Walmart heiress worth $17.8 billion quietly enters political discourse with New York Times ad declaring 'the dignity of

[In It to Win It]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/walmart-heiress-worth-17-8-164305461.html

While the tech titans of the U.S. were quick to declare their banners for the Trump administration, billionaires in the wider political spectrum have been somewhat more cautious.

Yet it seems that one of the heirs to the Walmart fortune has quietly entered the political discourse, with a reminder that the dignity of the American nation is not up for sale.

Christy Walton, 76, is worth an estimated $17.8 billion, having married into the Walmart dynasty. Her husband was John Walton, son of the grocery giant's founder Sam. He died in a plane crash in 2005 with his widow inheriting a portion of his shares.

This weekend, the billionaire placed an ad in the New York Times, making it clear that the "views represented here are solely those of Christy Walton."

The ad, first reported by Bloomberg and depicting an image of the Statue of Liberty, is a paid political advertisement headed "USA, USA, USA."

[Deuxcents]

1. 👏👏

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Good for her. To be fair, she did marry into the Waltons.

[senseandsensibility]

3. I hope she is also putting her money

towards that goal.

[Demovictory9]

43. this ad is a start

[malaise]

4. This needs to be spread everywhere

Rec

[BOSSHOG]

5. I worked at Walmart #6 in the last century

Mr Sam would visit every coupla months. Mr Sam was for the working Man. He would not abide trump. No Way, no how. Mr Sam would not abide the WalMart of today.

[niyad]

27. Ummmm, you do remember that sam tried to get walmart exempted

from even paying minimum wage? And that part of staff training includes how to apply for food stamps?

[BOSSHOG]

29. In 1969 I was paid minimum wage to start

And was offered stock options at 16 which I foolishly declined.

[niyad]

31. You did notice that I said "tried"??

[calguy]

36. Excellent Point

[luv2fly]

41. For the working man?

The same Walmart that destroys small businesses in small towns all over America, but then might be willing to employ that former business owner instead? THAT Walmart? Your post is laughable.

[Tickle]

59. 👍 NT

[Farmer-Rick]

84. Yup, the same Sam Walton

Who brought in Chinese goods to sell cheaply in his stores and put a "made in America" label on them. That Sam Walton?

Also, is this the female Walton that went drunk driving and murder a women? Then got off? I can never keep track of all my of them.

Most Waltons don't have any principles. Maybe one got snuck into the bunch?

[niyad]

102. No, that was Alice, sam's daughter. Apparently, the woman stepped into oncoming

traffic. Alice has, however, been involved in a few car accidents, one of which left her with lifelong problems.

Christy is the widow of Alice's brother, John.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

109. Bullsh*t!

Walton took his cues from attorney John Tate, who as a young man in 1936 had been conked on the head while crossing a picket line at Reynolds Tobacco Company in his hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where his father was a manager. It was a licking he never forgot. “I hate unions with a passion,” he once said. An ardent conservative who construed his clashes with labor leaders as one aspect of a bigger fight for “freedom” being conducted by right- thinking Americans, Tate perfected the art of “union avoidance.” By the early 1970s, when Sam Walton procured his services, Tate’s bag of tricks included trying to keep workers happy by soliciting their input for improving the business and rewarding them with profit sharing.

But he also had his clients trot out hardball tactics whenever necessary: convening captive meetings where workers were force-fed anti-union propaganda, delaying elections, stalling negotiations, replacing strikers, and moving to decertify unions that had won the right to represent the rank-and-file.

When the Retail Clerks threatened to gain a foothold at two Missouri Walmarts in 1972, a company executive instructed the manager at one of them that if he caught any workers with union cards, he should fire them even if he had to bring on all new employees. When the Teamsters tried to organize a Walmart distribution center in Searcy, Arkansas, in 1982, Walton himself told the workers that he’d take away their profit sharing if they voted for the union.

…

Then he went even further. “He told us that if the union got in, the warehouse would be closed,” one of those in Searcy related. “He said people could vote any way they wanted, but he’d close her right up.” All of this was illegal, but that didn’t seem to give Walton any pause. The Teamsters lost the election, much to his delight. “Our good associates at our Searcy distribution center rejected the union by an overwhelming margin of three to one,” Walton wrote in Wal-Mart World. “Bless them all.”

https://lithub.com/a-brief-history-of-the-attempts-to-unionize-walmart/

[Skittles]

6. thank you Ms. Walton

[spanone]

7. K&R

[usonian]

8. 🗽Brava for her. 🗽

I inherited $17.8 billion less, so please share my rendition via email or social media.



