Posted on 08/03/2005 12:54:00 PM PDT by summer
.... But to chalk up Wal-Mart's success simply to the exploitation of its work force, as many of the company's most ferocious critics do, is simply wrong, for two reasons.
First, Wal-Mart hasn't just sliced up the economic pie in a way that favors one group over another. Rather, it has made the total pie bigger....
Second, most of the value created by the company is actually pocketed by its customers in the form of lower prices. According to one recent academic study, when Wal-Mart enters a market, prices decrease by 8 percent in rural areas and 5 percent in urban areas.... And because Wal-Mart's presence forces the store's competitors to charge lower prices as well, this $16 billion figure understates the company's real impact by at least half.
These kinds of savings to customers far exceed the costs that Wal-Mart supposedly imposes on society...
... Is such pro-consumerism a good thing?
The answer depends on who these consumers are, and Wal-Mart's customers tend to be the Americans who need the most help. Our research shows that Wal-Mart operates two-and-a-half times as much selling space per inhabitant in the poorest third of states as in the richest third. And within that poorest third of states, 80 percent of Wal-Mart's square footage is in the 25 percent of ZIP codes with the greatest number of poor households. Without the much-maligned Wal-Mart, the rural poor, in particular, would pay several percentage points more for the food and other merchandise that after housing is their largest household expense.
So in thinking about Wal-Mart, let's keep in mind who's reaping the benefits of those "everyday low prices" - and, by extension, where the real conflict lies.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Of course it is - but as you say, the libs like to throw the term around as if it means the same thing everywhere.
I know what you mean..........I had to "clock-puch" for a while, cause it was time to help fix dinner :)
I seriously doubt we will be seeing that particular union clock watcher anytime soon.........
I'm calling it a night - glad you came out to play!!!! See ya soon :)
Re your post #58 - Thanks for explaining that, TXBubba...."Butts?!"
Walmart recieves more government subsidies than any other corporation in the United States. I have to crack up when I read some people's comments that they are a conservative company. What a crock. Walmart takes public tax dollars and subsidies left and right, every way they can. They just wave the American flag while doing it, which I guess is enough to fool some of the folks here.
That statement is also true of our military. Pay in the E-1 through E-3 ranks is very low, and there are cases of families using food stamps to make ends meet.
You don't stay an E-3 forever -- you either get out and earn a better living, or work hard to advance up the military ladder, gaining pay raises as you go.
Same thing with Wal-Mart employees. If they choose to remain in an entry level job that doesn't cover basic expenses, it's not the fault of the company.
That is a valid point. However I am familiar with employees and former employees of Wallyworld and some have a sense of loyalty and others keep getting promised that great job or promotion and it never comes. After wasting several years at lower pay waiting for said promotion, they move on. There is a fine line of difference in capitalism skills and greed.
A worker has the choice between Wal-Mart, SafeWay, Target, McDonald's, etc. Service industry employers are begging for workers. Bounce around until you either find an employer who values you enough to give you the promotion, or grit your teeth, get a scholarship/grant/student loan, and finish school at night. The nice thing about 24 hour stores like Wal-Mart is that you can request the 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM shift, then take early classes at the local community college.
I've worked at jobs and stayed long past the time I should have moved on simply because I really enjoyed what I did and the people I worked with. I knew the company couldn't afford to pay me more, and I had no health care, but I turned down "real" jobs with the state because I didn't want to wear pantyhose to work.
It's all about choices. The workers make the choice to stay with a company based on needs and desires. Personally, I'm opposed to government subsidies in any form, and would like to see these people get a move on and work elsewhere if the Wal-Mart salary doesn't cover their expenses. But, my tax dollars will go to support them whether they work at Wal-Mart or go on welfare full time.
I appreciate your responses. At least you make your points by addressing the issue rather than namecalling and cliches.
I enjoy a good debate, and am not quick enough with cliches to make them effective. I hate to be the 18th post of the ever-witty "Says you!"
Why should politicians that you and I elect hand out subsidies at all? Corporate welfare sucks. Is Walmart holding a gun to the heads of our elected officials?
Shifting the blame? Someone walks in your office handing out as many $100 bills as you can carry, am I to believe you won't take any because of your "conservative" principles?
Walmart generates the largest amount of sales tax revenue in the country also. You, being such an expert, choose to ignore facts, just like your foolish anti Walmart friends.
Looks like the feeble punched back in. LOL!!!!!
What I do is not the point. I am just pointing out the fact that Walmart is not the bastion of conservatism that some people seem to think it is.
I don't hate Walmart and I actually will shop there once in awhile if I need something that I can't get at a better price or quality somewhere else. I just don't pretend that Walmart is something it is not. It is a giant corporation that at the end of the day, will do whatever is best for itself, not neccessarily what is best for its customers, not for any local community, or for the United States.
The sales tax revenue that Walmart creates is also not the issue. Almost every successful business creates tax revenue but not every business demands and gets subsidies and tax breaks like Walmart does.
My whole point, which you chose to ignore, is that the aura of Walmart as a Conservative company is a sham. Walmart may have some conservative values but when it is in its best business interests, Walmart avails itself of every thing it can take from taxpayers. It feeds on the government porkbarrel which is hardly a conservative value.
I am not anti-Walmart, I am however anti-Walmartsuckup. The people who seem to think that Walmart can do no wrong and is the best thing that ever happened to America are naive at best, just plain stupid at worst.
LOL is right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course it is the issue. That's why towns want them and give them breaks to build.
Tell them no. Too complex?
Um, with a few exceptions, sales tax is collected by the state, not the local municipality.
Nice try though.
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