Help me DU. What's the deal with Costco?

[mdmc]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

I'm interested in shopping in a more progressive way. I hate Walmart. There is a local Target. I could shop at Costco's online.

Is Costco's the progressive choice?

Thanks for your help.

[SoCalDem]

1. Yes,, they are union and are DEM donors..

Watch out..you can barely get out of there without spending $300 (at least I can't):)

[neohippie]

25. I'm cutting up my sam's card and buying a costco membership

Thanks for the heads up.

[eleny]

2. I read that...

...the CEO of Costco doesn't have that huge spread between his salary and that of the people who work there. Also, people can earn quite a decent salary after about 5 years. I recall that checkers make good wages. So, unless things have changed, they're a worker friendly company.

Thanks for the link. I read a posting that mentioned you don't have to be a member but can pay a 5% charge instead. We used to belong but dropped the membership since the store is a distance from here. Now, I'll shop there when I'm in the neighborhood.

[Flaxbee]

16. I think checkers get $45000 after 4-5 years with good benes...

CostCo is, as much as warehouse shopping can be, damn near guilt free. I have found that prices on some things aren't necessarily cheaper b/c they're in bulk (though some of the prices are indeed better) but it's a good company, so I never begrudged them their pricing. Nothing is ever more expensive, but there isn't necessarily a huge price benefit for buying in bulk. And if you don't have a lot of hungry mouths at home, the large quantities of food sometimes go bad, unless you buy frozen or easily preservable.


I'm just bummed because we moved from

[noamnety]

3. Costco is great

They pay their workers a real living wage and decent health care. 98% of their political donations go to democrats.

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?Order=A&txtName=&txtState=&txtZip=&txtEmploy=costco&txtCand=&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&txt1998=&txt1996=&txt1994=&txt1992=&txt1990=&txtSoft=N

[Sperk]

4. I switched from BJ's to Costco after a fread a few articles about them.

I'm sorry I don't have a link but the articles talked about how the owner is a big Dem supporter, he limits his pay to 350,000 and distributes extra earnings to shareholders and employees.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mdmc]

9. welcome to DU

:kick:

[otohara]

5. Costco's Safe...and

go to Lowes vs Home Depot -

[jmowreader]

10. Hardware networks are best

There's an alternative to Home Depot (donates to Republicans) or Lowe's (horrible employee practices, Wal-Mart style price adjustment)--hardware networks.

How these work is real simple: an independent dealer joins a network for volume discounts in purchasing, but maintains his independence in operations. These places are all locally-owned retailers.

The big networks are True Value, Ace and Do It Best.

I would align myself with True Value if I was opening a store.

[Doohickie]

13. Unfortunately,

Ace, True Value and DoItBest, as well as the local presence (Ambrister's Hardware) have all been crowded out of our market.

[yellowdogintexas]

17. I MISS AMBRISTER'S

That was always such a fun store! We always went there for anything that we thought they would have, rather that over the hill to Depot or Lowes

That is where we found our White MOuntain ice cream freezer. It was always the best place for funny little odd parts and items.

[Sporadicus]

23. Also Beward Menard's

Big 'pug donors.

[Menshevik]

7. AND you get free samples!

[NV Whino]

8. Costco also has a pharmacy

You don't have to belong to Costco to use the pharmacy, and they don't jack up th eprices of prescription drugs.

I used to belong, but it's a long drive for me, and was not cost effective for a single person, given that the best buys are huge multiples of everything. If you have a family... and a large freezer, it's hard to go wrong with Costco.

[Misskittycat]

35. They have very low cost prescriptions

and as the NV Whino says, you don't need to be a member, to get your prescriptions filled. I take a prescription that would cost $300.00 a month at a neighborhood chain pharmacy, but costs only about $15.00 at Costco.

Please tell your friends and family who have no health insurance about this!

[barb162]

11. I think their "entry fee" is about 50 bucks a yr, which is outrageous

I would like to try them but damned if I pay any firm for the privilege of buying their stuff.

[SoCalDem]

14. Go in with a friend and split the cost

If you use it for "business" purchases, you can deduct it :)

There is no charge for the second card

[Carni]

42. I thought it was 35.00??

But whatever the case you'll save that much in the first three or four visits.

[NMDemDist2]

12. target and costco are both OK n/t

[Starlight]

19. Target is a big Repub donor. n/t

[yellowdogintexas]

20. I also love TARGET

Their corporate persona is very pro community.

