Is Wal-Mart Good for America?

**Longhornliz** · 11-17-2004, 01:32 AM

Thats what Frontline asked on this week's instalment... Did anyone else catch it? I have felt for years that the answer is no... and this program helped to remind me of why I dont shop there. Seems like if price is their bottom line, and they can manipulate manufactorers so easily that eventually consumers will have little impact on what enters the market.

If you missed frontline, try and catch it when the re-air it... very informative and ultimately pretty non biased as it points out some of the innovations and strengths of Wal-Mart's biz model.

**Ladskater** · 11-17-2004, 02:43 AM

Originally Posted by Longhornliz

Thats what Frontline asked on this week's instalment... Did anyone else catch it? I have felt for years that the answer is no... and this program helped to remind me of why I dont shop there. Seems like if price is their bottom line, and they can manipulate manufactorers so easily that eventually consumers will have little impact on what enters the market.

If you missed frontline, try and catch it when the re-air it... very informative and ultimately pretty non biased as it points out some of the innovations and strengths of Wal-Mart's biz model.

Yes, I saw the program tonight and it was a real "eye-opener." My husband works for Safeway and he calls Walmart "the Evil Empire." The Safeway studies Walmart and keeps Safeway employees up-to-date on Walmarts latest escapades.

My hubby ordered me to stop shopping there after he married me! I had no idea just how terrible this conglomerate is. In Canada, some of the Walmart employees have attempted to form a Union. Of course, this goes right against the Walmart philosophy. So, I doubt a Union will happen.

To think we are really supporting people in China!!! Instead of supporting our own local economy! Yikes.

This is a great documentary. I highly recommend everyone to see this program.

**Ptichka** · 11-17-2004, 11:42 AM

I heard the short radio version on NPR. I believe that companies will do whatever is good for their bottom line, and that's OK. This, to me, is where the government comes in. There is a reason those companies get the tax breaks, and it's not to pay barely Chinese minimum wages in China. To me, Wal-Mart is not evil, but politicians are ineffectual and corrupt. The tax code should encourage the behavior we consider positive, and discourage other.

**STL_Blues_fan** · 11-17-2004, 07:09 PM

I will never shop in Wal-Mart or the Sam's Club, even though I love great deals. My main reason for not shopping there is that their pharmacies will not sell the "morning after pill", yet they have no problems selling Viagra. The way their employees are treated as far as forced overtime, blatant sexual descrimination is another reason. Also, W-Mart continues to control the freedom of speeech my not selling anything that could be potentially offensive to the "moral" red states.

Yana

**Ladskater** · 11-19-2004, 12:50 AM

Originally Posted by STL_Blues_fan

I will never shop in Wal-Mart or the Sam's Club, even though I love great deals. My main reason for not shopping there is that their pharmacies will not sell the "morning after pill", yet they have no problems selling Viagra. The way their employees are treated as far as forced overtime, blatant sexual descrimination is another reason. Also, W-Mart continues to control the freedom of speeech my not selling anything that could be potentially offensive to the "moral" red states.

Yana

Exactly! And also WalMart exploits workers from other countries by supplying goods made in sweat shops - factory workers paid a meager .50 an hour as well as treating their own employees like slaves.

I also like a bargain, but at the expense of others - is it worth it?

**Joesitz** · 11-19-2004, 07:25 AM

I think the whole country is turning into oligarchies. Fascism works well for the business man if you are a BIG business man.

Joe

**Johar** · 11-19-2004, 07:06 PM

I don't like them at all. They bully their way into small towns and even built one by a Mexican temple.

**Rgirl** · 11-21-2004, 08:16 AM

A few weeks ago "South Park" did a program about "Wall Mart" moving into town. The title of the episode was "Something Wall Mart This Way Comes."

Rgirl

**NJSk8Fan** · 11-21-2004, 08:27 AM

I'm glad I don't have a Wal Mart close enough to me to draw me to it....when they first opened in out-lying areas near me, I thought of checking them out but never did.
Now a closer town to me is trying to keep a Wal Mart from being built there. I hope the people of the town succeed somehow!

**Kuchana** · 11-21-2004, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by Ladskater

Exactly! And also WalMart exploits workers from other countries by supplying goods made in sweat shops - factory workers paid a meager .50 an hour as well as treating their own employees like slaves.

I also like a bargain, but at the expense of others - is it worth it?

Well if you're going to say that about Wal-Mart (which I don't shop by the way), then it'd be the same for other companies as well. The thing is how will you know who else is doing the same? Say for example Nike?

I feel guilty, too and try not to support exploiting workers in other countries but sometimes we just don't know or at least I don't.

The price of globalization. (Not saying it's a good thing by the way).

**Glacierskater** · 11-23-2004, 01:03 AM

I live in Wal*Mart country...literally. Bentonville, AR (world HQ) is one mile away from me. Although Wal*Mart has brought a cultural center and much needed donations to the University of Arkansas, that is about all that I can say for them. They are notorious for running mom and pop shops out of business. Don't believe for one moment that they care about the well being and progress of their employees. This is what Wal*Mart cares about: $$$

Originally Posted by Kuchana

Well if you're going to say that about Wal-Mart (which I don't shop by the way), then it'd be the same for other companies as well. The thing is how will you know who else is doing the same? Say for example Nike?

I feel guilty, too and try not to support exploiting workers in other countries but sometimes we just don't know or at least I don't.

The price of globalization. (Not saying it's a good thing by the way).

**Longhornliz** · 11-23-2004, 01:51 AM

I just found out that you can watch old episodes of frontline from the wgbh website. They are broken into managable clips and available in wmp and rp formats.

here is the link
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/view/

The episode airing tomorrow is about the phenomenon of credit card debt... it looks interesting. Frontline is one of my favorite shows, I used to love news magazines like dateline, primetime, and 20/20 but it seems like they have gone down the drains under pressure from the networkds to compete with sensationalism on reality tv.

**BronzeisGolden** · 11-23-2004, 03:16 PM

I'm not a big fan of Wal-Mart. There are SO many Wal-Mart super centers here around Chattanooga that is almost not to be believed. I know, once it is built in an area, it crushes all competition and does so in large part due to cheap foreign labor. However, you have to realize that they do offer low prices on just about everything. Certainly, once they have established themselves and crushed all competition they generally raise prices. However, they are still cheaper than anywhere else in most instances. I have the luxury of choosing not to shop there because of moral beliefs, but others are not so fortunate. They may have moral convictions, but many of them also have low paying jobs, large families to support, etc. and have no other choice. They go where they can get the most for their money. I don't blame anyone for trying to do the best for their familes....and if that means supporting the quasi-evil empire that Wal-Mart has become, so be it. Wal-Mart knows this too, and exploits it endlessly. That is why you will find so many Wal-Marts in or in close proximity to rural or lower class areas.