Governor Visiting Costco for Bargains on Signatures (California)

[Judi Lynn]

April 13, 2004
CALIFORNIA
Governor Visiting Costco for Bargains on Signatures
Wholesaler assists Schwarzenegger's petition drive to alter workers' comp.

By Peter Nicholas and Joe Mathews, Times Staff Writers


Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, bidding to dramatically cut business costs in the state, is turning to an unexpected ally: Costco, a no-frills, discount wholesaler known for selling its ketchup and tires in bulk.

To the surprise of many customers, he was at a store in Burbank on Monday shopping not for bargains, but for signatures to place on the November ballot an initiative that would overhaul the state's $20-billion workers' compensation system that aids workers injured on the job.

Trolling for signatures in shopping mall parking lots is commonplace. What's unusual is the partnership between the governor of California and the nation's 29th largest corporation that allows him to market his political agenda in the aisles of a giant warehouse store and with the help of its paid staff.

"It's extremely unusual in California politics and probably could not be duplicated by anyone other than a celebrity politician," said Harvey Englander, a Los Angeles political consultant.
(snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-costco13apr13,1,7753959.story?coll=la-headlines-california

[leesa]

1. Costco is helping to push workers comp cuts?

[Enraged_Ape]

2. Waitaminnit, I thought Costco were the good guys

Was this a corporate decision to let Herr Gropenfuhrer do this, or is it, as I suspect, the decision of a wingnut manager?

[Le Taz Hot]

3. The local Costcos

REFUSE to let Democrats on their property to register voters, yet every weekend I see Republicans there, being paid to gather signatures for one cause or another and to register REPUBLICAN voters (the incidents of registration fraud would fill volumes). Target, however, says we can come anytime. If that information influences your shopping, so be it.

[tinanator]

8. you're kidding?

thats a big fat lawsuit. document it. Could out of staters please make a point of posting Ahnold articles? I know there is coverage of the British newscaster's lawsuit making the front pages of NYC papers, but WE GET NOTHING out here. It would be very useful if these stories were passed along here so Californians could avail themselves of the allegations. Thanks!

[peterh]

14. here’s a nifty little site….

http://www.rtumble.com/index.htm

If you haven’t already come across it….it’s updated every morning….mostly in-state papers and a few of the majors outside…

May not be what you’re actually looking for, but on some days, a small paper will have a good one….

[THUNDER HANDS]

4. Costco, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target

They're all soul-sucking lifeless voids where zombie-like suburbanites go to congregate and compare cheaply-made bobbles.

I hate those stores.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Do you hate suburbanites too?

Some of my best friends are "zombie-like suburbanites."

[Tempest]

7. You should learn more about Costco before ripping them

They pay high wages, give full benefits and treat their employees well.

They are the anti-Walmart.

The owners of Costco are big Democrat contributors.

[Le Taz Hot]

17. Which is why I put the word "LOCAL"

in the subject line. :eyes: (So sad to see the AOLing of DU.)

[Tempest]

18. I'm not responding to your post

So sad to see someone who's been around DU for so long unable to follow a thread.

[BiggJawn]

9. Where do you get the essentials, then, Rat?

With the exception of Meijer's, you've named all the major retailers in my area...

[GOPisEvil]

10. So the fact that Costco pays higher wages, allows unions,

and their CEO is committed to defeating Bush* means nothing, I guess.

[shanti]

15. thanks...

i live in the suburbs, but can hardly be described in the terms you mentioned...:grr:

[erpowers]

16. Where do you shop at?

[nolabels]

6. Woe is California

The Neandertal was on the local tube news, they were stretching his vocabulary while he was explaining the dramatic (probably staged) rescue of that swimmer

I was so embarrassed watching him trying to string together sentences that I had to tune it out.

This handicap being used as the California governor is like making Sumo Wrestler the horse jockey in an entry for the Kentucky Derby

Welcome to the Stone Age!


(snip)
Neandertals: One of the species of early man during this period was Homo Neandertalensis, the Neandertal man, named after the valley (Neander Tal) in which the skeleton of an old man was discovered.

In the beginning, scientists believed Neandertals were dim-witted brutes with clubs and beast-like features, who walked with bent knees and shambling gaits, with heads slung forward on their big squat necks. These were the ancestors nobody wanted! It was the stuff of horror movies, and just as fictional!(snip)
(snip)
The Neandertals died out around 30,000 BCE. One theory is that they were killed off by some species of Homo sapien man, but there is no evidence of this. Another theory is that they married into other groups(the Kennedy's are a old clan, after all), and that over time, they ceased to exist as a separate species. But these are just theories. Nobody knows why they disappeared. Considering how smart they were, and how advanced for their time, it's an especially fascinating puzzle!
(snip)
http://members.aol.com/bkdonnclass/EarlyMan.html#NEAN
(snip)

[progressivebydesign]

11. I think it's a local decision.

From what I've read about the CEO of Costco. He would not go for that at all. It's a model company to work for. The CEO's salary is a pittance compared to the average CEO's salary. He's a good guy. I think it's the policy of the local stores to allow certain petition people at their stores. I would TOTALLY complain to Corporate about that store that only allows Republicans.

[Ernesto]

12. You're correct

The Wall Street Journal recently hammered Costco for paying their employees too much. The WSJ says that stock holders could make more $ if Costco would only treat their help like Walmart treats theirs...

[Lorien]

13. Write to Costco

https://www.costco.com/frameset.asp?trg=custservice%2Fcontactcostco%2Easp&log=

Tell them that you don't approve!