Walmart:11-21-06 Wal-Mart slashes food prices in half ahead of Thanksgiving

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: Engineer
However, I feel that report, assuming that for every dollar outsourced, one or more is spent buying US goods might just be wrong. Just look at the trade deficit for an answer to that one, IMO>

Just because it's not spent on goods doesn't mean money doesn't come back. I swear liberals are so short sighted... mention trade deficit and they act like it's the end of the world.

As I tried to explain in other thread, money comes back in other ways. It's been proven time and time again that outcouced money comes back in a greater form. Educate yourself. Learn about the surpluses and outsourcing. You might actually learn something. :roll:

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: dirtboy

Originally posted by: Engineer
However, I feel that report, assuming that for every dollar outsourced, one or more is spent buying US goods might just be wrong. Just look at the trade deficit for an answer to that one, IMO>

Just because it's not spent on goods doesn't mean money doesn't come back. I swear liberals are so short sighted... mention trade deficit and they act like it's the end of the world.

As I tried to explain in other thread, money comes back in other ways. It's been proven time and time again that outcouced money comes back in a greater form. Educate yourself. Learn about the surpluses and outsourcing. You might actually learn something. :roll:

Surpluses??? :laugh: OMFGWTFBBQ :roll:

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: dirtboy

Originally posted by: Engineer
However, I feel that report, assuming that for every dollar outsourced, one or more is spent buying US goods might just be wrong. Just look at the trade deficit for an answer to that one, IMO>

Just because it's not spent on goods doesn't mean money doesn't come back. I swear liberals are so short sighted... mention trade deficit and they act like it's the end of the world.

As I tried to explain in other thread, money comes back in other ways. It's been proven time and time again that outcouced money comes back in a greater form. Educate yourself. Learn about the surpluses and outsourcing. You might actually learn something. :roll:

Surpluses??? :laugh: BLEET BLEET BLEET BLEET

Laugh all you want. Not my fault you are an uneducated sheep that gets his information from the liberal media.

 

[Titan]

Just a couple points, most of which are IMO.

We do not have a free capitalist system. We have an unequal marketplace where there are few with lots more money and clout than the rest of us. Those in power use their power to keep it, and expand it, and we, the people must keep the inequities in check. If you think we have a truly free market, ask yourself how many OS providers there are in the USA. Or better yet, how many choices in government you (think you) have.

On the other hand, the exerpts in the OP is just a bunch of crap. These people hate walmart, period. They will stop at nothing until walmart is ruined. The things they blame walmart for are so idiotic, but they are using them to conceal their true motives.

There is no "right" to healthcare in the USA. Walmart is not breaking any law and not "passing healthcare costs on" because they offer little or no healthcare. This is a completely bogus argument. Don't expect the US government, it's laws, or any coorportation to watch out for your personal health. They are not oblogated to do so in any way, except in crazy walmart-hater socialist ways.

If walmart pays low wages, then quit. If everyone quits, they'll have to raise their wages before people will want to work there. Who do these activists think they are telling people what is too low in pay, the people chose to work there, right? It's not like we're forcing people to work there. Walmart is not the only place to work in this country.

And another thing, regardless of where you work, you are not entitled to recieve a raise from your employer for doing the same job year after year. If you are well paid, be happy you are making what you are now. There are people far worse off in other places and you work in the promised land. Don't take life here for granted, you greedy sacks of pizza and pepsi.

Stop this entitlement crap. It's the age old story, the have-nots believe the haves don't deserve what they achieved, and want to tear them down. It's jealousy, and a justification for thievery.

If you hate walmart, don't work there. Start your own retail chain. tell your friends to stay away from walmart. Hire them at your store. This is the USA dammit. The golden freaking moutain.

<shakes head>

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: tkotitan2
And another thing, regardless of where you work, you are not entitled to recieve a raise from your employer for doing the same job year after year.

If you are well paid, be happy you are making what you are now.

There are people far worse off in other places and you work in the promised land.

Don't take life here for granted, you greedy sacks of pizza and pepsi.

Mr Republican, how does one move up the golden ladder since you say all should be happy stuck on the one rung???

Mr Republican, you just described the age old Indian Caste system, is that what the U.S. is based on???

 

[Titan]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: tkotitan2
And another thing, regardless of where you work, you are not entitled to recieve a raise from your employer for doing the same job year after year.

If you are well paid, be happy you are making what you are now.

There are people far worse off in other places and you work in the promised land.

Don't take life here for granted, you greedy sacks of pizza and pepsi.

Mr Republican, how does one move up the golden ladder since you say all should be happy stuck on the one rung???

