I’m flabbergasted that the Mouse [claims it] can’t afford to fund its own lobbyists.
Well at least they’re making it optional, although I suspect it’s “optional” in the same way certain services at Disney theme parks are “complimentary”.
As my grandfather used to say, “Everything’s complimentary until you get the bill.”
I wonder what would happen if someone asked for automatic contributions to the EFF?
It’s interesting they’re going this route, making the contributions optional (and visible) - but under Citizens United a company is free to directly participate in politics to “its” heart’s content, without needing contributions from individuals. And, of course, any money the corporation spends on politics is money not being put into wages. The “PAC contribution” method they’ve chosen is tricky because it lets them take the money from wages they’ve already agreed to pay, but going forward they could refuse raises or even cut wages in order to free up money for corporate political speech.
I will now boycott Disney. Oh, they own nearly all of the mainstream entertainment in this country.
When’s the next Star Wars/Superhero/Sportsball game?
No, that’s definitely not ethical…but of course, what isn’t forbidden by the law is allowed by it.
Disney puts food on their employees’ tables, which gives them a sort of authority, that this move abuses.
And that letter, my god. All it was missing is the random emphasis capitalizations typically associated with psychopaths;
everything else is there: whitewashing, conflation, circular legitimization…
And haha, “no more than 5000$ per year”…many disney employees make what, 9k per year? 11? is disney really asking these people for their savings to shore up their own profits/business model?
I wonder how horrified Walt Disney would be at his corporation making his greatest and most lasting legacy to be the burning of a century of American culture, art, and literature? A great depth of works lost forever because selling the mouse is more important than allowing a public domain to preserve our own heritage.
Or was Walt a “got mine fuck you” type through and through?
Their PAC appeal puts it in black and white, from their own mouths. No amount of destruction of the public domain will be enough for Disney, they don’t care who shoulders the costs or how much culture is lost, so long as they get to violate their end of the social contract indefinitely.
I owe my soul to the Disney store…
Well if a union can collect dues and use them for lobbying, why can’t management? One lobbies for workers’ rights, one lobbies against? Well that seems balanced.
So Disney is evil once more, until Cory wants to post about the Haunted Mansion again?
Makes sense to me; for example, I can appreciate energy and dislike Enron. But I’m a complex person. 
Star Wars
Shit. Not a fan of anything Disney, I was enjoying my righteous smug… until you brought this up. Why do I keep “forgetting” this?
The source received the letter via business mail and doesn’t know how many other employees received it.
I know some employees who did not receive this letter. While I imagine several were sent out, I am not sure I would classify this as a “mass mailing”, implying all employees were solicited.
Many do, but we aren’t talking about just the parks here. Disney is a huge company and there are many people making much much more than this a year.
This practice should be illegal–whether it’s done by a corporation or a union.
It’s tacit coercion.
OK, so now, Cory, are you willing to say that maybe, just maybe, Disney is evil?
The company I work for has a PAC, and they lean heavily on managers to donate. I created a spam filter for the PAC emails, and put myself down for a recurring allotment from my paycheck to the EFF.
Why spend your money when you can spend someone else’s.
