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Why the war against Wal-Mart?
Oak Lawn (IL) Reporter ^
| 4/1/04
| Michael M. Bates
Posted on 03/30/2004 10:55:58 AM PST by Mike Bates
Chicago aldermen are taking a break from whatever it is they usually do to save the citys populace from a fate thats apparently at least as bad as death.
Theyre fighting to keep Wal-Mart from defiling the toddlin town.
Aiding them in this valiant struggle are labor unions. The president of the Chicago Federation of Labor outlined a terrifying scenario for the Chicago Sun-Times: "Once this first Wal-Mart comes, youll see two more pop up quick and, within a year, you'll probably see 10 of em. This is Public Enemy No. 1 in the eyes of labor."
What he should have said is that Wal-Mart is Public Enemy No. 1 in the eyes of union labor. Almost 90% of American workers dont belong to a union. Their Public Enemy No. 1 possibly, just possibly, might not be a giant retailer offering a large selection of merchandise at good prices.
Who knows? There may even be a union member or two who wouldnt mind saving a few bucks.
Opening a Wal-Mart means jobs and plenty of them. Many of them would be at entry-level positions, which are so badly needed in the inner city.
But theyre not union jobs. It must be an aldermans sacred duty to protect Chicagos unemployed from the humiliation of earning less than what union bosses dictate.
Those who would have been hired by Wal-Mart may be impoverished. They may be dependent on public assistance of one kind or another. They may have to ask for help from relatives and friends.
But, thanks to Chicagos city council, theyre able to hold their heads high and proudly proclaim, "No, I dont have a job, but if I did, itd pay union scale."
One of the aldermen blocking the proposal to build a Wal-Mart told the Chicago Tribune, "Im here for union labor." How very comforting. Can you spell "lapdog", boys and girls?
Not to be overlooked are the millions of dollars in tax revenue that a Wal-Mart or two would bring to the citys coffers. Certainly Chicago has a reputation for fiscal prudence. Its renowned for having absolutely no fraud, waste, mismanagement or kickbacks. Still, Im sure that city officials would have found a way to spend all that additional revenue.
Wal-Mart seems to aggravate the heck out of some liberals, and its not just the companys non-union policy. There are other problems.
John Kerrys wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, said a few weeks ago that Wal-Marts "drive me crazy" because "they destroy communities."
The same week in a Los Angeles debate, her husband also disclosed his revulsion for the retailer: "And you've got companies like Wal-Mart . . . that hire part-time people, that have actually advertised to come and work, so they won't do their health care."
Not all of us are as wealthy as the Kerrys, who own five multimillion-dollar homes. We werent raised in an affluence that permitted shopping at the most exclusive and expensive stores.
There is, I suspect, an element of elitism in some of the opposition to Wal-Mart. I recently heard from a reader critical of a column I wrote about Costco executives giving large contributions to defeat President Bush.
Wal-Mart wasnt even mentioned in the column, yet the reader wrote how the store "pays miniscule wages, offers lousy health benefits, and stabs consumers with voodoo pricing," whatever that is.
What particularly interested me was the way he finished his communication: "I'll stick with Costco, you go ahead and fill your double-wide with Wal-Mart crap." For those of you not familiar with the James Carville School of Deprecating Remarks, the double-wide reference is a suggestion I live in a trailer.
Again, there seems to be some snobbery at work in all the Wal-Mart loathing. Is it because the stores provide decent goods at affordable prices to the great unwashed, thereby improving their living standards even to the point of having some of the same conveniences as their betters?
Perhaps a reason is the chain has a policy of not selling CDs with sexually explicit lyrics. Maybe the irritation is the senior citizens hired to be greeters. Wal-Mart sells religious literature, even Bibles. Possibly thats an annoyance.
Or is it because Wal-Mart is a prime example of how free enterprise can benefit millions of Americans, including the more than one million who work there? Capitalism can just be so unbridled sometimes.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: chicago; elitism; livingwage; teresaheinz; union; walmart
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Another example of government "protection."
To: Mike Bates
Public Enemy #1 = Labor Unions
To: Mike Bates
God save us from low prices.
3
posted on
03/30/2004 11:00:15 AM PST
by
Agnes Heep
(Solus cum sola non cogitabuntur orare pater noster)
To: Mike Bates
When the Chicago city government is comprised of crooks and frauds, I'd hate to think crooks are "protecing" me, if I was living in Chicago.