Mr Republican, you just described the age old Indian Caste system, is that what the U.S. is based on???

Mr Labeller, apparently you have not learned how to comprehend the english language properly. Could you please show me where I was talking about ALL people?

Mr Labeller, could you point out where I was talking about anything related to India or a caste system?

Judge not lest ye be judged yourself.

Oh teh noes! Look at that line above I just wrote, it must mean I'm a raving bible-thumping republican! What if I was? I'm not. But apparently, you might have heard that I am from the leprechaun in your head.

First, my original point was about lazy individuals with this ever-popular sense of entitlement in the USA. I did not say people can't achieve, I mean that you aren't entitled to social promotion. And that is the crap most Unions spew, that you deserve more money than you agreed to be paid in the first place. I'm saying you're not owed anything you didn't earn yourself.

My second point is simple, there are many worse places you can live and work in the world. All I'm saying is be greatful if you are comfortable in the USA. Why do you need more money? We are so greedy in this country. A hurricane, explosion, meteor crash, or even major oil shortage can ruin your comfort, if not life. In my book, discontent requires striving towards achievement, not whining for more money cuz you think you deserve it. If you really think that, get up and go earn it.

Is that clear enough?

This forum would be 100x better if people could realize one simple thing about logic: implication is not always truth. A truth can imply something that is false. In other words, don't put words in other peoples mouths because if they don't say it, there's no garunteed logical truth in it. My words imply other words, in fact, many other words. But they don't mean those other words.

I'm a straight-forward, logical, free-thinker. I mean what I say, and I say what I mean. Nothing more, nothing less. I won't judge you as an individual based on your words, and I won't put words in your mouth. I'm pretty sure I'd be insane to ask any of you P&Ners for similar treatment.

 

[dmcowen674]

Wally World in the News again big time this week.

They are thrilled to see so many of it's customers going by way of do do bird as the Nation continues it's slide into third world abyss territory.

This is all a PR stunt because Wally World has diversified to so many Countries, the U.S. market won't mean a thing to them.

At the same time they continue to work towards treating their employees the same as China does over there.

Real Patriots those Walton children are eh???

10-26-2005 Wal-Mart memo suggests benefit cuts

An internal memo sent to Wal-Mart's board of directors proposes numerous ways to hold down spending on health care and other benefits while seeking to minimize damage to the retailer's reputation.

Among the recommendations were hiring more part-time workers and discouraging unhealthy people from working at Wal-Mart. In the memorandum, M. Susan Chambers, Wal-Mart's executive vice president for benefits, also recommends reducing 401(k) retirement plan contributions and wooing younger, and presumably healthier, workers by offering education benefits.

The memo voices dismay that workers with seven years' seniority earn considerably more than workers with one year's seniority but are no more productive.

To discourage unhealthy job applicants, Chambers suggests that Wal-Mart design "all jobs to include some physical activity," like all cashiers doing "some cart gathering."

The memo acknowledged that Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, had to walk a fine line in restraining benefit costs because critics have attacked it as stingy on wages and health coverage.

Chambers acknowledged that 46 percent of the children of Wal-Mart's 1.33 million U.S. employees were uninsured or on the government-funded Medicaid program.


A draft memo to Wal-Mart's board was obtained from Wal-Mart Watch, a nonprofit group allied with labor unions and that asserts that Wal-Mart's pay and benefits are too low. Tracy Sefl, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart Watch, said someone had anonymously mailed the document to her group last month. When asked about the memo, Wal-Mart officials made available the updated copy that actually went to the board.

Under fire because less than 45 percent of its workers receive company health insurance, Wal-Mart announced a new "Value" plan on Monday that seeks to increase participation by allowing some employees to pay just $11 a month in premiums. Some health experts praised the plan for making coverage more affordable, but others criticized it, noting that full-time Wal-Mart employees, who earn on average around $17,500 a year, could face out-of-pocket expenses of $2,500 a year or more.

The theme throughout the memo was how to slow the increase in benefit costs without giving more ammunition to critics who contend that Wal-Mart's wages and benefits are dragging down those for other American workers.

Chambers proposed that employees pay more for their spouses' health insurance. She called for cutting 401(k) contributions to 3 percent of wages from 4 percent and cutting company life insurance policies to $12,000 from the current level, which equals an employee's annual earnings.

Life insurance, she said, was "a high-satisfaction, low-importance benefit, which suggests an opportunity to trim the offering without substantial impact on associate satisfaction."
======================================================
This is one time I wouldn't mind using the Patriot Act.