Awesome of Christy.


(Imgbb is sometimes slow to load images. )

[calimary]

108. I like that. Her torch flame can go straight up his ass.

SIT Donald! SIT Donald, SIT!!!

[yellow dahlia]

9. .

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Gotta respect that.

Walmart takes a lot of flack, and I hate the whole idea, but must admit they won the retail war, their prices scream efficiency, they've bent many a supplier to better eco-policies, and source local produce where they can. I know, wages, wages. But they also stand for the USA because the USA helped them grow. The ad in the Times says it all. Stability. Big players love stability because they're on top.

[thesquanderer]

42. Probably somewhat self-serving... I suspect tariffs are bad for walmart. Still, it is welcomed, and...

...I feel good about having shifted a bunch of what would have been amazon purchases to walmart.com instead.

[niyad]

49. See post 47.

[Lasher]

69. Walmart imports about 60% of their goods from China.

Last edited Wed Mar 26, 2025, 01:04 PM - Edit history (1)

This is her motivation.

[niyad]

79. China imports from China?

[Moostache]

89. Forget it...he's rolling. (n/t)

[k55f5r]

95. That's why

I use a bong.

[Moostache]

97. I switched to edibles...spilled water is a MESS!!! (n/t)

[Lasher]

99. Oops.

I edited. Thanks.

[niyad]

104. You are most welcome.

[MrsCheaplaugh]

82. Sure. To hell with the environment, small local businesses, and the working class. nt

[Blue_Roses]

11. Wow!!

[orangecrush]

12. K&R

[Dr. T]

13. I did not

see that coming.

[wordstroken]

23. IKR! Nice serendipitous surprise!!

[Jackson1965]

14. Another Billionairess

Sooo, she could fully fund SS, or the DOT, or the CDC, or the FAA and still be a billionaire? Way to use those billions for something good and lasting.

[Hekate]

21. I don't think there's a mechanism for private citizens to fund government agencies

Donate to whatever (imagine there being a Smoky the Bear Foundation) — but fund the whole park system? No.

And why not? Because that gives all the power to a single citizen, and they will run it as they will. What if that citizen were Elon Musk? Pick an agency, any agency, and ask yourself “What Would Elon Do?” Personally, I shudder at the thought.

There is a name for that: privatization. It means they own what used to be ours, with no oversight from our representatives.

[yellowdogintexas]

119. There is a National Parks Foundation and several of the more popular parks have individual foundations as well

I know Mammoth Cave does, because I gave to it

I took a quick look and found foundations, conservancies and conservation associations at Carlsbad/Guadelupe; Grand Canyon; Yellowstone;Grand Tetons; Yosemite. There are 63 National Parks; it is possible there is a foundation/conservancy at all of them
There is another organization called National Parks Conservation Association.

These are non profits so good things to leave money to.

[Hekate]

120. Exactly. It's the idea that we should ask for &welcome the purchase of departments of the US government...

…that really bothers me. That is exactly what Elon Musk is doing now.

[kkmarie]

58. Warren Buffett said

Berkshire Hathaway paid $5 billion in taxes last year. He said if 800 other companies paid. No one in the United States would have to have paid one dime in Federal taxes. He said that includes income tax, social security tax , estate tax etc.

The actual statement starts at 1:38

?si=pBkIevbnn1XXQr1K

[generalbetrayus]

103. You should post this video as a separate post in General Discussion if you haven't already.

Everyone needs to see it.

[defacto7]

15. Kick this!

[dobleremolque]

16. If/when the economy tanks, either as a recession or as a

depression, WalMart will take a major hit. Think about it. WalMart depends on the very people who would suffer the most financially during whatever is coming. And whatever is coming ain't the fiscal equivalent of lollypops and roses ... except for the 0.01%.

And the 0.01% don't shop at WalMart.

[Think. Again.]

