WalMart

Siji · Post by **Siji** » December 23, 2003, 4:22 pm

...is the devil.

http://fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

An extremely good article. Personally, I refuse to shop there. I won't even walk in the store with someone who is going to shop there. I despise the company and what it's doing and the power it's flexing and demands it's making. (Censorship anyone?)

Some good quotes:

"Young remembers begging Wal-Mart for relief. "They said, 'No way,' " says Young. "We said we'll increase the price"--even $3.49 (ed: from 2.97) would have helped tremendously--"and they said, 'If you do that, all the other products of yours we buy, we'll stop buying.' It was a clear threat."

"It also is not unheard of for Wal-Mart to demand to examine the private financial records of a supplier, and to insist that its margins are too high and must be cut. And the smaller the supplier, one academic study shows, the greater the likelihood that it will be forced into damaging concessions."

"Last year, 7.5 cents of every dollar spent in any store in the United States (other than auto-parts stores) went to the retailer."

"No one wants to end up in what is known among Wal-Mart vendors as the "penalty box"--punished, or even excluded from the store shelves, for saying something that makes Wal-Mart unhappy. (The penalty box is normally reserved for vendors who don't meet performance benchmarks, not for those who talk to the press.)

"You won't hear anything negative from most people," says Paul Kelly, founder of Silvermine Consulting Group, a company that helps businesses work more effectively with retailers. "It would be committing suicide. If Wal-Mart takes something the wrong way, it's like Saddam Hussein. You just don't want to piss them off."

Comparing WalMart to Saddam.. maybe we can get Bush to nuke em'.

Sirensa · Post by **Sirensa** » December 23, 2003, 6:19 pm

I've only been in a Walmart once. And it had real southern people in it. It was so cute. But they didn't have shot glasses. Which I thought was weird. So I don't shop there. Course there isn't one anywhere near me either.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » December 23, 2003, 6:47 pm

What utopian paradise do you live in that doesn't have a wal-mart nearby?

Sirensa · Post by **Sirensa** » December 23, 2003, 6:52 pm

Sherwood, Oregon!

Nearest Walmart is a good 20 miles away

YAY ME!

Kguku · Post by **Kguku** » December 23, 2003, 7:34 pm

I live 15 mins away from the walmart with the highest sales in north america. i'm still stumped how a city of 650,000, who make scrooge look generous, with 4 walmarts can have one that has more sales than any other walmart in north america.

The place is a complete zoo.

Mplor · Post by **Mplor** » December 23, 2003, 8:40 pm

Viva el capitalismo!

The main problem with living downtown is that there is no cheap, empty space in which to plant a Wal-mart. I'm 45 blocks from the nearest one!

Adex_Xeda · Post by **Adex_Xeda** » December 23, 2003, 10:19 pm

So the author argues that we should reward inefficient work by paying more for products in an effort to employ more American factory workers.

I don't have the answers to this situation but doesn't seem like the correct way to respond to the problem.

BTW, Do you recall those Walmart commercials that advertised $30 DVD players for Christmas?

I wonder if Walmart squeezed that price out of the DVD manufacturer.

valryte · Post by **valryte** » December 23, 2003, 10:39 pm

Ok, so let me get this straight. We have a retailer who uses it's power to demand lower prices so they can provide the public with merchandise at reasonable if not dirt cheap prices and you want to complain about that?

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » December 23, 2003, 10:45 pm

valryte wrote:Ok, so let me get this straight. We have a retailer who uses it's power to demand lower prices so they can provide the public with merchandise at reasonable if not dirt cheap prices and you want to complain about that?

That's the whole point. People are so blind with getting the cheapest price possible for shit they don't look at anything else.

Personally I avoid WalMart like the plague.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » December 23, 2003, 10:48 pm

Walmart, Blockbuster, hell, even TGI Friday's are everything that's wrong w/ this day and age. You can say that it's survival of the fittest if you like but the issue remains that nothing is worth holding onto because it's value disappears once it enters the consumer's hands. Mass produced and/or distributed items at epicenters leave no mark on their quality. None of this crap will be worth passing down to anyone. It's just "consumed" and thrown away.