The Waltons should face criminal charges as traitors and an enemy to the U.S.

 

[GoPackGo]

I love wal-mart...they are the best....

 

[TheSlamma]

I don't know why people even shop at this $h!thole.

I havent been in a Wal-mart in like 12 years and somehow get along just fine without the cheap garbage they sell there.

 

[3chordcharlie]

If employees with seven years seniority are equally productive compared to ones with one year seniority, and there is no union, why are they making so much more money?

Either they are considered to bring stability to the organization, or the employees with one-year should be making the higher wage (since obviously the employee is productive enough to earn that wage, or walmart wouldn't pay it).

 

[WhipperSnapper]

I haven't been to Walmart for a couple months now. It's not that I particularly dislike Walmart or that I'm avoiding it; there just isn't one within a five mile drive of me. That having been said, I don't feel at all bad about it. Maybe I'd go more often if they had better clearance deals.

 

[IronMentality]

http://businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8DEJRA81.htm

Wal-Mart is evil!!!

 

[dmcowen674]

Shens on the helping the Economy part because of the lower wages by Wally World the people affected drag down the Economy by having to rely on Government and Taxpayer assistance especially for health care because they are working poor.

11-4-2005 [B

WASHINGTON - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has been a big boon for the economy and for consumers, but at the cost of lower wages, according to a major company-funded study presented Friday.

Wal-Mart does have what Holling called a "negative effect" on the grocery-store industry. "When Wal-Mart is moved in we do see grocery store as having employment being displaced," Holling said. "Traditional grocery stores have been impacted as a result of Wal-Mart."

A study done through the University of California and Rutgers University found that there was an $11.46 an hour gap in wages and benefits between union grocery workers and Wal-Mart food workers.

"What's going on here is a change from grocery industry wages to a retail industry-based wage rage, which is lower," said Daniel Chatman, an associate professor at Rutgers University.

Elizabeth Cohn, a Takoma Park, Md.-based consultant and professor at the conference, criticized the Global Insight study because it didn't include the indirect impact Wal-Mart has on people, suppliers, and other companies.

"The Wal-Mart business model is very good for consumers, but what does it do for workers and other companies?" she asked. "This study has a limited usefulness."

For example, she said, displaced workers may eventually find work at Wal-Mart, but the study doesn't take into account the disruption to their lives and their income.

 

[dmcowen674]

Of course Reoublicans especially those in here would argue that the illegal Mexicans that do the job for $8 an hr are just as skilled as the legal American skilled tradesman.

Republicans are proud of their illegal cheap new Unestados De Mexico.

11-18-2005 You've got a situation here where illegal immigrants are coming into Schuylkill County and taking (local union workers') jobs for eight bucks an hour. They are working for poverty wages, and creating unemployment because our skilled tradesmen are out of work,"

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Federal immigration agents detained more than 100 workers at a construction site for a new Wal-Mart distribution center, authorities said.

The workers, who Wal-Mart said were employed by a subcontractor and not by the retailing giant, were detained Thursday on suspected immigration violations, said Department of Homeland Security spokesman Marc Raimondi. They were being taken to Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers for processing, he said.

At least 120 illegal immigrants, most of them from Mexico, were detained, Schuylkill County Sheriff Frank McAndrew said. He said he began investigating the site and contacted federal officials after getting complaints from local tradespeople.
================================================

Kudos to Pennysylvania, one of the original Colony States for standing up for the original Constution version of America instead of the new Republican cheap illegal and Unconstitutional version of America.

 

[IdaGno]

Originally posted by: Crimson

Originally posted by: Zebo<BR>Union is the only way to fly if you work for someone else.... Alone, workers don't have sh1t unless they have exceptional or irreplacable skills...or work the government of course, which takes a serious felony conviction to get fired. Or three.

<BR><BR>Hmm.. I work for someone else, and honestly, I think I am earning a pretty damn good living. I think what you meant to say is Unions are the way to go for the lazy and worthless workers.

That's a tad harsh. I take what he meant to say is that 'union is the only way to fly if you do not have exceptional or irreplacable skills'. I take what you meant to say is that if one does not have exceptional or irreplacable skills, then it is only because one is lazy & worthless. As I said, that's a tad harsh. Under-motivated &/or simply incapable does not make one lazy and worthless.

 

[GoPackGo]

They were making $8/hr???? Wow that seems kind of high...I'm sure they could have gotten them for 1/2 that or less...

 

[Cander]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Of course Reoublicans especially those in here would argue that the illegal Mexicans that do the job for $8 an hr are just as skilled as the legal American skilled tradesman.

