How do you feel about Wal-Mart?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-04-2008
How do you feel about Wal-Mart?
383
Wed, 11-26-2008 - 6:23pm

I read this op/ed (it's tied in with the automotive industry issues) http://www.indystar.com/article/20081119/OPINION12/811190304/1301/ARCHIVE the other day and it got me thinking. I've always heard about the lousy way they treat their employees but...it's their prices that keep me going back. Since I've moved to the South it's been even worse. They have Super Wal-Marts here where there is a grocery store in the Wal-Mart.

Now, there was an article the other day in my local newspaper with the mayor asking people to do their Christmas shopping downtown and buy local to support our mom & pop stores. Now, I'd love to do that but I have three kids and you know where I'm going.

Part of me really doesn't like what Wal-Mart stands for but the other part of me feels like "why should I pay more when I know I can get it cheaper there?"

Any thoughts?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2008
Sun, 12-07-2008 - 7:06am

"By gosh, you took the words right out of my mouth!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-20-2008
Sun, 12-07-2008 - 9:06am

"Walmart is all about cutting costs and being cheap when they can."

Wal-Mart doesn't care about people. To Wal-Mart, people are just another commodity, a thing to be negotiated to the absolute lowest price. Wal-Mart optimizes labor, whether that means engaging illegal immigrant contractors, making old people stand on their feet until they can't stand the pain and quit, instructing their employees to go sign up for the government dole in healthcare, spying on them and all the rest. Wal-Mart similarly abuses America, outsourcing absolutely everything it can to totally abused labor in third world countries instead of trying to work with our industry. Wal-Mart is scum. The same folks who try to deny it are right-wingers with a wide range of similar views that are not credible or connected to reality, like this:

The last Democratic President does not deserve credit for his good record.

The current Republican President does not deserve blame for his bad record.

The Democratic President-elect is "similar" to Hitler but no one is "comparing" them.

President Bush and the Republicans did a great job overseeing our economy, beat al Qaeda, won the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is leaving America in Great Shape.

Republicans politicians these days are not corrupt or incompetent.

Fox is “fair and balanced.”

Gay people are genetically and morally “abnormal” second class citizens who do not deserve the same rights as everyone else.

Now, not coincidentally, the leaders and inciters of this group are corrupt and have broken laws. Moral scum and lawbreaking have a high correlation. Al Capone went down on tax evasion. We can reform this Republican Party on so many instances of far more grave lawbreaking. If we don't the result will be more disastrous Republican politicians.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2008
Sun, 12-07-2008 - 9:37am

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The problem isn't we have safety nets in place for people who make poverty wages, the problem is the specific

 

 

Guild Member since 2009

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-20-2008
Sun, 12-07-2008 - 12:08pm
No we should stop subsidizing corporations - oh wait... we already are - those poor executives at AIG and the banks - we
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2008
Sun, 12-07-2008 - 12:58pm
Can't really see how welfare benefits Wal-Mart .... the people applying get the benefits, not Wal-Mart.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-20-2008
Sun, 12-07-2008 - 1:01pm
They get to off any medical
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2008
Sun, 12-07-2008 - 1:09pm
If the workers were sitting at home on their behinds the end result is the same. So we should encourage those on public assistance not to work at any job that doesn't provide health benefits?
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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-20-2008
Sun, 12-07-2008 - 1:17pm
Actually it would be more beneficial for Walmart to pay a reasonable wage.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-03-2008
Sun, 12-07-2008 - 1:17pm
I don't think you can get Public Assistance if you are not working. Welfare is NOT what it used to be Clinton changed that. If you get assistance and do not work, you have to prove you are physically or mentally unable to work. Furthermore because of all those uninsured people we pay more for Ins in order to pick up the slack for those without. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2008
Sun, 12-07-2008 - 1:42pm

There are many types of public assistance a person can get while working. People with limited incomes and few assets often qualify for many federal programs while working.

It is odd that the same people who support these programs, get angry when Wal-Mart and other box store companies offer assistance to employees regarding obtaining these benefits.

Many Wal-Mart workers prefer Medicaid, it usually costs less in copays and deductibles than any private plan through an employer.

Food stamps, energy assistance, housing assistance, health care, free lunches for kids, and many other programs are available while working for low wages.

An increase in wages, if say Wal-Mart were to become as worker hostile as Costco could cut access to benefits. This could be part of the explanation of why the poor really love Wal-Mart, and why so many who are financially comfortable love Costco.

In the U.S. welfare reform by President Clinton has been somewhat defeated by a large number of exceptions. Many can refuse work and collect welfare for years, far beyond the cut offs established by the Clinton administration.

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