Who paid for Repubs and Dems in our last election?

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The Logo Lowdown, part 1

THE 2006 ELECTION RESULTS HAVE JUST COME IN! Not the polling results for Congress, of course—we got those last November. I’m talking about the money numbers—the votes cast in cash by major corporations eager to elect Congress critters beholden to them.

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The final reports to the Federal Election Commission arrived last month, revealing that a record level of corporate money poured into the corrupt system, with the preponderance of it flowing into the coffers of Republican candidates. It was hardly surprising, as George W and GOP congressional leaders have long since hitched themselves to the corporate wagon, loading it with billions of dollars’ worth of special tax breaks, regulatory favors, trade scams, no-bid contracts, subsidies, and other goodies.
Drug makers, for example, got Congress to hand them a multibillion-dollar boondoggle with passage of a Medicare drug bill that was essentially written by their lobbyists.
Computer giants have had Congress holding open the visa gates so they could bring tens of thousands of low-wage engineers and programmers from India and elsewhere to the U.S., knocking down the overall pay scale for these middle- class jobs.
Meat processors fought off consumers demanding action on mad-cow disease, even getting Congress to stall the simple requirement that food products have country-of-origin labeling.

Under GOP control, industry after industry has been porking out. You probably won’t be surprised to hear that in order to keep on in the same fashion, corporate America handed out generous campaign donations to its favorites in 2006.

But—which corporations, exactly? Working with the Center for Responsive Politics, our intrepid research director, Laura Ehrlich, has compiled a handy-dandy list of brand-name corporations that were major political players in the ’06 elections. We include only those that put $100,000 or more into candidates’ pockets, with at least two thirds of their money going to one particular party. The sums include donations from corporate executives and PACs.