56. ⬆️⬆️⬆️THIS⬆️⬆️⬆️

I've been posting lately that I think a well-organized economic boycott is our best protest bet specifically because the real power in America rests with the money, and if the moneyed people begin to feel that trump threatens their success, they will rein him in.

[Wednesdays]

88. The opposite will be true

During a Depression, the things that everyone will still buy are necessities: groceries and everyday household items. Wal-mart has that in abundance.

[defacto7]

17. Where in the New York Times?

What section. I can't find it. Anyone know? Different date?

[Maru Kitteh]

18. Well done. I'll be interested to see if she does more.

Very interesting indeed.

[Comrade Citizen]

19. So the Waltons miss the stability and better economy of Democrats

A stable, Democratic run Arkansas, followed by a stable Democratic run country with a great economy gave the Waltons prosperity.

The Waltons should be thanking Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton for everything they did for Arkansas and the USA.

[Hekate]

62. The woman in question has been Widow Walton for over 20 years. She married into the family.

I don’t think she is representing them in the way you imagine.

[Comrade Citizen]

92. She is saying things her sister in law might agree with

[Mysterian]

20. I wish she would buy a TV station

and just run honest news. Too many fascist channels like Fox "News" out there spewing lies 24/7.

[wordstroken]

24. That works! Great idea, Mysterian.

[Justice matters.]

90. It depends. The Fascists will spin her message to say it's for white people only.

They will say allies will do what WE tell them to do (like "surrender their sovereignty to our annexation goals" for example).

They will say her message is for straight white Americans only...

[rickyhall]

22. Not much to say about elderly, huh.

But better than trump.

[wordstroken]

25. I noticed that, too.

[tulipsandroses]

26. Another woman standing up while so many men bend the knee and kiss trump's ass

But, go on, continue to tell us how we are the weaker sex.

[Crunchy Frog]

28. Hopefully she won't end up in a plane crash too.

[mountain grammy]

30. More of this please.. surely more than one rich person is offended

by the bullies and buffoons who have captured our government.

[ancianita]

40. Sure there's more than one. IL's Gov JB Pritzker was on Jen Psaki today.

[mountain grammy]

44. Yes, but she's speaking loud and clear

like Gov Pritzker does. He's great, I watch and listen to clips of him, doesn't give an inch. My gov is good (Polis) but he could take a few lessons from Pritzker.

[generalbetrayus]

105. Jared Polis is my governor, too. He is very liberal on many issues and I would vote for him again

if he could run again, but I find him too friendly to big business. He has a big business background (He started ProFlowers). I think Colorado AG Phil Weiser, who is running to replace Polis, will be an even better governor if he wins. As AG, he has focused on consumer protection and taking on large corporations. https://coag.gov/

[mountain grammy]

115. I agree

And I think Weiser will be a great governor. Let’s get him elected!!!!

[Prairie_Seagull]

32. Swimming against the current takes stamina.

Well done Christy Walton. Our country need more like you.

[PortTack]

33. Magas to boycott Walmart in 3....2..1

[generalbetrayus]

106. Most MAGAs can't financially afford to boycott Walmart.

Dollar Tree is even cheaper, but it doesn't have near the variety of good that Walmart does.

[Gaugamela]

34. Their money supports Republicans and conservative causes. They pay shit and depend on public

programs to keep their employees fed. Their money and their brand of exploitative capitalism is what got us to Trump. This is exactly the kind of maudlin self-mollifying crap the morbidly wealthy wallow in to convince themselves they’re good people. Christy Walton can go suck eggs.

[In It to Win It]

35. But this particular Walton's money doesn't as far as I can tell.

[JI7]

46. I think this is just a woman that inherited the money when

her husband died. I don't think she takes part in running the business.

And regardless it's still a good thing for people to speak out against what is going on.

[LudwigPastorius]

37. "be civil"

Yeah, I'll take that under advisement.

We need to be civil while the Trumpists shatter the democratic foundations of this country?

I don't think so.

[Cha]

38. OH Wow, Christy Walton has been Paying

Attention... Who Knew this would Happenn?!!

Mahalo!

lol @ Mump in the Ketchup Splashed room.