Republicans are proud of their illegal cheap new Unestados De Mexico.

11-18-2005 You've got a situation here where illegal immigrants are coming into Schuylkill County and taking (local union workers') jobs for eight bucks an hour. They are working for poverty wages, and creating unemployment because our skilled tradesmen are out of work,"

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Federal immigration agents detained more than 100 workers at a construction site for a new Wal-Mart distribution center, authorities said.

The workers, who Wal-Mart said were employed by a subcontractor and not by the retailing giant, were detained Thursday on suspected immigration violations, said Department of Homeland Security spokesman Marc Raimondi. They were being taken to Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers for processing, he said.

At least 120 illegal immigrants, most of them from Mexico, were detained, Schuylkill County Sheriff Frank McAndrew said. He said he began investigating the site and contacted federal officials after getting complaints from local tradespeople.
================================================

Kudos to Pennysylvania, one of the original Colony States for standing up for the original Constution version of America instead of the new Republican cheap illegal and Unconstitutional version of America.

Interesting generalization.

 

[ExpertNovice]

Sam Walton was conservative, are his heirs?

I love how liberals hate conservatives that do what liberals do. Liberals say let the "undocumented workers" get driver licenses and social security cards and don't allow the employers ask about their citizenship. Then, if a liberal is caught paying the workers $5 a day that is ok after all we are helping them but when a large company gets caught paying them $8 an hour, you get self righteous.

Most conservatives want to stop the illegals from crossing our borders. But the liberal groups physically attack anyone that dares to report the illegals to INS. Liberals give them food and water and help them cross the border illegally. I assume, since according to you don't want them to work for decent wages, that you want them to simply vote for liberal candidates then die.

Congratulations, your own immorality has condemned you.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: GoPackGo
They were making $8/hr???? Wow that seems kind of high...I'm sure they could have gotten them for 1/2 that or less...

True, the Mexicans are only being paid $4hr down here and being short changed on their hours too.

The new Republican America in it's finest form. :thumbsup:

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: ExpertNovice
Sam Walton was conservative, are his heirs?

I love how liberals hate conservatives that do what liberals do. Liberals say let the "undocumented workers" get driver licenses and social security cards and don't allow the employers ask about their citizenship. Then, if a liberal is caught paying the workers $5 a day that is ok after all we are helping them but when a large company gets caught paying them $8 an hour, you get self righteous.

I love how liberals are so opposed to national ID cards for voting and other government priviledges.

I guess they need their illegal immigrant crack-for-vote programs to win.....errr not lose by so much.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: ExpertNovice
Sam Walton was conservative, are his heirs?

I love how liberals hate conservatives that do what liberals do. Liberals say let the "undocumented workers" get driver licenses and social security cards and don't allow the employers ask about their citizenship. Then, if a liberal is caught paying the workers $5 a day that is ok after all we are helping them but when a large company gets caught paying them $8 an hour, you get self righteous.

Most conservatives want to stop the illegals from crossing our borders. But the liberal groups physically attack anyone that dares to report the illegals to INS. Liberals give them food and water and help them cross the border illegally. I assume, since according to you don't want them to work for decent wages, that you want them to simply vote for liberal candidates then die.

Congratulations, your own immorality has condemned you.

You're dreaming. I know lots of business owners being a member of COC and rotary and about 75% i'd estimate are Repubs... all of them, repubs and dems alike Love illegals. Cheap labor that does'nt ask any questions or give any lip... what more can you ask for? Seriously!

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: GoPackGo
They were making $8/hr???? Wow that seems kind of high...I'm sure they could have gotten them for 1/2 that or less...

Mexicans are getting greedy too.. America has that effect on people. I just paid a guy $3000 for a pavestone driveway in a house I'm building.. all I got were bids from less than english speakers and all bids were $3000-$4000 for a job which takes about a day and two workers -$1000 materials... you do the math.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally posted by: ExpertNovice

I love how liberals hate conservatives that do what liberals do. Liberals say let the "undocumented workers" get driver licenses and social security cards and don't allow the employers ask about their citizenship. Then, if a liberal is caught paying the workers $5 a day that is ok after all we are helping them but when a large company gets caught paying them $8 an hour, you get self righteous.

Most conservatives want to stop the illegals from crossing our borders. But the liberal groups physically attack anyone that dares to report the illegals to INS. Liberals give them food and water and help them cross the border illegally. I assume, since according to you don't want them to work for decent wages, that you want them to simply vote for liberal candidates then die.

