There is a new app that is a “must have” for political activists or people with strong political views to help them “walk their talk.” The app is called 2nd Vote, and it’s designed to rank companies’ ideological leanings and helps consumers who wish to keep spending aligned with political values. It is currently available for iphone and Android platforms.
The new app ranks companies based on five issues: gun rights, the environment, abortion, federal subsidies and same-sex marriage. The higher the ranking, the more conservative the company. While the app was designed for conservatives, liberals can take advantage of it as well by supporting companies that have low numbers.
The app ranks everything from fast food chains to airlines, from energy to insurance companies. While the creators of the app continue to expand their listings of businesses, most regional and local businesses are not yet listed and ranked. In other words, for now you can get a ranking for Starbucks coffee but not for Anchorage-based Kaladi Brothers coffee.
Starbucks is ranked liberal because of its contributions to Planned Parenthood, its corporate policy of providing same-sex benefits to employees and their support for pro-gay legislation; however, conservatives can find solace in the company’s tacit support of the second amendment by not banning firearms in their stores.
The app also allows provides options. Alaska Airlines has a score of six, but Frontier Airlines scores a seven and is a better option, according to the app.
Frontier’s CEO, Bryan Bedford, has “openly structured the company and its values around his Christian view of people and life,” 2nd Vote writes about Frontier.
Most interesting, to this Alaskan at least, is that among the big three producers – BP, Exxon and ConocoPhillips—the latter has the highest conservative store, while BP is only slightly more liberal than Exxon. Among other things, 2nd Vote dings BP for funding UNICEF, which is an “organization that pushes for legal abortion to be a right for women all over the world.”
Exxon also supports UNICEF, plus it gives matching gifts to Planned Parenthood, according to the app.
Who knew?
Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com
