Walmart and the Waltons give overwhelmingly to those on the wrong side of marriage equality

March 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

As the country reaches a watershed moment for LGBT equality, the Walton family and Walmart continue to heavily back opponents of progress, according to our analysis of political contributions and a scorecard prepared by the Human Rights Campaign.

This has been a big week for marriage equality. The Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases: one about California’s Prop 8 and the other about the Defense of Marriage Act. Thousands gathered in front of the Supreme Court to show their support for one side or the other, Facebook was filled with red and pink equal signs, and hundreds of corporations even filed briefs in support of same-sex marriage.

Unfortunately, Walmart didn’t file a brief and the company’s track record tells a different story from the overwhelming support for marriage equality seen elsewhere. Walmart found itself near the bottom of the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for 2013. Among other things, the report noted that Walmart does not offer health, dental, or vision benefits to same sex partners and the company does not have company-wide organizational competency programs highlighting sexual orientation and gender identity. The Waltons, meanwhile, have their own track record of supporting anti-gay organizations and causes.

The latest data are no different. Today we compared the Human Rights Campaign’s scorecard for the 112th Congress with the Walmart PAC and Waltons’ political contributions in recent years. The figures are striking. From the 2008 cycle to 2012, the vast majority of the Waltons’ contributions to members of the 112th Congress—93%–went to legislators who oppose or do not expressly support marriage equality.[1] During that same time period, the Walmart PAC spent over $1 million on candidates with scores of 0 from HRC.

[1] This figure reflects contributions to legislators whom HRC did not specifically note as supporters of gay marriage.

Filed Under: Distorting Democracy, LGBTQ, Updates

At $115.7 billion, the Walton family remains the face of the 1% in America

March 7, 2013 By 2 Comments

This week, Forbes released its annual billionaires issue. Predictably, the Waltons, whose wealth is derived almost exclusively from their holdings in Walmart, rank among the richest people on the planet. Six of them appear on the Forbes Billionaires list, and they are collectively worth $115.7 billion. Sam Walton’s heirs rank among the top 20 richest people on the planet and his brother Bud’s children are further down the list—but still miles above the rest of us:

#11: Christy Walton, $28.2b
#14: Jim Walton, $26.7b
#16: Alice Walton, $26.3b
#17: Rob Walton, $26.1b
#276: Ann Walton Kroenke, $4.5b
#346: Nancy Walton Laurie, $3.9b

While the media slices and dices the list (Christy and Alice are the richest women in the U.S.; Alice is among the list’s divorced billionaires), it’s hard to understand what all that money really means.

The contrast between average Americans and the Waltons is starkest at the very company almost all of the Waltons’ wealth comes from, Walmart. The average Walmart worker makes $8.81 an hour. At that rate, it would take a Walmart Associate working Wamart’s definition of full-time more than 7 million years to earn as much wealth as the Walton family has.

To put it another way, the Waltons’ wealth is greater than each of the following, according to a post on Mother Jones: the amount spent by the federal government last year on food stamps, the entire 2012 budget of the state of California, and the combined 2012 budget shortfalls of all fifty states.

Christy Walton is the richest Walton and the richest woman in America. Her wealth of $28.2 billion could cover childcare costs for more than 3.6 million kids this year.[1] Alternatively, it could put over 300,000 kids through four years of college.[2]

These figures might seem farfetched, but really, it’s because the Waltons are the face of inequality in America (in case you needed another Forbes list to prove it).

[1] Based on 2010 average cost of child care center program for four-year-olds, available here.

[2] Based on in-state tuition figures, available here.

Filed Under: How Rich are the Waltons?, Updates Tagged With: , , , ,

While Walmart Gun Sales Rise…

January 7, 2013 By 2 Comments

Walmart and Walton Family Big Funders of NRA-Endorsed Candidates

A number of tragic incidents in 2012 brought gun control and the forces shaping American public policy on the issue—like the National Rifle Association and the American Legislative Exchange Council—into the spotlight. But while Walmart’s role as the nation’s largest seller of guns and ammunition has been widely reported, their role in supporting a pro-gun political agenda has not been widely understood.

