Wal*Mart is Bad for America
We debated this resolution last year. I recall that Wal*Mart won the debate. However from the latest Zogby poll, it is clear that JAS is an elitest institution. The Zogby poll says 56% of Americans think Wal*Mart is "bad for America." Here is my favorite quote from the Reuters story:
Wait... did that question just say "it may provide low prices, but at a high...economic cost for consumers?" Hmmm.
I would love to see a counter question: Would you be willing to spend an additional $1000 per year so that we would no longer have any Wal*Marts.
The majority, or 56 percent, picked: "I believe that Wal-Mart is bad for America. It may provide low prices, but these prices come with a high moral and economic cost for consumers."
Wait... did that question just say "it may provide low prices, but at a high...economic cost for consumers?" Hmmm.
I would love to see a counter question: Would you be willing to spend an additional $1000 per year so that we would no longer have any Wal*Marts.
posted by Sloanasaurus | 12/01/2005 10:40:00 PM
No. Absolutely not. Those who claim to be willing to spend that extra K for the priviledge of shopping at a non-Walmart:
A) probably wouldn't when it comes down to writing the check
B) forget that the grand doesn't just sit in a box under their mattress - it gets spent at other business that benefit.
Free markets, baby. Free markets.
I would predict that if there was no Wal*Mart, there would be no StarBucks.
I'd offer that if the public really wanted the convenience of neighborhood retail and services, they'd still be prevalent. The mere fact that they no longer exist (generally) argues in favor of the large retailers. The only reason such neighborhood shops can't compete is because not enough people shop there. Clearly, they prefer low prices and larger selections to the alternative.
Wal-Mart. The choice of populists everywhere.
When I was in grammer school (mid 1970s) I recall going to the local hardware store with my dad, who bought a jigsaw there for $75. It was a nasty heavy metal thing, one speed, but it got the job done. Today that would be like spending $300. However, I bought one last year for $39 at Home Depot. This saw is far better. It it is lightweight and has variable speed.
This is just one example of what Wal*Mart has done for America.
In the case of Wal*Mart, we're all paying the extra $1,000 or whatever the number is anyway in our federal taxes. Wal*Mart is notorious for hiring workers eligible for WOTC funds.
How does this work? If you fall into one of 8 categories, are hired by Wal*Mart (and they will hire you), and are a full time employee for just three weeks (or part time for 120 hours), the federal government pays Wal*Mart $1500. Last 10 weeks and Wal*Mart gets $2400 from the feds.
Wondering who is eligible to help Wal*Mart get the funds? One category includes "An ex-felon who has been convicted of a felony and was hired within one year of the release date or participating in a 'Work Release' program AND is a member of a low-income family."
Ponder that next time you take the kids to Wal*Mart. Then again, since your tax dollars are funding Wal*Mart, you may as well go enjoy the low prices and take advantage of your subsidy.
Mr. Strongman has a good point regarding Wal*Mart specifically. My point about Wal*Mart was the rise of discount stores in general.
People talk about the destruction of culture to small town America and the general store. But many of these small stores they discuss destroyed even smaller and more general stores when they came to town 50 years ago.
Air Marshall describes an interesting utopia... one that never existed.
I also failed to mention that the rise of Wal*Mart has made transactions easier. For example, if the saw my dad bought int he 1970s broke after he brought it home, returning it to the mom and pop store was a major hassle.
Returning defective goods to Wal*Mart is easy.
Remember all the ads you used to see.... use to your satisfaction or your money back. You don't hear that anymore because its part of the culture to trust people in returning goods.
Go to Europe and you will understand what I mean.
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