The problem with things like walmart is that people think it's survival of the fittest. The same thing was said about the healthcare industry and why certain providers corner markets and, therefore, control the care everyone receives at a hospital. But whether it's healthcare or video tapes, the issue remains that massive margainal gains outweigh personal care/service. And the companies with the leverage to get those gains dictate the masses.

Short of watches and Harleys, I'm not sure what people will actually want what's produced from this generation 20 years from now. And when people begin to scratch their heads about why products, development, research, and everything in between go to the lowest bidder with the most orders, they'll wonder why there's no leaving mark on any of the products they purchase, no accountability for the environmental impact they effect, and not a single person on the phone to assist you when that piece of crap you purchased doesn't work as intended, you'll still say the Walmsrt effect was good for business in this country

Mplor · Post by **Mplor** » December 23, 2003, 11:04 pm

Chidoro wrote:Walmart, Blockbuster, hell, even TGI Friday's are everything that's wrong w/ this day and age.

This is my day and age, thanks much, and there's nothing at all wrong with it. This day and age is a helluva lot better for the vast majority of humany than any imaginary halcyon day and age of yore.

Short of watches and Harleys, I'm not sure what people will actually want what's produced from this generation 20 years from now.

So? I can't think of a single, generally available item from 1984 that I wish I still had today.

Seriously, consumerism has some very nasty side-effects, and I think that's the point you're trying to make, but on the whole this era is the best in the history of humanity. And consumerism contributes greatly to that.

Happy holidays!

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » December 23, 2003, 11:04 pm

valryte wrote:Ok, so let me get this straight. We have a retailer who uses it's power to demand lower prices so they can provide the public with merchandise at reasonable if not dirt cheap prices and you want to complain about that?

Yes, that's the way to think. That's also why Horizon BCBS dictates your healthcare for most everyone in NJ. Whether what you need is covered is not important any longer. Whether you get to go to a covered doctor any longer is unimportant. Whether you have to pay in full for treatment because the hospital can't afford to treat you for anything because they had to give such market bending reimbursement rates just to fill the beds doens't matter. But hey, you got your mega mass coverage at a low rate! You got your Fritos and Pampers at the lowest price, and in the same store to boot!

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » December 23, 2003, 11:05 pm

Mplor wrote: Seriously, consumerism has some very nasty side-effects, and I think that's the point you're trying to make, but on the whole this era is the best in the history of humanity. And consumerism contributes greatly to that.

Happy holidays!

Wish happy holidays to the bloody Chinese fingers. All be praised!

You're such a fool

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » December 23, 2003, 11:10 pm

There is a lot more to life than just getting omg low low every day prices. Wal-mart not only expects distributors to sell to them at the absolute lowest prices they can, they actually expect the manufacturer's prices to go down every year. They dominate the retail industry so much that it is financial suicide to defy wal-mart unless you are making a product that is supposed to appeal to a more upscale market.

This leads to many manufacturers that once employed hundreds or even thousands and tens of thousands of American workers to look to foreign countries to manufacture their product, or, it makes wal-mart look to other companies that employ workers in developing countries and can supply wal-mart with goods at a lower price so the first company is forced to lay off most of their work domestic force (the result is the same). this also tends to drive down the quality of the merchandise because most stuff manufactured in developing countries are inferior.

This isn't to mention the human rights violations a lot of factories in developing nations commit. Wal-mart is frequently busted for stocking their shelves with stuff that comes from sweatshop factories. Wal-mart is often taken to task for abusing their own workers, making them work overtime off the clock and paying them dick all with no benefits. Of course any organization that has over a million employees doing something like a billion dollars a day in sales is going to have mishaps, it seems to happen pretty fucking often with wal-mart.

Wal-mart also has a repuation of draining small towns dry by opening up a shop, putting all local small businesses out of business, draining the community dry and then abandoning the town once the local economy has gone to shit.

And of course while all this is going on, small businesses are being fucked and local economies are not getting any money because all the money being made by wal-mart is going out of the area to make a bunch of fat billionaire shareholders even wealthier.