Between the 2010 and 2012 federal election cycles, Walmart’s PAC gave just over $1 million to candidates endorsed by the NRA, based on our analysis of data from the Center for Responsive Politics and NRA Political Victory Fund grades and endorsements. The Waltons gave another half a million to NRA-endorsed federal politicians over that time period, including super PAC funds. In fact, among politicians with 2012 grades from the NRA, 87% of the Waltons’ 2010-2012 cycle contributions went to candidates with scores between A+ and A-.

Beyond their direct support for NRA-endorsed candidates, Walmart and the Walton family have also helped support a pro-gun agenda through their participation in the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC, a membership organization made up primarily of companies and conservative state legislators, produces right-wing model legislation that is then introduced in state legislatures nationwide.

ALEC’s pro-gun efforts have included opposing bans on semi-automatic weapons and opposing waiting periods for background checks. ALEC also helped propagate the notorious “Stand Your Ground” law linked to the killing of Trayvon Martin in Florida last February. The “Stand Your Ground” law, which initially shielded Martin’s shooter from arrest in weeks following the killing, came out of an ALEC working committee co-chaired by a Walmart executive in 2005.

Last year, amid public pressure, Walmart withdrew from ALEC. The Walton Family Foundation appears to still be a member of ALEC though, despite the fact that civil rights leaders and others have called on them to withdraw from the organization too.

As the country’s biggest seller of firearms and ammunition, Walmart has relied on gun sales to improve its dismal performance. In 2011, Walmart reportedly began stocking more guns to boost its flagging same store sales. Last month, Walmart pulled the type of assault rifle used in the Connecticut shootings from its website in the days following the attack, but it was available in about 1,700 stores nationally. The move belies Walmart and the Walton family’s support of pro-gun politicians and the company’s reliance on gun sales.

While Walmart uses guns to boost its sales and the Waltons make billions off of Walmart, they continue working behind the scenes through political giving and the Walton Family Foundation’s membership in ALEC to undermine public safety.

 

Some figures updated 4//18/13 to reflect additional information on 2012 election contributions.

Filed Under: Distorting Democracy, Updates Tagged With: , , , ,

Top 12 Walmart 1% Moments of 2012

December 19, 2012 By 5 Comments

This year, thousands of activists stood up to the Walmart 1% across the country. It was a busy year for the one percent—and for the rest of us. There was the news of alleged bribery and corruption in Mexico, Walmart leaving ALEC under pressure from the public (here’s hoping the Walton Family Foundation follows their lead next year), forced labor at Walmart suppliers, warehouse worker strikes, and a Black Friday to remember when Walmart associates went on strike over the company’s retaliation and attempts to silence those who spoke out for improvements on the job.

Click through to take a look at some of what we accomplished, and come back in the new year, because 2013 is going to be even bigger! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dismantling Middle Class Jobs, Distorting Democracy, How Rich are the Waltons?, Updates Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Maybe next year will be Mike Duke’s year

December 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Walmart CEO Mike Duke was named to Forbes’ Most Powerful list this month. He came in at #17, and those placing ahead of him were mostly heads of state; the Pope; Bill Gates; and the mayor of a city with no Walmarts, Michael Bloomberg.

The factors Forbes used to calculate Duke’s power were fairly standard. “[P]ower over lots of people”: check. Mike Duke oversees 2.2 million Walmart employees worldwide. “[T]he financial resources controlled by each person”: check. Walmart’s profits were over $15.7 billion last year. Finally, the people at Forbes say they “made sure that the candidates actively used their power.” Here, we’re not so sure we agree. Certainly, Mike Duke didn’t use his power as CEO of Walmart for the best this year.

