What Do You Think of Mike Rowe's Wal-Mart Commercial?

[erpowers]

Apparently, a number of people have been angered by the fact that Mike Rowe, who gained fame due to his show Dirty Jobs, narrated a commercial for Wal-Mart. The complaints are that Mike Rowe claims to be a champion of the common man, but he has done a commercial for Wal-Mart, a company that many believe has done harm to the common man. So, how do you feel,about the ad?

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I'll believe Wal-Mart when/if it happens. They spend more than that

on 'school choice' issues, trying hard to eliminate public education.

[Dustlawyer]

2. If Walmart is truly serious about helping American manufacturing make a come-back then I am glad he

did it. If Walmart is not serious, and I have grave doubts that they are going to help in a meaningful way, then he made a mistake. Walmart is the single biggest company that contributed to outsourcing our jobs by changing from "American Made" inventory, to "Made in China! I wouldnt shop there even if they did because the Walton family has shown themselves to be nothing more than greedy, rich bastards! Sam ought to be rolling in his grave to see what his progeny has has done to his "Made in the USA" reputation.

[freshwest]

3. Uff Dah! n/t

[tazkcmo]

4. It's not Mike's commercial

It's Walmart's commercial and it's rather funny and sad at the same time.

[Malteil]

5. The commercial does come off as for the common man, thus something that Mike Rowe might support.

The problem comes from the fact that it is disingenuous for wal-mart to suddenly try to come off as for the common worker. They have had decades to be for the common worker and they have shown time and time again that they are only for the Walton family fortune.

[tomm2thumbs]

6. Isn't Walmart the one who put those locks on all those manufacturing sites...

... by buying all of the cheapest-crap-China-can-make to sell in their low wage stores ?

This would be akin to BP showing how concerned they are about the world's oceans, narrated by Jacques Cousteau.

[rwsanders]

10. I miss him, he never would have done it. Proof is...

the huge rift between Jacques and Jean-Michel. Jean-Michel put the family name on a resort in Fiji (still there) that led to lawsuits and the handing over of the whole Cousteau society to his mistress and the 2 kids they had together leaving Jean-Michel to start over with Ocean Futures. Sadly the rift has (in my opinion) hurt both organizations. The Cousteau Society lost experience and credibility (although they did get the Calypso) and Ocean Futures lost the name.
Sometimes I think the fractures in the family are a microcosm of the problem in the environmental community. If the most famous environmental family in the world can't hang together under one banner, how are the others going to unify and get something done?
Jacques is still my biggest hero. Walked an arm's length away from him when he spoke at UMSL. Too star struck to remember to bring a book and ask for an autograph.

[livingonearth]

7. Walmart has acted this way before.

The very first time I ever saw a Walmart, it was in Florida in the 80s. Out in front of the store was a huge sign that said "Buy American". It had the Walmart logo on the sign, and writing indicating that Walmart stocks American made products.

I thought I had found a store that stocked American made products! I told my wife about it, and we decided to pay Walmart a visit.
Well, the "Walmart stocks American products" was true if you were there to buy batteries or Kodak film. Other than that everything else was not made in America.

When I complained about the sign out front being misleading, I was cheerfully told that Walmart stocks American made products whenever it can. When I asked to see what they had that was made in the U.S.A. they told me I would just have to look around the store.

I have never trusted Walmart since. In my book, they lied to me. If a rightie accuses me of hating on Walmart without reason, I always tell them my true personal experience with them.

[HatTrick]

8. Are you kidding me?

Walmart has done more than any other retailer to offshore manufacturing jobs. No one else is even close.

For THEM to come out with that commercial is a slap to American workers like they are dancing on the grave of American manufacturing.

Unbelievable.

[passiveporcupine]

9. When WalMart agrees to buy from US union shops

then maybe I'll believe they are changing. I mean they know what the rumble is in America, and you'd think they'd wake up, but I suspect the new mfg jobs they try to help start up here (by committing to buy their products) will be low paid, non-union job shops, in right to work states. Otherwise, how can they keep the product prices low enough to be competitive?

[Plucketeer]

11. Sure

now that Walmart et al have made Americans desperate enough to jump on third world recompense - these same powers will bring manufacturing BACK to the USA like some triumphal heros. It's despicable no matter who paints it as improvement or who narrates the commercials.