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Anti-Wal-Mart warriors fueling class warfare
Concord Monitor ^ | 9/16/06 | George Will

Posted on 09/16/2006 6:51:22 AM PDT by bitt

Liberal campaign hurts people who need bargains

Evergreen Park, Ill., a suburb contiguous with Chicago's western edge, is 88 percent white. A large majority of the customers of the Wal-Mart that sits here, less than a block outside Chicago, are from the city, and more than 90 percent of the store's customers are African-American. One of whom, a woman pushing a shopping cart with a stoical 3-year-old along for the ride, has a chip on her shoulder about the size of this 141,000 square-foot Wal-Mart. She applied for a job when the store opened in January and was turned down because, she said, the person doing the hiring "had an attitude."

So why is the woman shopping here anyway? She looks at the questioner as though he is dimwitted and directs his attention to the low prices of the DVDs on the rack next to her.

Sensibly, she compartmentalizes her moods and her money. Besides, she should not brood. She had lots of company in not being hired: More than 25,000 people applied for the 325 openings.

Which vexes liberals like John Kerry. (He and his helpmeet last shopped at Wal-Mart when?) In 2004 he tested what has become one of the Democrats' 2006 themes: Wal-Mart is, he said, "disgraceful"and symbolic of "what's wrong with America."

By now, Democrats have succeeded, to their embarrassment (if they are susceptible to that), in making the basic numbers familiar: The median household income of Wal-Mart shoppers is under $40,000. Wal-Mart, the most prodigious job-creator in the history of the private sector in this galaxy, has almost as many employees (1.3 million) as the U.S. military has uniformed personnel.

A McKinsey company study concluded that Wal-Mart accounted for 13 percent of the nation's productivity gains in the second half of the 1990s, ...

(Excerpt) Read more at cmonitor.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Political Humor/Cartoons; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cheapjunk; democrats; iknowbetter; iknowhatsbetter; kerry; liberals; lyingtraitor; racebaiter; stinkinuptheplace; votenader2008; walmart; wheresteresa; yourlossmygain
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To: ex-Texan
But I'm telling the truth. Grocery prices are much cheaper at Win-Co.

Are they national? If not, then why bother mentioning them? People will look around and shop where they get the best value. I recall a couple of years ago, comparing prices and finding Target to be higher than K Mart and some other stores. Didn't shope at Target! lol

81 posted on 09/16/2006 9:41:42 AM PDT by Netizen
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To: ex-Texan

Here is a short little release by your movement, and it makes clear your politics. Why you thought linking us to wakeupwalmart.com would persuade conservatives to support the union movement, and the left is beyond me.



Starting August 1, 2006 in New York City, WakeUpWalMart.com started a 19-state, 35-day tour of 35 cities across the country. By mid-August the bus was in Iowa, where a number of presidential hopefuls also happened to be. On August 15 Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) participated in an event in front of the Linn County Court House in Cedar Rapids; on August 16 Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) participated in a press conference at the Iowa State Historical building in Des Moines; and on August 17 Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) and Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-IA) participated in a town hall meeting at Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo. WakeUpWalMart.com is a project of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.


82 posted on 09/16/2006 9:42:22 AM PDT by ansel12 (Life is exquisite... of great beauty, keenly felt.)
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To: ansel12

Also, this Paul Blank is only 27 and has never had a real job. His job is this anti Walmart website. What a scam.


83 posted on 09/16/2006 9:43:30 AM PDT by MarkeyD (The tree of liberty must from time to time be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots.)
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To: Niuhuru
And another thing: If unions were so pro worker, they never would have allowed my workplace to hack away at my health insurance so the store could pay for remodeling.

What if your workplace told the union that if they didn't reduce your wages, they would move to Mexico? IT HAPPENS!

84 posted on 09/16/2006 9:44:04 AM PDT by Netizen
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To: ex-Texan
he writer deals with the issue as a philosophical matter. He takes the position that employers have no duty to provide any benefits to workers. That may have been true in the early 1900's. That is not true today.

Duty? Since when is there a "duty" to provide benefits? Benefits are an inducement.

Most employers offer decent wages and health care benefits. WM elects to provide the minimum.

Which is their right. WM's DUTY is to make as much money as possible. If benefits isn't part of their business model, then so be it.

Want a job with benefits? Here's a thought: Go to college when you are young or learn a real trade and then make yourself attractive to the marker and get a job that offers benefits.

I know it is a radical idea.

85 posted on 09/16/2006 9:44:18 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (The state board will meet in closed session to discuss whether it violated an open meetings law)
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To: ex-Texan

The irony here is that I'm opposing a company requiring employees to go on Medicaid.


WM does not nor could they REQUIRE their employees go on Medicaid.


86 posted on 09/16/2006 9:44:46 AM PDT by John D
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To: MarkeyD

"Looks like this Paul Blank is a former political director for the Howard Dean campaign. That explains a lot.Here"


Wow, that is rich





"In turn, Wakeup Wal-Mart is led by, among others, Paul Blank, former political director for the Howard Dean presidential campaign, and Chris Kofinis, who helped create the DraftWesleyClark.com campaign.