Since these outfits rake in your consumer dollars, then donate a portion to the GOP, which in turn backs the anticonsumer, anti-worker, anti-environment agenda of the corporations, you might want to consult this Lowdowner’s Shopping Guide when making future decisions about how to vote with your consumer dollars.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE COMPANIES
Corporation & products Total contributed Percentage contributed
Silver Eagle Distributors $205,484 100% to GOP
Molson Coors Brewing
Coors, Molson, Carling, Killian’s Irish Red, Blue Moon, Keystone, Zima, Winterfest.
$168,597 83% to GOP
Reyes Holdings $109,525 100% to GOP
Proctor & Gamble
Eukanuba, Folgers, Iams, Metamucil, Millstone, Pringles; see also Consumer Products.
$356,674 81% to GOP
Altria
Kraft products including but not limited to: Maxwell House, General Foods, Sanka, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Starbucks, Tazo, Kool-Aid, Baker’s Hot Chocolate Mix, Del Monte juice drinks, Country Time, Crystal Light, Quench, Tang, Capri Sun, Fruit2O, Back to Nature products, Kraft cheese cubes, Breakstone’s Cottage Cheese, Knudsen, Light n’ Lively, Athenos Hummus, natural cheese (Athenos, Casino, Churny, Cracker Barrel, Delissio, DiGiorno, Handi-Snacks, Harvest Moon, Hoffman’s, MacLaren’s Imperial), Velveeta, Cheez Whiz, Oscar Mayer, Louis Rich, Taco Bell Dinner Kits, Lunchables, Boca, Tombstone, Bull’s-Eye BBQ Sauce, Del Monte canned fruits and vegetables, CarbWell products, Aylmer products, Grey Poupon, Cream of Wheat, Dream Whip, Jell-O Knox Gelatine, Balance products, Ever Fresh, Cool Whip, Barnum’s Animals, Biscos, Café Crème, Cameo, Chips Ahoy!, Honeymaid, Lorna Doone, Mallomars, National Arrowroot, Newtons, Nilla, Nutter Butter, Oreo, SnackWells, Teddy Grahams, Air Crisps, Better Cheddars, Cheese Nips, Doo Dad, Flavor Crisps, Harvest Crisps, Ritz, Stoned Wheat Thins, Triscuit, Uneeda, Zwieback, Balance brands, Planters, Corn Nuts, Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme,  Kraft Caramels, Toblerone, Claussen Pickles, Alpha-Bits, Banana Nut Crunch, Blueberry Morning, Bran Flakes, Cranberry Almond Crunch, Shredded Wheat, Fruit and Fibre, Golden Crisp, Grape-Nuts, Honeycomb, Raisin Bran, Sugar-Crisp, Good Seasons salad dressing, Seven Seas salad dressing, Miracle Whip, A1 sauce, Shake ‘n Bake.
$1,264,435 65% to GOP
UST Inc.
Wines: Chateau Ste Michelle, Columbia Crest, Col Solare, Conn Creek, Distant Bay, Domaine St Michelle, 14 Hands, Northstar, Red Diamond, Saint M, Snoqualmie,  Stimson Estate Cellars, Villa Mt Eden, Boonaroo, Spring Valley Vineyard, Antinori; see also Tobacco Products.
$531,500 86% to GOP
Dean Foods
Alta Dena, Barbe’s, Barber’s, Berkeley Farms, Brown’s Dairy, Country Fresh, Creamland, Dairy Ease, Dean’s, Gandy’s, Garelick Farms, Hershey’s Milks and Milkshakes, Horizon Organic, International Delight, LAND O LAKES, Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms, Louis Trauth, Mayfield Dairy, McArthur Dairy, Meadow Brook Dairy, Meadow Gold, Melody Farms, Mountain High Yoghurt, Oak Farms Dairy, Organic Cow of Vermont, PET Dairy, Price’s Creameries, Purity Dairies, Rachel’s Organic, Reiter Dairy, Robinson Dairy, Schepps Dairy, Silk Soymilk, Stroh’s, T.G. Lee Dairy, TofuTown.
$523,400 71% to GOP
PepsiCo
Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi ONE, Mountain Dew, Code Red, LiveWire, MDX, AMP, Mug Root Beer, Mirinda Orange, Sierra Mist, Tropicana drinks and juices, Frappuccino, Starbucks DoubleShot, Aquafina, Lipton, SoBe, Quaker Milk Chillers, Baked!, Cheetos, Cracker Jack, Doritos, Fritos, Funyuns, Gamesa Cookies, Lay’s Potato, Oh Boy! Oberta Meat Snacks, Rold Gold Pretzels, Ruffles, Sabritones, Tostitos, Sun Chips, Cap’n Crunch, Life Cereal, Quisp, Mother’s Natural Foods, Kretschmer Wheat Germ, Aunt Jemima, Rice-A-Roni.
$376,392 70% to GOP
Pilgrim’s Pride
Poultry, eggs, deli products.
$351,400 100% to GOP
Flowers Foods
Nature’s Own, Cobblestone Mill, Sunbeam Bread, Bunny Bread, ButterKrust, European Bakers, BlueBird, Mrs. Freshley’s, Mi Casa, Tesoritos.
$182,950 100% to GOP
Smithfield Foods
Meats: Smithfield, John Morrell, Kretschmar, E-Z Cut, Dinner Bell, Rath Black Hawk, Rodeo, Hunter, Peyton’s, Tobin’s First Prize, Farmland, Roegelein, OhSe, Patrick Cudahy, La Abuelita, Pavone, Ember Farms, Cook’s, Stefano Foods, Butterball, Gwaltney.
$166,360 86% to GOP
Swift & Company
Beef and pork supplier.
$138,750 75% to GOP
ConAgra
Act II Popcorn, Andy Capp’s, Angela Mia, Award, Banquet, Big Mama Sausage, Blue Bonnet, Brown ‘N Serve, Chef Boyardee, Crunch ‘n Munch, DAVID, Dennison’s, Egg Beaters, Fernando’s, Firecracker, Fleischmann’s, Gebhardt, Gilardi Foods, Gilroy, Gulden’s, Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt’s Snack Pack, J. Hungerford Smith, Jiffy Pop, Kid Cuisine, Knott’s Berry Farm, La Choy, Lamb Weston, Lamb Weston Inland Valley, Libby’s, Luck’s, Manwich, Marie Callender’s, Move Over Butter, Orville Redenbacher’s, PAM, Parkay, Patio, Pemmican, Penrose, Peter Pan, Ranch Style, Reddi-wip, Ro*Tel, Rosarita, Slim Jim, Squeeze ‘N Go, Swiss Miss, The Max, Van Camp’s, Wesson, Wolf.
$123,000 82% to GOP
A&R Foods $119,600 98% to GOP
HJ Heinz
Bagel Bites, Boston Market, Catelli, Classico, Delimex, Farley’s, Greenseas, Guloso, Heinz Ketchup, Heinz Vinegar, HP Sauce, Heinz 57, Jack Daniel’s Sauces and Marinades, Lea & Perrins, Nancy’s, Ne-nerina, Olivine, Ore-Ida, Orlando, Plasmon, Polly Mi Chica, Polly Rice Flour, Smart Ones, tinytums, T.G.I. Friday’s, Wattie’s, Weight Watchers Foods, Wyler’s.
$105,898 74% to GOP
United Dairy Farmers
Homemade Brand ice cream, Premium Homemade ice cream and yogurt
$168,400 100% to GOP
E&J Gallo Winery
Gallo wines, Bridlewood Estate, Frei Brothers, Indigo Hills, Louis M. Martini, MacMurray Ranch, Turning Leaf, Bella Sera, Black Swan, DaVinci, Ecco Domani, Red Bicyclette, Whitehaven, Carlo Rossi, Livingston Cellars, Peter Vella, Wild Vines, Burlwood, Copperidge, Liberty Creek, William Wycliff Vineyards.
$175,120 94% to Dems
Southern Wine & Spirits $176,250 77% to Dems
Charmer Sunbelt Group $110,850 95% to Dems
Astrale e Terra Winery $100,400 100% to Dems