In 2012, the New York Times revealed a massive bribery scandal and cover up at Walmart de Mexico. It was also the year Mike Duke received only 70% of non-Walton votes in his reelection to Walmart’s board, a big drop from 99% the previous year, as Forbes points out. This was the year Walmart had to suspend supplier CJ’s Seafood of Louisiana amid accusations of forced labor and other safety and labor violations. 2012 was the year when workers at Walmart-contracted warehouses in California and Illinois walked off the job over unsafe working conditions and, in California, named Walmart as a defendant in a major wage theft class action suit. Then, just a few weeks ago, Mike Duke saw history being made as associates at Walmart stores across the country took part in the biggest strike ever at the retailer. Mike Duke is ending this year facing the fallout of a tragedy: the deaths of 112 workers in a fire at a Bangladesh factory, where five of the fourteen production lines were used to make goods for sale at Walmart. Worse, it turns out that Walmart had previously refused to pay to help suppliers at Bangladesh factories upgrade their facilities and improve fire safety.

Forbes is right, Mike Duke is the CEO of a huge company and influences the lives of millions, but the list of his accomplishments in 2012 is dismal. We have just one request for him next year: Respect for Walmart associates in stores and up and down the supply chain.

Filed Under: Dismantling Middle Class Jobs, Updates Tagged With:

Walmart helps keep Waltons from falling off fiscal cliff

November 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

On Monday, Walmart announced that it is moving up the payment date on its next quarterly dividends to shareholders from early 2013 to the tail end of 2012, citing concerns about the fiscal cliff. The New York Times reports that many business owners and investors are maneuvering to avoid higher taxes next year, and Reuters points out that Walmart is the biggest company so far to move its planned dividends earlier.

Walmart has the distinction of being partially owned by the country’s wealthiest family—the Waltons—who are set to receive over $2.7 billion in dividends from the company this year alone. Three members of the Walton family sit on the company’s board of directors: chairman Rob Walton; his brother, Jim Walton; and his son-in-law, Greg Penner. Their family owns about half of Walmart, and as the company’s largest shareholders, they’re also the ones with the most to gain (or taxes to avoid paying) from the dividend schedule change. Next month, the Waltons will get an estimated $677,767,820 in dividends.

The 2003 Bush tax cuts applied to capital gains and dividends, and mostly affect high-income taxpayers. Now, Reuters explains, “Without action from Congress, the dividend tax rate will rise to the ordinary income tax rates, as high as 39.6 percent for top earners. Dividends are now taxed at 15 percent for the top four brackets and zero at the bottom.”

Interestingly, Walmart’s move to help shareholders avoid increased taxes comes the week after CEO Mike Duke met with President Obama and other business leaders to discuss a debt deal. After the meeting, Duke issued a statement calling on lawmakers to work together on an approach to avoid the fiscal cliff including raising additional revenue, among other reforms. Looks none of that revenue will come from additional taxes on Walmart’s next dividend payout of $1.34 billion.

Filed Under: How Rich are the Waltons?, Updates Tagged With: ,

Was Walmart behind a mysterious 2011 investigation into LAANE?

November 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Last spring and summer, the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE) was the subject of a massive investigation by MB Public Affairs, a right-wing opposition research firm led by Karl Rove operative Mark Bogetich. The firm requested thousands of documents from over 70 elected officials and public agencies in the LA region, costing an estimated $50,000. But the client behind the inquiries and the reason for their interest in LAANE remained a mystery.

Now, on Frying Pan News, LAANE cofounder Madeline Janis speculates about who she thinks was behind the investigation. Her conclusion: Walmart.

Behind the scenes in 2011, Walmart was again preparing an attempt to open several stores in LA. In 2004, the company’s attempt to open a store in Inglewood was squashed by the community when voters rejected a ballot initiative that would have permitted a giant Walmart superstore. Seven years later, the company was back again, hiring a lobbying firm and the soon-to-be-disgraced PR firm, Mercury. Then, in February 2012, Walmart announced plans to open several stores around LA, including a location in Chinatown.