Wal-mart is also large enough in the retail industry that they can command suppliers to conform to their products to wal-marts values. this leads to things like censored record albums and videogame manufacturers forced to censor their own games so they can sell them in wal-mart (unless the game is guaranteed to sell a ton of copies and make wal-mart even wealthier in which case their downhome christian values get tossed right out the fucking window). This isn't technically first amendment-type censorship because the government isn't involved, but retailers shouldn't be able to dictate the content of an artist or designer's work.

In the long run I virtually guarantee you that allowing wal-mart to continue down its current course will ultimately be bad (well, worse) for north america.

Mplor · Post by **Mplor** » December 23, 2003, 11:38 pm

Chidoro wrote:
Mplor wrote:Seriously, consumerism has some very nasty side-effects, and I think that's the point you're trying to make, but on the whole this era is the best in the history of humanity. And consumerism contributes greatly to that.
Wish happy holidays to the bloody Chinese fingers. All be praised!

You're such a fool

Your sentiments are as old as Adam Smith so forgive me if I act like you're not saying anything new. I will readily agree (and already did, in fact) that the rise of consumerism and the globalization of markets is making life worse for some people. I defended a paper on economic imperialism not that long ago and am familiar with the topic, though I'm no expert.

So you've identified an ugly problem with society. What alternatives do you promote? Would you enforce inefficiencies by artificially propping up companies that hire relatively overpriced American labor via higher sales taxes? Invade China over human rights abuses supported indirectly by American corporations and government - oh wait, lets see how that goes in Iraq first, eh? Perhaps you'd rather scrap the concept of mass production entirely? Because your boycott-of-one seems to have Sam Walton ready to raise prices any minute now.

Do tell. I'm sure you have many good ideas.

edit: inserted the word "relatively"

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » December 23, 2003, 11:39 pm

American labor isn't overpriced; foreign labor is undervalued.

Mplor · Post by **Mplor** » December 23, 2003, 11:48 pm

Labor in general is undervalued. I concede the point.

I will edit my post to insert the word "relatively".

*~*stragi*~* · Post by ***~*stragi*~*** » December 23, 2003, 11:50 pm

Walmart is opening a grocery store 4 or 5 blocks away from my house in a pretty upscale neighborhood. Not a supercenter, just a grocery store. The supercenter at superstition springs mall has already put out a few surrounding grocery stores down... wonder what this is going to do. A few months ago i remember the news reporting on some strike that might be happening here beacuse of walmart or something, anyone know what happened with that?

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » December 24, 2003, 12:06 am

Mplor wrote:
Chidoro wrote:
Mplor wrote:Seriously, consumerism has some very nasty side-effects, and I think that's the point you're trying to make, but on the whole this era is the best in the history of humanity. And consumerism contributes greatly to that.
Wish happy holidays to the bloody Chinese fingers. All be praised!

You're such a fool
Your sentiments are as old as Adam Smith so forgive me if I act like you're not saying anything new. I will readily agree (and already did, in fact) that the rise of consumerism and the globalization of markets is making life worse for some people. I defended a paper on economic imperialism not that long ago and am familiar with the topic, though I'm no expert.

So you've identified an ugly problem with society. What alternatives do you promote? Would you enforce inefficiencies by artificially propping up companies that hire relatively overpriced American labor via higher sales taxes? Invade China over human rights abuses supported indirectly by American corporations and government - oh wait, lets see how that goes in Iraq first, eh? Perhaps you'd rather scrap the concept of mass production entirely? Because your boycott-of-one seems to have Sam Walton ready to raise prices any minute now.

Do tell. I'm sure you have many good ideas.

edit: inserted the word "relatively"

And yours are as ignorant.

Maybe if you send me your resume and your paper, I'll see what strings I can pull. You're obviously an expert, maybe we can use you

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » December 24, 2003, 12:20 am

Stragi wrote:Walmart is opening a grocery store 4 or 5 blocks away from my house in a pretty upscale neighborhood. Not a supercenter, just a grocery store. The supercenter at superstition springs mall has already put out a few surrounding grocery stores down... wonder what this is going to do. A few months ago i remember the news reporting on some strike that might be happening here beacuse of walmart or something, anyone know what happened with that?

