Mangyhyena-Walmart [Archive]

hillbilly_mom

10-22-2006, 04:42 PM

I'm handicapped and have always gotten good service at my Walmart. They always find someone to take my stuff to the truck if my son isn't with me. The pharmacist and I are on first name basis. He knows what meds I take and if I will have any interactions with any OTC meds. I have had their employees stop and help me get something off of the top or bottom shelves because I can't reach them.

I for one, will keep shopping at Walmart. Do I like how the corporate office is run? Nope. Do I like how my government is run? Nope. But that doesn't mean I want to leave my country. Just because I don't like what the higher ups do, doesn't mean that I quit being the person I am. If they choose to have better prices I will shop there. If my country chooses to still be relatively "free" I will be here. It isn't like I am going to move off to Korea just because I don't like how they are doing things in Washington. And I'm not going to stop shopping at Walmart because a few people choose to not like their practices. That is why America is still considered "free".

Ozarkguy

10-22-2006, 08:34 PM

.

Spelled it wrong....communist china - mart! Haven't bought there in over 11 years! Have a credit card with them to keep up with the credit bullshi* but buy something once a year and take it back!

This is not the only country funding communist china's military power. It's just the worst one at the moment!

A billion and a half people and global warming is turning their country into a dust bowl. I wonder where they would like to immigrate to ???

Every dollar you spend at chinamart helps put another rifle in one of their soldiers' hands!!!!!!!

Ozarkguy

.

spygrl

10-22-2006, 11:03 PM

I never cared for walcrap since they built a store in the area I grew up in and that was in the late 80's. I live in a state where we fight walcrap from moving in and so far, we have stopped 2 locations of walcrap from building here. I was so appalled in one area where they wanted to move in....what a disaster! the traffic would be horrific to say the least! I am not exaggerating one bit. Thank goodness folks speak out!

1lifetolive

10-23-2006, 03:29 AM

When Sam was around, Wal-Mart used to proudly state in it's comercials "made in america".....Today you would have a hard time finding something made here, And in some locations even the help....

1lifetolive

10-23-2006, 04:26 AM

I agree with Ozarkguy but with one word change:
"This is not the only CORPERATION
funding communist china's military power. It's just the worst one at the moment!"
And why is it after fighting Korea, Viet Nam, and the cold war,, to stop the spread of communism our leaders/rulers in Wash. give China "Favorable Trade Status"

lost1

10-23-2006, 05:48 AM

It would seem, around here, that Wal-Mart has put almost all of the little stores and many of the larger ones out of business. This happened when Wally offered good quality goods at affordable prices. The downtown area and all the small towns look like ghost-towns now. You can buy China-made or drive a very long way to shop now. I don't like it but there really isn't much choice.

meancoyote

10-23-2006, 09:16 AM

everywhere i shop sells mostly china made stuff, even sears, where do you shop that sells mostly american made goods?

Archangel

10-23-2006, 09:41 AM

I shop Wal-Mart, I have simple views of were people work. You don't like it find a new job. I like the friendly way they treat you. My lady gets notices when her Med.s are due and they are the only ones I know who are trying to help with the med.s My 2- cents Michael

oldnndway

10-23-2006, 11:59 AM

ditto what meancoyote said ...ain't many places left that sell American made goods as there ain't many places IN America that make stuff anymore.

Far as Wal-Mart goes I shop there several times a week.

They have what I am looking for (usually)
The price is below or very competitive to my other sources.
All of the folks I personally know that work there are glad to have the work and not at all wage-slaves or however it was put.

Wal-Mart has a very good business plan that has mde them one of the most successful companies in America (if not the world)
Good for them ... wish it was me.

leera

10-23-2006, 01:01 PM

I avoid WalMart like the plague............

Thomas

10-24-2006, 07:40 AM

Well, Mangyhyena had hinted at some view of Walmart that he was willing to put forth and invited a forum for it. Thats why I started this thread. Guess he doesnt want to come out and play.

bookwormom

10-24-2006, 09:42 AM

I dislike Walmart and avoid it . we are lucky in that we have an ALDI, lower prices than Wal mart (that is groceries, for those who might not know ALDI) and if you work at ALDI you make better money and the cashiers get to sit down and are still the fastest in town. My friend's daughter just got a job at ALDI and is very happy. Whenever I have to go to Walmart I compare the prices, that is how I know that ALDI is much cheaper. I do not know how they do it, as they have lower prices and pay their workers better and still make a profit.
aside from that, it seems every store nowadays is a Chinese outlet store.

shadowwalker

10-24-2006, 02:20 PM

Walmart is where we do 95% of our shopping. I can afford to go there. I will not pay 25 to 50 percent more just to say I didn't shop walmart. I know what not to get there and it isn't much. If other store chains or local stores can't sell at a resonable price too bad for them there are plenty of other people that want to support the local economy. *Americans won't stop the import of junk or services because it will make them have to not have everything now or yesterday. I used to be 100% american made and owned but whey should I pay through the nose for someone's products that they make. When they won't buy from my industry so I can have the support. What comes around goes around.
Oh, our Aldi sucks. They sell junk and when they have a ad or sale. When you get there when the open the day of the sale. I have been told they were out twice. There won't be a fourth visit.

oldnndway

10-24-2006, 02:50 PM

After having read these kinds of posts over the years I tend to think about where what I'm buying comes from when I go to Wal-Mart.
...which often happens daily...it's the closest store to my side of town and has become my "convenience" store.

Generally what I buy there is American made or grown.

I mostly get groceries there and maybe household cleaning stuff, toiletries, paper goods, pet food...seldom do I come home with anything that says it's from China.

Near as I can tell they are one heck of a big outlet for American produce and production.

docsoos

10-25-2006, 04:03 PM

When Sam was around, Wal-Mart used to proudly state *in it's comercials "made in america".....Today you would have a hard time finding something made here, And in some locations even the help....

Agreed.....I shop at Wally-World too much, but just for the weekly essentials. Most of my bigger to big-ticket items I buy from other stores or mail order. Cabela's, Smokey Mountain Knife Works, and a host of other mail order companies give me better service, a lot of times cheaper prices, sometimes no sales taxes, and MOSTLY AMERICAN-MADE items. Yes, I look at the labels EVERYwhere I buy! I just learned to not be in such a big hurry, and get away from that "instant gratification, I want it yesterday" mentality.

I NEVER buy guns at Wally-World, but some ammo is cheap. I buy my guns from my gun-shop buddy. He's more expensive, but he's gotta eat, too, and he gives a HELL of a lot better service, and is more knowledgable, than most of the Wal-Mart employees.

As for how Wally-World treats their employees, they ought to take a hint from Larry The Cable Guy: "Don't like the way they treat you? DON'T WORK AT WAL-MART!" That applies to most anywhere, in my book. ;D

DocSoos

meancoyote

10-25-2006, 04:40 PM

i wonder what store sells the most american made goods? even if only 10% of there store is american made, walmart prolly sell more usa made stuff than anyone else maby. almost all the stuff in the grocery section seems to be american made. i got my socks for work in there sporting goods dept. and they are made in the usa. ammo is us made. tell me the alternitive that is better than walmart? most other places seem to sell the same china made crap for more money and still pay employes low pay.

