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Incredible Vision at Wal-Mart
Special to FreeRepublic ^ | 28 March 2008 | John Armor (Congressman Billybob)

Posted on 03/29/2008 6:44:19 AM PDT by Congressman Billybob

I’m grateful to an article in the National Post on Friday, 28 March, by Colby Cost for bringing this item to my attention. It is about Wal-Mart, but has nothing to do with the legendary business model of that company. Or, does it?

As the article recites, shortly before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans on 29 August 2005, Lee Scott, CEO of Wal-Mart, send a memorandum to all the regional and store managers in the region about to be hit. His message said:

“A lot of you are going to have to make decisions above your level. Make the best decision that you can with the information that's available to you at the time, and above all, do the right thing.”

This is an incredible message. Normally, when a disaster strikes in any large organization and communications are cut off, the subordinates are expected to batten down the hatches, protect themselves and wait for instructions. Lee Scott told his people to do the exact opposite.

What model was he following? It was the military model. There are times in battle that communication is lost. The soldiers and squad leaders on the ground don’t have the option to stand still and wait it out. Lives are on the line, and therefore they must act, even on partial or inadequate information.

The article mentioned how well the US Coast Guard functioned after Katrina. With speed and precision they set up rescue, triage, and transportation to functioning medical facilities outside the zone of destruction. How well did Wal-Mart do in this disaster?

Here is what the article says about that: “In Kenner, La., an employee crashed a forklift through a warehouse door to get water for a nursing home. A Marrero, La., store served as a barracks for cops whose homes had been submerged. In Waveland, Miss., an assistant manager who could not reach her superiors had a bulldozer driven through the store to retrieve disaster necessities for community use, and broke into a locked pharmacy closet to obtain medicine for the local hospital.

“Meanwhile, Wal-Mart trucks pre-loaded with emergency supplies at regional depots were among the first on the scene wherever refugees were being gathered by officialdom. Their main challenge, in many cases, was running a gauntlet of FEMA officials who didn't want to let them through. As the president of the brutalized Jefferson Parish put it in a Sept. 4 Meet the Press interview, speaking at the height of nationwide despair over FEMA's confused response: ‘If [the U.S.] government would have responded like Wal-Mart has responded, we wouldn't be in this crisis.’ ”

The article refers to a study of private responses to the Katrina crisis by many businesses. Steven Horwitz, an economist at St. Lawrence University in New York, noted that other “big box” companies like Home Depot and Lowe’s handed out millions of dollars in inventory, for free, to people in desperate need.

I have one, large question about this story. Why hasn’t it been reported before? Why didn’t it make the cover of Time magazine, or a story on “60 Minutes”?

The image which some “social activists” seek to apply to Wal-Mart is a large, impersonal corporation that has no interest in either the lives and welfare of its own employees, or the lives and welfare of the communities in which it locates. Of course, every time Wal-Mart opens a hiring office for an upcoming store, there are hundreds of applicants for every available job, If that fact was as widely reported as the rants of the “social activists” that image would not last very long.

But the real fight over Wal-Mart concerns unions. It is a non-union business. And unions are on the liberal, Democratic side of the political spectrum, as are about 80 percent of all reporters and editors. Now, it becomes clearer why this extraordinary story of the freedom to act that Wal-Mart gave its people, and how they used that, has not been widely reported.

Sometimes, the simple truth about a real situation can blow the invented story out of the water. And, we cannot have that, can we?

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About the Author: John Armor practiced in the US Supreme Court for 33 years. John_Armor@aya.yale.edu He is running for the 11th Congressional District of North Carolina.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: disasterrelief; katrina; neworleans; walmart
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This is a new twist on an old story. I think you'll find it interesting.

John / Billybob

1 posted on 03/29/2008 6:44:20 AM PDT by Congressman Billybob
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To: Congressman Billybob

It’s not been reported because that would put a positive twist on the ugly image the msm has painted on Walmart. Not to mention they wouldn’t want to distract from Bush causing Katrina in the first place.


2 posted on 03/29/2008 6:47:19 AM PDT by mtbopfuyn (The fence is "absolutely not the answer" - Gov. Rick Perry (R, TX))
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To: Congressman Billybob

Thanks, Billybob. If the masses knew that, they’d actually shop there more. Can’t have that, you know.


3 posted on 03/29/2008 6:50:41 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: Congressman Billybob
But the real fight over Wal-Mart concerns unions. It is a non-union business. And unions are on the liberal, Democratic side of the political spectrum, as are about 80 percent of all reporters and editors. Now, it becomes clearer why this extraordinary story of the freedom to act that Wal-Mart gave its people, and how they used that, has not been widely reported.

Bingo.

4 posted on 03/29/2008 6:52:35 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Everything is either willed or permitted by God, and nothing can hurt me." Bl. Charles de Foucauld)
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To: Congressman Billybob

It isn’t just the Liberals, this article will throw a lot of Freepers into a rant mode too.


5 posted on 03/29/2008 6:54:33 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (If America falls, darkness will cover the face of the earth for a thousand years.)
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To: Congressman Billybob

Thanks for the posting, Congressman Billybob. I don’t shop at Wal-Mart often, but I believe Mr. Sam Walton had true genius in leadership and marketing, and hardwired both traits into his company.

