$75,000. You already know that was Wal-Mart's *direct* political spending in Rosemead in the last municipal election. The Wal-Mart sock puppets made much of the fact that various labor unions combined to spend slightly more than that amount in that same election.

What you may not know is that the $75,000 in direct spending represents the beginning, not the end, of Wal-Mart's efforts to buy the loyalities of Rosemead voters. Some examples: Those ugly yellow t-shirts worn by the Wal-Mart sock puppets at last night's city council meeting? Paid for by Wal-Mart, but not included among its "political" spending. The food at their buffet before the meeting, and rental charges for the rec room at Rosemead Park? Also paid for by Wal-Mart, but not counted among its "political" spending. The phone bank and post cards they used to publicize the free food and to turn out their potential supporters to the city council meeting? Paid by Wal-Mart, but not included among its "political" spending. The glossy, colorful Wal-Mart "good deeds" flyer that appeared in your mailbox late last week? Again, paid for by Wal-Mart, but not included among its "political" spending.

At the December 13 City Council meeting, Councilwoman Clark tried to make much of the fact that, following the March 2005 municipal election, SOC declined her invitation to walk an initiative referendum petition to re-qualify a chance for Rosemead voters to get a say in whether or not a Wal-Mart Supercenter should be constructed in our city. She seems to think that it should have been up to us to qualify a referendum (again), rather than up to her to place the issue on the ballot.

An interesting editorial appeared in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune on December 9. Paste this url into your web browser to read it:

http://www.sgvtribune.com/opinions/ci_3291997

Jay, Gary, and Margaret: Take note. When even your friends are saying you screwed up, you screwed up!

If you like to read pundits railing on about stuff, the Huffington Post has a big Wal-Mart themed week. Lost of articles.

@ the Huffington Post

Please set aside time on Tuesday, December 13, 2005, around 7:00 pm.

The Rosemead City Council will meet in the Rosemead High School auditorium [near the corner of Rosemead Blvd and Mission Road] to consider certification of the revised environmental impact report. Barring a last-minute change of heart, it's likely that certification will occur. But it's important for us to show Wal-Mart that our commitment to fight is still strong.

I'm just wondering: why isn't there a Rosemead website?

I have to wonder, too: why don't cities use email to send out City Council agendas?

There's something like a million online listservs for everything from bamboo collectors to tattoo art. I've seen websites for street gangs and dead people. Nice ones too! (Websites, I mean. Not the gangs or deceased.)

You can find all the shady massage parlors, tire shops, and liquor stores near you, just by typing your address into a website. You can find out how much the houses in your area sold for. Yet, local voting precincts are nowhere to be found. Do you know how many pages I had to click through to find out my representative in Congress?

At a recent SOC meeting, several members asked about the amount of money Wal-Mart spent in the last municipal election. The bottom line answer: A bit under $75,000

For the March 2005 municipal election, Walmart made $59,124 in independent expenditures on behalf of Alarcon, Vasquez, and Clark, plus $15,000 in contributions to Rosemead PRIDE.

To see for yourself go to: http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov

I've been condemned over the past months for "switching sides", "going to the Darkside for political favors". Well, here's the truth:
Three years ago, I felt as I do now that WalMart was the WORST example of American commercialism and cut throat marketing, but I was a minority of one on the council. Therefore, I worked to mitigate the planned building and business as much as I could. Many of my oldest Friends in Rosemead (now senior citizens) pleaded with me to help get the walMart . . ."for them". I committrd ONLY to not publicly be against the project, stating every time that I was philosophically opposed to it. Well, that wasn't enough for the pro-WalMart zealots. First, they sent out a scurrilous letter- approved by Mr. Imperial - condemning my endorsement of Mr. Nunez , whom I have known for thirty years, and Mr. Tran, whom I have worked with for three years, and my "flip-flop" vote on a school district resolution against the WalMart project - this after I ABSTAINED on the vote!!!!