[Hekate]

39. Thank you, Ms Walton

[luv2fly]

45. Most MAGAts would say much the same thing

They are lying through their teeth, but they also say they defend the Constitution, care for veterans and children, stand by our allies, etc etc, yet we all know it's bullshit or at least they aren't using the same definitions we do. Let her use her billions to do something that really matters, a one page ad does nothing beyond get a bunch of folks here to applaud apparently.

[markie]

72. yes, interpretation

is everything (after perception) It would be good for the ad to be more direct.... oppose this administration and all it stands for

[niyad]

47. Good for Ms. Walton. Does anyone besides me remember "Wal Mart: The High Cost

of Low Price", the 2005 documentary by Robert Greenwald, about the horrror show that is walmart?

[Hekate]

61. Yes. I also remember the book "Nickel & Dimed. " I just figure figure the operative word for Widow Walton is: Thanks

She married into the Waltons and seems in the mood to do right.

[niyad]

78. I agree. It would be wonderful if she joined Mackenzie Scott and

Melinda Gates.

The documentary reference was for the walmart defenders.

[eppur_se_muova]

96. Now, if only a black woman could marry a billionaire and be widowed ...

that might save the country.

[madamesilverspurs]

48. Surprising, but impressive.

Hope the rest of the family doesn't come after her. Just remembering, I think back in the '80s maybe, when one of the Pillsbury heirs announced the intent to give his inheritance to charity, and his family went to court in an effort to have him declared non compos mentis so they could grab that money for themselves. Hoping for better for Ms. Walton.


.

[Meowmee]

50. Good

My question is did she vote for orange psycho?

[betsuni]

53. No, she supported Harris.

[GoodRaisin]

51. Great ad.

That pesky Statue of Liberty Krasnov hates just keeps on showing up in protests reminding the country and the world of his evilness.

[ecstatic]

52. smh @ how many disclaimers she had to make about it being her view only

Uggh. We really need an alternative to walmart and amazon. And target. smh.

[angrychair]

54. Screw her

And every other billionaire. Damn it. Fuck billionaires. Stay out of politics and stay out of our lives. I don't care what her message is, even if it supports the Democrats. I don't care. Fuck billionaires. All of this chaos and bullshit is because of billionaires.

[Hekate]

63. Okay, be sure to tell her not to share

[angrychair]

94. Screw her

Don't care. Billionaires are destructive to our economy. They are destructive to our potential and prosperity.
There is no real accounting for the number of small businesses that Walmart has destroyed and lives shattered and small towns changed forever.
Might not have been her family but she directly benefited from it.

[leftstreet]

111. Billionaires are national security threats

How anyone can watch what's happening and not see that...

+1

[Joe Nation]

118. JB Pritzker is a billionaire.

You seem short-sighted to say the least.

[Aussie105]

55. The message is clear . . .

You can guess at her motivation, but the message is there, and very clear.

More people should speak up like that.

You can heap distrust and hatred on billionaires, question their motivation and more, but they are an important part of the economy.

[Think. Again.]

57. I agree more should speak up like that...

...but I don't understand your point about billionaires being an important part of the economy.

Their money certainly is important yo the economy, and would be even more important if it were spread out among more people, but I don't see how the individuals who hoard that money are specifically very important.

[GopherGal]

113. "part of the economy" is part of the problem.

It bothers me that people speak/write of the USA in terms of an "economy" rather than a "society" .
It bothers me when we devalue people and only consider them as part of an economy..

[blubunyip]

65. Billionaires

Last edited Wed Mar 26, 2025, 08:27 AM - Edit history (1)

"an important part of the economy" eh? -- as far as I can see we have our current state of chaos in this country thanks to the billionaires. They hoard their money, support exploitation of all kinds, grift and break things. They brought us this current disaster, under the most extremist government ever to rule the nation. They bought the administration, they twisted minds.

For decades they've had us fighting and scrambling for everything that we have a right to-- health care, public schools, retirement funds, decent wages, public health, clean environments, -- ie. responsible government. Mass transit also--if you want people to come into the office, fund mass transit! This is NO way to run a country that calls itself a democracy. Vulture capitalism at it's unimaginable worst. We are living the nightmare.

Sorry but I'm not impressed with a billionaire heiress' damage control efforts. Will that ad really make any difference considering where it comes from? Of course I agree with the good words--but still it seems like a clever ad for Walmart. Does she do anything else to help the current situation? Walmart does not have a good track record. What else does she invest in that matters?

