[Recovering_Democrat]

When I found out about the COSTCO/Anti-Bush Connection, I told some friends. One of us actually received an answer from a senior officer of the company, and I've been given permission to share it with you all! Here it is:

"Dear Member,

Thanks for taking the time to share your views with us. Perhaps you will allow me to take a moment to respond.

Costco is a publicly traded company with a widely distributed ownership. No individual employee of Costco owns more than 2% of the outstanding stock of the company.

Costco does not engage in any political activity. We have a firm rule prohibiting the contribution of any company funds in support of or against any candidate for public office. On the other hand, individual employees of this company, like those of most other companies in America, participate in the political process on their own time, and using their own funds.

In the instance you are complaining about, two of our most senior employees made a decision to support an organization that is dedicated to assisting the Democratic Party candidate in the upcoming election. Since we are a two party system, our executives have only two choices, unless they refrain from any political activity. In this case, their contribution represents a commitment, personal to them, and having nothing to do with Costco or its funds, which demonstrates active participation in the electoral process. We don't know what could be more patriotic than that.

If you are going to select businesses to patronize based solely on whether the employees support Democratic or Republican candidates, you are going to be kept very busy keeping up with the ever-changing tides of candidate support, and will have little time left to shop.

In short, I think you have been misinformed about the nature of the fund to which Mr. Brotman and Mr. Sinegal contributed, which has on its roster many fine American leaders who are very patriotic. It has nothing whatsoever to do with not supporting our President in his effort to eradicate terrorism, a cause that all Americans support.

I hope you will reconsider your decision about shopping with Costco. At least, if you make that decision, we think you should have all of the facts first.

Sincerely,
Joel Benoliel
Senior Vice President

(999 Lake Drive Issaquah, WA 98027 425/313-8100)


LOOKS LIKE THEY REALLY DON'T CARE, DOESN'T IT??

[Dataman]

LOOKS LIKE THEY REALLY DON'T CARE, DOESN'T IT??

It looks like they've been getting a lot of responses. The writer seems to lean lib himself. Too bad for Costco. It doesn't change my mind.

[King Black Robe]

Interesting that he used the "we are to patriotic" argument the Democrats always reduce themselves to.

[eureka!]

"In short, I think you have been misinformed about the nature of the fund to which Mr. Brotman and Mr. Sinegal contributed, which has on its roster many fine American leaders who are very patriotic. It has nothing whatsoever to do with not supporting our President in his effort to eradicate terrorism, a cause that all Americans support. "

Intellectually dishonest pap. Scr*w him....

[bigfootbob]

Damn straight they don't care. And the guy who wrote the response is a liar also.

I live close to Costco's home office. Sinegal routinely entertains liberal politicians and kooks at Costco's main headquarters. He had Algore and Tripper when they were pushing their stupid book. More WA Freepers were there than book buyers.

[Andrewksu]

http://www.costcoscholarshipfund.org/

Joycelyn Elders as their scholarship keynote speaker?

The problem is that the heads of these companies influence the direction of their company. For instance they would support democrats because they are more likely to have chummy relationships with China. While that is good for their bottom dollar, their stockholders, and their customers in the short term, it may not be the best for the country.

These major companies have huge influence over politics and contribute to moral advance or decay. It looks to me that their scholarship fund is a typical lefty give away. All of their keynote speakers are lefty, (not sure about Magic) and Elders is a complete nut. By giving your money to them, you contribute to their ideals and them personally.

I will not stop shopping, I will just shop elsewhere, where politics are more subdued or to my taste. That is everyone's choice, so it can go either way. It is our responsibility to support or not people, ideas, companies, parties, etc that are of good moral, ethical and political worth. If not us, who?

[Katya]

wow...at least you got a response...so far and it's been a few weeks, I've gotten no email reply at all. However, Progressive auto insurance sent me a letter similar in tone to the one you received from costco.

[kitkat]

***If you are going to select businesses to patronize based solely on whether the employees support Democratic or Republican candidates, you are going to be kept very busy keeping up with the ever-changing tides of candidate support, and will have little time left to shop. ***

What a snotty answer! Those "employees," who just happen to run the company, get their money from the customers. And the customers have every right not to contribute to any party they don't like.

[Mike Bates]

LOOKS LIKE THEY REALLY DON'T CARE, DOESN'T IT??

The writer of the letter from Costco, Joel Benoliel, cares plenty. He cares enough to himself have given money to (among others) Gore, Lieberman, the DNC, Bill Bradley, Patty Murray . . .

Yep, he cares plenty.