MoveOn.org is going after Wal-Mart

[Timon]

Originally Posted by selena

To me, that is evil, yep.

They are in the business for profit and are simply doing what makes the most economic sense, if they would raise their prices and raise their salaries they may not be able to be able to stay competitive enough to be able to stay in business.

If you think they are being unfair, abusing their workers etc. etc. then complain to the government about changing labor law. Walmart is not a charity organization, they are a for profit organization, and their shareholders expect them to do whatever earns the most money within the law.

If you think that is evil then I am sorry to say you are living in the most evil nation on earth because that's how American free market economics work.

Mornin PD beeeeeheeeeeee

[selena]

Originally Posted by Timon

They are in the business for profit and are simply doing what makes the most economic sense, if they would raise their prices and raise their salaries they may not be able to be able to stay competitive enough to be able to stay in business.

If you think they are being unfair, abusing their workers etc. etc. then complain to the government about changing labor law. Walmart is not a charity organization, they are a for profit organization, and their shareholders expect them to do whatever earns the most money within the law.

If you think that is evil then I am sorry to say you are living in the most evil nation on earth because that's how American free market economics work.

Mornin PD beeeeeheeeeeee

No, I don't recall saying...or intending to have it interpreted as such...that they abused their workers.

As to the rest, we just disagree. I don't see being in business for profit and being responsible in business as mutally exclusive.

I agree with you, that WalMart is breaking no laws by having taxpayers pick up the tab for a portion of their labor costs.

I also think that just because something can be done, doesn't mean it should be done.

[Timon]

Originally Posted by selena

I also think that just because something can be done, doesn't mean it should be done.

Unfortunately shareholders tend to disagree with that

[selena]

Originally Posted by Timon

Unfortunately shareholders tend to disagree with that

Agreed.

I have to admit that if someone handed me a bunch of WalMart stock, that I would not turn it down on principal. I've been stuck in survival mode for too many years to not be honest and say I'd want the cash.

But for the moment or two that I can step back and look at the bigger picture, I can issues with the butterfly effect.

[Robin]

I didn't know anything much about Wal*Mart until I moved to Texas about 18 months ago. But I have seen the devastation they have wreaked. When they came to Kingsville, TX, within about 2 years the entire Downtown area, with the exception of about two stores was deserted and boarded up. Next the roads surrounding Downtown started having more and more boarded up businesses. Then Sears left, then JC Penney left. Now we have a huge Wal*Mart on the outskirts of the city and the center is dead (except, that is, some entrepreneurs are trying to start businesses that Wal*Mart can't compete with, souvenirs, restaurants and so on).

The next city along, Alice, had their Downtown devastated too! And the smaller towns around actually have lost nearly all their shops and look like ghost towns. I estimate probably 200 plus retail businesses locally were put out of business. If each business had 3 employees that's 600 people. Which is way MORE than Wal*Mart employ.

I don't blame Wal*Mart, they discovered a superb business strategy and milked it all the way. But... there *is* another side to the story. Maybe it's worse in poorer areas like South Texas - but it's there.