Suzy

10-26-2006, 04:34 AM

I don't like to shop at Wal-Mart even though they have a huge Super Center three miles from my house....We don't buy our groceries there instead buying our groceries at a store that is one of three that a man from north Central Alabama owns....the meat in "our" grocery store is so much better than that over processed stuff Wal-Mart sells...

I do have to buy some things in Wal-Mart but only when I have to and it's something I need and can't go out of the county or can't order it on the 'net.

Two of my adult children have had to work at Wal-Mart at two different times and they were treated badly both times they worked there....but it was a paycheck for a little while...but some of the things they had to do were ridiculous....and that's not right in anybody's book...and yes....those who don't like to work there CAN go and find another job but that still doesn't give them an excuse to treat those who are having to work for them, as poorly as they treat them.

mangyhyena

10-26-2006, 07:48 AM

Sorry I've been away for a few days. Working.

I worked at WalMart for 7 years the first time I worked there. Then I moved on to a "higher paying" job. When my higher paying job's CEO explained that he, and many other companies, no longer "believe in cost of living raises" I picked up my old job at WalMart. I've been working both jobs full time now for 2 1/2 years.

Of the two jobs Walmart is by far the more important job for me to keep. In 10 years my day job would be paying me exactly what I now make. In 10 years Walmart will be paying $4.00 per hour more. My max pay in my position is $18.00 per hour, which is darn good for the skill level involved with maintenance work.

I've found that while WalMart does not pay as well when first starting, they do offer raises each year and after several years one can have decent pay. They also have quite a few benefits not found at other jobs. They hand over $500 per year for a 401K, whether or not you contribute to it. They hand over another $500 per year in profit sharing. The profit sharing money per year increases as your account increases. Both of these things are given with no strings attached, other than waiting 7 years to be 100% vested. When I left the first time I had over $7000 to see me through till I got my next job. Most other companies do not offer anything like this, at least no company I've ever worked for.

Walmart has never had lay offs due to lagging sales. Yes, they've closed stores before. However, those employees were free to transfer into other stores without losing their jobs.

I have health insurance at a reasonable cost, much less than my day job offers. Most other workers I work with at walmart who do not have health insurance do seem to have brand new cars. To me, this is a poor economic choice on their part, not the company's.

Walmart offers a way to get a 4 year degree online through the University of Arkansas and it is cheap, easily affordable for most. Who else offers this?

Walmart promotes the majority of its managers rather than hiring college graduates. Lots of opportunities for hourly workers in that regard. And the pay is darn good if you move up.

For those who do not like Walmart selling goods from China, remember the Made In America program Sam initiated? They tried selling American goods. We, the consumers, flatly told them we didn't want more expensive American goods with our money and where we chose to spend it. Sam was wrong. Americans do not want American products, they say they do in polls and then run right out and find goods from China to purchase. It's our fault, folks. Not Walmart's. Time to take a bit of responsibility. If we had actually bought American when that program was in place then it would still be in place. What the consumer (all of us) want the businesses provide. Want to rant and rave, fine. But we should all stand in front of a mirror when we do that and look the problem right in the eyes.

For the most part I'd say their employees are fairly well taken care of as compared with other places of business. I have gotten tired of hearing politicians, who want only to line their pockets with new taxes targeting Walmart, complaining about how badly I'm treated there. I am not treated anything but fair so far. And I have no doubt that if new taxes targeting Walmart succeed, I will see not one cent of it. My pay at Walmart will pass my day job's pay, where I'm a supervisor, within 4 years. Not bad at all, IMO.

I'll address a few other points later tonight when I get back from work. Take care, all.

libertylover

10-26-2006, 08:49 AM

I have a friend who recently bought her
monthly diabetic prescription drug,
1000 mg Metformin at Walmart. It use
to cost approx. $42 for a 30 day supply.

She picked it up yesterday and she paid
$5. WOW, was she happy. She didn't have
quite enough to buy her medication and
pay for her phone bill. With the extra $35,
she paid for both.

Uncle_Alvah

10-26-2006, 09:02 AM

Where've you been? Missed seeing you around!

Donna

No 'puter/phone at the house, I'm relying on the library for now so time on-line has been kinda limited.
Thanks for asking!!!! :D

Thomas

10-26-2006, 05:18 PM

Mangy, thanks for speaking up. Appreciate hearing your take on it.

mangyhyena

10-26-2006, 06:36 PM

No problem.
A couple more things I do like about Wal-Mart are the fact that they were the first ones in NO. after Katrina hit. They did a lot to help people there by delivering free supplies like water, diapers, baby food and formula, food, ect...
And I like the fact that they donate to charity and to the community. I know this for a fact as I've seen it time and again. The argument I've heard about this is that they could donate more. I'd have to say that we all could donate more as well. At what point would they be donating enough? At what point would you be donating enough, assuming you had to live up to the same standards?

I'll be the first to admit Wal-Mart has problems. A few are pretty serious, like putting vendors out of business by demanding prices that are too low. But they're not a horrible company through and through. Lots of good things about them as well. Just wanted to give the other side of the story as it seems you will not hear it anywhere in the media these days.

About us consumers being the source of the problem with foreign goods vs American goods: while I believe it completely, I also know many people actually do try to buy American when they can. Many here say they do and I believe them. But you all probably know someone who swears they would never shop at Wal-Mart yet have been seen shopping at Wal-Mart. I know I've seen several like that while at work there. My point is simply that many of the people who claim to never shop at Walmart in fact do, buying so many Chinese goods they should get free fortune strips in each package of socks, electronics, ect...

Thanks for letting me give the other side of this story, folks. Much appreciated.

BamaGator

10-27-2006, 02:46 PM

What I like about Super Wal-Mart: They have everything and they are usually the cheapest.
What I hate about Super Wal-Mart: Always crowded, terrible service, hard to find a parking space closer than a football field, and long lines to pay. I have reached a point where the negatives outweigh the positives.

flatwater

10-27-2006, 04:41 PM

Walmart employs a lot of people that would othwise be out of work, would'nt wish that on anyone.
flatwater

scottie12

10-28-2006, 11:46 AM

walmart sux and ppl who shop at walmart should be utterly ashamed of themselves - shame shame shame

oldnndway

10-28-2006, 04:13 PM

Where would you have us shop ?

scottie12

10-28-2006, 05:56 PM

oldnndway

10-28-2006, 06:14 PM

That's a good idea.

mangyhyena

10-29-2006, 12:07 PM

i think that you should shop there !
But I think that those of us who understand the ramifications of it and who are opposed to it , should
design for ourselves a system seperate from walmart and its clientelle!

Care to expand on that? What system are you referring to? How do you separate yourself from Walmart's clientele?

I can tell you that I've heard many folks I work with during the day who say they would never shop at Walmart. And I can tell you that I've seen them shopping at Walmart, sometimes in the middle of the night. It's just like so many of those who swear they always buy American goods. Most can be found buying cheap Chinese goods at either Walmart or Target.