 

TOBACCO COMPANIES
Corporation & products Total contributed Percentage contributed
Altria Group
Philip Morris products: Apollo Soyuz, Bond Street, Caro, Chesterfield, Diana, F 6, L&M, Lark, Longbeach, Marlboro, Merit, Multifilter, Muratti, Optima, Parliament, Peter Jackson, Petra, Philip Morris, Polyot, Red & White, SG, Start, Vatra, Virginia Slims.
$1,288,703 65% to GOP
Reynolds American
Cigarettes: Camel, Kool, Winston, Salem, Doral, Pall Mall, Barclay, Belair, Capri, Carlton, GPC, Lucky Strike, Misty,  Monarch,  More, Now, Tareyton, Vantage, Viceroy, American Spirit. Smokeless tobacco: H.B. Scott’s Private Blend, Morgan’s, Levi Garrett, Peachey, Taylor’s Pride, Union Workman.
$860,000 86% to GOP
UST Inc.
Smokeless Tobacco: Copenhagen, Skoal, Rooster, Red Seal, Husky, Skoal Bandit.
$575,900 85% to GOP
Loews Corporation
Holding company for: CNA Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, Lorillard, Inc. products (Newport, Kent, True, Maverick, Old Gold), Texas Gas Transmission Company, Gulf South Pipeline, Loews Hotels, Bulova.
$235,250  87% to GOP
Vector Group
Liggett Select, Eve, Grand Prix, Quest, Jade, Pyramid, USA, Tourney, Tourney
$110,100 84% to Dems

 

BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS
Corporation & products Total contributed Percentage contributed
National Beer Wholesalers Assn. $3,064,250 69% to GOP
Nat’l Fedn of Independent Business $897,431 90% to GOP
National Assn of Convenience Stores $811,332 78% to GOP
Wine and Spirits Wholesalers $665,858 69% to GOP
National Cattleman’s Beef Assn. $386,294 76% to GOP
Food Marketing Institute $343,071 89% to GOP
Internat’l Franchise Assn. $338,500 87% to GOP
Hardwood Federation $313,969 79% to GOP
U.S. Chamber of Commerce $231,440 80% to GOP
American Meat Institute $231,234 81% to GOP
American Forest & Paper Assn. $218,171 88% to GOP
National Pork Producers Assn. $178,801 75% to GOP
Nat’l Assn. of Chain Drugstores $175,355 65% to GOP