Grocery stores are worried about Wal-mart doing to the grocery industry what they did to the rest of retail, but currently they only represent something like 2% of the total grocery sales in the US. A lot of grocery stores are having problems with their workers about it though because the management of existing grocery stores are worried they won't be able to compete with wal-mart who pays their employees permanent minimum wage with no benefits where many grocery stores have fairly powerful unions who.

There was a huge strike in California recently among grocery store workers at Safeway. A major point of contention being management afraid that wal-mart is going to eventually put them out of business with their near slave labor practices and the pushy way they deal with distributors. This is all in the face of Safeway reporting their 3rd or 4th record profit year in a row, of course.

Mplor · Post by **Mplor** » December 24, 2003, 12:38 am

Chidoro wrote:
Mplor wrote:Do tell. I'm sure you have many good ideas.
And yours are as ignorant.

Maybe if you send me your resume and your paper, I'll see what strings I can pull. You're obviously an expert, maybe we can use you

Very impressive. And such high self esteem. I'm sure you will go far.

I had hoped to suckle at the teat of your wisdom. Alas! I will have to settle for some eggnog.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » December 24, 2003, 12:44 am

Mplor wrote:
Chidoro wrote:
Mplor wrote:Do tell. I'm sure you have many good ideas.
And yours are as ignorant.

Maybe if you send me your resume and your paper, I'll see what strings I can pull. You're obviously an expert, maybe we can use you
Very impressive. And such high self esteem. I'm sure you will go far.

I had hoped to suckle at the teat of your wisdom. Alas! I will have to settle for some eggnog.

Already have. Drink up!

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » December 24, 2003, 12:48 am

Wal-Mart, Meijer, and other mega markets have a tried and true way to dominate any small town business.

Say there is a pet store in the town...

The super centers will actually lower thier pet product prices to the point of taking a loss, since the rest of the store sales will more than make up for it. Soon, the local pet store is void of shoppers and shuts down because everyone gets an impossibly low price at Wal-Mart. Then, the store raises it's pet product prices to normal (or higher). I used to run a gorcery store in Arkansas and Wal-Mart's practices are all too familiar to anyone in the industry. They can repeat the above process to any specialty department/item and slowly destroy any competition in the area.

In the end, you lose. It's just taking place over such a long period of time (sometimes years), you don't even realize it. With no competition, these stores can charge whatever they want in the future. Worst case scenerio is actually dictating the prices. It's basically a price fixing work around. IMO, Wal-Mart does one worse and dictates morals as well.

These types of stores have a huge downside. As Kyoucan mentioned, when they close up shop and move on, the towns are left pretty much fucked.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » December 24, 2003, 1:59 am

Fairweather Pure wrote:These types of stores have a huge downside. As Kyoucan mentioned, when they close up shop and move on, the towns are left pretty much fucked.

But in the meantime.. Cheaper stuff for everyone. What more could you ask for!

icknay · Post by **icknay** » December 24, 2003, 3:03 am

Has anyone ever actually seen a wally world close and move on? I can't recall ever seeing one shut down for any reason.

I read somewhere that money spent in locally owned businesses flips 7 times in the community before leaving, on the average. Seven times. Wally world however is just a huge funnel that takes the money out of the area forever.

Tyek · Post by **Tyek** » December 24, 2003, 3:11 am

For the record the supermarket strike is still going on in California with no end in sight.

Marbus · Post by **Marbus** » December 24, 2003, 4:29 am

After living in Arkansas all my life I can't say I have ever seen a Wal-Mart actually leave town. I will agree that one opening up is detramental to small town business but from what I have seen this was much worse in the late 80s early 90s, at least here in the South. People began to realize what was happening and actually quit purchasing certain goods at WM. Instead paying a little higher price to the local community.

