Is it okay to shop at Kmart?

[catmandu57]

We're poor people and have to shop at one of the marts to connect the ends. I know mal-wart is a blood sucking evil, but we have to get our cheap chinese crap somewhere, so is Kmart okay.

[crispini]

1. Check the DU Economic activism group

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

See the posts about "Progressive Pages"

[ooglymoogly]

15. costco costco costco

their stuff is cheaper than or as cheap as kmart and they are not red like kmart. they have good suff. you can get a temperary pass or join for 35dollars which if after cristmas you need the money you can get it back.

[JNelson6563]

19. Lots of places have no Costco

Unfortunately.

[andyhappy]

2. or go to this site

www.choosetheblue.com

I know that costco gives to dems and treats their employees better than most and you can buy mountains of cheap plastic crap there! ;)

[katinmn]

3. I was wondering the same thing myself.

I thought I could shop at Target, but I'm boycotting them because they won't allow the Salvation Army to ring their bells in front of their stores anymore.:thumbsdown:

Now I have to pay blue chip prices for toilet paper and laundry soap.

[Qanisqineq]

4. The Salvation Army discriminates against gays

so it's a good thing Target is doing that.

[katinmn]

6. So maybe Target stores are heroes now?

Man, this is complicated.

[Qanisqineq]

11. I don't know about that

they contribute to republicans, too. However, I often have a hard time finding a KMart that ISN'T going out of business or isn't closed, so I gladly choose Target over Walmart any day.

[wildeyed]

8. But Target contributes mostly to repub candidates.

Breaks my heart, but Target is a red company. http://www.choosetheblue.com/main.php?backlevel=002..001Choose%20The%20Blue.002Retail%20Shopping%20and%20Fashion&prodcat=Retail+Stores

I have been buying as much as possible at Costco. I heard that Kmart was blue, but I don't have any research to support that fact.

[Beware the Beast Man]

14. Corporations contribute to whomever suits their interests-

and sadly, most corporate interests, including Target, lie on the red end of the spectrum. That's the problem with boycotts; if you make a modest living, it's difficult to damn near impossible to make changes in consumership. Sometimes, it all comes down to the bottom line. I steer clear, however, from companies that make disporpotionate contributions to the Repub party, as well as companies that exhibit an overt conservative bias (that also includes small businesses).

[wildeyed]

21. I think that the contribution habits of many businesses

reflect the beliefs of the people running them. There are successful companies out there that contribute to dems and run their businesses according to a reasonable values system.

I am not strict in my boycott, but I have moved a significant amount of my regular grocery shopping from Harris Teeter, my local repug contributing grocery chain, to Costco, who ctributes largely to dems. I shopped at Target today. My son needed a pair of shoes. But I am significantly less enthusiastic about that retailer since I found out that they mostly contribute to pubs. I am just one person and I know that I can't change the world on my own. But if these companies insist on giving money to people who think I am immoral democratic scum and think that I have no right to exist, then I will not give them my money in any great quantity.

[Midlodemocrat]

5. I'm glad Target is not allowing the SA to ring their bells

...they are anti-gay and plus the practice of begging as you walk in and out of the store has gotten completely out of hand.

[katinmn]

17. I didn't know they were anti-gay

but I'm glad to find out. Sheesh. And I thought I was relatively well-informed.

[Midlodemocrat]

18. Real Christian, huh?

...intolerance, just another RW family value.

[politicat]

20. They don't allow ANYONE to solicit. They're enforcing a reasonable

insurance and safety issue. If a SalArmy bell ringer was harmed on their property, they could be held liable. They don't want that liability, so they're enforcing their no solicitation policy. They also don't allow the Boy Scouts to sell popcorn, the Girl Scouts to sell cookies, newspaper subscription sales, Little League recruiting, Good Sam Tag sales, or any of the several thousand booths and tables that clutter up the front of my local supermarket every week.

Don't buy the Salvation Army's spin. They're not being honest about it; it's not discrimination.

Further, the Salvation Army is not exactly lily white and a good community member (at least here). They've been known to engage in some pretty unsavory behavior when it comes to money and their charitable activities.

Pcat

[noamnety]

7. No, KMART is NOT okay

They are better than Walmart, but their CEO (the guy merging them with Sears) is a republican, and the majority of their donations go to republicans. The one good thing is that they don't donate anywhere near as much as Walmart does.

Costco is the best, Walgreens and RiteAid give almost equal amounts to both parties - slightly more to the republicans, but not bad.

The thing to keep in mind is if you are buying cheap chinese crap somewhere, someone is probably making less than a living wage to produce it. It would be better to buy a few fair trade items at higher cost, but buy less in general so you don't go broke.

[medeak]

9. how about OfficeMax?

was going to buy a bunch of sony phones (they donate to dems) at kmart...perhaps should go to office max? (only other store here besides walmart..call it our town's church as you can't get near the place on a Sunday)

edited to say...they look sorta good? Even have a separate email re environmental issues.

Please watch our Web sites (www.bc.com and www.officemax.com) in the months ahead as we will post additional information on our contributions programs as it becomes available. We expect our main funding areas will include culture, education, the environment, and health and human services.

[catmandu57]

10. Their (office max)

rebate system is slower than molasses. We don't have a costco within range, and it's almost impossible to find goods made in America.

[jmowreader]

23. Not sure about OfficeMax

It's owned by Boise Cascade. Recently, BC announced (no link, sorry, read it in Home Channel News) that they getting completely out of the forest products business to concentrate on running OfficeMax.

Give it a few months to see what the effect of this will be on the workers in the forest products sector.

[UpsideDownFlag]

12. shop at GOODWILL! I do it all the time, they have good stuff for cheap.

seriously.

[katinmn]

16. Yup. I'm already a happy shopper at "pre-owned" stores

Before I buy ANYTHING new anymore I'm going to check out the used stores. I already shop at used stores for clothes and furniture.

I don't want to feed the beast any more than I have to.

[barb162]

13. from people I know who have worked there, they are not good to

their employees.

[Sara Beverley]

22. Don't shop at all! Save your money and stop feeding the bear!

Surely, one single Christmas holiday can go by without feeding the corporate bear. There are many things you can do to make up for Christmas gifts.