A pox on both their houses I say. You really think the Conservatives oppose illegal immigration and global labor wage arbitrage? What have you been smoking ??? The Bush Administration is almost doing everything in its power to keep from enforcing immigration laws and to leave the border wide open, and Conservatives just absolutely adore him, even those who would claim to oppose illegal immigration adore him and cannot find fault with him.

 

[Gannon]

The way world capitalism is currently set up, it's a financial social order about farming workers for the rich. While workers the world over have to constantly worry about their economic secuirty, and about slipping into poverty, the rich have become richer. Take a look at CEO pay and profits of places like wal-mart it is outrageous. Politicians tell you the lie that 'anyone can make it in america' (which is a load of bullshit, the world has finite wealth, so all wealth is just redistributed or displaced between people) when we know that naturalism and a persons genetics fixes their overall potential, so you will always have people that fall through the cracks in schools not able to be economically viable. Then you have government, businesses and media attempting to manipulate supply and demand of workers with their propaganda, then of course they know rich businesses will be outsourcing to other countries when their white collar workers get too expensive and pricey for US/Native businesses at home and then farm immigrant workers in on visa's and pay them the lowest wages possible. then there are other industries like construction and service industry companies lobby for immigration or support illegal immigration so the owners and families of these corps/businesses can rake in the profits while leaving their countrymen in squalor and poverty. IMHO this is a permanent feature of free market systems and they are the cause that give birth to these problems to begin with, this is a feature of modern capitalism: It just distributes the risk around, so people are constantly getting their wage and resources displaced while someone is getting rich from their displacement. It has nothing to do with workers skills, lack of effort or lazyness, I know plenty of university educated people who've been displaced or out of work and they are the furthest thing from lazy.

Capitalism is like a game of musical chairs between the peoples and nations of the earth, if the world had a common currency businesses couldn't go anywhere and exploit people in other countries who's currencies are purposely set up to be less valuable then those in the rich countries. The purpose of war and keeping countries devestated is that there is always some country with a extremely low value currency whose population you can milk for profit.

I should know canada is trying to farm in immigrants en masse right now to work for cheap in our "labour shortage" (which really means: I'm a business and dont want to pay native canadians a decent wage to support a decent standard of living). The doublespeak of business and gov has been going on a long time. One only has to do some cursory research of the history of workers fighting against businesses and the rich in government. I know this is not a trivial problem (as businesses go out of business as well), but it just goes to show that there is something horribly broken with modern economic systems when someone can't afford to actually live on the wage they are being paid. Since this leads to even greater problems like riots, wars and revolutions.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally posted by: Gannon
The way world capitalism is currently set up, it's a financial social order about farming workers for the rich. While workers the world over have to constantly worry about their economic secuirty, and about slipping into poverty, the rich have become richer.

<Sigh.> Once again capitalism gets blamed for problems created by socialism, communism, religious fundamentalism, dictatorship, and overpopulation.

Is the poverty in China really the result of capitalism? Last I checked that nation was communist until very recently and even today the ruling party is the "Communist Party". It also suffers from overpopulation. Is the poverty in the Soviet Union really the result of capitalism? How about India which suffers from religious mysticism and overpopulation and which used to be socialist?

Overall, nations that have mixed economies that are predominantly capitalist have done very well in comparison If the rest of the world had adopted rule of objective law, predominantly capitalist mixed economies, rationality, and didn't engage in runaway population growth for the past 100 years we wouldn't be having this global labor wage arbitrage problem right now.

I think many of the maladies that you cited in today's America are a result of global labor wage arbitrage and the dramatic expansion of the supply of labor, too. We were doing pretty well until mass immigration (a form of global labor wage arbitrage and also population increase) and our international trade problems whacked us.

There is a reason why the U.S. became the world's most prosperous and successful country and it wasn't because it was a socialist nation. Let's try to understand what's really at work here and not jump to knee-jerk conclusions about economics. Just because a transaction involves money and voluntary exchange doesn't mean it's necessarily a capitalist phenomenom. After all, a man who forces slaves to work in his factory and sell me cheap items and I can buy them voluntarily, but it isn't really capitalism since a huge violation of individual rights has occurred. Widespread worldwide poverty caused by runaway population growth, religious mysticism, socialism, communism, and dictatorship isn't really capitalism either.

If you really wanted to look at capitalism, your best bet would probably be to examine the U.S. economy in the 1950s-1960s before all of this global labor wage arbitrage had taken place. At that point the economic system had more or less been in place for decades. (Issues like racism have to be accounted for since government-sponsored racial oppression is dictatorship and not real color-blind capitalism.)