And speaking of Target, what about them? Target is a foreign company selling foreign goods. How is that better? At least Walmart is an American company. And at least Walmart pays better wages with a chance at better than average pay that comes with longevity. Target pays on average of $2.00 per hour less than Walmart. And don't forget that Target regularly "cleans house," meaning that they will lay off workers who have been there a while and have accumulated raises.

What about K-Mart? They went ahead and laid off a ton of managers who had worked there for many years so they could hire newer managers who are paid less. Where is the outrage there?

Name me one retailer who is paying better than Walmart and who is selling more American goods than Walmart. Believe it or not, many of the goods sold are from American companies. It is more than possible to shop at Walmart and walk out with a basket full of American products.

With the attack on the American middle class right now I suspect quite a few folks are going to be glad they can still afford to shop at places like Walmart and The Dollar Store. Within 10 years I believe jobs that pay $10.00 per hour or more will be a nice memory from the past. At that point you will have only a few choices as to where you can afford to shop. You might find yourself thankful that at least you can afford to eat thanks to places that have kept the cost down, even if grudgingly.

Thomas

10-29-2006, 12:49 PM

From the money matters section of this forum I found the 5yr plan interesting. I am currently waiting mail for information on investing in Walmart stocks. My son and I will probably be buying in.

MNMOM

10-29-2006, 01:31 PM

Target is not a foreign owned company, it is owned by the Dayton Hudson Corporation, the Dayton family of Minnesota owns the greatest share along with shareholders.

JakeLeg

10-29-2006, 01:55 PM

all big box stores - sears, walmart, target, k-mart, lowes, depot, etc - run essentially the same. (one difference is that i do know that walmart generally purchases their real estate rather than leasing) when we can get a GE microwave for my wife's store for 50 bucks, the same one that the others had for 70-90 bucks, you can bet i'll buy it at walmart. when i can get my lactase at walmart for 6.77 instead of the next cheapest (the drugstore brand) for 10-11 bucks, you can bet i'll buy it at walmart. same goes for coffee, wife's contact lens stuff, pet food, snacks for packed lunches, jeans...

capitalism is a wonderful thing.

some people complain that big box stores are putting the mom-n-pops out of business. they've been saying that about the other discount stores for years. just like supermarkets put the local butchers and bakers out of business - but the complainers still go to the supermarket don't they?

perhaps the unhappy walmart workers should have studied harder in school?

and for those that poohpooh about chinese made product... they have apparently not checked the 'made in' label for many of the things they buy at other stores. a smart shopper who cares about what they buy will look at labels wherever they shop. that dewalt drill you bought at depot? that maytag washer you bought at sears? those shoes you bought at target? that tv you bought at best buy? those christmas lights you bought at k-mart? everything and anything that you ever bought at harbor freight? unfortunately, the gullible ones out there seem to have gotten it into their heads that walmart is the reason that product manufacturing is shipping overseas. the made-in-china cry is the battle-whimper of the labor unions. i cannot fathom a group of people i dislike more than the unions, so anything i can do to make them cringe is all the more fun for me.

scottie12

10-29-2006, 02:08 PM

[quote]Care to expand on that? What system are you referring to?
Hi Mangyhyena.
A system of local communal self-reliance is what i have in mind , Imagine it any way you want .
[quote]How do you separate yourself from Walmart's clientele?
well , simply by having reasonable standards as to the kind of ppl one associates with . meaning ; once it is accertained that a certain individual is a wal-mart shopper type , avoid them , cross the street if you see them coming,do not make eye contact or even casual conversation .
[quote]I can tell you that I've heard many folks I work with during the day who say they would never shop at Walmart. And I can tell you that I've seen them shopping at Walmart,
Well, I'm not into cruel and unusual self-punishment .
If there is something one needs and that is the only place to get it , by all means do so ,but doing that out of necessity is far from supporting w-mart as a concept or an acceptable way of commerce .
The bigger w-mart gets the more often it will be the case that it is the only place to get certain things and from there it naturally follows that those certain things will look more and more like the version of it that profits them the most .
[quote]And speaking of Target, what about them?
i know nothing about target !
[quote] At least Walmart is
[quote] And at least Walmart pays
at least this , at least that , This is the most powerful nation the world has ever known , 'at least ' is not good enuff -have some freakin pride , demand the very best !
[quote]What about K-Mart? They went ahead and laid off a ton of managers who...
I dont promote any retailer -there may be a good one that I dont know about ?
You sound like a nascar fan?
What would happen if a certain driver was cheating by using a new super fuel , and he was winning all the races and everyone else was losing (not making any money ) and the officials knew that they were cheating but didnt care ?
Well I think that the other drivers would start using that same super-fuel or else they would lose for-ever, In this w-mart case the super-fuel is slave -labor and labor manipulation ; so the lesson here is that if in a competitive situation such as retail that the leader is allowed to cheat so will everyone else .

scottie12

10-29-2006, 02:12 PM

[quote]Name me one retailer who is paying better than Walmart and who is selling more American goods than Walmart.
as i just stated , its a follow the leader type deal , and those who follow should cheat harder if they want to catch up .
well, I guess if an american co. wants to sell stuff here and they cant sell at w-mart , it's gonna be tuff for them , I havent been in there in a 2 years or better , but I certaily dont recall all that american made stuff - I think your BS-ing - but I have walked through the local mall in search of non-foriegn-slave-labor merchandise and it was a very very very depressing exercise .
[quote]With the attack on the American middle class right now
Frankly ,I am sooooo sick of hearing of the woes of the poor little middle-class. i just am .
[quote]
I suspect quite a few folks are going to be glad they can still afford to shop at places like Walmart and The Dollar Store.
does w-mart own the dollar store?
I've heard that they own %50 of lowes too?
[quote] Within 10 years I believe jobs that pay $10.00 per hour or more will be a nice memory from the past. At that point you will have only a few choices as to where you can afford to shop.
see how pessimistic you are -as you showed with your attitude of at least this(is good enuff) at least that( is good enuff) and now your pessimistic about the future , well my friend , our collective acceptance of all these "at least) things is why the future is going to hell - I say demand the best and dont settle for less!
[quote]You might find yourself thankful that at least you can afford to eat thanks to places that have kept the cost down, even if grudgingly.
Well here is an example of where superficial and defeatist thinking leads to problems , I think !
With your every little bad thing is 'good enuff ' thinking , you have agreed to be a good little sheeple and do as you are told without complaining and you cant even see that your own attitude of mindless obedience is leading you to a place where you arent even questioning if there might be a rational way to avoid this potential inability to afford--FOOD-FOOD-FOOD-(is very important ).
So, as youve been trained you accept this possibility with
even a thankful sort of loyalty to the ppl who created this potential-
I wonder why you would not consider that it might be better for us all to demand that our govt stop paying farmers "not to grow food" so that there would be much more food and thus it would be plentiful and cheap- but dont expect w-mart to support any such legislation !