Amid intense community opposition, a coalition of local groups organized a huge march and rally against Walmart this summer. Days before the rally, Walmart spokesperson Steve Restivo took to the Huffington Post to single out LAANE’s work in opposing Walmart.

Ultimately, MB Public Affairs’ investigation vanished into thin air, yielding a big bill and little else, but it’s obvious that Walmart wants into LA and was working to win over decision makers. While acknowledging that the evidence is circumstantial, Madeline Janis concludes,

But, with billboards all over Los Angeles announcing new Walmarts in multiple locations, my money is on Walmart as the culprit behind the mysterious investigation of 2011. And my money is also on LAANE and our partners in Chinatown, along with the brave Walmart workers who recently went on strike, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and numerous churches, small business and community groups throughout the region to hold Walmart accountable to the standard of fairness and responsibility that led to our success in 2004 in Inglewood and L.A.

Filed Under: Distorting Democracy, Updates Tagged With: ,

Waltons’ Rogues Gallery

November 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Waltons have spent $1.3 million on federal political contributions since the start of this election cycle and over $6 million since the 1990 election cycle.

Their preference for Republicans is clear: 80% of that money went to Republican candidates, committees, and super PACs. Looking through some of their top picks reveals a preference for candidates with extreme right-wing views on civil rights, immigration, women’s rights, and more. With the election looming, take a look through our slideshow to see who the Waltons have chosen to fund.

Mitt Romney – $430,000 this cycle

  • Thanks to major contributions to his super PAC, Republican Presidential nominee Romney has been the Waltons’ top candidate this election cycle. His infamous 47 percent video is just one example of what his presidency would look like—and it would be a bonanza for the Waltons.
  • Romney’s tax plan would likely involve raising taxes on the middle class and eliminating the estate tax, which would let the Waltons keep hundreds of millions of dollars in dodged taxes.

 

Denny Rehberg – $5,000 this cycle

  • Congressman Rehberg represents Montana’s at-large district in the House of Representatives and is currently facing Senator John Tester (D) in a race for a Senate seat in Montana.
  • Rehberg voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2007, which would have banned employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Worse, he refused to even adopt a non-discrimination policy against LGBT discrimination for employees in his own Congressional office.
  • Rehberg has publicly supported Arizona’s controversial immigration law, SB 1070, going so far as to file an amicus brief opposing efforts to block the law’s implementation.

 

Loy Mauch – Arkansas State Representative – $500 this cycle (later returned)

  • Loy Mauch (R-26) is a one-term Republican state representative from Bismarck, AR.
  • In letters to the editor of the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette over the years, Mauch has, among other things, argued that slavery couldn’t have been so bad because it was never condemned in the Bible and called President Lincoln a war criminal on a par with the Nazis. In 2009, he wrote: “Secession, as articulated by Thomas Jefferson, is the only cure for this country’s destructive addiction to socialism.”[1]
  • Jim Walton contributed $500 to Mauch’s campaign in May 2012. The Walmart 1% called on Walton to repudiate Mauch in an October 15 blog post and Walton responded by promptly asking for his money back.

 

Steve Womack – $24,600 since 2010 cycle

  • Womack represents the Waltons’ hometown, Bentonville, AR, in the House of Representatives.
  • This past July, Womack told reporters that the online sales tax legislation he authored was a priority for Walmart. “This is Wal-Mart’s top issue, if not one of their top issues. Wal-Mart is important to me because they are headquartered in my district.”
  • Womack faced a class action lawsuit during his time as mayor of Rogers, AR. According to Newsweek:

“If you’re coming to America illegally,” he declared in his campaign, “you don’t want to come to Rogers.” A year later the Immigration and Naturalization Service had two agents temporarily housed in the Rogers Police Department. And in March that collaboration–and the alleged abuses it generated–prompted the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) to file a class-action suit against the city and the police for racial profiling.

