Wal-Mart Good for America

wsj.com ^ | April 5, 2005 5:22 p.m. | Associated Press

[The Great Yazoo]

ROGERS, Ark. -- Wal-Mart is "good for America" and the barrage of criticism against the company is an effort to protect the status quo in retailing, President and CEO Lee Scott said Tuesday in a sharp attack on organized labor and retail rivals.

Addressing about 50 journalists gathered at the company's media conference -- it first ever media event – Mr. Scott defended its wages and health care plans, criticized by labor groups as inadequate, and said that the company is able to save customers big money as it drives costs out of its system.

"Innovation and competition tends to change the status quo," said Mr. Scott, speaking at a hotel in Rogers, a few miles from Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Bentonville headquarters.

[The Great Yazoo]

So There!

[BurbankKarl]

The only thing Wal Mart is bad for is unions and the Democratic Party.

[StoneColdGOP]

And great for illegal alien labor...

[El Conservador]

Wait for the "Walmart is the Chinese invasion's beachhead" crowd to appear in this thread in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

[grania]

WalMart good for America? Who's going to post a "when pigs fly" icon first? <^..^>

[scab4faa]

Them and sam's sure keep my grocery costs down (2 adults 3 children)

[CONSERVE]

And great for illegal alien labor...

That was an outside contractor using temp agency help.

[ATCNavyRetiree]

Wait for the "Walmart is the Chinese invasion's beachhead" crowd to appear in this thread in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

LOL!!!

All I need to know is: My liberal acquaintances & co-workers HATE it...so...I LOVE it & shop there often!! (not to mention my mutual fund invests in WalMart!)

[superiorslots]

Here is my take on walmart


Any company that has to run a barrage of commercials on TV telling you how good they are for your community should raise a red flag.

[ATCNavyRetiree]

...I also love to buy evil FAST FOOD (especially McDonalds) and take it back to my liberal workplace...that drives 'em crazy too, especially when I DRIVE MY SUV only 4 blocks to get it!! And it's also fun to get that MEAT scent wafting thru the office...makes the vegans sick....
LOL!!

[AGreatPer]

I don't know about other areas of the country but we have several mid to large local grocery stores competing nicely against Wal-Mart. In PA we have two different Giant Chains, Weis Markets, Karns, etc.

Today I went to Weis where lettuce was $1, WM $1.69. I won't bore you with the other special savings. But there were many.

It seems that we all have to be smarter shoppers to meet a budget. Yes, I do it. If they want to fight on prices, I will take advantage of it.

Never have I found WM the lowest prices over all. I definately get better quality meats from Karns and better seafood from Fox's.

What's that old song? "You better shop around."

[The Great Yazoo]

Any company that has to run a barrage of commercials on TV telling you how good they are for your community should raise a red flag.

You mean like the Salvation Army, the Catholic church, and the Red Cross (OK. Strike the Red Cross).

[redfreedom]

"Wal-Mart Good for America"

And when I was a kid, we heard: "What's good for GM is good for America".

[duck duck goose]

wait wait..one better!!

[raybbr]

ping

[ATCNavyRetiree]

"Wal-Mart Good for America"

Hey! Anything that raises liberals' blood pressure and affect their health HAS to be good for America, right????

[cripplecreek]

"Any company that has to run a barrage of commercials on TV telling you how good they are for your community should raise a red flag."



I shop at Wal Mart but I don't think a city of 30,000 needs 2 of them plus a Sams club. I would be happy with the Sams club alone. We do have two Meijer stores in town and they're competitive with Wal Mart.

[The Great Yazoo]

when I was a kid, we heard: "What's good for GM is good for America"

Yes, those were the good old days! Big Business, Big Unions, Big Government!

[superiorslots]

Quote: You mean like the Salvation Army, the Catholic church, and the Red Cross (OK. Strike the Red Cross).



As a Catholic my local church has done more to help the poor(food pantries, money assistance)and help people through tough emotional times than walmart could only dream about.

The Salvation Army has helped millions of people with financial and spiritual assistance also. We donated a car to the SA 5 years ago and we noticed they still use it and loan it to help poor people without transportation to their jobs or other needs.