The town I live in has about 30,000 people and is about 30 miles from Little Rock. We have 2 SuperCenters, and a thriving local business community. From a historical perspective, Conway - the town I live in, was one of Sam's first 15 or so stores back in the late 50s early 60s.

Do I think WM abuses some of it's power? yea. Do I think someday it will change? yea... how? not sure. Do I shop at Wally World from time to time? when I have to

but I usually go to Kroger and Walgreens because I'm not Handicapped and I don't want to walk a mile just to get a 12 pack of cokes. IMHO and in accordance with my friends, that is why we usually don't go there.

Marb

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » December 24, 2003, 6:38 am

icknay wrote:Has anyone ever actually seen a wally world close and move on? I can't recall ever seeing one shut down for any reason.

http://www.sprawl-busters.com/search.php?readstory=1268

What you can do: As of last winter, the state of Mississippi had 13 dead Wal-Marts available for lease or purchase. On the list was the 125,457 s.f. Wal-Mart discount store at 385 State Line Road in Southaven, MS from which Larry Strain escaped by dumping his home on the real estate market. The store is about three times the size of a football field. Wal-Mart's strategy of loving and leaving communities is dislocating thousands of lives in the wake of their corporate decisions.

Kluden · Post by **Kluden** » December 24, 2003, 8:59 am

stupid question...does Kmart and Target and other stores of the same ilk do this stuff?

I know Target sells completely different brands...and generally is more expensive, but the stores are always cleaner...I'll pay the extra $.20 just to avoid seeing rednecks beating their children and spitting chew-spit in the isles. I hate Walmart because of their clientel, I don't usually care about their capitalistic business attitudes, because, frankly, we are not in communist Russia. The truth of the matter is, they can run their business as they see fit (assuming they don't break laws).

Tuldian · Post by **Tuldian** » December 24, 2003, 10:20 am

Stragi wrote:Walmart is opening a grocery store 4 or 5 blocks away from my house in a pretty upscale neighborhood. Not a supercenter, just a grocery store. The supercenter at superstition springs mall has already put out a few surrounding grocery stores down... wonder what this is going to do. A few months ago i remember the news reporting on some strike that might be happening here beacuse of walmart or something, anyone know what happened with that?

Beginning of last year the annual grocery reports were sent out and Walmart was surprisingly ranked number one in gross profit over the Kroger Co. and all it's other company branches, especially the western division (I work in the ATL division).

So when the current contract with the bottom rung employees for the Kroger Co. (I think it's called Ralph's over there?) had expired the HR head wanted to take away the majority of the benefits that the employees enjoyed, such as a set payscale with bi annual raises, medical benifits and paid vacation time (really nice contract considering the level of education the job requires) to supplement the loss in profit. Anyways, the employees of the Ralph's and one other chain I can't remember went on strike a few months back, they are still settling the disputes over there.

We've been sending managers over to California ever since it happened to help cover hours over there.

Siji · Post by **Siji** » December 24, 2003, 11:23 am

icknay wrote:Has anyone ever actually seen a wally world close and move on? I can't recall ever seeing one shut down for any reason.

I'm in a relatively busy area (Tampa / FL) and off the top of my noggin' I know of two locations (one having been a 'super' walmart) that closed and/or relocated.

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » December 24, 2003, 11:36 am

don't usually care about their capitalistic business attitudes, because, frankly, we are not in communist Russia. The truth of the matter is, they can run their business as they see fit (assuming they don't break laws).

But at the same time, can't you use common sense and see that something is drastically wrong with what they are doing and how they operate? Try looking down the road a good 10 years and imagine who will be left standing to compete with Wal-Mart. Competetion is essential in a free market economy. Wal-Mart is destroying everything in it's path using practices that are questionable at best.

Btw, the only stores that tend to stay alive when a Wal-Mart comes to town are the stores that have a "specialty". That specialty may be a gimmic, popular local item, or something completely handmade/custom. Wal-Mart hasn't duplicated those things yet, so the niche stays open for awhile.

Siji · Post by **Siji** » December 24, 2003, 11:41 am

As against government intervention as I am usually, I seriously expect to see them go after WalMart eventually in some manner similar to Microsoft.