Keep on boycotting. This ad means it's working!

[niyad]

80. Welcome to our DU family.

[blubunyip]

121. thanks

[raccoon]

60. This seems well-intentioned, but "We Stand by Our Allies?" Ask Canadians about that one.

[Think. Again.]

66. I believe her words were intended to point out...

...the American standards that are being ignored by the NAZI administration.

[blubunyip]

67. Preaching to the choir

and the choir is acutely aware of what the Nazis under 47 are threatening. Everybody knows what is at stake. How could anybody with half a brain NOT know? The agenda is now blatantly crystal clear.

Words are fine, but what has she ever really done with her money that helps us? How does this one-day feel good ad help?

Feels like crumbs of cake for the masses to me....

[Think. Again.]

68. I agree more should be done, MUCH more....

...but I doubt she intended her ad to only be seen by Antifascists (the "choir&quot if she published it in the NYT.

[blubunyip]

70. Isn't most of America

Last edited Wed Mar 26, 2025, 08:45 AM - Edit history (2)

basically anti-fascist? Most people don't love dictators.

NYT readers would be anti-fascist, right? This distinction seems pretty arbitrary to me. (Unless you mean "anti-fascist" as tongue in cheek)

What other group will be influenced other than the choir? The choir will sing praises for one day. What other group will read this and say--"why, I guess I might be changed by those good words" The only effect that I see is a kinder, gentler attitude toward Walmart.

I'm open to another point of view, but thinking this pretty ad makes any diff to people who should be paying attention is far-fetched IMO. But change my mind--tell me who will get any benefit other than Walmart.

OK I realize this might be reported outside of the NYT -- beyond the choir-- (like where? In business journals?) but whether it brings about any attitudinal change? Hmm I haven't seen it. Maybe somebody who knows more about marketing than I do can explain the strategy behind this ad. I find the ad interesting, ie. a curiosity but not an attitude changer.

[Think. Again.]

114. It's clear that anyone who voted for what is happening now is certainly NOT anti-fascist....

...which is about 1/3 of the voting age population.

[blubunyip]

122. The Magas were sold a lie

and they didn't really see the slide towards fascism. All they heard was 47 would "get tough on Them" and make My Life better. That is all they heard. Some bought the racism, some bought the sexism, some bought the religious nationalism etc.--but they did not buy fascism, if they really understood what it is. NOW they might be getting the picture.

[Think. Again.]

124. If they wanted the racism, sexism, and religious nationalism...

...then they want the fascism.

Yes, now that it's affecting themselves, they might be understanding why fascism is bad, but I would bet they still want to hurt 'others', and if given the chance it would be them that would lead the fascist onslaught.

[blubunyip]

125. Some people always learn the hard way

As my Mom used to generously say about the willfully ignorant-- "They lack perspective."

Agreed--these people had plenty of time to figure out how they were being conned, but they doubled down at the urging of their fear-mongering mouthpieces. They turned UP the noise machine to drown out any doubts. The magic orange hellbeast held them captive, salivating for every fix. Hate is an addiction.

I'm sure quite a few fall into your category of diehards and bitter enders fighting to the death, but others are glimpsing the light dawning...

[Think. Again.]

127. Again, if all they care about is how THEY are being conned....

....then I have no mercy for them and I know they are still as dangerous as the people who are conning them.

[blubunyip]

128. True

it would take a serious epiphany and a complete behavioral change. Not many can do that. That means putting some attention to "what happened here?" and living with your eyes open. Most will just shuck it off. A few will feel some shame and regret, but you're right, when you go far down the road of Hate--there's not too many roads back to sanity.

[moose65]

71. Ah - Christy Walton

She's always the example I use when right wingers insist that billionaires "worked hard" for their billions.

She didn't. This ad is good, but let's reserve praising her until we see what else she does.

Is she involved with Wal Mart in any way, now? I wonder if she has some ulterior motive.

[elliesmandt]

73. Spend Again

After seeing this add, I'll consider shopping at Walmart again, but I'll still refuse to use the self-checkout!

[mdbl]

74. I have been using Walmart on line occassionally when necessary

to avoid using Amazon. Not much better, I know but some things I can't get except on line.

[blubunyip]

75. ok

thanks for the laugh.