John Boozman – $79,800 since 2002 cycle

  • Senator Boozman has been in Congress since 2001, when he joined the House in a special election. He has managed to take in more contributions from the Waltons than any other Congressional candidate.
  • Boozman has received across the board abysmal scores for his voting record on issues including civil rights, women’s issues, the environment, immigration, and LGBT issues.
  • Following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Arizona’s anti-immigrant SB 1070, Boozman praised the decision to uphold parts of the law saying, “The state of Arizona is taking steps to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens.”

 

John McCain – $25,800 since 2000 cycle

“My friends, this supposed ‘War on Women’ or the use of similarly outlandish rhetoric by partisan operatives has two purposes, and both are purely political in their purpose and effect: The first is to distract citizens from real issues that really matter and the second is to give talking heads something to sputter about when they appear on cable television. Neither purpose does anything to advance the wellbeing of any American.”

  • The longtime senator from Arizona has found himself on the wrong side of history in recent years. He came out in favor of Arizona’s anti-immigrant SB 1070 just before it passed the Arizona State Senate, in an apparent attempt to win primary votes; led the opposition to the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, reportedly saying that it would “probably…harm the battle effectiveness which is so vital to the survival of our young men and women in the military.”

[1] Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 18, 2009 via Lexis Nexis search

Filed Under: Distorting Democracy, Updates Tagged With:

A tremendous divide

October 12, 2012 By 1 Comment

This week, Walmart associates in a dozen cities across the country risked several days’ pay to go on strike following the company’s retaliation and attempts to silence their voices.

Also this week, Walmart chair Rob Walton became an estimated $417 million richer and his family’s overall wealth grew by $1.6 billion.

Walmart associates have been coming together to call for change at Walmart for over a year. They’ve asked the company to address issues with scheduling, benefits, wages, and above all, respect in the workplace. But instead of being responsive, Walmart has attempted to silence and intimidate them through unfair disciplinary actions, cut backs in hours, and even firings. Their strike was in response to this retaliation.

While associates were taking this courageous step, Walmart’s stock soared following the news that it would soon offer a prepaid card as an alternative to checking and debit accounts. A soaring stock means good news for the Waltons, who own about half of the company, and it’s how the Waltons’ net worth leapt so incredibly this week.

As news of this strike and future actions continues to spread, it’s impossible not to note the huge gap between Walmart associates and the people they work for. It would take the average Walmart associate almost 27,000 years to make what Rob Walton made from Walmart’s rising share price on Wednesday. And Walmart CEO Mike Duke’s $18.1 million pay last year is 1,167 times the average associate’s pay. CEO pay has become incredibly out of sync with workers’, but Duke’s pay is exceptional. The average CEO-to-worker compensation was 209.4-to-1 in 2011.

As the striking Walmart associates return to work, the company should end its retaliation and consider who makes the profits possible.

 

Filed Under: Dismantling Middle Class Jobs, How Rich are the Waltons?, Updates Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Waltons could cover every state’s budget shortfall this year

September 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Following the release of this year’s Forbes 400, Josh Harkinson at Mother Jones has a great piece up today putting the Waltons’ wealth in perspective.

The six Waltons on the Forbes list are now worth $115 billion. According to the Mother Jones story, no other American family has ever controlled a 12-figure fortune. Much of the Waltons’ wealth comes from Walmart—they own half the company and three family members sit on the board. While Walmart has been good to the Waltons, Harkinson points out that the average Walmart Associate would have to work at the company for seven million years to make as much money as the Waltons are currently worth.

He also shares the following chart of seemingly astronomical expenses that are dwarfed by the Waltons’ fortune. Something to think about.

Filed Under: Dismantling Middle Class Jobs, How Rich are the Waltons?, Updates Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts
About this website
© 2012 Making Change at Walmart