Democrats: Do as I Say and Ignore the Cash

A couple months ago I wrote a couple of posts (here and here) about how Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz’s former organization 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, Dane County Supervisor Brett Hulsey and Ed Garvey's Law Firm, pure Democrats all, were leading the opposition to a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Monona. Garvey’s firm is behind most of the Wal-Mart opposition in Wisconsin. According to the latest overview of Local Wal-Mart Proposals this coalition of the 'willing to pay more', have failed to stop the project.

Monona: Wal-Mart has given the city a final set of site plans, which are being reviewed by city staff and consultants, said David Berner, Monona administrator. The plans call for a 203,000-square- foot Supercenter at the Beltline and South Towne Drive that would have underground parking. The plans go to the Plan Commission in late September. Because the land does not need to be rezoned, it does not need council approval, he said.

The Democratic Party may not, however, be the Party of Consistent Principle in all matters Wal-Mart. Hat Tip to Dennis York for pointing out that the Wisconsin Democrats are happy to accept Wal-Mart money, and are also happy to spend it at America’s discount price leader.

Apparently these Democrats have selective outrage over Wal-Mart's profit margin - especially when the State Senate Democratic Committee accepted a $3,000 contribution from Wal-Mart's Political Action Committee on April 25th of 2005, a little more than a month before their press conference. I guess when your campaigns gain financially from Wal-Mart's obscene profits, borne on the backs of its underpaid workers, all is forgotten. I imagine that $3,000 of blood money would pay for more than a few workers' health benefits at Wal-Mart.

To make matters worse, guess who buys their office supplies at Wal-Mart? Once again, the State Senate Democratic Committee, who purchased $147 worth of office supplies at the Madison Wal-Mart on June 8th of 2005. Boy, those low prices are a good deal, aren't they? The workers won't be able to feed their children, but the Senate Democrats got a great deal on a Swingline stapler.

It may be an interesting little exercise to monitor the 1000 Friends of Wisconsin website for the press release where Garvey, Cieslewicz, Hulsey and Monona Alderman Peter McKeever jointly call for the return of all Wal-Mart contributions to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. When your actions are based on your principles it’s called integrity.