The Most Republican Company? The Makers of Wonder Bread

[hue]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/upshot/the-countrys-most-republican-company-the-makers-of-wonder-bread.html?hp&_r=2

The most Republican-leaning company in the country, based on political donations, isn’t Koch Industries. It’s the company that makes Wonder Bread.

The political action committee of Flowers Foods, a Georgia company that produces the pillowy sandwich bread, Tastykakes and Nature’s Own baked goods, has given more than 99 percent of its political contributions since 1979 to Republicans. Only three Democratic congressional candidates have gotten money from its PAC since 1984, and not one in the past 20 years.

The PAC of Koch Industries, the well-known supporter of Republican candidates and conservative causes, has given nearly as much money to Democrats in the past 14 months as Flowers Foods has in more than 30 years.

Most corporations involved in national politics don’t operate this way. Many take the approach often attributed to the former N.B.A. star Michael Jordan, who, when asked why he did not endorse a Democratic candidate in his home state of North Carolina, replied that “Republicans buy shoes, too.” (Whether he actually said it is in question.)


Strongly Leaning Right

Flowers Foods gives nearly all of its political action committee's contributions to G.O.P. candidates and committees, more than any other single firm.
Flowers Foods99.5%
Illinois Tool Works
Cooper Industries*
Devon Energy
Bloomin' Brands*
Eaton*
Timken
Marathon Petroleum
ExxonMobil
Halliburton
Anadarko Petroleum
Branch Bank & Trust
Koch Industries

[Warpy]

1. Ugh--I hate the way balloon bread makes my teeth squeak

and Wonder Bread was the worst.

I wish I could say I was surprised, but most MBA types are only taught Republicans lower wages, bust unions, lower income taxes, and are therefore good for business. The analysis never goes any deeper and now they find themselves losing customers because nobody can afford their shit any more while the infrastructure they rely on to deliver their products is turning into rubble at an accelerated pace.

It seems that starving their customers while starving the government wasn't such a great idea, after all.

I am delighted to note none of the dirtiest Republican companies was in the portfolio my dad left me and it remains so now.

[yeoman6987]

2. Can you also provide the list that is polar opposite and gives to the good guys...US!

Thank you in advance. I don't use most of those places. I guess I buy Wonder Bread but it is rare. I do use Exxon especially if I am on a trip (and of course Safeway requires that you use Exxon) and they are convenient. The other day I did use Hess coming back from a trip. Often when I am on vacation, I forget about Exxon and the fact they are right wing. Oh and I forgot Tastykakes...I love those peanut butter cookies with chocolate smothered all over them and the spongy center with peanut butter on top of the spongy cake and as part of the chocolate covering....does this mean we are not supposed to buy them any more??????? I think I am going to die if that is the case.

[procon]

3. Lots of brands under the parent company

Nature's Own
Wonder
Whitewheat
Cobblestone Bread Co.
Cobblestone Mill
Merita
HomePride
Butternut
Country Kitchen
Barowsky's Organics
Sunbeam Bread
Bunny Bread
ButterKrust
Captain John Derst's
European Bakers
Tastykake
Mrs. Freshley's
Blue Bird
Frestillas
Mi Casa


I don't buy Wonder, buy we do like HomePride and Nature's Own <sigh> ... and thus the quest for non partisan bread begins.

[tabbycat31]

4. not Tastykakes

NOOOOOO

[Chan790]

6. Are you also addicted to the Butterscotch Krimpets?

[malthaussen]

10. Isn't it sad when local companies get bought by conglomerates?

I was born in Pittsburgh and moved across to Philly when I was 10. I get to mourn two iconic companies: Heinz and Tastykake. So sad.

-- Mal

[Paulie]

12. It kept the Peanut Chew alive though

Though it was swallowed up by another Pennsylvanian conglomerate.

[kairos12]

5. Sorry, I thought you wrote Dunder Head.

[blkmusclmachine]

7. Good to know who to boycott.

[savalez]

8. I had no idea.

It's hard to know what these guys produce, so it's hard to boycott them.

[sendero]

9. Thank gosh..

... I haven't eaten any of that crap in 40 years.

[TeamPooka]

11. K&R!

[Brother Buzz]

13. Jelly Belly Candy Company - 100% republican donations going back to when Reagon was Govonor

Only back in those early years, Jelly Belly was known as The Herman Goelitz Candy Company. Family owned company run by white wing assholes.

[DFW]

14. My parents had an old recording from when radio ads for Wonder Bread were read live.

The guy messed up the stock phrase of the day and declared to his listeners: "It's Wonder Bread for the breast in bed."

No lie. I still have it.