The funniest poll ever, Which is why i dont shop at Wal-mart!

[Obamarulz11]

McCain leads 58% to 38% among those who regularly shop at Wal-Mart while Obama leads 61% to 36% among those who don’t frequent the retail giant.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/daily_presidential_tracking_poll


I will try and get the link from the Associated Press indicating that Florida is TIED as of today!!!!

[Ian David]

1. Obama supporters shop at COSTCO. n/t

[Meshuga]

10. Costco Dads for Obama!

I am a proud member of that block.

[Ian David]

12. Can you make that into a bumper sticker? n/t

[rufus dog]

41. I always had the impression that Costco was a RW outfit

The books always seem to be from RW talking heads. I was in there when a Hannity book came out and couldn't find a leftie book. So I started covering them up with other books and a lady walked up looked at me, then started helping.

[truthisfreedom]

56. Costco's famous for paying their employees a real living wage. They seem to be good people.

Their president takes a very normal salary as well.

Costco, of Issaquah, Wash., would suffer no direct impact from a higher minimum wage because its lowest-paid employees now make about $11 an hour, Sinegal said, adding that the average worker in the company's 504 stores in the United States makes $17 an hour.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/29/AR2007012901783.html

[begin_within]

28. Obama supporters rail against huge corporations, then shop at Costco, a huge corporation.

Not only that, a huge corporation that tracks your purchases and ambushes you in person in the store, with the total amount you have spent in the last year. It happened to me.

[DeeDeeNY]

36. They treat their workers well

..."Good wages and benefits are why Costco has extremely low rates of turnover and theft by employees, he said. And Costco's customers, who are more affluent than other warehouse store shoppers, stay loyal because they like that low prices do not come at the workers' expense."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/17/business/yourmoney/17costco.html

[rufus dog]

44. The do kick ass in the marketplace

Beat the shit out of Sam's Club as far as average visits per year and average dollars spent per visit. I shop there, own stock, but I really believe they are run by Righties.

[Ian David]

37. I told them to do that to you. n/t

[LonelyLRLiberal]

2. Folks who shop at Wal-Mart just like to get ripped off. nt

[goldcanyonaz]

3. Some of us live in towns where Walmart is it.

We just relocated to a very, very small in southern Azizona, and Walmart is the only option for many items.

[SheilaT]

6. Personally I can't imagine

relocating anywhere that the only choice around is WalMart. This is not meant as a flame, but just about me.

If some kind of strange life circumstances stranded me in such a place, I would hope I'd still have a car so that once a month or so I could drive to the nearest place where I could shop somewhere else.

I realize other people are in other situations.

[pocoloco]

7. Where do you get your chinese shit??

inquiring minds would appreciate knowing.

[azmouse]

9. The real question is 'How can Chinese shit be avoided'?

It's everywhere.

[codjh9]

29. Funny you say that - my mother used to say that if you went in Hobby Lobby,

you were 'in Beijing'. :^) (And btw, Hobby Lobby - arts/crafts chain, for those who don't know - is fundamentalist-run co.)

[vanderBeth]

54. LOL- I remember the were closed on Sundays and had a Bible store

next to it in the same building.

[SheilaT]

31. I try to buy it from stores that

treat its employees a little better. And aren't out to crush everyone.

And yeah, Chinese shit is hard to avoid. I stopped buying Christmas decorations some years back when I realized it was all made there. I am trying to consume less, which is quite hard in our world. It helps a teensy bit that I don't own a TV right now, so I'm not subjected to quite as much advertising.

[TooRaLoo]

53. Make your own!

I once baked "cookies" - flour and water - and spray painted them silver. They were actually really beautiful and vintage-looking. Of course, the spray paint probably came form China. LOL.

[pocoloco]

69. That's great!

You've got me on the TV though. My neighbor gave me a 27" one that wasn't working. I replaced a couple of 50 cent diodes and tried to give it back, no luck.

Don't have cable, and out of the range of any commercial stations, my one channel is the local PBS. It's been several weeks since I've even had that on. As long as we have DU I don't see a need!

[demokatgurrl]

71. I am doing the same....

both trying to buy less, and whenever there is a choice, buying first U.S. made (even if it costs more but I am fortunate enough to be able to afford to do that), then European made, then South American, then Asian-other-than-China, and only if there is NO option and I MUST buy the item, I'll get the item made in China but quite frankly that has not happened in a long time, and this practice has helped me to avoid some unnecessary purchases.

