Back to class warfare

[patfromlogan]

... and now back to our regularly scheduled class war.
The six heirs to the Walmart fortune have a net worth equal to the bottom one hundred and thirty million, two hundred and seventy thousand, three hundred and twenty six Americans combined.

Those 130,270,326 Americans better run down to Walmart and buy some bootstraps to pull themselves up with.

[slamdunc]

Those 130,270,326 Americans better run down to Walmart and buy some bootstraps to pull themselves up with.

Those who drink the Wal-Mart Koolaid believe that they are doing Americans a favor by providing so many of those (low-wage) jobs. The management meetings are interesting; kind of like an indoctrination. They stand in a circle and chant and clap; very motivating.

When Wal-Mart first came to my town, it was a friendly place and forced a little competition. Once they had their monopoly, nobody could compete and small businesses started closing. These were family businesses that had supported people for decades.

If I absolutely cannot find what I need somewhere else, I go there. I didn't go into a Wal-Mart for just over seven months last year; they didn't miss me and I didn't miss them.

Wal-Mart: The Evil Empire

[jnp]

I will shop anywhere else before I support those low paying, greedy jerks.

I've never seen so many people shopping in their pajamas as I do there. Another reason to avoid that place.

[gregaquaman]

[slamdunc]

I will shop anywhere else before I support those low paying, greedy jerks.

Do you remember Wal-Mart as it was all through the mid-1990's?
They had the following signs up:
If there are more than three customers in line, we will open additional lanes.
Buy USA (in larger-than-life big red, white and blue).
The customer satisfaction guarantee;
If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, we will gladly refund your money.

They have a different take on things now; once they eliminated the competition (most of the K-Mart stores), they are the only game in town. I can't begin to express how much I think Wal-Mart sucks.

[It is Fake]

If there are more than three customers in line, we will open additional lanes.
Buy USA (in larger-than-life big red, white and blue).
The customer satisfaction guarantee;
If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, we will gladly refund your money.

I remember MANY stores touting "buy American."
I remember many stores claiming "Satisfaction Guaranteed."
I remember many stores stating " nor more than <X number> in a lane."

The sheep bought into their BS and now they are a monopoly. The sheep eliminated the competition. Now, while I think much of what they do is bullshit, lets not pretend the were the only game in town; they just won.

[goodlun]

Oh boo fucking whooo.
I don't give a shit about how rich the rich are or how poor the poor are.
All I care about is how hard is it for me to put food on my table make rent and have some spending money.
Yep I am selfish like that.
How rich Walmart is has little to no effect on me and the vast majority of you.
Pointing out how rich people are isn't a way to bring things back into balance.
Figuring out how to fix our education system so people have marketable skills, figuring out how to convince people to unionise so that they can stand together, figure out ways to expand our economy so that service and retail jobs our a very small part of our economy.

[slamdunc]

lets not pretend the were the only game in town; they just won.

I worded that poorly; they are the only game in my town. They crushed K-Mart and even two huge chain grocery stores when they opened the last Super Center.

[It is Fake]

I worded that poorly; they are the only game in my town. They crushed K-Mart and even two huge chain grocery stores when they opened the last Super Center.

I still would have wrote that exactly the same way. The SHEEP helped crush the other stores. If people don't go, ask K-Mart and the "two chain grocery stores," Walmart is crushed.

Figuring out how to fix our education system so people have marketable skills, y.

LOL, you might want to look at the actual TRUE educational numbers. You need to fix the parents FIRST, then get the school system back on track.

[goodlun]

What is your point that some how Kmart and the two grocery stores where better for you guys?

The Kmart we have here pays its employees the same shit wages as walmart does. The only damn difference is I pay way too much for what ever it is I want to buy from Kmart.

[Hedgehogey]

Oh boo fucking whooo.
I don't give a shit about how rich the rich are or how poor the poor are.
All I care about is how hard is it for me to put food on my table make rent and have some spending money.

You don't think those things have anything to do with each other.

[goodlun]

You don't think those things have anything to do with each other.

No I said I don't give a fuck.

I understand both macro and micro economics very well. I also understand that in my personal economic sphere how rich the super rich are really doesn't have an effect on the level of my wealth or access to resources.

[goodlun]

You need to fix the parents FIRST, then get the school system back on track.

I am open to solutions that involve working with parents.

Just for full disclosure.
Currently my 2nd grader is now in a program where she goes to school 2 days a week and is home schooled for the rest (she previously was in a very high end charter school). We are lucky though to have the resources to make this work. My wife is a full time stay at home mother and I work ~30 hours a week so we have the time to devote to it.

I can't imagine how hard it would be to be a single parent that has to work 2 jobs just to make ends meet.

This NPR story here actually hits on some of the issues
http://www.npr.org/2013/04/17/177597...e-and-mediocre

[slamdunc]

What is your point that some how Kmart and the two grocery stores where better for you guys?

Yes, they were at least competitive when K-Mart was here. As for the grocery stores, they were both union (UFCW); they paid about five bucks an hour more than Wal-Mart pays and their prices were still reasonable.

The Kmart we have here pays its employees the same shit wages as walmart does. The only damn difference is I pay way too much for what ever it is I want to buy from Kmart.

The wages were on par with Wal-Mart here, but they always had lower prices at K-Mart and if you brought the K-Mart ad in, Wal-Mart would price match. Competition kept them honest.

[goodlun]

Yes, they were at least competitive when K-Mart was here. As for the grocery stores, they were both union (UFCW); they paid about five bucks an hour more than Wal-Mart pays and their prices were still reasonable.

I agree it is always a shame to see a UFCW shop go out of business. If they are like the shops around here you are correct they managed to keep the same pricing and typically actually have better service than Walmart hence why they are still in business.

The wages were on par with Wal-Mart here, but they always had lower prices at K-Mart and if you brought the K-Mart ad in, Wal-Mart would price match. Competition kept them honest.

We only have a K-Mart here in Ramona as big box stores go. Although being in San Diego County we have plenty of Walmarts around.
The internet should keep them all honest look at Amazons prices for most things.

My point stands though retail jobs pay shit unless you have a union. So I really don't care if its Target, Walmart, Big K, or even a Mom and Pop shop. In the end the employes make minimum wage + a few bucks with a few exceptions. Heck at least with a major chain like walmart one has some room to move up. Yes in the case of the mom and pop shop Mom and Pop might be able to make a good living but its not going to be so stellar to prop up the local economy.

Local consumer spending is a fast track to entropy your community has to produce something that other communities want.