You should be ashamed to equate wal mart with these two organizations.

[Alberta's Child]

Yes, but any retailer that shuts down a store rather than acquiesce to a Marxist labor union belongs in every Freeper's stock portfolio.

[The Great Yazoo]

but I don't think a city of 30,000 needs 2 of them plus a Sams club

Sounds like your city of 30,000 needs a politburo to decide such things!

[superiorslots]

Quote: Yes, but any retailer that shuts down a store rather than acquiesce to a Marxist labor union belongs in every Freeper's stock portfolio


So...you just help out the Marxist communist in China instead???

Such hypocrisy among some Freepers.

[Jaysun]

I don't want to register at the WSJ so I can't finish reading the article, but I agree that Wal-Mart is good - no GREAT - for America. The average Wal-Mart employees 200 people, while the average number of people that shop at Wal-Mart every week is 90 million.

[The Great Yazoo]

You should be ashamed to equate wal mart with these two organizations

I am not at all ashamed!

[ATCNavyRetiree]

Yes, but any retailer that shuts down a store rather than acquiesce to a Marxist labor union belongs in every Freeper's stock portfolio.

Where did that happen? That's OUTSTANDING!!!!

[cripplecreek]

"Sounds like your city of 30,000 needs a politburo to decide such things!"


I think we already have one who's members are growing inexplicably wealthy for some strange reason.

[superiorslots]

Quote: You should be ashamed to equate wal mart with these two organizations.

"I am not at all ashamed!"


God will judge you by that comment one day.

[The Great Yazoo]

God will judge you by that comment one day.

My eternal salvation has been purchased by the blood of the Lamb.

[ATCNavyRetiree]

but I don't think a city of 30,000 needs 2 of them plus a Sams club

Hey, whatever the market will bear...if they don't turn a profit, they will close...and if locals cannot compete and get rid of their own unions, they also will close. All benefits the consumer.

[Walkin Man]

"Walmart is the Chinese invasion's beachhead"

Thanks for bringing up the fact that Wal Mart is the greatest thing that ever happened to communist slavery!

Remember when you are filling up your gas tank this summer at 3 bucks a gallon or more that the cheap commie junk you buy at Wal Mart is responsible.

Cheap communist garbage in exchange for sky-high gas and diesel prices.

"Free Trade" what a great idea! /sarcasm

[Alberta's Child]

It was a big story about a month ago -- it happened at their store in Jonquiere, Quebec.

[ran15]

"Yes, those were the good old days! Big Business, Big Unions, Big Government!"


Those were the good days.. when 20% of the population lived in luxury on the inside of the system.. never challenged by uppity minorities, or any merit based competition for their jobs..

While the other 80% toiled day and night to scrape by.

Who can blame the 20% for fighting to turn the systme back to what it was.. or at least preserve the protectionism that is left!

[superiorslots]

Quote: Yes, but any retailer that shuts down a store rather than acquiesce to a Marxist labor union belongs in every Freeper's stock portfolio.


I would rather have to deal with a local Marxist union versus one that has nukes pointed at me.

[The Great Yazoo]

"Free Trade" what a great idea! /sarcasm

Yeah! Let's never trust freedom.

[superiorslots]

I don't have a problem with free trade...as long as it's fair and we are not helping out a communist country.

[superiorslots]

ATCNavyRetiree

You of all people as ex military should be against our funding of a brutal communist government.

[Alberta's Child]

If you think there is any relationship between a retailer's union/non-union labor force and the amount of Chinese-made products they stock on their shelves, you're delusional.

[Jaysun]

...I also love to buy evil FAST FOOD (especially McDonalds) and take it back to my liberal workplace...that drives 'em crazy too, especially when I DRIVE MY SUV only 4 blocks to get it!! And it's also fun to get that MEAT scent wafting thru the office...makes the vegans sick.... LOL!!

For an added punch to their guts, you may consider leaving your SUV running in the parking lot all day as I do. I've also been known to spray hairspray out of my window - directly into the atmosphere.

