The "Wal-Mart is ruining America" thread

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by illflem



Read an interesting article recently about how cheap Chinese labor is causing unemployment in Mexico, India, Pakistan and many other countries to the tune of tens of millions out of work. All the while wages, working conditions and safety are going down in China. Guess the assumption that world trade was going to bring the quality of life to an equal all across the globe isn't really true.

The reason is that the Chinese monetary system is based on and its value fluctuates with the United States dollar. This keeps the balance of trade in the Chinese favor. I understand that this factor alone costs the USA over 500,000 manufacturing jobs.

 

[dpuckett]

I have to agree with WyoJim- my wallet determines where I shop and how much I buy. I have been ripped off by a few mom and pop shops and even *gasp* an almighty NAPA store. But, I was stuck between BFE and middle of nowhere, and Napa was the only one with an unfrozen alternator. $450 for that and a new battery. Didnt get any K-Y either. Anyway, I mainly buy my groceries at Wal Mart; it is food, your body breaks it down for energy. Why pay 25% more just to support local business? It all looks the same tomorrow, anyway. Perhaps someday (Soon, I hope), I'll be able to afford to be choosy where I buy stuff based on the "ethics" of the smaller stores. But, just because it is a small store doesnt always mean it has any better business practices or customer service than WM. Not to say that Wally Farts is better just because of its lower prices, but it isnt evil just because it is a big company, either. There are employers EVERYWHERE, large and small alike, that treat their employees like crap, expect $10 an hour work for $7, "full time" is 38 hrs a week to avoid hte evil OT, etc.



For food, Gatorade, motor oil, (no filters, though), and personal items, Wal Mart is where I go. Convenient, good prices, open other than M-F 8-5, decent stores- though I have been in one in the heart of Redneck-ville that was almost as nasty as an average Target. But for boots, shoes, tires, tools, etc, I will go elsewhere, mainly because of the better quality to be had at the other stores. I dont mind paying for quality, just want to make sure I get more for my money if I pay more. If mom and pop cant compete price for price/ quality for quality, then they might ought to look into doing something else.



Daniel

 

[Pit Bull]

Daniel, that is my position as well. I have found that the local Price cutter grocery store has better deals on a lot of the foods that I buy. There are still some that I buy at WM but I only need to go there every couple of weeks.

 

[WyoJim]

Usually drive to Walmart in Cody, 70 miles, But yesterday We drove to Walmart in Sheridan, 80 miles one way.



It takes a drive over the Big Horns to get to Sheridan and we spent a couple of hours in our Elk hunting area.



Any how Walmart was out of table cream which they price at $1. 38 per pint, so we went across the street to Albertsons and they had it but it was priced at $2. 59 per pint. My wife abstained and we went to Safeway and bought it at $1. 99 per pint.



Today we have to go to Basin, WY to buy fresh farm eggs and I will check their cream prices.

Another side benefit of going to Sheridan is that the best homemade pie and coffee around can be had at The Branding Iron cafe in Dayton, WY. We never pass it up. Coconut cream yesterday.



Oh, and NAPA ripped me off last week. First BHAF from them was $38, last week it cost me $48. Its oil change time, so I'll go right to NAPA. Ya right!! I'll go straight to Walmart.

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

It's not just Walmart. A while back, I went to my base exchange, (military), to buy some Levi's cause I thought, (my bad), they were made in USA. The size I needed was made in Mexico, and were the same price as the ones made in USA. I just walked out.



Jim

 

[WadePatton]

Coupla points on that last one. Look for a more in-depth rant later on.



Levi's in anti-gun too. So now I wear Cabela's jeans--they cater to an outdoorsy crowd.



Made in Mexico--GREAT!!! It's North American, and not Communist, nor a great military threat to the US. Non-nuclear, non-terrorist... etc.



The more Mexicans we can employ in Mexico, the less Mexicans should need to come here and work. Not that I'm anti-Mexican-- heck I'm learning Spanish right now.



Global Competition I welcome. Supporting the greatest Communist threat in the world I don't.

 

[Pit Bull]

Well I checked prices at my local tire store to see what they would charge for a set of Michelin XPS Tractions (thats 6 for me). They were $300 higher than the local Sam's Club. The girl at Sam's club at least new they were all steel tire the local tire store guy just thought they had a stronger side wall

 

[SEmerson]

Not only can they buy in bulk BUT... ... ... They get many tax credits and breaks when moving into a city. But as a small business owner I get taxed and licensed to death. Many times down right harassed buy local state and federal government. And I don't have a staff of lawyers to work it all out. And I have no weight to throw around to get government problems solved. Until we tax by size of the company big baseness will eat up all the small ones. If the bigger you got the more tax you pay it would sper small business growth and regulate big biz too.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by SEmerson



If the bigger you got the more tax you pay it would spur small business growth and regulate big biz too.

So are you saying that a business that generates $1,000,000 in revenue would be taxed at 3% and a business that generated $100,000,000 would be taxed at 7%? Being a risk taker and growing bigger should bring some type of penalty, success should be punished. Sounds like what happened in the book "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. I know it must be tough competing agains't a WalMart, but price is not the only reason people buy something. I think you can see from this thread that if you sold only items made in America and let your potential customers know this, that you could even sell for a higher price and take customers from Walmart. I know, I've worked with many a corporate president and they are not any smarter than most of the members on this site.

 

[Rman]

some people will just never get it, i give up. I can't believe you guys defend these warlords.

 

[HBrunton]

Just in case you have all forgotten, or for those of you that do not know, Henry Ford employed the DODGE BROTHERS th make parts for his cars. The brothers made alot of money off of the deal . Ole' Hank decided that he could make or source the parts cheaper so guess what he did. You got it. Found or made the parts cheaper, not letting the DODGE BROTHERS know of his intentions old Henry left the two with a hefty bill to pay to the banks after the two took out a loan to re-tool their shop to meet Henry's demands.



This info comes from a book entitled "The Gasoline Age" by C. B. Glasscock, Copyright 1937. There is alot of good reading in there about how the big three worked for and against each other back in the "GOOD OLD DAYS"