Saw the Wal-Mart expose on Frontline on PBS last night. Excellent

[Ruffhowse]

show. Basic conclusion was Wal-Mart costs American jobs in a big way due to their emphasis on buying and selling the absolute cheapest products they can find, worldwide. This means that they pretty much only do business with China, where workers are happy to work for pennies a day and zero benefits. American manufacturers are forced out of business because they can't compete with those wages. Which just forces more laid off people into an economic class that can only afford to shop at Wal-Mart. Neat system, eh? Free trade with China has been SO one way, it's ridiculous. Our trade deficit with them is outrageous. About all we sell to China is raw materials. I have vowed never to shop at Wal-Mart. I think it's a corrupt, heartless company that abuses it's employees and scams the trade laws to maximize it's profit at the expense of American jobs. Here's a tip. If you really want to get some cheap stuff, go to your local Goodwill store. They beat Wal-Mart prices and usually sell better stuff, plus it's money towards a good cause.

[radwriter0555]

1. In the nation where greed is god and shopping at walmart is considered

a social event, it's no shock they're successful.

This is a nation that believes drinking the right beer and sdriving the right car will enable to you to have sex with gorgeous women.

This nation is powered by greed, lust and rampant consumerism.

[fencesitter]

5. And I just changed my beer brand..

damn.

[Ironpost]

12. For a tip. Try pigs eye regular or lean

Not sold in all states but is an excellent pilsner beer

[SheepyMcSheepster]

2. i quit walmar about 2 years ago

[K-W]

3. And the government is tripping over itself to make things worse.

I cant even begin to handle how incredibally shot our economy and government are right now.

[fencesitter]

4. Follow the money

Sam Walton believed in his company benefitting the consumer and kept his business out of politics. After his death, Wal-Mart executives abandoned that policy and now pours money into mostly republican candidates (no surprise). I wouldn't look for china trade to benefit American workers any time soon.

[9119495]

6. That episode should be required viewing.

Wal-Mart hung itself with it's own rope in this one. What was wierd is that the US has become almost what colonies in Africa and Asia were in the 19th and 20th century. We send raw materials to CHina and purchase finished products from them at a later date. Meanwhile, local manufacturing and the increased wages that go with it are disappearing.

Could the Dems switch their position on trade and win elections by getting the message out that our free trade agreements are neither free nor fair? At least it would be a contrast to pro-outsourcing republicans.

Also, how 'bout that jerk-off form the CATO institute describing Wal-Mart as the savior of the nation because in a lower wage economy, they allow us to buy things for less--"See, there is no loss for the worker."--Yeah, if Wal-Mart truly sells everything you need at 40% of the other's prices. But they don't. They also don't sell gas at 40% the price others do and they don't sell cars (yet). I felt embarassed for the guy.

[Ruffhowse]

8. Yeah, that Cato Institute guy was such a toadie. Total right wing spin

from him. You could see it forming in his eyes while the question was being asked. It's like he was some sort of robot, or Stepford Economist.

[liberalmuse]

15. It depends on how you define...

'higher standard of living'. That guy apparently equates one's standard of living with how much needless 'stuff' you are freed up to buy. My definition of 'higher standard of living' is defined by clean air and water, affordable health care, social justice, using more renewable energy and peace. Fuck blind consumerism. It's a sickening form of gluttony, and it's destroying the planet.

I loved that ex-Wal Mart guy. He explained that the prices you see by those big smiley faces (forgot what they call them again) in the middle of the aisles may be low, but they are used to draw you in to purchase items that are probably higher priced than other stores. I don't regret my Wal Mart boycott, and I've never missed the 'low prices' since.

[9119495]

18. You make a good point--I guess I was following their

conventions.

But I think the argument still stands. With Wal-Mart hijacking the economy, what does the future hold for kids today who want to go to college? If their parents can't help, and if they'll simply join Dad in the meat shop and Mom at the checkout coutner when they graduate, what is the point?

[durablend]

21. "Rollback" rolls right over you...

There's another little trick they like to play (similar to the what that employee mentioned)...items on the endcap often have a "WAS" price that's higher than the store ever sold the item for, and the actual price is what they've always sold the item for.

Net effect? "Sheeeeeeeet...Ahm gittin a bargin heeere!" (never mind the actual price didn't budge)

If you comparison shop, you'll often notice that Smiley Mart's prices are conveniently 1c, 2c, 5%, or 10% below the competition (to the penny). No coincidence there either, and if the competition raises their price, they'll jack the price up so it's the same margin below the other store.

[WLKjr]

7. IMHO, the company seemed to have went to hell after sam died

[UL_Approved]

9. Shameless profiteering and commercial exploitation

The WalMart corporation is one of the major factors in destroying this country. They come in, undersell factories in the United States, put people out of work, set up shop in those towns, and force people to work for half or less what they made in their previous jobs. This is the new slavery. The destruction of a way of life that embodied this country to grow is in the hands of companies like this. All of those "free trade" agreements amounted to a corporate handout. These companies, at the highest levels of the scheme, are siphoning off all the money from lower- and middle-class America. If this trend continues, we will see the end of the middle-class entirely. Its just sad that people have not caught on to this yet. In the end, it will be very much more expensive shopping at WalMart than going somewhere else.

[napi21]

10. The chain did go to hell after Sam died. Do you remember when

Sam first opened the Walmart stores, the slogan was "Made in America"! There were already a lot of rumblings that americans were disgusted that there were too many imports and stores weren't carrying made in the USA goods any more. This was a big thing with Sam, and he promoted that as the trademark of Walmart stores!

Poor Sam. I'm sure he's very disappointed with the way his company is being run now.

[WLKjr]

11. Funny you mentioned that too, ever been in some of the old stores lately?

I was in a few down south a year or so ago, these were stores that have been around a good 25 years, and the signs "Made in America" were still hanging in side.......... it's a shame.

[napi21]

19. I've not seen any of those signs here in Ga. stores, but both that

are within reasonable driving distance of me are super centers, so they are probably not THAT old.

I stopped shopping at Walmart several years ago, when I heard from, several people who work there, that they were forcing people to work off the clock, and treating most of their employees far worse than people treat their dogs!

I'm also very happy to hear all the different communities that are fighting against Walmart opening a store in their area...AND WINNING! They wanted to build ANOTHER store in North Ga. even though there is a Walmart less than five miles away. Walmart reps made a big presentation two weeks ago to several hundred citizens trying to convince them to stop objecting. It didn't work, and the latest vote by city council was against Walmart! Seems we hear about things like that almost every week or so, somewhere in the USA. I HOPE it continues!!!

[cattleman22]

13. Why not blame consumers?

I see the problems that Walmart has caused. What I do not understand is why all the blame is going towards Walmart. Walmart is simply providing what consumers demand. Wouldn't Walmart pretty much disappear if consumers did not demand low prices?

[K-W]

14. Because it is alot easier to regulate a business

than it is to regulate the individual behavior of millions of consumers.

[cattleman22]

20. But that does not get to the root of the problem

If Walamrt is regulated out of business, then consumers will find some other way to continue their actions. It seems that Walmart is hated for effectively providing want consumers demand. I do not understand why that hatred is not directed at the consumers.

[salin]

16. dilemna - due to the wallmart cycle

wages are being pushed downwards.... understandable that folks - esp in rural areas where alternatives have been driven out of business - that folks feel they have no choice but to shop at walmart.

[HootieMcBoob]

17. The whole show will be available online starting Friday

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/