JakeLeg

10-29-2006, 02:18 PM

regarding Target stores in wikipedia.com

Target allegedly engages in many practices that rival Wal-Mart faces criticism for engaging in; however, because of Target's smaller size in comparison to Wal-Mart, Target often escapes criticism. In addition, many people may overlook Target's practices because of its successful marketing to differentiate itself as being more upscale. Practices that some might deem as questionable include: low hourly wages (lack of a living wage), opposition to labor unions, and its contribution to urban sprawl.[41] Liza Featherstone, author of Selling Women Short: The Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Wal-Mart, stated in an interview, "Aesthetically, we all like Target better, but their wages are in many places low or just as low, and they all represent the Wal-Martization of our economy, which is the exchange of low prices for poor work conditions."

mangyhyena

10-29-2006, 03:33 PM

QUOTE:but I certaily dont recall all that american made stuff - I think your BS-ing QUOTE:

How would you know? You don't shop in Walmart. I had thought Leatherman, whose products are offered at Walmart, was an American company. Ditto with the dog food companies that have their merchandise on Walmart shelves. And I can name quite a few others as well. You're flat out wrong about Walmart not offering American made goods. How could you possibly retort when you don't shop or go in the evil Walmart and hence have little actual knowledge to offer on the subject? I'll go you one better. I would say that of the American made products offered on Walmart shelves, Walmart probably moves more of that merchandise for those companies than any other retailer out there. If not then Walmart will come a very close second in most cases.

About you not caring about the middle class in America--- height of foolishness, IMO. With no middle class there are only two classes; the rich and the poor. But perhaps that's your idea of an optimistic America. Who knows? Your comment on that was too short for any serious consideration.

You accuse me of thinking every little bad thing is good enough. But I was presenting the reality right now along with a possible future reality, not some pie in the sky Utopian dream. (BTW, I most certainly did present my statements about being grateful for cheap prices in the future as a possibility, not a fact set in stone) You accuse me of being grateful like a good little sheeple. You're wrong. I simply pointed out some things which do not support your POV that "Walmart sux." Rather than consider what I had to say and then return something worth considering you simply resorted to presenting inaccurate information and judgements on me that were just as inaccurate. Again, you would have to know about the subjects you speak of to effectively make the claims you have made above. You know neither what merchandise Walmart offers or me personally. Why you feel qualified to make such statements is beyond me.

And I'll ask once more. What is your plan? I asked before and all I got was, in my opinion, that sorry excuse of a post with personal attacks and a topic you know nothing about. Again, you know even less about me personally than you do about what merchandise Walmart carries. Don't you even have the sense to feel the least bit foolish or embarrassed for stating them? Do keep in mind that I work in a Walmart and hence I have some knowledge of the merchandise they carry. Ditto with knowledge of myself personally. This is why I feel comfortable and not the least bit foolish responding to you in this way. I know what I'm talking about.

As for your comment that I'm not optimistic about the future, you're right. I am not optimistic that things will remain the same. I believe they will change. The biggest influence on change right now, in my opinion, is the business community as they use lobbiests to change laws to benefit corperations at the individual citizen's expense. But perhaps you have seen something optimistic that counters that view. I'm willing to consider that if you can post something that backs up your POV, something without the inaccuracies in your above post, please.

Post something about your plan that I can respond to. I see no sense in complaining about something and not offering any viable options to fix the problem.

Here, let me help you out. How about suggesting one looks up American companies on the Internet and then order directly from them? Now that would have been a suggestion as to what one can do to support American made products while staying out of a Walmart. And my response to such a suggestion would have been a positive one, BTW. I am willing to consider an intelligent response that suggests something to help the problem, even if it goes against some of the things I pointed out. In other words, I'm not so emotionally invested in my POV that I'm willing to throw logic out the window when presented with facts that contradict my POV. Try me.

grandmajoy

10-29-2006, 04:02 PM

I worked at wal-mart for a couple of years. No bad blood in the end just family issues that I had to take care of. Overall I enjoyed working there. In some places they are one of the few places to work that offer health insurance, 401k, and profit sharing. Sure they have issues sometimes, name an employer who hasn't, I worked a two different stores and didn't have a problem at either one. I live 25 miles away from the nearest wal-mart so I usually get there about once a week. People can say what they will but the fact is you can hardly find a parking spot there so that should tell you something.
joy

scottie12

10-29-2006, 04:43 PM

:[quote]How would you know? You don't shop in Walmart.
i dont shop there cuz i did and I saw and I stopped cuz I didnt like what I saw - of course ,since i dont shop there any more I dont know what is on their shelves -but i dont care either cuz I saw enuff -as for made in america, maybe its only that tag thats made in america, maybe its not made here either ?
If your gonna dispute that the 3rd world products that w-mart has are slave-labor then we will not be able to converse-and if you agree but dont care then i will have to cross the street and avoid you.
And as an emotionally attached and pre-occupied sheeple-person always does ,you avoided the big-picture entirely .
w-mart is a monopoly -monopolies rob us of security .
We shouldnt put all our eggs in one w-mart basket , it is just stupid and envites severe problems in the future .
:[quote]I would say that of the American made products offered on Walmart shelves, Walmart probably moves more of that merchandise for those companies than any other retailer out there. If not then Walmart will come a very close second in most cases.
Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees .geesh!
if there are 10 (?) , 12(?) w-marts for every other retailer , of course they will sell more of whatever than the competition that no longer exists? dont you understand the concept and even have any sense of danger whatsoever regarding MONOPOLIES? :[quote]About you not caring about the middle class in America--- height of foolishness, IMO. With no middle class there are only two classes; the rich and the poor.
well , there cant be a middle-class unless there is a lower class to average out the upper-class! ever thought of
that ? Why not eliminate the upper-class by deviding their spoils among the lower class and middle-class and then there will be only one class of everybody doing well.
does therehave to be an under class to make you happy?
:[quote]I simply pointed out some things which do not support your POV that "Walmart sux."
No. i think youve pointed out what doesnt need to be pointed out , meaning that for the present , allowing this monoploy to exist serves some ppl's interests of getting
products cheaper than they can find elsewhere , but I know that you dont understand the long -term impacts of foriegn slave -labor on our infra-structure related to producing things and that you have no care for the day when those abilities have completely eroded to the point that w-mart can charge you whatever they damn well please and there wont be a damn thing anyone can do about it except to start that long process of rebuilding that infra structure.

:[quote]And I'll ask once more. What is your plan?
My plan is to avoid w-mart ! and walmartians !
i can tell you really hate your job - I'm starting to sympathise with your frustration here a little -bit - I think you should quit , just dont go back , they are making you crazy , my friend ! Are you over-worked ? do you need more time off ? get your chinese made fishing tackle (take some super-glue along) and go fishing and relax, relax, relax!
I do have several ideas on the subject , but I dont share them usually with ppl I dont know so well, sorry!

hillbilly_mom

10-29-2006, 06:16 PM

Scottie, where do you buy YOUR food at? Do you know where that food is grown? Do you ONLY buy your food at a local farmer's market that sells only in season produce, or do you grow your own? Do you butcher your own meat, or do you buy it at a grocery store? Do you eat in resaurants? You know some of the food in their kitchens come from places that weren't made in America. How can you say the restaurants are wrong, just because they decided to buy a cheaper product to make more of a profit?