[Radix]

Those two different Giant chains were for a time under the same corporate umbrella of Royal Ahold. Ahold is one of the largest retailers in the world, and is certainly in the top 30 in the USA! The competition between Ahold and Wal Mart in the USA for market share is quite fierce but Ahold is losing ground and fast.

Some of the other Ahold chains are known as Bi-Lo, Tops, and Stop & Shop. There are other companies such as food distributors, and you better hope that they can compete. If the current trend continues in a few years you are going to miss those competitors.

Ahold has been losing ground and has been divesting of certain assets including already one of the "Giant" food chains which you mentioned. Wal Mart is a steamroller, and ultimately we will all pay for allowing them to engage in certain business practices.

In a way it pleases me because I have so little love for certain unions which have been wreaking havoc on our economy for years.

http://www.ahold.com/

http://www.siamfuture.com/RetailBusCenter/RetailIndus/Top100.asp

[SamAdams76]

Any company that has to run a barrage of commercials on TV telling you how good they are for your community should raise a red flag.

Never seen one.

[ATCNavyRetiree]

Remember when you are filling up your gas tank this summer at 3 bucks a gallon or more that the cheap commie junk you buy at Wal Mart is responsible.

Just a little humor to help ease the pain of your next trip to the pump...

Compare with Gasoline......

Think a gallon of gas is expensive?

This makes one think, and also puts things in perspective.

Diet Snapple 16 oz $1.29 . $10.32 per gallon

Lipton Ice Tea 16 oz $1.19 ...........$9.52 per gallon

Gatorade 20 oz $1.59 ..... $10.17 per gallon

Ocean Spray 16 oz $1.25 .......... $10.00 per gallon

Brake Fluid 12 oz $3.15 ........... $33.60 per gallon

Vick's Nyquil 6 oz $8.35 .... $178.13 per gallon

Pepto Bismol 4 oz $3.85 ... $123.20 per gallon

Whiteout 7 oz $1.39 ........ . $25.42 per gallon

Scope 1.5 oz $0.99 $84.48 per gallon

And this is the REAL KICKER...

Evian water 9 oz $1.49..........$21.19 per gallon?! $21.19 for WATER - and the buyers don't even know the source. (Evian spelled backwards is Naive.)

So, the next time you're at the pump, be glad your car doesn't run on water, Scope, or Whiteout, or God forbid, Pepto Bismol or Nyquil.

[superiorslots]

I always thought Freepers were deadset agaianst all forms of communism, But many on this site see no problem with helping fund the chinese communist through walmart. I know other stores buy goods from china but walmart does more so than others and we are talking about walmart on this thread.

It's an oxymoron and I just don't get it.

You all need to read Sen. Inhoffe's comments about china and their future threat to us.

[ATCNavyRetiree]

For an added punch to their guts, you may consider leaving your SUV running in the parking lot all day as I do. I've also been known to spray hairspray out of my window - directly into the atmosphere.

LOL!!! Thanks for the ammo!!

[freeangel]

"the average walmart employees 200 people"

So, why are there only two cash registers open when I shop there? Where are the employees?

[superiorslots]

I don't use 25 gallons of whiteout each week either.

Not a very good anology and does not help your argument.

[ATCNavyRetiree]

...gotta go find some old C-12 refrigerant to release, too!! LOL!!

[The Great Yazoo]

as long as it's fair and we are not helping out a communist country

Voluntary transactions are unfair only if one party is incompetently stupid. I, for one, don't think that describes America. Voluntary transactions among the competent, by definition, help both parties.

[On the Road to Serfdom]

Wal-Mart has done more to help the poor than the Catholic Church and the Salvation Army. It has raised the standard of living of millions by lowering prices. Wal-Mart is like a power-broker for the poor.

[SamAdams76]

You of all people as ex military should be against our funding of a brutal communist government.

Your pathetic attempt to shame our military people has backfired. Now I'm going to shop at Wal-Mart even more often to support this great American company so that they can continue to fight communism around the globe. The more business Wal-Mart does in China, the faster the Chinese will abandon their communism.

[dakine]

Wow! Thanks for the lesson, time to buy that fall-out shelter I've been eyeing....