Walmart is good. Costco is bad. One donated rte: Katrina. One didn't.

[Deja Q]

Is Wal-Mart truly acting out of humanitarianism? Or out of image reshaping?

Consider Walmart's past:

http://www.union-network.org/unisite/sectors/commerce/Multinationals/Wal-Mart_Arkansas_taxpayers_finance_health_care.htm
Regarding affordable health care for their employees. (which is kinda important, especially if you had to swim for some time in the water Katrina bestowed upon us.)

The same article also explains how nearly 4000 Walmart workers in that area are on public assistance. WELFARE. (don't forget how much they get in "government subsidy") Either way, WE are helping compensate for Walmart's disgusting greed. These corporations make the jobs. They need to be accountable. Not shifting the burden unto us via welfare and other programs (which they also want to nix.)

http://reclaimdemocracy.org/independent_business/walmart_eminent_domain.html
This site has more info on how our tax dollars subsidize this (and other) behemoth corporations that don't need a damn penny of it. Again, WE are footing the bill for Katrina. Not the execs, who will merely use it as a write-off or means to get a bigger tax cut.

http://www.progress.org/2005/tcs179.htm
More on walmart asking for our tax dollars (corproate welfare; a far bigger problem than the type of welfare that wasd supposedly "reformed" in 1995...)

In short, WE THE CONSUMERS are paying for Katrina. Walmart is, as usual, not benevolent by any measure of the word.

Oh, and if you think Walmart often supports the Democrats, think again:

http://www.buyblue.org/detail.php?corpId=63
"...due to political contributions for the 2003-2004 election cycle. Wal-Mart's executives contributed heavily and almost exclusively to Republican politicians in the last election."

Their Katrina donations are little more than public relations for a battered image. It is no different than corporate piranha Bill Gates donating to the tsunami in December. Or, indeed, George Bush asking for $50 billion twice over to assist in rebuilding?

Corporate benevolence DOES NOT MAKE THEM ANGELS. They still do bad things and if the weight of the bad is heftier than the weight of the good, they would then have to save us all from piss-poor poverty before I reconsidered my viewpoint. And you know they won't.

And I pity anybody who now thinks walmart is such a better company because of katrina. I may as well be a murderer and then save the life of a child who's hanging on the wrong side of the fence, about to drop down a 1,000 ft precipice. It's the same damn thing.

[PA Democrat]

1. It's all about image with Walmart.

They are donating to hurricane victims, but in the meantime the Walton family is one of the biggest backers of the effort to eliminate the "death tax", which was slated for a vote in the Senate this week. Interesting isn't it? The money the Walton heirs would save in taxes makes any contributions made to hurricane victims look like chumps change.

Edited for spelling.

[texpatriot2004]

2. COSTCO IS GOOD! Costco is BLUE. Wal-Mart is red. Costco

supports Democrats throughout the year so they aren't bad.

[liberalnurse]

4. Costco is GOOD!

I love Costco.:bounce:

[Rainscents]

6. Me too!

[Beaverhausen]

3. Costco is Blue. Plus how do you know they haven't donated anything

Costco treats their employees very well.

[Rainscents]

5. Wal-Mart is only in for themself... IMAGE! Just like Bush!

[PA Democrat]

9. Walmart must have a Karl Rove wanna-be in charge of PR

Their commercials are masterpieces of deception.

[eyesroll]

7. Costco did donate.

http://www.costco.com/Service/FeaturePage.aspx?ProductNo=11075353

Costco has made a $1,000,000.00 contribution pledge to the American Red Cross and, as you know, we are accepting donations from our members in all of our Costco facilities around the world. All monies raised will be channeled to the American Red Cross. As of the morning of Thursday, September 8th $4,009,636.00 has been raised through Costco warehouses, thanks to the generosity of our members and employees. Additionally, we are making contributions of food, water and supplies provided by both Costco and our suppliers, and we are allocating space for the Red Cross to set-up command centers in some of our facilities that are closest to the disaster center.

[Mutley]

8. Also, one donates re: democrats. One doesn't.

[SW FL Dem]

10. My local Costco is coordinating a huge relief effort

They are asking customers to donate needed supplies and are providing their own donations, plus a truck, crew and gas to get the supplies to Katrina victims. So far the semi has been filled twice and has returned for more.

[Politicub]

11. Wal-Mart is all about image

They care nothing about people. What they care about is being able to grow to show shareholder value. They must do this, or they will be stagnant and toast.

This tragedy was the perfect time for WalMart to sqeeze some $$ from their miserly hands for the people. It's a drop in the bucket for their revenue.

I despise Walmart. Everything about them is contrived.

[Zomby Woof]

12. I have been to Costco 3 times this past week

And they damn well are helping out!

[Nabia2004]

13. They donated water, 10 cents a bottle at cost

My brother is in the beverage business, his cost for water is 10 cents a bottle.

This was a PR win win for Walmart. They look like great humanitarians for provided life-saving water, and it cost them near nothing.

[AlCzervik]

14. Wal-mart has to publicize it, costco doesn't.

Costco doesn't have a bad public image.

[Deja Q]

16. I know people who think Costco is bad because they haven't donated.

Or don't know if Costco had.

Still, that's what we get in our corporate media. Which is the backbone of our corporate government, filled iwth corporations who have the power.

I wish people would wake up.

[Taxloss]

15. Wal-Mart could cure cancer, and it would still be bad.

Its entire economic structure is damaging, exploitative, uncompetitive and inherently wrong.

[prolesunited]

17. What are you talking about?

I was in Costco today and they're organizing relief efforts.