Where do you buy your clothes and shoes at? How about your tools. Can you tell us all that every single thing you own is American made? Your computer? Was your computer made in America???

Because you talk as if ONLY Walmart uses "slave labor" to get the products for their stores. Any store that gets their products from over seas usually doesn't have to pay their employees the wages that Americans expect, which is why so many of our manufacturing jobs are going over seas to begin with.

You can not say that it is ONLY Walmart that does this. Target, Sears, Home Depot, and the grocery stores... every single one of them get some product from over seas. It isn't just one company. Just because Walmart took it upon themselves to create more stores, through good management of their resources, and good advertising, doesn't mean that Walmart is evil.

Did you, or a family member, work at Walmart and you felt they were wronged in some way? Is this why you have such a deep hatred for Walmart, when every other company in America does the same thing that Walmart does?

American_Infidel

10-30-2006, 12:18 AM

scottie12

10-30-2006, 03:12 AM

Why not eliminate the upper-class by deviding their spoils among the lower class and middle-class and then there will be only one class of everybody doing well.

Because that system (communism) doesn't work. Capitalism does.

I support the communistic ideal of ' the ppl owning the means of production of the necessities of life and more ,if necessary for peace and security '

I dont support any such thing as the former soviet union as an example of any sort of communistic enterprise or (communityism).

I think its obvious that your statement that cpitalism works, communism doesnt - is in fact an admittance that communism does work , cuz capitalists are simply select groups that apply that concept of 'owning the means of production as the source of their own wealth , happiness, power and personal freedom .
They just want to monopolise the concept .
corporations are free to be communists while they've fooled us into believing 'its a bad thing'-damn we are stupid -
i simply believe that true communism is breaking their monopolisation of that concept by following their example and incorporating ourselves -

mangyhyena

10-30-2006, 04:20 AM

First off, Scottie12, go look up monopoly in your dictionary. *Walmart does not have anything coming close to a monopoly on the retail market. *That is simply false. *And you are simply wrong about that.

I asked both the employees who stock the merchandise and management last night about what percentage of products stocked on Walmart's shelves are from American companies. The answer from the employees was more than half. Management's answer was even higher. Why not go to Walmart online and look at their products and find out for yourself instead of accusing me of BS'ing you? Proctor & Gamble, Nabisco, Coleman, Leatherman, Kraft foods, ect... Most American items found in other retail stores, of which there are many, are also on Walmart's shelves. In other words, whatever you currently purchase for your own consumption is more than likely on Walmart shelves as well, which we can assume are American made products.

About you claiming I'm one of the sheeple--- You seem to be spouting the same inaccurate, partial, one-sided info the mainstream media presents. *Without even checking the information you parrot that same inaccurate information here. *What a good little lamb you are. *They lead you to think what they want you to think and you blindly follow. *Then, when you see another side of the story you make up your own little "facts" to bolster their argument as opposed to considering the info, checking to see if it's true, then making up your own mind about it. *Good lamb.

About your accusation that only the tags that say 'Made in America' are actually made in America, not the actual products themselves--- I don't suppose you have one ounce of evidence to back that up, do you? *No, I doubt you do. *Very impressive the way you used the media tactic of innuendo to state a barely concealed, inaccurate accusation you couldn't possibly back up with the first fact. *What a truly good and clever lamb you are.

About your grand theory of society without classes---It's called Socialism. *In case you hadn't noticed, it doesn't work. *Go ask a Russian for clarification on that point. *It is also un-American, BTW. *But the good news is that there are other countries that will offer you the type of government you would like to rule you. *And America has no walls to hold you in. *Please feel free to go live in one of those countries.

About me hating my job--- If you had bothered to read my earlier posts you might have gleaned the fact that I do not hate my job and that I believe Walmart has good points. *It's just another example of you making up your own little facts.

Honestly, debating you is much like shooting fish in a barrel and I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent. *Go ahead and get the last word and then we are finished with this foolishness. *We'll just have to agree to disagree.

meancoyote

10-30-2006, 06:40 AM

walmart is a great place, there is no store more efficeient for me fill my need for the consumption of goods. i do not understand how anyone can say anything bad about walmart. when the tv tells me to buy somthing, walmart is allways there for me, and with walmart.com , i dont have to leave my tv anymore. if you are worried about the sustainability of shoping at walmart, dont worry walmart has created sustainable value networks to protect environmental and business sustainability. in everything walmart does, they are drivin by a common mission : to improve the quality of life for everyday people around the world. i saw this on the tv so it must be true. my tv would never mislead me.

meancoyote

10-30-2006, 06:45 AM

I support the communistic ideal of ' the ppl owning the means of production of the necessities of life and more ,if necessary for peace and security '

does this mean if i have a farm you think the crops on my farm should be yours to?

MYellowRose

10-30-2006, 07:52 AM

I admit I don't shop at Wal-Mart a lot, not because I don't like it but because most of what I need I can get cheaper elsewhere. Our local grocery chain, HE Butt grocery or HEB as it is referred to here, is cheaper and has a much larger selection of both national brands and store and other brands. Since I live on a fixed income, it goes up anually in January, usually about $20 a month, I buy a lot of my things at thrift stores, dollar stores, and the local grocery. I was getting my dog food, cat food, and kitty litter from Sam's but since I can get it at Wal-Mart for basically the same price it saves the time and distance to Sam's as there's a Super Wal-Mart just 4 blocks from where I live.
The one thing I don't like is the fact that after this year they will no longer have a lay-away program. I had intended to put both a microwave and a tv on lay-away after the beginning of the year but that's out now. I'll just save up a little at a time and finally get me what I need.
My DD worked for them in CT but they refused to give her a chair to sit down even though she had filled out the paperwork saying she has a bad back and can't stand for long periods of time. That's one reason I haven't tried to get on with them as not only can I not stand for long periods I can't lift over 10 pounds, these are doctor's orders, not my own idea. Even the greeters are usually standing and it's just something I can't do.

