Sat, Jul 05 2008
|
|
Published January 12, 2008 05:31 pm - As a merchant, Sam Walton shied away from politics. Bad for business. Better to remain neutral, at least publicly, on divisive political issues. Andy Ostmeyer: Wal-Mart better late than never to political game By Andy Ostmeyer Globe Metro Editor As a merchant, Sam Walton shied away from politics. Bad for business. Better to remain neutral, at least publicly, on divisive political issues. Not so his baby. A search through the database of the Center for Responsive Politics shows a dramatic about-face for Wal-Mart. A decade ago, in the 1998 election cycle, Wal-Mart gave only $160,825 to federal candidates, with 7 percent of that going to Democrats and 93 percent to Republicans. Fifteen other retailers gave more money in federal races that year. By 2002, Wal-Mart was giving more than $1 million annually. In the 2004 election, the retailer gave nearly $2.2 million to federal candidates. So far in the 2008 election cycle, it already has doled out $636,000, and the races are only beginning to heat up. In this cycle, by the way, Wal-Mart has given 41 percent to Democrats and 59 percent to Republicans, according the Center’s records. Also in the last six election cycles (1998 to 2008) Wal-Mart’s political action committee has become a major player. In 1998, Wal-Mart’s PAC collected a paltry $230,796. For the 2004 cycle, the PAC amassed $2.6 million, and for the 2006 cycle, more than $3 million. Already in the 2008 election cycle, Wal-Mart’s PAC has collected more than $1.2 million, with 42 percent going to Democrats and 58 percent to Republicans. In the last six election cycles, the PAC has collected about $9.5 million, with Southwest Missouri’s own Roy Blunt picking up at least $45,000 of that money. Political money means little without political connections in the form of a lobbyist, and here, too, Wal-Mart is stepping up big time, according to a recent Associated Press analysis. Wal-Mart spent nearly $1.8 million in the first six months of 2007 and is on pace to surpass the nearly $2.5 million it spent for all of 2006. And this comes at a time when money spent on lobbying by corporations seems to be slowing down. Wal-Mart spent more than $4 million on lobbying in the past 18 months compared with the $6.6 million it collectively spent in the prior seven years, according to federal lobbying reports analyzed by the AP. 
•
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
More from the Politics Presidential section
McCain calls for energy-efficient government Obama shares fundraisers with Clinton
|
Print this story
E-mail this story
Post to del.icio.us
Discuss this story
Running mates could come from Missouri or Kansas w/ link to the web site, politico.com
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
The Joplin Globe Publishing Company 117 East Fourth Street, Joplin, MO 64801 Using our site is your agreement to the terms and conditions. News: news@joplinglobe.com • (417)623-3480 Advertise with the Joplin Globe Copyright © 2006 The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO All rights reserved. |
Popular Business directory links - Joplin Apartments | Joplin Attorneys | Joplin Auto Dealers | Joplin Auto Parts | Joplin Auto Repair | Joplin Beauty Salons | Joplin Car Rental | Joplin Dentists | Joplin Doctors | Joplin Flowers | Joplin Hotels | Joplin Insurance | Joplin Loans | Joplin Mortgages | Joplin Movers | Joplin Pizza | Joplin Realtors | Joplin Restaurants | Joplin Storage | Joplin Tax Preparation | Joplin Travel | Joplin Featured | More...
|
|
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. • CNHI Classified Advertising Network • CNHI News Service 
|