It's possible. Not easy, but possible. You have to read labels (I have picked up small appliances in stores to look for the label), and be willing to forego an item you don't need.


why do I do this? China treats its employees, many of them children badly. They are huge polluters. And, they practically OWN us already what with all our debt AND trade deficit with them. Just trying to do my small part to stave off total takeover. And I don't mean military, I mean economic.

[EstimatedProphet]

16. Sometimes there's no choice

[SheilaT]

32. I understand.

And I tried to indicate that understanding in my post.

I do get quite angry at those who live where there are lots of choices who still shop at WalMart anyway. To those people I suggest a direct donation to the Republican Party would be more appropriate.

[Butch350]

49. Grow up! Yawn!!! What a STUPID post anyway!

[lady raven]

20. Our town is like that

If you don't shop at Walmart, you spend a lot more and have to spend all day shopping. In a town of 30,000 in the middle of the U.S., sometimes Walmart is really the only choice or the only practical one.

[goldcanyonaz]

24. The population where we now live is 7,500. it's a very, very small town.

[SheilaT]

33. Heck. Your town is at least as big

as Wasilla, Alaska, was when Sarah Palin was mayor. Have you considered running for mayor? Next stop, Governor, and then, who knows?

[goldcanyonaz]

34. WOOHOO! I just might win out here cuz I like guns and walmart.

:rofl:

[boppers]

61. There's always a choice.

Sometimes that choice is offering a small town a store run by a neighbor, not some generic corporate crap.

Sometimes the store is all about selling specialty items, or services, that they wont.

[dchill]

57. That's exactly right.

And the biggest reason for that is that "Walmarts's"* (local enunciation) ran the other stores out of business.

*Overheard, by me, from the next aisle: "What would we do without Walmarts's?" I've never been able to forget that, for some reason.

[joshcryer]

59. Yep, Wal-Mart was wise in building thousands of stores in smaller towns.

While I hate corporate monopolies and overall depostism, no one can fault them for one of the smartest business decisions any company has ever made. They built stores for two decades, heck only recently did they stop building them at the pace that they were.

[d_b]

4. I want to see the AOL poll

and how it correlates to the wal-mart one.

[JuniperLea]

5. Please don't bash Wal Mart shoppers...

For many reasons: Some people don't have a choice; it's all that is available to them in rural areas. Some people don't have a choice; their income is vanishing and when you are trying to feed and clothe a family, you sometimes have to bite the bullet and do what you have to do to take care of business.

I've avoided Wal Mart for a very long time, on principle. I know a lot of people who put the wellbeing of their family, and their family finances, above their own pride... and, yes, sadly sometimes it must be done, above their principles.

In desperate times we see mothers steeling food for their children. Can we blame them for shopping where their dollar will stretch a little further.

For those of us who still can, I feel it's a good idea to shop elsewhere. But please understand the situation many of our fellow citizens are facing.

[provis99]

17. Wal-Mart is vastly overpriced

that's the irony of these idiots shopping there. K-Mart is much cheaper, and has actual sales, and Wal-Mart's groceries are overpriced too compared to real grocery stores. But the idiots who shop at Wal-Mart largely go there for the atmosphere of the place, not the overpriced Chinese junk; where else can right-wing redneck lemmings meet together at 4 a.m.?

[JuniperLea]

19. Not according to the ad papers...

Atmosphere? Ever been in one? It's horrid.

[cynatnite]

25. Not always...

We sometimes do Walmart on certain items because they are cheaper. Sometimes it's other stores depending on distance and price.

Walmart is very close by and with gas prices as they are sometimes it's more affordable to just go to Walmart.

Call me what you want...but money is tight. Food and gas costs eat into most of our income. We go where it's affordable.

Costs drives our decision-making. If we made more money or if items cost less we'd have more options in our shopping.

[demwing]

48. You're being an ass. I'm sure there people here who shop Walmart

myself included, who don't appreciate your rudeness.

[jberryhill]

62. Well.... if they have to steal... then, yes, do it at Wal-Mart /nt

[iamahaingttta]

8. Wal-Mart - Disaster Capitalism at its most basic.

Every dollar spent at Wal-Mart is another nail in the coffin of the American Dream.