Wal-Mart Watch's media team includes Jim Jordan, former director of the Kerry campaign, and Tracy Sefl, a former Democratic National Committee aide responsible for distributing negative press reports about President Bush during the 2004 campaign."


87 posted on 09/16/2006 9:47:28 AM PDT by ansel12 (Life is exquisite... of great beauty, keenly felt.)
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To: SHOOT THE MOON bat; ex-Texan
So what your telling us is that the American tax payer is funding health care coverage for Walmart employees?

So is my company. When we approach the renewal time for health care they have stacks of "Husky Care" (CT's form of socialized health care) pamphlets on the personnel manager's desk. They are promoting the program to avoid having to pay enough wages for the people to pay for health care themselves.

88 posted on 09/16/2006 9:49:03 AM PDT by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote.)
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To: spinestein
There are hundreds of thousands of news reports on Oregon's Wal-Mart battles. Some communities have welcomed WM. Others do not want the company in their area. Some communities learned the hard way that WM destroys local businesses. Blanket allegations about unions stirring up trouble for WM miss the point: Local folks are angry today and fighting back. WM is a giant corporation with millions to burn. They have won some battles, but the war is still going on in Oregon.
89 posted on 09/16/2006 9:55:09 AM PDT by ex-Texan (Matthew 7: 1 - 6)
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To: bitt

I love shopping at the Walmart grocery stores. I save so much more money and now only go to the chain supermarkets for emergencies only. The stores aren't union here but the prices are still higher than Walmart.


90 posted on 09/16/2006 9:56:14 AM PDT by peggybac (Tolerance is the virtue of believing in nothing)
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To: ex-Texan

"Blanket allegations about unions stirring up trouble for WM miss the point: Local folks are angry today and fighting back."


Quit trying to BS these people, you are an activist that is trying to contribute to the national publicity campaign your side is on right now.




"WakeUpWalMart.com is a project of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) participated in an event in front of the Linn County Court House in Cedar Rapids; on August 16 Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) participated in a press conference at the Iowa State Historical building in Des Moines; and on August 17 Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) and Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-IA) participated in a town hall meeting at Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo."


In turn, Wakeup Wal-Mart is led by, among others, Paul Blank, former political director for the Howard Dean presidential campaign, and Chris Kofinis, who helped create the DraftWesleyClark.com campaign.

Wal-Mart Watch's media team includes Jim Jordan, former director of the Kerry campaign, and Tracy Sefl, a former Democratic National Committee aide responsible for distributing negative press reports about President Bush during the 2004 campaign."


91 posted on 09/16/2006 10:04:38 AM PDT by ansel12 (Life is exquisite... of great beauty, keenly felt.)
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To: shankbear
Wal Mart isn't perfect but what is the DUthug's alternative.

Foraging. Bartering. Dumpster Diving. And of course recycling. Yum, recycled pot roast.

92 posted on 09/16/2006 10:06:28 AM PDT by kylaka
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To: ex-Texan

But you are conveniently ignoring the stories showing these local businesses weren't paying any more or providing health care for their employees either. And you are also ignoring those stories showing where Walmart, as an anchor store, draws in and improves the economy of the area.


93 posted on 09/16/2006 10:07:00 AM PDT by MarkeyD (The tree of liberty must from time to time be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots.)
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To: ex-Texan

Some communities learned the hard way that WM destroys local businesses.


This is what it usually boils down to. Local businesses that have been gouging their customers for years get upset when competition moves in and they are no longer able to charge the inflated prices they are used to. Liberal socialism at work.


94 posted on 09/16/2006 10:09:32 AM PDT by John D
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To: MarkeyD
I know of people that work at WalMart that used to work at one of their unionized competitors and I asked them if they liked it better at Walmart and they said yes.

WalMart must have something going for it.

95 posted on 09/16/2006 10:11:37 AM PDT by Netizen
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To: ex-Texan

"Why do people shop here? Prices are lower at Target."

Where are you? That is certainly not true here in Oklahoma. Not as a general rule, at any rate. For some items, perhaps.


96 posted on 09/16/2006 10:13:42 AM PDT by Old Student (We have a name for the people who think indiscriminate killing is fine. They're called "The Bad Guys)
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To: yankeedame

Great pic! I'd pay money to see that creep in a WalMart vest for real.


97 posted on 09/16/2006 10:15:24 AM PDT by radiohead (Hey Kerry, I'm still here; still hating your lying, stinking, guts you coward.)
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To: Old Student

It's not true anywhere.


98 posted on 09/16/2006 10:15:56 AM PDT by MarkeyD (The tree of liberty must from time to time be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots.)
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To: pleikumud

The RATs also seem to be unaware that there are 1.3 W-M employees who will think seriously about not voting for the Party that wants to destroy their employer. They also fail to recall that about six of the top billionnaires in the world are named Walton. Will the Walton rich donate to RAT candadiates? NOT!


99 posted on 09/16/2006 10:16:28 AM PDT by Paulus Invictus
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To: ansel12
You sound just like an activist for Wal-Mart. Or, perhaps, a lobbyist spending a few hours on FR to help your client. I do not buy your arguments either.
100 posted on 09/16/2006 10:18:06 AM PDT by ex-Texan (Matthew 7: 1 - 6)
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