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The Wal-Mart 22

By Jonathan Tasini, TomPaine.com. Posted November 9, 2005.


Why did 22 Democrats in Congress vote to give Wal-Mart advanced notice of inspections by the Department of Labor?
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Last week, I attended the screening of Robert Greenwald's new film, "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price." It is a great piece of investigative work that gives voice to the people and communities Wal-Mart has destroyed. You have to see it (or buy your own copy here). During the movie, I caught myself thinking: If you want to know why the Democratic Party will continue to be the minority party in the country, look no further than the raft of Democratic operatives and elected representatives who do the bidding of Wal-Mart.

Let's start by looking at what I call the Wal-Mart 22: The 22 Democrats who, on June 24, voted against an amendment to the 2006 fiscal year labor appropriations bill (offered by Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut). This bill barred any spending of money by the Department of Labor to implement the part of the deal the department had made with Wal-Mart calling for advance notice of inspections any time the DOL planned to investigate Wal-Mart. This is the deal that was recently heavily criticized by the department's inspector general.

That point bears repeating -- the federal government, the people who are supposed to protect citizens from corporate abuse, essentially said to perhaps the most notorious corporate law breaker in recent years, "when we come looking for wrongdoing in your company, we're going to tell you ahead of time."

Anyway, so who were the Wal-Mart 22?  Marion Berry, Ark., Sanford Bishop, Ga.; Dan Boren, Okla.; G. K. Butterfield, N.C.; James Clyburn, S.C.; Bud Cramer, Ala.; Henry Cuellar, Texas; Artur Davis, Ala., Diana DeGette, Colo.; Harold Ford, Tenn.; Charles Gonzalez, Texas; Ron Kind, Wis.; Jim Matheson, Utah; Dennis Moore, Kan.; Mike Ross, Ark.; John Salazar, Colo.; Vic Snyder, Ark.; John Tanner, Tenn.; Mike Thompson, Calif.; Bennie Thompson, Miss., Ed Towns, N.Y.; and Al Wynn, Md.

I note a few things about the Wal-Mart 22. A disturbing number of them were members of the Congressional Black Caucus (Bishop, Butterfield, Clyburn, Davis, Ford, Thompson, Town and Wynn). I know Harold Ford is running for the Senate and needs money. But why should any labor union give him a dime if he's protecting Wal-Mart, a company where not a single worker is a union member because of the company's virulently anti-union behavior?

And then up pop the names of Dennis Moore, Jim Matheson, Vic Snyder, Ed Towns, John Tanner and Henry Cuellar, six of the 15 Democrats who voted for the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Is there any more evidence needed that these six deserve to be booted from office via a challenge in the Democratic primary or, at least, not receive a dime from organized labor?

Let's tally up some other Democrats who are on the Wal-Mart dole: Matt Miller, a fellow at the Center for American Progress, is doing consulting work for Wal-Mart. Miller considers himself a Democrat and CAP, I believe, fancies itself as a rapid-response operation in opposition to the Republican idea- and-spin machine. Mia Masten, Wal-Mart's East Coast rep, is a former Clinton administration staffer (her post was special assistant to the senior adviser to the president for policy development). One of the Chicago Daley brothers, Michael, was hired by Wal-Mart to lobby for the zoning changes to clear the way for two new stores; as a local observer told me, when Daley's firm is hired, "it is a signal that his position is the one supported by the mayor, a very powerful signal." I could go on, but you get the point.


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Jonathan Tasini is president of the Economic Future Group and writes his "Working In America" columns for TomPaine.com on an occasional basis. His blog Working Life chronicles the labor movement and other issues affecting American workers.

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Sad but true.
Posted by: Colin on Nov 9, 2005 1:56 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
'Stop the money -- and their hearts will follow.'

As a foreigner who regularly comes to have a look at what's going on at Alternet, I've seen some strange, some shocking and some genuinely relevant information posted on the site. I don't know if I can think of anything quite so sad though.

Don't get me wrong - over here where I live there's the awful stink of bad politics and selfish individuals hanging in the air too, but when it gets so bad that we're having to tempt politicians like lab rats in order to get them to do the job they should be doing in the first place, you have to ask has the system itself run it's course?

People are always going to make things more 'efficient' - we can't help it, it's in our nature. Is it simply the case that politicians over the decades have made government a more efficient place to f**k over the little people by slowly chipping away at one 'right' here and then another there? (That's not to imply it is necessarily done deliberatly - instead you have to look at the net effect of 50 years work.)

Who knows?

Time for a rethink? I hope so.