I'm definitely no expert on this stuff, but I do forsee it happening.

Arundel Pajo · Post by **Arundel Pajo** » December 24, 2003, 11:41 am

Marbus wrote:The town I live in has about 30,000 people and is about 30 miles from Little Rock.

What town is it? When I was much younger, we lived in Searcy. I've heard it has grown some, but it was tiny back then...and rather backwards. I remember people lining up and making reservations when they got their first Taco Bell. Even if you don't live there - what's it like these days?

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » December 24, 2003, 11:49 am

What town is it? When I was much younger, we lived in Searcy. I've heard it has grown some, but it was tiny back then...and rather backwards. I remember people lining up and making reservations when they got their first Taco Bell. Even if you don't live there - what's it like these days?

One of my best friends is from Searcy. It's still backwards btw. I lived in Batesville for almost 6 years. People waited in line for 4+ hours when the new Burger King opened, so it's funny you mentioned the Taco Bell thing lol. As fucked up as it sounds, I find myself missing AR. I could easily live there again. I made a lot of lifetime friends during my stay and everything was so much cheaper there.

Skogen · Post by **Skogen** » December 24, 2003, 12:32 pm

Walmart, Blockbuster (who edit the movies they rent for content, btw), McDonalds, etc...all the gargantuan companies pushing out the smaller competition, leaving us little choice but to buy the worthless crap they sell, or service they provide. Americans on the whole, love it. Why? It's easy for them. In the immortal words of Jello Biafra...Give me Convience or give me death! Everything under one roof for a low, low price, or fast, easy service for a low price. What could be wrong with that!?
There is a penalty for this, and it's not really the good ole US of A thats paying it right now. Export the labor, paying pennies on the dollar for what is paid here, force foreign manufactures to sell at rock-bottom low prices if they want to sell to us. I read somewhere once what porportion of the worlds resources & wealth this country consumes...I cannot remember the figures now, but it was huge. Ever wonder why do so many countries hate us!? I know, here it comes (from the usual suspects), the standard-issue response of "They're jealous", or in the case of countries brimming with gun-toting religious zealots "because they hate our freedom!" Christ. Wake up, and do some reading, and not whats spoon-fed to us by the mass media or our fucking so-called leaders.
Ever seen the bumper sticker that says "If you are not OUTRAGED, you are not paying attention!" Best bumper sticker ever.

Seebs · Post by **Seebs** » December 24, 2003, 2:16 pm

So many Socalists on this board.

It doesn't surprise me, just taking down the names for the gulag after the race war ends.

Oh yeah. Wal Mart is awful .. this is why I shop exclusively at Sam's Wholesale Club.

Denadeb · Post by **Denadeb** » December 24, 2003, 2:38 pm

Target is a french owned company. We must hate them for that alone. Everyone has to shop at Walmart where you can buy a Gallon of Milk and a High Power rifle =p

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » December 24, 2003, 2:58 pm

Seebs wrote:So many Socalists on this board.

It doesn't surprise me, just taking down the names for the gulag after the race war ends.

Socialists? Seems to me it's people looking forward at the big picture rather than focusing on immediate short-term satisfaction (ie., cheap shit).

Rivera Bladestrike · December 24, 2003, 3:31 pm

Siji wrote:As against government intervention as I am usually, I seriously expect to see them go after WalMart eventually in some manner similar to Microsoft.

I'm definitely no expert on this stuff, but I do forsee it happening.

Yeah I was reading this thing, and all I could think about was Microsoft.

Fizzlewhip · Post by **Fizzlewhip** » December 24, 2003, 3:55 pm

Every time Walmart sells a rifle

a redneck looses a tooth

Seebs · Post by **Seebs** » December 24, 2003, 4:18 pm

Sorry Aslanna, not sure what the big picture is. Despising a well-run business is not in my mind's eye of the Big Picture.

And God help those of you buying shirts at Wal-Mart. Yeesh.