Pigzzilla

10-30-2006, 07:58 AM

Well, I guess I may as well jump in....... When I lived in Arkansas, 1974-1986, I worked at 2 different WalMarts. The first store, the Manager and 1 Assistant Manager were great. The other ASSistant Manager was a total JERK. The jerk was in charge of schedules. He would intentionally schedule several of the fulltime school teachers who were only available to work at night, to work the day shift. He did this almost every week. Also, if he did not like the color of your skin, he gave you major crap.
After 4 years at that store, I moved and went to work at another Wallys. Management there were good people. They organised a softball team, had food drives and many charitable events to help out after some severe tornados.
I think many of the problems that get in the news are blown way out of proportion, just to get headlines.
Like Mangyhyena says, how many other companies offer the benifits that Walmart offers? Where I work now, the company offers a 401k, but does not contribute. They pay $100 of the employee health insurance. We have to pay $1.00per hour to park on the street and have to move the car every 2 hours, and bitch about the time it takes to find another parking spot! And the lot guys and car porters and delivery guys get paid more than I...a woman in charge of keeping these crummy computers operating and making sure the 1.7 Million $$ inventory is accurate!
I am getting all wound up, Thanks a lot!! ha ha

scottie12

10-30-2006, 12:38 PM

does this mean if i have a farm you think the crops on my farm should be yours to?

well , owning the means of production means absolutely nothing if the result of using it doesnt belong to you as well.
i am not saying either that any corporations produce or property should be taken as a rule of procedure .
( though ,of course , in a less corporate -ruled- society of our present variety) some of what the old-style-corporations have acquired would be confiscated by the state for their crimes like bribing officials and such , and that should be given to the poor or used to eliminate poverty.)And also in places where they have monopolised the land to absolutely rediculous levels , some redistributions might be a good idea !
All I'm saying is that our present model of being a virtually helpless wage-slave with few skills to bargain with is a degrading state for human being and leaves our futures too much decided by the whims of our capitalist masters - I dont support any govt authority telling anyone they cant be a mindless wage-slave if thats what they want and its a blessing ,sort-of , that the wage-slave types are kept so busy that they are kept out of michief and such , nor do I support telling anyone to give up more of their income or produce than is reasonably necessary for the up-keep of basic infra-structures like roads and bridges and such .
I'm saying that that wage-slave mode of financing ones life( considering other possible methods ),
is insane , pathetic , and just makes me ashamed of the stupidity of my fellow country-men .
And to further clarify - I'm saying that the wage-slave model is suited only for mentally challenged persons and that those of us who are not so challenged , should ,instead, incorporate with the goal of owning the means of production of all the things we need and want .
How can that possibly be a bad thing ??

meancoyote

10-30-2006, 12:53 PM

slave? a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another? wage? payment for labor or services to a worker? a wage slave? the property of someone who gets money for work? virtually helpless wage-slave with few skills to bargain with? i just dont like the sound of all this. redistributions would be bad, it would bring us one step closer to communism.

scottie12

10-30-2006, 01:10 PM

[quote]
Honestly, debating you is much like shooting fish in a barrel and I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent. Go ahead and get the last word and then we are finished with this foolishness. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

well -ihope you really mean it ?
cuz you are soooooo boring !
My last words (i hope ) to you would be that I would like to wish you the happiest of the next 30 years of working at walmart. (better you than me , thats for damn sure )
I hope that in the end of your life-cycle as a wal-mart humanoid slave that you recieve the shiniest purtiest chinese -made cu-koo clock that any retiree has evr gotten !
good luck !

scottie12

10-30-2006, 02:26 PM

hi, hillbillymom
quote]Scottie, where do you buy YOUR food at?
Well-I ever-increasingly grow/harvest my own food- but what i buy , I buy from Krogers cuz their union ppl. i rarely eat out -home-cookin is soooo much better!

quote]Where do you buy your clothes and shoes at? How about your tools. Can you tell us all that every single thing you own is American made? Your computer? Was your computer made in America???
hmmmmm-nope-yep-maybe-sometimes- if I can- I never said I was perfect ya know-

quote]Because you talk as if ONLY Walmart uses "slave labor"
didnt say that ! in fact I mentioned what you have added to that!(maybe that was a post after you posted -
'not sure')

quote] Just because Walmart took it upon themselves to create more stores, through good management of their resources, and good advertising, doesn't mean that Walmart is evil.
hhmmm=good management of their resources=
resources=slave-labor =good management of slave-labor= not so good at all!

and anyway ,it doesnt mean that they are not evil , but its not necessarily a matter of good vs evil- its just good for us vs bad for us - and play now pay later .

quote]Did you, or a family member, work at Walmart and you felt they were wronged in some way? Is this why you have such a deep hatred for Walmart, when every other company in America does the same thing that Walmart does?
I dont hate walmart really - i hate foolish behavior thats destined to lead to big big problems ,I might even consider doing business with them , (providing them with inventory) but only in a way that promotes what I believe is fair and morally sound 'that may mean it isnt possible'?

meancoyote

10-30-2006, 02:38 PM

a person can quit working at walmart anytime they want, how can they be slaves?

sheen_estevez

10-30-2006, 04:07 PM

I don't care for Walmart, they are building a super store in my area, and there is one 18 miles in the other direction, not sure what we will do with two in this area. My wife and I do shop there for the quick stuff we need. Otherwise we take a trip 80 miles south to Sam's Club to stock up. The way I see it is just about everthing now a days is made in China.
What gets me is that when they open up the super store I know some of the smaller guys will close, we have a small food store in town, although they don't have everything you can get in and out in no time because the store is empty most of the time. Every time I have been in a super walmart there are 50 people waiting to check out and only 3 checkout lanes opened, the little guy even carries the bags to the car for you. When I was in high school I worked at a grocery store that did just that, we had 6 guys that did nother other than bag and carry the goods to your car and load it in the trunk for you, you couldn't take a cart outside yourself. Didn't matter if it was -50 below 0 out we still did it. I've never gotten that service at Walmart.

Although someday I would love to be the greater at Walmart ;D

hillbilly_mom

10-30-2006, 07:23 PM

When our regular Walmart closed and the Super Walmart opened everyone said it would run the little guys out. The same "little guy" stores are open and thriving. We had a big Farm and Ranch store open in town. Everyone was scared that it would close the "little mom and pop" feed stores. It didn't happen. They are still open and doing great. It isn't because people refuse to shop at Walmart, because people do shop there. You can tell by the parking lot. But you can also tell by the parking lot of the other stores that they are also being shopped at. No stores have closed, except the one grocery store that was condemned. The building was finally torn down and a new Walgreens is going in there. But, another grocery store chain opened up downtown, in an old building that has better prices than Walmart. I shop there for the vegetables I don't grow. They are cheaper and the bananas don't bruise, like Walmarts does. So Walmart isn't the only place to go.

Everyone always says that the Super Walmart runs all the little stores out of town. It hasn't happened in our town of 10,000 people. It rarely does happen. They say that the traffic will get bad when the Super Walmart goes in. Yet Walmart paid for the widening of the road and the stop lights to go in when the land was bought. Our town didn't have to pay for that... Walmart did. They did everything they could do to accomodate our small town to make the process of going from a small town Walmart to a Super Walmart easier.

I've said it once and it bares repeating. I shop and Walmart and I get great service. I am handicapped and the employees do everything they can to make my shopping experience easier on me. I don't get that when I go to that big Farm and Ranch store. I don't get that at that cheap grocery store downtown. I only get that at the Walmart. So if the employees felt they were making "slave wages", why would they be so eager to help me when people at other stores aren't?

American_Infidel

10-31-2006, 01:01 AM

Everyone always says that the Super Walmart runs all the little stores out of town. It hasn't happened in our town of 10,000 people.