[Obamarulz11]

11. No bashing wal-mart shoppers

Just feel bad for them..When they walk into the door. The monitors broadcast Fox Lies.
Also, They donate 5 million dollars per year to the RNC

[sandnsea]

13. Opportunity. We know where our voters are

Those are the people we need to win on the economy. Stop bashing them and go talk to them.

[EstimatedProphet]

14. McCain also leads 72% to 23% among those who fuck their sisters.

[ITsec]

22. Hmmm... I thought it was higher than that...

Cueing up the "Theme from Deliverance" now... a little banjo music for our afternoon enjoyment!!!

[EstimatedProphet]

23. The 23% are voting for McCain's sister.

[margotb822]

15. I'm not rich, but

I avoid walmart. I haven't heard bad things about K-mart/Sears Essentials, so I go there. Honestly, Target is a splurge for me. Ugh...

[quakerboy]

30. I despise shopping at target

Really, at any big chain store. I hate buying things in general, and try to buy as little as possible, in as few trips as possible.

That said, I find the exterior isle ends, the "closeout" sales at Target to actualy provide a decent price, better product at a better price than either Wallmart or Kmart.

I avoid Walmart not on some idealogical basis. I cannot afford ideology when it comes to living. While looking for work, and dealing with heavy student loans, survival trumps ideology. I avoid Walmart because every single item I have ever purchased there has broken, rapidly. The last time I bought cloths there, the pants ripped at the seams in 2 wearings, and the shirts had holes in 3. The glassware I bought broke when you set it in a sink. Granted, I got 40 pieces for 9.99, but we lost them at a rate of about one per week, plus a few glass cuts here and there. For 22.99 elsewhere, I found glass wear that has lasted for over a year with not so much as a single chip. The Air conditioner I bought there several years ago(back when I could afford such luxury) lasted just long enough to be non returnable before the coil went bad. For almost exactly twice the price, I found a new ac from a local dealer, and it has lasted 2 years, with no signs of quitting yet. At 4 weeks per, Wallmart would have ended up being closer to 800 for the same end product.

Not shopping at Walmart is a Financial decision for me. For approximately 2x the price(of any given item) I can find, amongst the various other shops and sellers, any of the things I need, and have them last years, not weeks. I have not shopped at Wallmart for some time now, and I have no plans to go back. Those of you in cities with no other choice, you have my condolences.

[SheilaT]

35. I also prefer Target.

For one thing, they treat their employees somewhat better, although they do tend to hire a lot of Spanish-speaking employees with iffy social security numbers. My brother has worked for them as a night stocker for ten years now.

I also like to shop at locally owned businesses whenever possible. I like to crochet, and the nice yarns are all being sold at wonderful individually owned yarn shops.

[quakerboy]

38. I wish I knew more

I would happily make my own clothing. I am taking a shot at making my own furniture right now. Making your own food, in an apartment with no outside area is a trickier proposition.

I skip target, except the isle ends. I have noticed the stores getting increasingly dilapidated since 2 christmases ago.

[demokatgurrl]

72. But you can shop at farmers' markets, if you have them

that does a lot: helps local economy for one, cheaper, fresher, environmentally friendly.

[Stop Cornyn]

18. Wal-Mart patronage, NASCAR interest, and valid passport ownership are well correlated with party

identification:

To paraphrase Jeff Foxworthy, "if you shop at Wal-Mart more than once a month, have planned your weekend schedule around a NASCAR event, and do not own a passport, you might be a Republican."

[goldcanyonaz]

43. Perhaps that was true a decade ago, but no longer. Many shop at walmart because $ is tight.

I live in a small town now, recently moved and walmart is pretty much all there is. Prices are great and service is even better.

[joshcryer]

58. Yep, Wal-Mart is a small town store, basically the "one" store everyone goes to.

In the last town I lived in for a short time the Wal-Mart actually shut down the King Soopers and Safeway, because it was cheaper, cleaner, provided jobs, and open 24/7.

[goldcanyonaz]

67. Our town is so small that we don't have a super walmart, just a regular one. Safeway is right next

door, though.

They have plans to build a super walmart in the next 12 months. I am really looking forward to it opening. We have no target, no mall, no nothing. Tucson is a 2 hour drive and Phoenix is a 90 minute one.

