Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Walmart places their bets

Sometime over the last year, in Walmart's boardroom, they debated how best to fight the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act in a populist climate that is extremely unfavorable to Republicans. They were left with two choices:
  1. Stick with the Republicans against overwhelming odds this cycle, since they know they own their votes regardless, or
  2. Give up on the Republicans in 2008, and give money to the Democratic leadership, because they believe that they have a better chance of getting the Democrats to screw over the working class than they do getting Republicans elected.
This is the same Walmart that is so nervous about the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act that last month risked breaking federal laws in order to pressure their employees to vote for Republicans.

Yet, last month, it was revealed that Walmart is giving more money to House Democrats than to house Republicans during this election cycle.

They've made their choice.

While Walmart putting Democrats in their pockets is nothing new, it has always been for smaller legislation, and nothing this ambitious. The EFCA fight will be the biggest congressional fight for the Labor movement since NAFTA, and this will be a watershed moment for the Democratic Party.

Will they stand up for the working class, or will they turn their backs once again, and do the bidding of Big Business?

We know what Walmart's putting their money on.

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