It didn't happen to our little town of 3,000 people either.

mangyhyena

11-02-2006, 04:24 AM

So if the employees felt they were making "slave wages", why would they be so eager to help me when people at other stores aren't?[/quote]

I've worked at Walmarts in both Virginia and Colorado and I've noticed a few things that seem to impact the level of customer service. First off, location matters. People are just nicer in some areas than others. In VA the pace of life is much faster than in CO and that pace really leaves little time for the nicities folks in slower-paced places enjoy. Those nicities, like taking the time to engage in conversation or being polite, impact customer service in a big way.

Management also plays a part. Management changes in these stores and the level of customer service changes right along with management. Might be good for a few years, then go downhill for a few more, only to become good again.

And the length of time the store has been operating plays a major role in customer service. The longer the store has been open the more employees there will be who have gotten their pay up to an acceptable level. As well, the longer the employees have worked the more customers they will recognize by name.

And I agree that Walmart doesn't put tons of other stores out of business. The other stores simply readjust to customer's changing demands to remain profitable. If they do not, they will go out of business---just like any other business.

Walmart does do things I do not agree with. But at the same time they do a lot of things right.

hillbilly_mom

11-02-2006, 06:21 PM

Mangyhyena, my quote was about the poorer service I was getting from other stores in my town, not other Walmarts. I'm sorry if you took it wrong.

With my disability I rarely get to travel farther than the local town. ;) It isn't that the people at the other stores are mean to me, but I don't get the degree of service at the other stores that I get at Walmart. The greeters know me so well that they have the scooter cart ready for me at the door if they aren't busy. They are ready to take my walker from my 6yo and have her a sticker ready for being such a great helper to her momma. When the CSMs see me come to the check out they come up to see if my 17yo is with me to find out if I need to have someone help me carry my things out to my truck. And it isn't as if I am in this Walmart every day. I try to limit my shopping to twice a month, when I have to pick up my prescriptions. Yet, I still get the service there. I am a noticable person, being a middle aged person who has to use a walker and alwas has a 6yo with her. But they still don't HAVE to take the time to be so caring if they didn't want to. I have even gone so far as to call the 1-800 number to tell them of the great service that I get at my Walmart. I'm sure they are called all the time with complaints. I thought it would be nice to let them know that there is a store where they are doing it right too.

MYellowRose

11-03-2006, 09:31 AM

Sheen aren't you aware that Sam's Club is a part of the Wal-Mart company?

scottie12

11-03-2006, 02:00 PM

hi hillbilly mom:

i couldnt help thinking , from reading what you wrote regarding walmart , that you are actually , probably, the perfect person to understand why w-mart is a bad thing .
i'm referring to the fact that you are handicapped , which i think gives you a perspective that most cant appreciate.
I'm thinking that you probably have never thought of the topic of w-mart in these terms , so I will try to explain it , as I see it .
Of course I dont know what your dissability is and (for the sake of this argument , it doesnt matter ).
The whole point here is that being handicapped is not something we wish for : Its something we try to avoid or try to alleviate or cure .
This is very easy to understand( as handicaps effect humans ) and there are many ways to come to being handicapped i.e a sudden accident like a car crash,- a chronic condition that worsens over time ,- a genetically imposed condition- we can even become handicapped through stupid or reckless behaviors ,- we can be at an handicapped disadvantage for lack of specific knoledge .
I'm considering here that handicapped (or having a dissability ) can be defined as lacking a natural ability due to a physical or mental condition , which causes one to be unable to perform certain tasks (to reasonable degrees)that our environmet demands of them .
Its easy to visualise a (Handicapped)human , we just imagine the dis-function of a limb ,or of a sensory system , or any bodily sytem that needs to function propery for the whole person to function normally and this applys as well to our national social system , It has many systems functioning simutaneously and dependant on each other just as the bodily system does and as we know that certain mis- behaviors or accidents will lead to bodily handicaps we also know that certain societal behavior will lead to societal handicaps.
just as a persons limb will deteriorate from un-use and leave them less-able to use it properly, so will the un-use of necessary societal functions lead to degradations of abilities to perform those necessary labors , leaving society to have to ask for help.
Well , You might ask , What does this have to do with w-mart ? Or How does the existance of w-mart handicap or potentially handicap our society ?
This is , I think ,quite a deep subject , but ,How I see it mostly is that we should accertain just what negative impacts w-mart has or will have on us VS the positive impacts and then compare that with what would be the impacts if we did things in another specific way Vs those specific negatives .
The following is some examples of my thinking here:

THE W-MART POSITIVES:
-Theres one close by
-They are nice and helpful to me (of course , others might dis-agree)
-They have lots of products
-They are often cheaper than the stores they compete with.
-They provide some ppl(a lot of ppl with a job)
-well, thats all I can think of ! (but I'm biased)

THE W-MART NEGATIVES ;
-so much of the profit goes to the walton family (do they really need soooooooo much money?)(google walton family fortunes or similar)
-what will be the future effect of having our manufaturing limbs deteriorate from the un-use caused by our own ppl of our society choosing to purchase chinese products VS our own .
-money is the blood of our collective societal body , it feeds all the limbs and organs, without it the body becomes weak and disfunctional : If the money we pay for 'whatever ' goes to a foriegn country or into the walton family fortune where it will mostly be applied to searching for more cheap foriegn labor , is this concievably better than if it went into our own
economy ? And How much money is that , Its got to be astronomical , doesnt it?
The wages and benefits paid by w-mart , meager as they are (good business model and such) would necessarilly
have to be paid even if w-mart didnt exist,cuz we would still demand the same products requiring at least the same ammount of laborers.
So, not only do we lose that money directly(the profit and substantive reinvestment of it ) , we steadily lose those abilities that used to produce those things .
-We also lose the use, re-use-and of course the shamefully repetitive taxation of that money that is paid to the chinese corporations that produce the stuff: once we pay the corp. who pays his slaves , that money will most likely never again see america , but if that money for the production had been paid to an american worker , it would have been taxed, he would have cashed his check and paid a carpenter to add a bedroom for the new baby, the carpenters check would have been taxed and he would've paid the dentist to fix his front tooth and the dentist would have cashed the check and he would have been taxed , the dentist would have used that money to hire a boy to mow his lawn , and when the boy cashed his check , it would have been taxed (Damn I hate taxes , but , all those taxes sure couldve paid for some mighty fine medical research!) anyway , the boy wouldve made a truck payment or something and Obviously this same dynamic goes on until all of the initial money has been consumed by the govt taxes . But remember that none of this occured cuz the money went to a chinese slave-labor barron instead !
I was gonna go on with this but its too freakin
depressing !
YEA FOR W-MART HUH?

hillbilly_mom

11-03-2006, 08:01 PM

I do see your point, Scottie. Especially since my disability is one where my limbs are losing their strength, reflexes and muscle mass. Not only from not being able to use them, due to pain, but from the general symptoms of my disorder. I understand the analogy you are trying to say. I have neuropathies. Idiopathic ones where there is no chance of recovery and they can only try to treat the symptoms, and pray they don't get worse too fast. Living with a pain level of 6 to 7 on a "normal" day can make living difficult and make a person not want to exhist or function on a daily basis. But even though I have the disability doesn't mean that I get to give up. I still get to keep on plugging along, just like the stores have to do to turn a profit.