Things I buy at Wal-Mart:
Cheap candy.
Griddle (no, really, and it wasn't Golden)
George Foreman thingie.
cheap boom box
Fishing lures.

think that's about it.

I know the thread initially started out as a complaint against the censorship and methods of what Wally World sold. That is a good thing of the competition of Wal Mart to sell those items. Lookie there, free enterprise!

There was a local Liquor Store by my home the never sold cheap wine or Malt Liquor. I wonder why that was? Hrm.

Business have the right to determine what type of clientele they want. Resturants have the right of refusal for anyone coming through their doors (as long as you don;t use those nifty catch phrases like sex, color or religion).

God, I didn't mean to spew so much.

Merry Christmas, and I'm off Best Buy per my wife to get my nephew a $20 gift card.
Best Buy? On Christmas fucking Eve? I'm taking one of her gifts back for that shit .. and no, it won;t be to Wal-Mart.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » December 24, 2003, 4:36 pm

Unfettered capitalism is just as bad, if not worse than pure socialism.

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » December 24, 2003, 4:46 pm

You've been in .ca too long and forgot socialism is a dirty word?

Some people can only react to political conversations in a knee jerk manner that has been bred into the line over generations. Debate with said people is for people w/ more time on their hands than I.. and I've nothing at all to do at work for the next 2 hours straight

Shashonna · Post by **Shashonna** » December 25, 2003, 8:48 am

Ever notice how Wal-Mart, Kroger and Blockbuster are always right by each other. Least here can think or 3 Wal-Marst near me all htave a Kroger and Blockbuster either in same parking lot or across the street

but I like Wal-Mart cause its cheap. I buy anything there that I need and thats cheap. Plus cant beat price comps

Kaluian_CT · Post by **Kaluian_CT** » December 25, 2003, 1:08 pm

Unfettered capitalism is just as bad, if not worse than pure socialism

You need to be specific here I guess.
I could name several socialist economies/governments that have failed.

I can't think of a single capitalistic economy/government thats has.

Capitalism has its faults, don't get me wrong, but it has brought to the world the most prosperous and powerful economy the world has ever known in the USA.

I agree with your assessment on Wal-Mart, but as for the above quote, thats a baseless opinion, you can do better than that.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » December 25, 2003, 10:31 pm

Kaluian_CT wrote:
Unfettered capitalism is just as bad, if not worse than pure socialism
You need to be specific here I guess.
I could name several socialist economies/governments that have failed.

I can't think of a single capitalistic economy/government thats has.

Capitalism has its faults, don't get me wrong, but it has brought to the world the most prosperous and powerful economy the world has ever known in the USA.

I agree with your assessment on Wal-Mart, but as for the above quote, thats a baseless opinion, you can do better than that.

Communism != socialism. I can't really think of any failed socialist economies that failed specifically because of socialism. Actually I can't really think of a pure socialist economy regardless.

The US economy is based on capitalism but it isn't really a pure, unfettered form of capitalism. It's certainly more free market oriented than other countries, but it certainly could be argued that the US is still pretty socialist. Captialism and socialism aren't mutually exclusive anyway.

My point was Wal-mart probably gets away with more than most companies could. They are so massive now that they can't really be taken out of the picture without collosal ramifications. I think they use that to their advantage.

Marbus · Post by **Marbus** » December 26, 2003, 3:26 am

I live in Conway, it's NW on I40 from Little Rock. When I went to College here back in the 80s it was really small town AR. However in the past 15 years it's really grown but at this point not too much. Schools are good, crime is low, broadband and digital cable is cheap... can't ask for too much else when trying to raise a family

Marb

Rayzelle · Post by **Rayzelle** » December 29, 2003, 1:54 am

I grew up very close to you Marb, in Heber Springs

Used to work in Conway, didn't know they opened up another there, it's amazing how saturated the market is on Wal-Mart in Arkansas.

Stalker Vacio · Post by **Stalker Vacio** » December 29, 2003, 6:36 pm

Don't forget about the endless circle:

Walmart employees get paid min. wage. On there wage and can only afford to shop at, SUPRISE, WalMart.

and the circle countinues....