[Stop Cornyn]

66. I'm not making a judgment, I'm just stating facts. Wal-Mart patronage is correlated with Repub Party

affiliation and passport ownership is closely correlated with Democratic Party affiliation.

That DOES NOT mean there aren't many, many Repubs with passports and many, many good Democrats who shop at Wal-Mart. All it means is there is a statistically significant difference in the percentage of Democrats and Republicans who regularly shop and Wal-Mart and who have valid passports.

The fact that McCain has a huge lead over Obama among regular Wal-Mart shoppers supports the continuing validity of the link between Wal-Mart patronage and Repub affiliation.

[lady raven]

21. I think the main reason for that result is

The fact that most Walmart shoppers are rural and in the south and midwest. Yes, I know Walmart is everywhere now, but I think you'll find that Walmart is the primary shopping resource for people in those areas, who tend to vote Republican anyway.

[progressoid]

26. NPR did a story a few months ago about Walmart shoppers being mostly RWers

I can't find the story, but I think it was over 70% Repubs.

[Cha]

27. Do you know how long it's been since I've

shopped at walfart? Years. Don't like their corporatea$$holery politics.

[goldcanyonaz]

39. I wonder what percentage of walmart shoppers vote, that would be great data to have.

[Blondiegrrl]

40. LMAO! I despise Wal-Mart.

I'm poor, but I shop wisely at other stores. Wal-Mart is a monstrosity that swallows up other hundreds of other businesses and puts thousands of people out of work.

SCREW WAL-MART.

[samuraiguppy]

42. walmart sucks

[I LIKE IKE 61]

45. ...

Kroger, Walgreens, and Target, Staples, Best Buy for me.

[pstokely]

51. Not a whole lot better than Wal-Mart

pretty much any big box store

[progressiveforever]

46. only alternative I have to walmart is kmart and dollar general.....

but I have managed not to shop there since Januaery 2005---don't intend to go back.

[joshcryer]

60. I like the Dollar Trees that are everywhere.

At least for snack foods. :D

[Butch350]

47. I shop at wal-mart...

To save money on products that are Ridulously expensive in the super market or other retail stores.

And you've shopped there before too!

[demwing]

50. I do too.

Most of what I need each week is purchased at WlMart at a discount to other stores, especially KMart and Target. You can bash WalMart all you like, but leave the shoppers out.

[Imagevision]

52. --> don't forget wal-Mart instructed its employees to vote for Mccain if they didn't

want to face lay offs due to Obama's claim of Taxing big business and making sure they provide healthcare options.

[joshcryer]

55. Here's why: Wal-Marts are a rural paradigm. They aren't easily accessable in the big cities.

Wal-Mart got its monopoly by building thousands of stores in smaller towns across America. Smaller towns tend to trend conservative (despite their own interests).

This is extremely unsurprising.

[Kitty Herder]

63. True.

I live in a rural area. There are some items you can only get at Wal-Mart, because they drove out all the small businesses. We don't have much choice about whether or not to shop at Wal-Mart.

And yes, this area is about as conservative as it gets. (All my neighbors think I'm a freak.) Conservative ideology runs counter to their interests, but it's not about ideology in their minds. It's a cultural thing.

[Captiosus]

64. K-Mart cheaper than WallyWorld? Not in my area.

Especially on groceries.

I spent a couple days pricing grocery stores using the exact same lists, buying store brand when possible and this is basically how it broke down for me down here in Southeast VA, from cheapest to highest:

1. Walmart
2. Food Lion (and spinoff 'Bottom Dollar')
3. K-Mart
4. Farm Fresh
5. Harris Teeter
6. Bloom (another Food Lion spinoff)
7. Kroger

On general merchandise, most specifically clothing, housewares, office supplies and the like, Walmart down here is cheaper than both K-Mart and Target on identical items. When it comes to electronics, however, my local Best Buy trumps Walmart in prices and selection.

Basically, if I need to buy reasonably priced clothes or groceries, I end up at Walmart.
Pet food and supplies, I go to PetSmart.
Electronics, movies, music, games, I go to Best Buy.
Office Supplies, I go to Office Depot.
Computer stuff? Pricewatch or Newegg FOREVER.

