when corporate sponsorships cross the line....

[sandbagger]

do you ignore them, rationalizing the nobody cares? Or do you take a stand? It prolly depends. Like the recent thread on boycotting Homer. Does it matter? Is it even practical? prolly not - which is largely why I avoided the thread.

But I ran across one that does matter to me, so thought 'why not a thread calling out bad behavior in corporate sponsorship?' Obviously we won't all agree, but that's not necessarily the point - I think the value is often in just bringing it to light. You know, we report - you decide.

So I'll get to the point, and the first contribution - State Farm. Well, y'all know that the illegal alien problem is front and center. We've got big problems, not just with illegals but with all the open-borders groups who say we should ignore the laws of the US. One of the really bad actors in that regard and more is La Raza. To my surprise (and considerable dismay), I just learned that State Farm is giving money to La Raza (and a few other questionable groups.)

When I first heard this I did a search and read that the La Raza thing had been dropped a few years ago. Well, not according to the State Farm website.

I really have no choice. Tomorrow I will call my agent and ask him to confirm or deny the involvement with these groups. When he can't I will tell him that I'm going shopping. I really hate the idea - I've got better things to do. I've also been with SF 30+ years without a problem and they've handled several claims very satisfactorily.

Why can't these people just stick to business and leave the social stuff to others??

[JTile]

To each their own I suppose.

What I really wish is that I could not buy any products from corporations who dump money into lobbying the federal government... but then I suppose I could never, ever buy anything ever again.

[gueuzeman]

Art- it's all about selling more policies in the Hispanic community due to good public relations ( ex- "The LaRaza/State Farm 5km run for breast cancer research" translate into Spanish).

Pure capitalism, I would be surprised if the company really cared one way or the other. They're a corporation, they are not supposed to care, they are supposed to sell policies. Are you against capitalism and free enterprise, lol?

.

[Houston Remodeler]

If state farm has more people covered by insurance, then everyone's insurance premiums should go down. Afterall, the next time you get hit by some station wagon with 40 people in it, they might have insurance now.

[jjwq8]

Charitable contribution=tax deduction=good capitalism=your CPA at work.

[ob1kanobee]

I was thinking along the same lines as Gueuzeman. Should I be scared? Hopefully Art will be along to put some kind of Republican Conservative spin on this whole thing.

There is probably more to this La Raza thing or something. I know Art's posts and there has got to be more to the story for him to think like this. Anyone want to make any bets?

[GraniteGirl]

Originally Posted by The Doctor

Are you against capitalism and free enterprise, lol

Doesn't capitalism & free enterprise extend to the consumer, too? No law that says once you are covered by one insurance company, you are not allowed to look for another - for whatever reason you'd deem it neccesary?

Good on Art for having convictions that he's sticking to.

[gueuzeman]

Certainley, GG. But should State Farm lose his business and gain a thousand Hispanic customers... do the math.

I'm sure every company that underwrites for some tax break can find someone who opposes that sponsorship on some grounds. So leave State Farm, and go to Prudential, and when you find out they are sponsoring an after school rec. program for inner city kids you can then look at Aetna, but when you find out they are providing "welfare" to the Canadian Granite industry by remodeling their offices with stone tops you can switch to.......

.

[Dave Taylor]

I wish auto insurance companies would quit supplyin' local policia' agencies with radar devices so's the same companies kin' have an excuse to continually raise auto insurance rates for drivers caught in local speed traps by cops usin' these devices.



Oh'.... an' I think of the first line of Lockheed Martin's mission statement:

"We Never Forget Who Were Working For"

every time I pass a RED LIGHT CAMERA setup....... and soon to come..... 'TA DA'... SPEED CAMERAS.

[sandbagger]

I have no problem with State Farm promoting business to Hispanics or Italians or Germans or anyone else who is in the US legally. It is their support of La Raza specifically that I have an issue with. La Raza is not just about promoting open borders and all that, they are about as anti-American as it gets. For years they've pushed their agenda in public schools as part of "ethnic studies" programs until the legislature finally pulled the plug on funding. What they really pushed was how the US had screwed Mexico out of most of the southern US.

and speaking of radar - any GEICO customers out there? GEICO fell off my list of options years ago when I learned that there was fine print in the policy that said you had to agree never to use a radar detector. I have no idea if it's still there. Don't really care, either.

[jgleason]

I'm falling out of my chair over here having to agree with Gueze again. Third time in the last week or two.

State Farm is practicing capitalism alright. Nothing wrong with that at all. On the flip side, Art is doing what he decides is in his best interest, to look for another insurance company.

People and corporations make choices like this all the time. To me, this is a necessary component of capitalism.

Now, if it were being forced on either SF or Art to do business with each other that would be a different story.

[Dave Taylor]

Ha.....

It is GEICO that is/was supplying the radar devices.

Sumbitches!

[gueuzeman]

Switching your policy from State Farm.... so easy.......

.

[jgleason]

Damn Gueze, you need a shave.

[gueuzeman]

It was a long weekend...

.