Picture this: it’s your first weekend on campus and you decide to go out shopping on State Street with your friends. You stop into Urban Outfitters and find a top you just have to have. You decide you’re hungry so you run into Taco Bell for a Crunchwrap. While you were out spending your hard earned cash, you may not have realized that these two companies donate large amounts of money to Republican political campaigns. Now you may think, “That’s great! I support Republicans so I’m glad to support companies that do, too,” or, you might think “I’m liberal! I certainly don’t want to give any money to political campaigns I disagree with!” Either way, it’s important to know where your money is going. This is where Goods Unite Us comes in.
Many companies donate large sums of money to organizations known as Political Action Committees (PACs) which then use the money to support political candidates. Both Republican and Democratic candidates often receive these donations. The app Goods Unite Us, started in Madison, is a place where you can search up any company and find out the distribution (between Republicans and Democrats) of their political donations and see just how much they donate. It has plenty of great features that allow you to educate yourself and make more conscious decisions about which companies you would like to support.
Many have said, “You vote with your dollars” and here’s the time to do it! Be an informed and responsible consumer and member of society!