 

RETAIL STORES
Corporation & products Total contributed Percentage contributed
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club.
$1,427,026 71% to GOP
The Home Depot $820,060 74% to GOP
Target Corporation $482,888 74% to GOP
Amway/Alticor Inc. $301,050 100% to GOP
Limited Brands
Victoria’s Secret, Express, Bath & Body Works, The Limited, C.O. Bigelow, The White Barn Candle Company, Henri Bendel.
$277,000 68% to GOP
National Retail Federation $211,150 79% to GOP
JCPenney $180,650 84% to GOP
Best Buy $130,300 88% to GOP
Federated Dept Stores
Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s.
$103,913 76% to GOP
Walgreen Company $125,501 64% to GOP
Gap Inc.
Gap, Old Navy, Forth and Towne, Piperlime.
$216,939 74% to Dems
Costco Wholesale $148,396 85% to Dems
Barnes & Noble $129,680 81% to Dems

 

RESTAURANTS
Corporation & products Total contributed Percentage contributed
National Restaurant Assn. $1,649,546 69% to GOP
Outback Steakhouse
Carrabba’s, Roy’s, Bonefish Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Lee Roy Selmon’s, Cheeseburger In Paradise, Blue Coral Seafood & Spirits.
$595,864 95% to GOP
Darden Restaurants
Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Smokey Bones, Bahama Breeze.
$265,629 75% to GOP
Wendy’s International $241,250 85% to GOP
McDonald’s
McDonald’s, Chipolte Mexican Grill, Aroma Café, Boston Market.
$229,440 85% to GOP
Brinker International
Chili’s, On The Border, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Romano’s Macaroni Grill.
$124,900 86% to GOP
American Beverage Assn. $115,607 78% to GOP
Pizza Hut Fran. Assn. $106,500 93% to GOP
Ladex Corp.
Canned fruits and vegetables.
$102,300 66% to GOP
Yum! Brands Inc. 
Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, KFC, A&W All American Foods.
$95,550 83% to GOP
Riese Organization
Times Square Grill, Lindy’s, Martini’s, Knot Just Pretzels, Roy Rogers, Nathan’s Famous, T.G.I. Friday’s, Charley O’s.
$90,300 100% to Dems

 

AGRIBUSINESS
Corporation & products Total contributed Percentage contributed
Deere & Company
Tractors and farm equipment.
$457,800 84% to GOP
Weyerhaeuser Company $452,826 77% to GOP
International Paper
Paper brands: Accent, Great White, Hammermill, Springhill, Williamsburg.
$389,549 89% to GOP
California Dairies, Inc. $379,500 82% to GOP
Pfizer, Inc. $156,500 65% to GOP
American Proteins, Inc. $128,593 100% to GOP
Albertsons $225,000 73% to GOP
Syngenta Corporation $117,250 71% to GOP
Schnucks $143,735 100% to GOP
Scotts Miracle-Gro $135,778 98% to GOP
Peace River Citrus Products, Inc. $117,560 95% to GOP
Centric Group $160,200 100% to GOP
Swift & Company $138,750 75% to GOP
Publix Super Markets $137,820 88% to GOP
Georgia-Pacific
Dixie brand paper products and plastic cutlery, Spectrum paper, Georgia Pacifica and Advantage brand office paper and ink cartridges, various commercial paper products.
$212,550 70% to GOP
Plum Creek Hollow Farm $100,100 93% to Dems
Flo-Sun Inc.
Sugar.
$411,240 65% to Dems
Connell Company
Rice and sugar.
$354,000 97% to Dems
Florida Sugar Cane League $211,922 65% to Dems

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