Wish they would carry more “made in USA” products, though.


6 posted on 03/29/2008 6:55:01 AM PDT by Wombat Ark
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To: Congressman Billybob

Thankfully, Hillary Clinton was on their board of directors to make sure they did the right thing. < / sar >


7 posted on 03/29/2008 6:55:26 AM PDT by Popman
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To: Congressman Billybob
Thanks for an inspirational piece.

Of course, the mainstram media is full of professional cynics who deliberately overlook anything positive about Walmart or any of the other named corporations. Their hate big business mentality dominates/edits over all -- which is why we can celebrate their demise.

8 posted on 03/29/2008 6:57:41 AM PDT by Zechariah11
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To: Congressman Billybob
As the president of the brutalized Jefferson Parish put it in a Sept. 4 Meet the Press interview, speaking at the height of nationwide despair over FEMA's confused response: ‘If [the U.S.] government would have responded like Wal-Mart has responded, we wouldn't be in this crisis.’ ”

Had the N.O. residents, Jefferson Parish president, Nagin, Blanco and countless other "locals" been as prepared and responded like Wal-Mart, the FEMA psychos the Coast Guard wouldn't have been as necessary.
9 posted on 03/29/2008 6:58:43 AM PDT by darbymcgill
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To: Congressman Billybob
The American people work and Exxon-Mobil, Walmart, Target, or any other business. When given the chance they rise to the needs of others. My family gives more in charity then the major DEM elites after we see their tax returns. Our incomes are not a large as theirs. Every time one of these elites points a finger at these companies, they point it at giving Americans. The elites are hypocrites.
10 posted on 03/29/2008 6:58:54 AM PDT by bmwcyle (McCain has yet to give conservatives a reason to vote for him)
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To: Congressman Billybob
It is a non-union business.

Only in the U.S. Overseas it is unionized in many countries. In China, where the purpose of the unions is more to keep the workers in line, Wal-Mart has actually embraced them.

11 posted on 03/29/2008 7:00:23 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: Congressman Billybob

Great article. Wal-Mart is not the “fount of evil” that all leftists (and a lot of conservatives on this forum) paint them to be.


12 posted on 03/29/2008 7:00:50 AM PDT by Wonder Warthog (The Hog of Steel-NRA)
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To: darbymcgill

oops..

FEMA psychos the Coast Guard = FEMA psychos and the Coast Guard..

I’m embarassed to put the Coast Guard so close to FEMA.

sorry.


13 posted on 03/29/2008 7:00:59 AM PDT by darbymcgill
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To: Congressman Billybob
I like Wal-Mart. Cheap crap, appropriately priced.

I know it's all made in China. That's because the unions have made it impossible to make cheap crap appropriately priced in America.

If war breaks out, and China stops providing their goods, I have every confidence that the American people will be able to get our paper-drink umbrella, refrigerator magnet, and disposable razor factories up and running in a heartbeat.

14 posted on 03/29/2008 7:01:11 AM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: Congressman Billybob; Gabz
Uh oh, the Wal-Mart bashers on FR won't like this.

Gabz, thought you might be interested.

15 posted on 03/29/2008 7:03:14 AM PDT by Madame Dufarge
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To: Madame Dufarge
The Wal-Mart bashers didn't show up here when the original was posted. Well, maybe a couple . . . the rest ran for hills.
16 posted on 03/29/2008 7:04:54 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Marysecretary
I was not introduced to Walmart until I relocated. What a surprise, they are friendly, theri prices are way better than Kroger or Albertsons and it saves us about $30-$40 a week on the same items. Best part is their return policy. Bring it back and no problem.

There are a few things we get elsewhere, like fresh produce, but other than that I's sold on Walmart. IMO

17 posted on 03/29/2008 7:05:41 AM PDT by IllumiNaughtyByNature (Senator McCain, what did GWB promise you back in 2000? And you believed him? BWAHAAAAA!)
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To: Congressman Billybob; Spktyr; SmithL; DeFault User; PGalt; conservatism_IS_compassion; CPT Clay; ...
Armor for Congress PING!


John Armor for Congress

John Armor on YouTube

Freepmail or ping me on the thread to be added to the John Armor for Congress ping list.


18 posted on 03/29/2008 7:08:51 AM PDT by MitchellC (Thomas Sowell: 'I will be delighted.. if someone with such views gets elected.' ArmorforCongress.com)
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To: Congressman Billybob

Not to be cynical but, crashed into the pharmacy to get drugs for the hospital? Riiiiight.


19 posted on 03/29/2008 7:09:58 AM PDT by beckysueb (Pray for our troops , America, and President Bush)
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To: Wombat Ark

And they have completely adopted the “green” hoax. Of course there could be a demand for that sort of thing. But I just hate it. Can’t even find a decent light bulb there. I refuse to pay 8 bucks for an ugly light bulb.


20 posted on 03/29/2008 7:12:31 AM PDT by beckysueb (Pray for our troops , America, and President Bush)
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