[Kitty Herder]

65. Please don't look down on people who shop at Wal-Mart.

They are the poor, the working class, the victims of conservative policies. They shop at Wal-Mart because it's cheap and they're broke. Or, like me, they live in rural areas where there is no other place to buy some things because Wal-Mart drove out the small businesses. Rural people are victims of Wal-Mart. We are captive to them, because it's not practical to drive for hours to shop somewhere else for those items that the local grocery store doesn't carry, but that Wal-Mart does. I, and many other people I've talked to, hate Wal-Mart and cringe whenever we have to darken its door, hastening to get out of that annoying place as fast as possible. But we still have to go there sometimes.

Most Wal-Mart shoppers aren't making the connection between their economic struggles and the conservative policies that caused them. Yet. But when they do, watch out. They are the natural constituency of the Democrats. But when we put them down, we alienate them and make them more likely to vote Republican.

[Solon]

70. Not in my experience, most shoppers are middle class, as far as I can tell...

most likely lower middle class, but that's my experience, having worked at Wal-Mart myself. The poor, including Wal-Mart employees, shop at Goodwill and other secondhand stores.

[Kitty Herder]

73. You can't buy food at Goodwill, or other secondhand stores.

Food is cheaper at Wal-Mart. So are other necessities like laundry detergent and toiletries, which are usually about half the price at Wal-Mart that they are at the local grocery stores. ( I kid you not. The local stores charge a "convenience fee.") Where I live, everyone shops at Wal-mart--rich, middle-class, and poor.

However, when I lived in Salt Lake, I went to Wal-Mart a couple of times and it was different than the Wal-Mart here. For one thing, I think I was the only white person in the store. The food section was definitely the busiest part of the store, unlike here, and they stocked many bulk food items that the store here doesn't. Most of the people shopping appeared to be poor. (Not that you can really tell by looking, but their clothes looked second-hand.) In Salt Lake, people didn't have to shop at Wal-Mart; they had other options. But the other options were more expensive. And every little bit counts when you're broke.

That's just my experience with Wally-World. For what it's worth.

Edited to add: The middle class is struggling, too, especially the lower middle class. So one can hardly blame them for wanting to save a little money by shopping at Wal-Mart.

[Solon]

74. Where I live, you don't grocery shop at Wal-Mart...

unless your entire meals consist of a few frozen foods and snacks like potato chips. There are no supercenters near here, too much competition, Wal-Mart, oddly enough, can't compete for prices in my area, at least for groceries. For most other items, especially in household goods, Wal-Mart isn't any cheaper than any other big box store, indeed, they may be more expensive, especially if you are looking for specific brands, or looking for quality products.

Remember, I worked there, I've done inventory, pricing, comp shopping, etc. for them, for 2 years, most of Wal-Mart's practices do little so save customers money, but do a lot for their own bottom line. Approximately 20% of the stock in the average Wal-Mart is actually below the prices for the SAME product elsewhere, these are items that are heavily advertised, and are designed to "reel you in" while the rest of their items are either at the same price as elsewhere, or are more expensive.

The average shopper, at Wal-Mart, who goes in for ONE item that's advertised at a lower price, is more likely to pick up other items, at NO savings compared to other stores, and on average end up spending the same amount of money as they would have at other stores. They automatically assume all items in Wal-Mart are actually cheaper than elsewhere, even though that is factually not true.

[Kitty Herder]

75. You're probably right when comparing Walmart to other big box stores,

and not taking food into consideration. I can only relate my experience. Where I live, there are no other big box stores, just Wal-Mart, and the small, local grocery stores charge an arm and a leg for any non-food items. Also, there are many things we simply can't buy anywhere else in the area besides Wal-Mart.

I'm just reporting my impression from the two times I went to a Wal-Mart in Salt Lake. The store I usually shopped at was always full of mostly white, middle to upper class people and the Wal-Mart seemed to be full of minorities who appeared less-well-off. It had a huge, busy food section with lots of cheap, bulk food.

I don't think we should alienate people who shop at Wal-Mart, whatever their socio-economic status. We need all the support for Democrats we can get. We don't know why they choose to shop there, or even if, like myself and others in my area, they have no choice because they live in a rural area where Wal-Mart drove out the small businesses.

[budkin]

68. Costco all the way!

I don't shop at Sweat Mart