And it is a neater store than any WalMart I have ever been in


anymore I only go to WalMart if it is too late at night to go anywhere else and I can't get it at the Walgreen or Albertson's

or if I am traveling and need something and don't want to use cash or my debit card or one of my major cards (which I am trying to get zeroed out).

( I have a WalMart Credit card thanks to the shut down of Montgomery Wards, so it is handy if I am caught in a place where Wally's is the only place I can go, etc.)

I used to be a regular at WalMart but not any more.

[gauguin57]

21. Uh ... Target gives 72 percent of its donations to Republicans, only

28 percent to Dems, according to opensecrets.org

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/contrib.asp?Ind=N03

Maybe Target has some other redeeming quality, progressive-politics-wise. So, it'll be a Barnes & Noble, Bed Bath and Beyond, Costco kind of Christmas this year!

Top retail donors to political campaigns for 2004 .. first percentage listed is their donations to Democrats, second is Repug. So, right off the bat, WallyWorld and Home Depot are massive lyin-rethug supporters!



1
Wal-Mart Stores
$1,875,557
19%
81%

2
Home Depot
$677,370
6%
94%

3
National Assn of Convenience Stores
$474,972
17%
83%

4
Target Corp
$289,763
28%
72%

5
Sears, Roebuck & Co
$265,444
24%
76%

6
Limited Brands
$255,620
29%
71%

7
Amway/Alticor Inc
$238,288
0%
100%

8
Gap Inc
$237,085
61%
38%

9
Costco Companies
$200,303
98%
2%

10
Walgreen Co
$126,961
47%
53%

11
Saks Inc
$116,600
5%
95%

12
Circuit City Stores
$116,550
3%
97%

13
National Assn of Chain Drug Stores
$115,350
27%
73%

14
Staples Inc
$111,475
42%
58%

15
May Department Stores
$103,750
10%
89%

16
Barnes & Noble
$103,350
98%
2%

17
JC Penney Co
$99,565
18%
81%

18
National Retail Federation
$93,450
10%
88%

19
Bed Bath & Beyond
$82,500
93%
7%

20
Wax Co
$77,000
0%
100%

[gauguin57]

22. You can also search opensecrets.org for other economic sectors --

for example, the food/beverage one will show you that Darden Restaurants (Red Lobster, Olive Garden and others) are major Rethug supporters.

I forget the other sector I was looking at ... but it showed that Estee Lauder (which includes such brands as Clinique & Bumble & Bumble) are big Democrat supporters. Perfect -- get yourself some nice estee/clinique product, get the "free gift" at your dept. store, and use the pieces of the free gift as stocking stuffers/extra gifts for family and friends.

[crispini]

33. awwwwwwwwwww, Target!

I loooooove Target.

It will really hurt to give them up. SIGH.

[NecessaryOnslaught]

37. Isn't Sen. Mark Dayton

one of the owners of Target?

[__Inanna__]

41. Probably

I grew up in MN and with Target, which was owned by Daytons at the time (Daytons dept store has since closed).

I really do prefer Target over others (except Costco), and does it help that MN always votes democratic??

[catzies]

15. Not to mention cheaper gas. Memb. pays for itself that way.

Or at least it does for me. Costco's gas has been 15-20 cents a gallon cheaper than anywhere else around here all year.

[Mackenzie]

18. Costco is one of the biggest recipients of eminent domain abuse.

The legitimate purpose of eminent domain is when the government confiscates private property for genuine public uses, such as roads, schools, hospitals, and fire stations. The takings clause of the 5th amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows such takings only for these kinds of public uses.

Recently, state and local governments have been abusing eminent domain. All over the country, state and local governments are confiscating people's privately owned homes, small businesses, and other private property, and then giving the land to big corporations.

This is not a legitimate use of eminent domain. Instead, this is for private, for-profit use. This is corporate welfare. This is government redistribution of wealth from the poor and middle class, to the rich and the big corporations. This goes against every principle of fairness and social justice.

Costco is one of the biggest recipients of this eminent domain abuse.

Here is a link to a google search with several hundred articles on the subject:

http://tinyurl.com/4v7vt

[Logansquare]

24. Hah, in National Review! That's rich.

I wonder when NR will do an article on Wal-Mart's abusive land-grab practices? Don't hold your breath.

Now that James Sinegal (Costco CEO) has openly proclaimed his support for Kerry, the flying monkeys will be on him big time.

[Mackenzie]

27. That google search has hundreds of articles.

There are hundreds of articles about Costco benefiting from eminent domain abuse.

