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Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, said sales at stores open at least a year climbed 3.2 percent, beating its forecast and sending the shares higher in early New York trading. Costco's sales advanced 8 percent...Wal-Mart climbed 36 cents to $57.19 at 9:43 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The retailer increased 20 percent this year through yesterday, the biggest gain in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Bloomberg.com
Isn't it wonderful? Lenin's quote, "The Capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them," comes to mind. Companies like Wal-Mart, ok they are probably the main one, put the economic squeeze on American companies and rather than buy here, at a fair price, they buy from China. China, the country with the human rights violations. China, the country that poisoned our pets, and sold toys painted with lead for our children, that is where Wal-Mart does most of its buying. The last report I read stated that Wal-Mart is China's 8th largest trading partner, bigger than all but 7 COUNTRIES. And what do American consumers do? They buy from Wal-Mart, a company that has policies that put Americans out of work. Furthermore, Wal-Mart treats its employees poorly. Health insurance? They don't need no stinkin' health insurance. Meanwhile, the Walton family heirs are among the richest in America. Recently, it was stated that if the 4 main Walton heirs put their fortunes together, it would be more than Bill Gates's fortune.
Yet, we line up to buy crap there.
I realize in some parts of the country, some people have no choice because Wal-Mart has already destroyed the local economy, forcing out small businesses. But in much of the rest of the country, we have choices. Most folks I know have homes loaded with junk they don't need. Hey, just go to a couple garage sales around here, and you'll see what I mean. If the choice is Wal-Mart or starve, by all means, go to Wal-Mart. But I don't believe most are buying essentials from Wal-Mart, they are just buying crap. And others are selling out their neighbors for a few pieces of silver.
6 comments:
i <3 walmart!!!
Wal-Mart is evil
So if you save money at Walmart, I assume you have no scruples. I cannot justify supporting a company that contributes to a foreign entity that is supply substandard merchandise. Most of their clothes are crap...the big box stores are cheaper in the long run...The Phillippines use to buy imports made in the USA...I wonder if they can still get items made here or are they selling out and buying from China too?
OK, I agree with just about everything you say...BUT!
In this small town, there was but one supermarket and their prices were high. To try to save a couple of dollars, residents could drive 20 miles to another store...but was it worth it in the log run?
WalMart moved in, with a grocery section, and suddenly Price Chopper lowered its prices. A good thing.
It was impossible to buy socks here, not to mention towels/sheets/glasses....the many things that we never think about needing.
Now, I know, this may be an unusual situation...but if it exists here, it has to exist in other places.
What I'm trying to say is that, though WalMart does undercut local businesses* and has cheap, questionable merchandise from China, it does provide relief for families who need it. I can't judge those families for taking advantage of that.
I try to buy from local businesses whenever possible. I may pay more, but it's worth it, imo. That's a luxury not many people can afford.
*Small local businesses go under for a number of reasons.
They usually are family run places and hire few nonfamily empoyees.
The box stores come in and there's employment for large numbers of people....do they get all the bennys? No, but they get a paycheck which is more than they had before.
Can they do better? Probably, but isn't that their responsibility?
I, too, hate to buy Made in China.....I spent half a day looking for Made in America pencils, for heaven's sake!
OK...back to my usual quiet self...:-)
da old man,
Yeah I definitely agree with you. The whole thing is just ridiculous. Yeah, while Wal-Mart can be a good deal for people who are in financial need, I think Wal-Mart is still crippling our economy. Anyways this is good stuff; looking forward to more.
G.
I think if you absolutley HAVE to buy from Wal-Mart because of an economic hardship then there's no shame in that.
HOWEVER, old man has a point about people who already have a ton of crap and just keeping buying more crap, and that crap comes from Wal-Mart and China.
I tried once to boycott China and just couldn't do it. To much shit comes from China; so I've been boycotting Wal-Mart ever since and, aside from a few Beast-related incidents, haven't set foot in a Wal-Mart since.
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