the corporation you refer to as “NASCAR” don’t care if the corporation folds next season. You are a product, not a customer.
They do care that the right views are portrayed. They assume, with some justification, that the majority of fans with put up with anything to see their races. And if enough leave that some races get canceled, the blame will be laid on the hateful bigots who wouldn’t listen to the narrative. They care about other corporate sponsors who also have the same narrative to spin.
Many of those CEO’s don’t like people who like NASCAR or the NFL, so driving them out of the market is a net good.
If there is enough money, it doesn’t matter on the limits.
You give some directly, some to the opposing parties election committee, some to a few PAC’s, some to local NGO’s and community organizers. At some point, you realize that there is millions of dollars against you across the spectrum, and some of it is in your own party. That doesn’t take into account the side deals, offers for stores in certain areas, fact finding trips to warmer climes, and all the other side and fringe ways to gain influence.
Make no mistake, if you’re a candidate and you anger a corporation, you will have a lot of people lined up against you.
But other then for Target, shopping online, and the small businesses, not much choices out there.
Well, shoot. I already don’t have any use for Walmart since they went chinese. So I can’t not shop there. They’ll just have to suck without me.
Note to Wal-Mart-—
You cannot blackmail every state against this legislation.
The LBGT communities have pushed & pushed for everyone to accept them as NORMAL.
Now, people are pushing back.
I like Wal-Mart. I shop there every month.
However-—IF I am running a small business & I have religious teachings that do NOT support abortion or birth control, then I should have MY LIBERTY to chose my health care plan accordingly. Why do LGBT demands trump MY religious teachings & beliefs???
I also should NOT be forced to provide services to people I don’t wish to serve under threat of lawsuit.
indeed. They gave 500K to Arkansas political figures last year, and control almost 50k jobs. Like it or not, money talks.
Corporations should stay out of politics.
The issue with that is that corporations are often the target of political attacks. Staying out of politics allows the other side free rein to make it’s case, unrebutted.
Walmart actually is exhibit a on this, given the extent to which Progs HATE it and organize politically against it. My take here is that Walmart has made a cynical political calculation that the goodwill it buys from the Left with this stance will be significant, while it’s more Conservative consumer base isn’t going to care.
The consumers may not care, but Walmart is dead wrong if it thinks this will buy them anything from the Left ...
I think Wal-Mart will do whatever they think will help WM, although I hope this hurts them bad. Didn’t they support ObamaCare?
Fixed it.
I really should be the governor of these states. Wal-mart can leave, apple can leave. Freedom shouldn’t be for sale. If they don’t like it leave. With any luck people will start to find their passion for owning something again and small business will grow in the absence of the giants.
Too many giants are walking the Earth now as it is, as in the days of Noah
Exactly.
Walmart has the rural, exurban and suburban markets pretty much locked up. Now they’re trying to go urban.
Their recent experience in fighting back opposition to build their West End store in Louisville KY is a great case study in dividing and conquoring the typical urban coalition, completely marginalizing young white Progressives and making their vocal opposition irrelevant.
Always the Low Road.
Always
There are 64 Republicans in the AR House, most very conservative members, but is that enough to override a veto? Does it take 2/3?
Pence never was what Hoosiers thought or hoped. I always thought though he was a little better than Lugar.
“The consumers may not care, but Walmart is dead wrong if it thinks this will buy them anything from the Left”
It will buy them the opportunity to say “We’re inclusive and don’t discriminate”
It’ll buy them some positive PR.
Walmart has it’s fair share of negative PR. Everything from the low pay to wiping out local businesses.
I think that Walmart, like the NFL and NASCAR, see the writing on the wall.
Same sex marriage is going to be legal in all 50 states soon and within 15 years will be the new normal.
No point in alienating people by clinging to a lost cause.
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