Just because there was a National Review article on the list does not mean that my statements are not valid.

Laugh at National Review all you want. What about the hundreds of other articles?

[prolesunited]

26. Where do you shop?

[Mackenzie]

28. My answer

I shop at independent stores and chain stores in my neighborhood that are within walking distance. I do not own a car.

I also shop at internet stores.

I do not shop at Costco or Wal Mart.

[blm]

29. You mean just like GWB cheated landowners to get his baseball stadium?

And what Dick Cheney wants to do to extend oil drilling privileges for favored energy companies?

[Mackenzie]

30. Yes.

Yes.

[flygal]

31. Look at that little pumpkin!!!! Is that a little fella?

If so I have a little dem girl baby - maybe in 18 years we can hook them up! If either of my kids marry repugs ***ARRRRRGGHH***

[BlueStatesForever]

32. Good to their employees -- and Dem

Costco's headquarters is here in Issaquah, WA. The CEO is Dem. Clinton came to the Issaquah HQ for a book signing.

Along with other perks mentioned, Costco closes it's doors on national holidays, even though they could be making loads of money on days like Thanksgiving and President's Day, etc. They believe their employees deserve those days off

Costco is relatively awesome to their employees. For retail, I think they're the best.

Yes, definitely don't do business with Sams, unless you want money going to the Bush campaign....

[natrat]

34. i cut/pasted this off another thread

Hit republican contributors where it hurts...in the pocketbook! Who do you pledge to boycott?

Here is a list of companies who reported over 75% of donations to republican federal candidates:

7-eleven
Adelphia
Agway
ATA airlines
Ashland
Avon
Brinker International
Cargill
Carlson
Cendant
ChevronTexaco
Circuit City
Citizen's Bank
ConAgra
ConocoPhillips
Convergys
Cooper Tire
Darden
Domino's
ExxonMobil
Federal Dept Stores
Food Lion
Ford Motor Co.
Geico
General Mills
Goodyear
H.J. Heinz Co
Hershey Foods
Home Depot
Intel
JC Penny
Kroger
Limited
Marathon Oil
Mays Dept Stores
Maytag
McDonalds
Nestle Purina
Philips
Reebok
RJ Reynolds
Russell
Safeway
Saks
Scana
Shell
State Farm
Sunoco
Texas Instruments
Schwan Food Co.
Walmart
Wendy's
Whirlpool
Winn Dixie
Yumm

http://www.freenortheast.com/worst.php

[murray hill farm]

38. Thanks

i have copied the list..will never spend another dollar..ever..at any of those places.

[Mackenzie]

39. Heinz?

I thought Republicans were the ones boycotting Heinz. I think I remember hearing something about them using W Ketchup instead.

[gauguin57]

43. That list doesn't go past 2002 ... anyone have a more current one?

?

[n2mark]

36. Costco

When I retired part of last check went to Costco, bought in bulk, TP, paper towels, soaps etc saved me money, this was in March still have items on hand. Some prices were cheaper, some were not, but I was able to buy in bulk preventing me to go to a regular store daily and buying items that I really did not need but just wanted. I think if you can buy in bulk prevents you from falling in the advertising traps at the supermarket.

I also bought meats at Costco, bought plenty of freezer bags and divided meats and fish, marked the dates on the baggies and have these items on hand.

You need to be a smart shopper at Costco to save money, but you are able to save money, just don't wonder around. Know what you want beforehand, that is my advice.

Remember there are some veggies you can freeze. All you need is to blanche them, some do not need this either.

[GoldenOldie]

40. Costco vs Walmart

I don't know about the emminent domaine part but in my city, Walmart wants a supersized store on every main corner. They have had neighborhood after neighborhood fight to keep their peace and quiet. On the otherhand Costco has built on vacant lots away from neighborhoods and have restricted their stores to opposite sides of the city.

I am so sick of Wallyworld and their arrogance. Prices maybe cheaper but I can't stand having to wander through thier dirty cluttered aisles, it assaults my senses and leaves me nauseated and with headaches.

[gauguin57]

44. A Christmas idea ...

... find a bunch of products from "caring companies," like Whole Foods has done with this basket (and put together your own basket, chosen for the recipient -- a BLUESTATE BASKET for Christmas) ...



http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/giftbaskets/giving.html

I found Whole Foods on the "best" list at freenortheast ... the companies giving less than 55% of donations to Rethug federal candidates.

http://www.freenortheast.com/filtered.php

[mdmc]

45. Sunday, Sunday

quick morning :kick: