Safe Shopping?

So, this week's "Savage Love" column features a Dan Savage rant against Target Corp. for its hip-and-trendy-overcoat concealing a conservative heart. I'm all for exposing the hypocrisy behind consumerism, but I can't believe that the America's Blog entry was the first news of Target's less-than-progressive policies to cross Dan's busy desk.

Hasn't anyone heard of BuyBlue.org? Started in the aftermath of the 2004 U.S. presidential election, the site has done an excellent job of researching political donation records and reporting on where companies fall. Their report on Target clearly shows a hard lean to the right. Of course, major industrialists and mercantilists have traditionally been in the Republican camp -- but I'm willing to give a pass up to about 60-40 Republican. Amazingly, Target's current political donations report is 83% Red while archdevil of the right Wal-Mart is at 78%.

Anyway, BuyBlue is about to kick off its second annual "Blue Christmas" campaign -- something worth considering if you're in a gift-giving position this holiday season. Personally, I've shifted from gifts to charitable donations -- consider folks like Heifer International if you want the thrill of telling someone "I bought you a goat," or traditional favorites like the Red Cross. With the way the past 12 months have gone (Indian Ocean tsunami, widespread African drought and famine, North American hurricanes, Kashmir earthquake, etc.), charities of all stripes are stretched thin and need our help.