Thread: Wal-Mart the welfare queen.

I found an excellent document about how much state support Wal Mart does and has recieved. I really recommend it to those vulgar "libertarians" who engage mainly in pro-corporate apologetics, because it is much the same with all corporations.

http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/pdf/wmtstudy.pdf

I am a minarchastic libertarian and the fact that Wal-Mart receives government aid actually validates my ideology if you think about it (eh government intervention= unfairness all round!)

WalMart is no different than any other business in this regard. Many local governments want WalMart in their town because of the universal increase in local economy typically seen once WalMart arrives. I know here in Topeka its sparked massive growth, as it has in many other towns across Kansas. Does Walmart see tax breaks in Topeka? You betcha! But what they return to our community far outweighs those tax perks.

WalMart in Topeka is the city's 7th largest non government employer, employing over 1000 people, and paying an average of around $12 per hour to full time hourly employees. Three quarters of all full time employees have full health benefits, far above the national average for that size employer. According to one of the store managers (poker buddy) they pay out almost $750K a week in locally purchased goods and services. According to Dun and Bradstreet they spent $1,475,601,418 for merchandise and services with 977 suppliers in the state of Kansas, supporting 37,382 supplier jobs in the state of Kansas. Wal-Mart also collected on behalf of the state of Kansas more than $228 million in sales taxes in 2006, and paid more than $27 million in state and local taxes in the state.

I'd say they were doing a lot to help the local economy here.

What I find amusing is the people supporting Hillary who speak out against WalMart. Many of the policies in place in WalMart today were implemented while she was a member of their board of directors, and a major shareholder...and a massive part of the funds in both her and her husbands campaigns (in Arkansas, NY and nationally) came from WalMart contributors. It wasnt until just recently that she turned down $5000 from Walmart in contributions, complaining about their health insurance policies, which somehow werent a factor in her or her husband keeping money from them in past years, although WalMart's health care is better now than it was when she was a board member.

Shop at Cost co, they have more ethical business practices.

Wall Mart, if it were a country, would be China's 10th biggest import partner, that's the scale of operations we are talking here. The point isn't it, it's the practices. With it's advent, other smaller businesses (usually family owned) will close, without a doubt.

In terms of price, they would be unable to compete. It is ideal for the big cities NOT the smaller remote areas. It is also a monster when it comes to wholesaling. It is companies such as these who have ushered in the era of 'consignment' stocks that have nudged the sellers badly. In the end, all they have is the stupid brand, the store and the traffic, the goods that they sell is free. It is also a major brand killer, in my view.

Kudos to supermarkets and such a system, but Wal-Mart (Carrefour, here in Singapore) have greatly surpassed their purpose.

Something I found odd when I went to work at Target was the personnel director asked me if I was on welfare. I asked why being I thought that was private information. I wasn't on it but I always question why such personal questions are asked, especially when they're about to cross that very "thin line". Anyway short story long, she told me they received a monetary credit from the state for every welfare recipient they hired...I suspect Wal-Mart does too. I went home wondering if I would actually get the job after saying no but sadly I did and stayed for way too many years.

Originally Posted by Desidude666

Wall Mart, if it were a country, would be China's 10th biggest import partner, that's the scale of operations we are talking here. The point isn't it, it's the practices. With it's advent, other smaller businesses (usually family owned) will close, without a doubt.

In terms of price, they would be unable to compete. It is ideal for the big cities NOT the smaller remote areas. It is also a monster when it comes to wholesaling. It is companies such as these who have ushered in the era of 'consignment' stocks that have nudged the sellers badly. In the end, all they have is the stupid brand, the store and the traffic, the goods that they sell is free. It is also a major brand killer, in my view.

Kudos to supermarkets and such a system, but Wal-Mart (Carrefour, here in Singapore) have greatly surpassed their purpose.

My general point was that despite the love for corporations by the american style vulgar "libertarians" and conservatives, Wal Mart and other corporations are not a shining example of the free market and legitimate property rights and would be nothing without the state's support.

Walmart is the devil. If they were being as ethical and great as Water accuses, they would not have lawsuits against them for mis-treating their employees.

Originally Posted by Neue Horizonte

Walmart is the devil. If they were being as ethical and great as Water accuses, they would not have lawsuits against them for mis-treating their employees.

I have to agree to a degree with this. But with the size of the company it is almost certain there will be something to sue over.

What I am not clear of is if any lawsuits have been of the broad aspect in that it was a policy that resulted in class action suits or just a bunch of individual suits? Or both?

If it was individual suits then yeah, that is to be expected for its size and vulnerability to corruption by certain local policies.

I do remember one story of a class action concerning women and opportunity, but that story died off just about as fast as I heard about it. So I never understood if it took or not.

As for the store itself, do a hair of research and you will realize it isn't the cheapest in town unless you shop on the isle ends for absolute bogus crap.

Then again if I needed 4 bogus pieces of junk, a loaf of bread, an eye examination, a sport watch, the latest Will Smith movie, 'desert sunrise' wall paint, whip cream, two lawnchairs, and a bag of assorted pencil top erasers, Wal-Mart is my place!

The stench of molding, rotting cardboard boxes left sitting, blocking the aisles is enough to keep me out of there.