Wal-Mart Opens for Business In Tough Market: Washington

Wall Street Journal ^ | 3-24-04 | JEANNE CUMMINGS

[Redbob]

WASHINGTON -- China's entry into the World Trade Organization was essentially a done deal in the late 1990s when Wal-Mart Stores Inc. executives discovered a problem: U.S. negotiators had agreed to a 30-store limit on foreign retailers operating in China, an insufficient figure for the ambitious Arkansas retailer.

[Redbob]

"Unlike most corporations, which contribute to both parties in rough proportion to Congress's partisan split, about 85% of Wal-Mart's checks go to Republicans."

As long as the GOP controls Congress...

[TopQuark]

Silly: WalMart exists for much longer period of time than Republicans control Congress.

Now, why would such a nice conservative like you be so anti-corporate?

[Iscool]

and we needed to engage at this level" by donating to candidates who share the company's priorities.

And what would inspire a politician to share a company's priorities???

. Mr. Lott arrived in Bentonville in late 1999 with a simple message, according to a congressman who attended the meeting: Increase your profile and open your wallet.,/i>

Wal-Mart responded by pouring millions of dollars into the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform, which presses for limits on awards in class-action suits.

Wal-Mart also urged policy makers to make immigration reform a bigger part of the national debate.

It doesn't get much clearer than this...Congress not only is for sale, it's already bought and paid for...We just have the wrong approach...We need an American People lobbyiest...For example, over 70% of the people are against Bush's new illegal alien anmensty plan...If those 70% give 10 bucks apiece to congress, we could defeat this immigration plan...What we need is a price list...What will all this stuff cost us???

[Redbob]

Re-read the article.
All of it.

I'm certainly not anti-corporate.

[international american]

Remember when Walmart had the slogan "made in the USA"?

Now it is " nothing mased in the USA" :)

[Redbob]

"What we need is a price list..."

Now you're talking!

How about calling up Bill Frist's office?
I'm sure they can send you one.

[q_an_a]

when you or a member of your family has a complicated medical problem, does the doctor explain everything or do you need other sources of information? when you remodel your house, do you use a single contractor, do the work yourself or seek many sources for information? now multiply those two situations times 1000 and you have what happens in congress each term. of course a lobby has to work to explain what they want and why it is important.

[Redbob]

"Remember when Walmart had the slogan "made in the USA"?"

A few weeks ago I found (and bought) a pair of rubber farm-yard boots at the local feed store, and was pleasantly surprised to see they were made in Wisconsin - for $12!

A couple days later, I saw almost the same thing at Wal-Mart, except they were $16, and labeled "Made in China."

[TopQuark]

It doesn't get much clearer than this...Congress not only is for sale, it's already bought and paid for...We just have the wrong approach...We need an American People lobbyiest...

And who do you think WalMart is if not the American people? True, it is only one group of American people but it is a large group.

And, further, you are correct about the American people lobbying. But great many of our fellow citizens not only do not know who Cheney is, but are surpised to find out that New Mexico does not require a visa for entry --- is that not a foreign country, they ask. After Sep 11, for fear of flying, great many people called travel agents in California and reqyuested that a flight from California to Hawaii be substituted by a bus trip. Most people think that algebra is higher mathematics and no nothing about history of their own country.

We have indeed a big problem with our culture: most people do not care. We should work towards changing that. But your criticisms is misplaced: just because most Americans do not give a d-mn, it does not follow that one group of Americans --- owners and employees of WalMart --- should not care either. They do. They make themselves heard. Good for them.

And, by the way the measures WalMart supports are of crucial importance to us all: to stop shipment of jobs overseas, for instance, tort reform is crucially needed. Say thank you to them.

[TopQuark]

Re-read the article. All of it.

That would not make what you said more valid.

[TopQuark]

Oh, please stop: you make sense, and that is not allowed on this board. Don't you know? You are supposed to b---ch about "the politicians" and "the CEOs."

[atlaw]

"[T]he measures WalMart supports are of crucial importance to us all: to stop shipment of jobs overseas, for instance, tort reform is crucially needed. Say thank you to them."

And, of course, to stop the shipment of jobs overseas, we need to make darn sure that we support the creation of more minimum wage sales-clerk jobs at enormous retail outlets that sell nothing but cheap Chinese products. No, wait .....

[international american]

I believe it. I don't but anything but automotive stuff and food there. The quality has gone way downhill the last 10 years.

[TopQuark]

Boy, I certainly hope that you are not an attorney-at-law: what you said is so disconnected from my post that I would not know where to begin.

[cynicom]

Money talks and professional politicians do not need hearing aids.

[Iscool]

of course a lobby has to work to explain what they want and why it is important.

Really??? So when we the people of this country want one thing and our Reps go against us to "follow the money", we should agree that that's how the system was set up??? Nonsense...

Congress is elected to represent the people...To make laws for the people Not just those who can gather a bunch of $2000.00 doners...And that's just the money we know about...Lobbiests should be illegal...

[Redbob]

OK, try this then:

I don't think for a moment that Wal-Mart's campaign contributions come from anything other than a perfectly understandable desire to get on the good side of whichever party is currently in power; i.e., there's no particular conservative ideology driving their contributions.

And if that's not good enough for you...

[Modernman]

...Lobbiests should be illegal...

Why should it be illegal for an American, or group of Americans, to hire somebody to represent their interests?

[tessalu]

WalMart needs to set up Health Care offices in each of its stores, for Heath care in America has failed the average American.

[Iscool]

Why should it be illegal for an American, or group of Americans, to hire somebody to represent their interests?

Because as Trent Lott reminds us, the ones with the most money, win (buy) the prize...And the prize is the vote of the congressmen...