But what you don't understand is that it isn't just Walmart that gets their products from China, or anywhere else over seas. Most, if not all, companies get at least some of their products from other companies. Even our "American" auto makers get some of their parts from over seas. You can go into any store and see at least one thing that is made over seas. This isn't a Walmart problem, it is an American problem. We, as Americans, forced this issue when we started to buy the cheaper made products in the discount stores. When the bigger chains, such as Sears, JC Penny's, Walmart, Target, K-Mart, etc, saw that they were losing sales because people were going to Dollar Trees and cheap discount stores, like Dollar General, and buying the cheap junk, they had no choice but to lower their prices. Yet, to lower their prices they had to lower their overhead somewhere. Would you rather Walmart take the extra money from their employees paychecks or buy products from overseas, like Target and K-Mart were doing? You have said that Walmart employees make "slave wages", yet Mangyhyena works there as a second job, and makes more than his regular job. How can that be considered slave wages? Because a few employees get upset and say some bad things about how their paychecks are small, doesn't mean that it is actually so. I went to pick up my meds to day, at Walmart. I struck up a conversation with an employee today, while waiting for my deli meat to be sliced. I explained that I was hearing that Walmart employees were complaining about their wages being low. She had a funny look on her face and asked me where I heard that because she was paid well for her job. This was from a regular employee, also waiting to get meat sliced for her lunch, not a manager or a CSM. Just a run of the mill employee.

Living in Arkansas I hear of the good things that the Walmart Foundation does for people. They don't just pocket the money and spend it on things for themselves. They support scholarships for under privilaged kids, they put computers into classrooms, just like Gates does from Microsoft.

The problem you stated isn't just a Walmart problem. The problem you stated above is a problem that is in every business in America. It would be wonderful if all of our manufacturing jobs were brought back to America, where our people would be able to make the things, insead of it being out sourced to other countries. But it is the individual product companies that do this, not the company that buys the products that are made. It is the companies that are closing the plants over here and moving them to China and India so they don't have to pay the workers as much, not the businesses that sell the products.

And in more of a way it is our fault. We are the ones that demanded cheaper prices. We, as Americans complained and complained that we had to spend so much money on American made products.

Let me ask you this. Say you are the owner of a small business. You started making a product that was the latest and greatest thing and everyone wanted to buy it. You set the price for it, since it is your product. WHAM! Then along comes these cheap knock off products from China or India. Which products do you think the American people will buy? They will go buy the cheaper knock off product just because it is cheaper. It may not be as good as your product, but it is cheaper. So you keep trying to make a profit, selling your products and paying your employees a fair wage, with health benefits and retirement packages. You sell less products because of the cheap knock off products. So you are in a bind. What do you do? Do you fold your company and give up? Or do you go and move your factory over seas to have your product made cheaper? Many of us say we would keep it in America. It is what ALL of us would want. But financially it isn't possible because eventually your product would quit selling because of the higher price you would have to charge, because you pay your employees a fair wage, give them health care and a retirement package.

So please, instead of being upset at just Walmart, be upset at the way the whole system is set up. It is the system that causes this, not Walmart.

pancho

11-04-2006, 03:51 AM

I just wish walmart would open up a few more of the check out lines. Why have 24 check outs and only 3 open. I do not go to walmart to visit, I go to buy something. If the lines are too long or the employees are slow in their job I will leave my cart where it is and take my business where it is appreciated.

scottie12

11-04-2006, 04:06 AM

I do see your point, Scottie..... I have neuropathies. Idiopathic ones where there is no chance of recovery.... I still get to keep on plugging along, just like the stores have to do to turn a profit.
well,I understand and i feel for you and I wish that all of that lost taxation could have been used to find ways to helpyou.
And I simply disagree that they need sooooooooo much profit.
But what you don't understand is that it isn't just Walmart that gets their products from China
i do understand that extremely well as you can see by my
previous statements namely , my response to mangy-hyena(aka Ranger Rick) on page 3 of this topic at
2;12 pm on Oct. 29 =first line of my response where I stated that quote"
as i just stated , its a follow the leader type deal , and those who follow should cheat harder if they want to catch up ." un-quote
AND i also responded to you directly re: this exact question on page 3 at 2;26 pm on oct.30th
We, as Americans, forced this issue when we started to buy the cheaper made products in the discount stores.
This is not an acceptable excuse - and is simply untrue in that the magnitude of it is insignificant - never never never has a family dollar or biglots had its parking lot backed up one half a mile from the store
itself -(gimmee a break). I would agree that more ppl now
(the poor and working class and lower mid-class) are being forced to shop at yardsales-flea markets and discount stores-and do without or become self-sufficient re: many products .
This is the result of our societal handicap induced by w-mart and the likes of them and our own disregard for our own societal health .
I say when you find yourself in ahole STOP DIGGING!
You have said that Walmart employees make "slave wages", yet Mangyhyena works there as a second job, and makes more than his regular job. How can that be considered slave wages?
well I havent said that ! there is a difference between recieving 'slave wages' and being a' wage slave ' as they are usually discussed in america . This should be clarified I think cuz it confuses ppl .
Of course to compare an american w-mart workers wages to the chinese laborers wages shows that they are not equal but the chinese worker is obviously a wage slave and recieves a slaves wages- The american w-mart worker
does not recieve slave wages (comparatively ) but they are , for the most part, a wage slave , in that their wages are not sufficient to allow them OPTIONS to there job!
RE: mangy-hyena , I suspect that he is actually ranger Rick , as well as other aliases here abouts, And I , Frankly give zero credibility to anything it posts and I now ignore IT- If Im wrong and he is REAL, I would advise him that having 2 jobs and having kids should require him to spend more time with his wife and kids and less time on the internet defending w-mart!!!
It would be wonderful if all of our manufacturing jobs were brought back to America,
Stop practicing the behaviors that have created and continue to worsen this societal handicap- stop , dont excuse - stop , dont excuse, stop, find a way, stop .

hillbilly_mom

11-04-2006, 06:55 PM

Ok, Scottie. I will just tell you, like I tell my 17yo old son, when he and I have a difference of opinion. When you become my age and have lived an experienced life I can only remind you then, what you say now. If this is your opinion and there is no changing it, then there is no sense in debating the issue. Each of us are entitled to our own opinions. That is what makes America such a great place to live. I preach that to my DS all the time. Especially when he has an opinion different than mine.

I only hope that you stick around the site and not let a debate about Walmart and your feelings about that one certain company make you leave. There are many aspects of this site that you can learn from. Because that is what most of us are here for... to learn. While I did try to learn from your opinions of Walmart, I feel that my opinion and your opinion will always differ. But that doesn't mean that we can't be respectful of each other. I would never disrespect you by saying anything is wrong with your opinion. And I would hope you would respect me enough to give me the same privilages.

I respectfully bow out of this conversation...

hillbilly mom