Posted on 09/14/2014 11:17:05 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
After being stiff-armed by Democrats on a liquor-tax dispute, Costco execs have shifted their loyalties to Republicans in this year’s state Senate races.
When it comes to politics, Costco Wholesale has a well-deserved reputation as a Democratic-leaning corporation.
Company co-founders Jim Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman have hosted President Obama at fundraisers in their lakefront mansions. Costco executives have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates and causes over the past decade.
But in the key battle for control of the state Senate this year, top Costco brass — miffed at Democrats over a liquor-fee dispute — have essentially switched sides, backing the Republican Party’s efforts to maintain and expand its majority coalition.
Employees and executives of the Issaquah-based retailer have donated more than $48,000 to Republicans and $17,000 to Democrats so far this year in state contests, according to filings with the state Public Disclosure Commission (PDC).
That’s a notable turnabout from recent elections. In 2012, Costco employees and executives gave $93,000 to Democrats and $21,000 to Republicans in state races. In 2010, $37,000 went to Democrats and just $750 to Republicans.
“Kinda conspicuous, isn’t it?” said Sinegal, the former Costco CEO and current board member, who acknowledged the liquor fight in Olympia was at the heart of the shift in donations.
The realignment comes after Democrats stiff-armed an effort by Costco and allies to eliminate a 17 percent license fee on retailers selling liquor to restaurants.
Sinegal spoke at the Democratic National Convention two years ago and said he doesn’t recall ever donating to a Republican before. (A search of election records suggests he’s right.)
But in the state Senate, it was mostly Republicans who supported the proposed change to liquor laws backed by Costco, as well as other grocers and restaurants. Hence the political donations....
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
Classic definition of a conservative is a liberal who got mugged and survived. Don’t get between a liberal and his wallet...
Republicans living up to low-tax promises win the support of Democrat businessmen. There’s a lesson here.
They’re just backing the winning horse. When fortunes change they will cut checks for liberals.
who cares..let’s just take thier money!!
Oops!
How unpatriotic of them!/s
This is nothing but which side of the fence is greener. This week it’s the right. Next week, after a little fertilizer spread around, it’ll be back to the left.
(rolls eyes)
48K is chump change to an outfit the size of Costco.
How much did they pay for the (Federal) Senate sets?
Actually if the regulatory state is strong enough (as it is now), you can often get a better return on your investment by buying politicians and regulators who will hamper your competitors rather than investing in advancing the business.
And, Don't get between a liberal politician and YOUR wallet.
It will still be a leftist corporation of course.
Just switching to the other end of the Uniparty temporarily
You beat me to posting this article from my home turf. We have some acquaintances who own the largest liquor store in the area and are really ticked off about the 17% tax also. I don’t drink but occasionally go in to buy a diet Ginger Ale.
Yes, their long-term bias is leftist-progressive. Look at the people they hire and even the visitors going in and out of their corporate headquarters and you can spot it immediately.
... to eliminate a 17 percent licensefeetax on retailers selling liquor to restaurants.
There! Fixed it.
With all due respect to mom and pop, please consider the following. As a consequence of the parents of Costco's executives not making sure that their children were taught about the federal government's constitutionally limited powers and associated limits on Congress's power to lay taxes, unless the 17 percent license tax indicated above involves interstate trade, therefore falling under Congress's Commerce Clause powers, then the feds have no constitutional authority to lay such a tax imo.
Here's what the Supreme Court has said about such cases in general.
”State inspection laws, health laws, and laws for regulating the internal commerce of a State, and those which respect turnpike roads, ferries, &c. are not within the power granted to Congress [emphases added].” —Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824.
“Congress is not empowered to tax for those purposes which are within the exclusive province of the States.” —Justice John Marshall, Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824.
So for those liquor sales for which the indicated federal tax is being applied to intrastate sales, then once again corrupt federal lawmakers are laughing all the way to the bank to deposit corporate bribes that they accepted to make loopholes in federal laws which they actually had no constitutional authority to make in the first place.
Are we having fun yet?
With the exception of 1992, Costco by far donates primarily to Democrats, with Republicans receiving about 4% of their donations. Doesn’t appear that they are just opportunist donators, but quite the progressive organization.
https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/totals.php?id=D000000703&cycle=2014
Go look at Progressive Insurance if you want to see far-left.
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