[barbtries]

76. good. and i would say to her,

pay your workers a living wage.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

77. She should explain what happened to Sam's Made in The USA campaign.

Yea, I'm old enough to remember that run of Walton bullshit that didn't last very long......

I will give Walmart credit for relatively high contributions to Democrats compared to many similar retail companies. However, 49% to Democrats vs. 51% to Republicans is not much to brag about considering the Rethugs don't give a damn about low wage workers.

[Voltaire2]

81. Abolish Billionaires.

It is irrelevant if Not All Billionaires Are Bad. A democracy degenerates into an oligarchy when people have this much wealth and power. And an oligarchy, as we now can plainly see, degenerates into authoritarianism.

[ReRe]

83. Thank you, Mrs. Christy Walton

In this dark moment of our country's discontent, thank you for renewing our belief that we are a country of genuinely good People of all walks of life; that the majority of our citizens believe to our core in Democracy, a form of government that is ruled not by a King or a Dictator, but by a government ruled by law, by, of and for The People.
This moment too shall pass and again we will reside in the land of liberty and justice for all.

[Mr. Mustard 2023]

85. You know what, I'm not buying what she's selling...

Christy,

Congratulations you married into billions - good for you, but state your case of stay out of it.

Vague, inspirational messages are weak sauce lady. Which side are you on?

Do you care about freedom and America enough to be taxed? To pay great wages, not fair wages, GREAT wages?

Will you come out in favor of Universal Health Care, or will that risk losing employees stuck in your big box stores?

Do better Christy Walton.

[Linda ladeewolf]

86. Take her at face value, use what she has said until it's no longer usable, then dump her ass.

You know, just what rich people do to us. There are no ethical billionaires. Walmart business is hurting, i imagine, so she coming out as different from the others. This is just good bossiness.

[Happy Hoosier]

87. Love the Ad.

Let’s see where this goes.

[Justice matters.]

91. The Fascists will spin her message to say it's for white people only.

They will say allies will do what WE tell them to do (like "surrender their sovereignty to our annexation goals" for example).

They will say her message is for straight white Americans only...

As for the environment, they will say it's up to private businesses to self-regulate themselves and all the rest will be spinned in their Fascist advantage, and nothing else will happen out of that.

[kimbutgar]

93. This was in my Sunday SF Chronicle

I loved the list and am surprised to hear it was the widow of the walmart fortune. I actually tore it out of my paper to keep!

[live love laugh]

98. Representing about 10-15% of the total family fortune but good on her.

[bif]

100. Fuck Walmart

I've only been in one and that was 20 years ago. I'll never enter another Walmart again for the rest of my life. What they did to independent stores across the country is unforgivable. So fuck 'em.

[RockRaven]

101. What dignity?

Even the biggest hucksters can't sell that which doesn't exist.

[Martin68]

107. Posted on Fb

[Cirsium]

110. So wrong

The widow of the son of the founder is worth $17,800,000,000.

[wolfie001]

112. Someone showed her the satellite photos of current WakMart parking lots?

Probably very empty. I hope Costco's are hustlin' and bustlin!

[Bengus81]

116. A Walton but I'll give her a chance to show that fascism isn't something she supports

Can't hurt and right now she's higher on my list than Gavin Newsom.

[Joe Nation]

117. There ARE good billionaires in the country

We need to hear from more of them else we may not have a country.

[blubunyip]

123. I think we'll be waiting

Hearing from more of them? I seriously doubt it.

[exboyfil]

126. One thing I would like these ultrawealthy "liberals" do

Is get their accountants to report how much in total federal taxes they pay as a percentage of their wealth (both personal taxes and taxes paid through their corporations).

US wealth of $137T. Tax revenues excluding SS and Medicare of $3T. So about 2.1% of US wealth is paid in taxes necessary to operate the country. So how much do you pay as a percentage of wealth. I am around 7.5% not including the deferred taxes paid by the percentage of corporations I own through my retirement account mutual funds (so this numbers actually higher).

If the tax structure is only set up to tax ongoing economic activity (ie wage slaves and some corporate taxes), then how do we protect that $137T. Eventually the ultrawealthy are sitting on mounds of gold that they can pass on to their progeny without paying any taxes to protect that mound.