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» RE: Sad but true. Posted by: John Rice
It's called "Take the Money and Run"
Posted by: Sojourner on Nov 9, 2005 2:51 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Nothing unusual about it. It's not peculiar to politicians. It's the American Way. If you can salt it away in a trust, your descendants will bless your memory.

So long as all that matters is wealth -- "money can't buy happiness"? who you kidding -- so long as everything is up for sale because that way people can get what they deserve, right? -- corruption rules!

On a much lower scale, it's employees who lie to benefit their employers (and to keep their jobs) and bureaucrats who gladly mess over citizens, even if what they do is clearly against the law.

Our society is corrupt. Ah, but we ain't like the Mexicans where you have to bribe everybody, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong. A bribe is what we mean when we say "Money talks. BS walks."

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A good idea
Posted by: Lincoln fan on Nov 9, 2005 4:32 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"The Change To Win federation and the AFL-CIO should jointly send a letter to Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Charles Schumer (head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and Rahm Emanuel (head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) demanding that no work be given to any Democratic operative or consulting firm that shills for Wal-Mart. If the party refuses to turn off the spigot for Wal-Mart shills, then, the two federations should pledge not to send a single dollar to any campaign committee."

The idea here is to force the Democratic party to do what they want by threatening not to support them with money. This is a practical strategy. My idea is an extension of this. It is for the voters to force both parties to do what they want by threatening not to support them with votes. Click on a new idea

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» A little Posted by: slackdaemon
There are plenty of things to like at Walmart but when it comes to ethics
Posted by: maxpayne on Nov 9, 2005 6:56 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
, not to mention morality or even legality, that company needs a lot of fixing.

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Day after Day we keep saying there is no difference between.....
Posted by: Pepper on Nov 9, 2005 8:29 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
.....the parties and here is another just such example.

He is right that its a shame we have to BRIBE our elected officials to do the right thing. I just sent out that list of those who voted for it to my very extensive email list. Two of my states congressmen were on that list and I blew up their names and highlighted them for everyone to see.

We are watching now more closely than we ever have before and its amazing what we are seeing. This isn't the only ANTI-AMERICAN PEOPLE legislation these people have voted for. But its cumulative. There is so much that you really wonder why they aren't worried about reelection? Maybe the votes are rigged. Ya think???? LOL

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It's not just wally world
Posted by: cstriker on Nov 9, 2005 10:33 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Change To Win federation and the AFL-CIO should jointly send a letter to Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Charles Schumer (head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and Rahm Emanuel (head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) demanding that no work be given to any Democratic operative or consulting firm that shills for Wal-Mart. If the party refuses to turn off the spigot for Wal-Mart shills, then, the two federations should pledge not to send a single dollar to any campaign committee.

Why only Wal-Mart? Why not demand the same of anyone that shills for any corporation? Business is good, but ultimate government was put in place to protect the people. If corporations are allowed to dictate laws in the same manner as they are now, then before you know it you will have no choice but to commit yourself to slavery or start a revolution.

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» RE: It's not just wally world Posted by: Lincoln fan
» RE: It's not just wally world Posted by: cstriker
» RE: It's not just wally world Posted by: Lincoln fan
» RE: It's not just wally world Posted by: cstriker
Greenwald's take on the subject...
Posted by: cstriker on Nov 9, 2005 11:46 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Those of you that are focusing on Wal-Mart should read this previous article in which Greenwald expresses his view on the fact that there is a larger systemic problem. He didn't produce the movie just to put eyes on Wal-Mart. He wanted people to look at the larger picture.

Please read this article.

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Campaign Finance Reform anyone?
Posted by: texshelters on Nov 9, 2005 11:56 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Keep out corporate influence. Bring back REAL reform. It's a really simple idea. Campaign finance reform will keep the Congress off the auction block. Here it goes:

1. No person can donate more than $1000 to any campaign

2. Corporations, churches and other orginizations cannot donate to political parties (including unions, whose individuals can contribute) nor can they give to PACS or other so called nonpartisan groups.

3. Bring back the fairness doctrine of equal time so when the current president gets news coverage, his opponent in the election gets equal time.

4. Force the public airwaves (radio and TV) to be public by forcing broadcasters who want to keep their liscences to give one half hour of free time to all qualified candidates, Libertarian and Green as well as the Republicrats.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

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where the money goes
Posted by: doombilly on Dec 29, 2005 9:59 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Hey thanks for this article. I found it whilst trying to find some connection between Jack Abramoff and the two democrats that went on the same kinds of trips that DeLay and his aides did.

I wonder if there is any connection between the Wal-Mart 22 and Abramoff?

my blog

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