4
posted on
03/30/2004 11:08:29 AM PST
by
BigSkyFreeper
(Liberalism is Communism one drink at a time. - P.J. O'Rourke)
To: Mike Bates
One of the reasons that WalMart is a target of Leftist Legislators:
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|
2004 ELECTION OVERVIEW Top Overall Donors
Rank |
Contributor |
Total Contributions |
To Dems |
To Repubs |
Contributions Tilt |
1 |
Goldman Sachs |
$2,656,413 |
51% |
49% |
On the fence |
2 |
National Assn of Realtors |
$1,464,806 |
51% |
49% |
On the fence |
3 |
Wal-Mart Stores |
$1,372,840 |
16% |
84% |
Strongly Republican |
4 |
Lehman Brothers |
$1,272,063 |
45% |
55% |
On the fence |
5 |
Citigroup Inc |
$1,262,072 |
46% |
54% |
On the fence |
6 |
Time Warner |
$1,100,781 |
71% |
29% |
Strongly Democratic |
7 |
SBC Communications |
$1,093,935 |
32% |
68% |
Strongly Republican |
8 |
Assn of Trial Lawyers of America |
$1,047,499 |
91% |
9% |
Solidly Democratic |
9 |
Morgan Stanley |
$1,039,883 |
37% |
63% |
Leans Republican |
10 |
National Assn of Home Builders |
$1,034,500 |
38% |
61% |
Leans Republican |
11 |
United Parcel Service |
$1,024,271 |
28% |
72% |
Strongly Republican |
12 |
Merrill Lynch |
$1,016,789 |
20% |
80% |
Strongly Republican |
13 |
Laborers Union |
$997,880 |
82% |
18% |
Strongly Democratic |
14 |
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers |
$979,330 |
96% |
4% |
Solidly Democratic |
15 |
Carpenters & Joiners Union |
$970,000 |
63% |
37% |
Leans Democratic |
16 |
Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union |
$942,011 |
98% |
1% |
Solidly Democratic |
17 |
National Auto Dealers Assn |
$936,300 |
30% |
70% |
Strongly Republican |
18 |
PriceWaterhouseCoopers |
$925,108 |
14% |
86% |
Strongly Republican |
19 |
Microsoft Corp |
$914,882 |
56% |
44% |
Leans Democratic |
20 |
UBS Americas |
$912,738 |
28% |
71% |
Strongly Republican |
21 |
National Beer Wholesalers Assn |
$888,618 |
26% |
74% |
Strongly Republican |
22 |
MBNA Corp |
$875,647 |
23% |
77% |
Strongly Republican |
23 |
Credit Union National Assn |
$873,063 |
41% |
59% |
Leans Republican |
24 |
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu |
$841,135 |
25% |
75% |
Strongly Republican |
25 |
Ernst & Young |
$806,077 |
29% |
71% |
Strongly Republican |
26 |
Blue Cross/Blue Shield |
$805,032 |
37% |
63% |
Leans Republican |
27 |
Teamsters Union |
$801,500 |
85% |
14% |
Strongly Democratic |
28 |
American Fedn of St/Cnty/Munic Employees |
$797,089 |
97% |
2% |
Solidly Democratic |
29 |
General Electric |
$794,690 |
40% |
60% |
Leans Republican |
30 |
Verizon Communications |
$794,339 |
34% |
66% |
Leans Republican |
31 |
Service Employees International Union |
$779,800 |
83% |
17% |
Strongly Democratic |
32 |
JP Morgan Chase & Co |
$778,281 |
50% |
51% |
On the fence |
33 |
American Bankers Assn |
$768,918 |
39% |
61% |
Leans Republican |
34 |
Lockheed Martin |
$768,589 |
39% |
61% |
Leans Republican |
35 |
Credit Suisse First Boston |
$739,500 |
36% |
64% |
Leans Republican |
36 |
Air Line Pilots Assn |
$718,250 |
78% |
22% |
Strongly Democratic |
37 |
United Auto Workers |
$715,930 |
99% |
1% |
Solidly Democratic |
38 |
KPMG LLP |
$713,585 |
23% |
77% |
Strongly Republican |
39 |
Northrop Grumman |
$702,522 |
37% |
63% |
Leans Republican |
40 |
EMILY's List |
$700,324 |
100% |
0% |
Solidly Democratic |
41 |
General Dynamics |
$667,825 |
38% |
62% |
Leans Republican |
42 |
American Hospital Assn |
$666,752 |
41% |
59% |
Leans Republican |
43 |
American Postal Workers Union |
$659,500 |
77% |
22% |
Strongly Democratic |
44 |
Bear Stearns |
$656,083 |
39% |
61% |
Leans Republican |
45 |
BellSouth Corp |
$650,560 |
40% |
60% |
Leans Republican |
46 |
Operating Engineers Union |
$645,619 |
75% |
25% |
Strongly Democratic |
47 |
AFLAC Inc |
$639,142 |
37% |
63% |
Leans Republican |
48 |
Boeing Co |
$638,976 |
40% |
60% |
Leans Republican |
49 |
Blank Rome LLP |
$636,350 |
23% |
77% |
Strongly Republican |
50 |
Piper Rudnick LLP |
$630,597 |
68% |
31% |
Strongly Democratic |
51 |
Greenberg, Traurig et al |
$617,754 |
61% |
39% |
Leans Democratic |
52 |
Sheet Metal Workers Union |
$607,100 |
96% |
4% |
Solidly Democratic |
53 |
Union Pacific Corp |
$605,548 |
18% |
82% |
Strongly Republican |
54 |
American Dental Assn |
$597,258 |
40% |
60% |
Leans Republican |
55 |
American Maritime Officers |
$589,500 |
43% |
57% |
Leans Republican |
56 |
Associated Builders & Contractors |
$587,800 |
1% |
99% |
Solidly Republican |
57 |
Pfizer Inc |
$581,729 |
35% |
65% |
Leans Republican |
58 |
United Transportation Union |
$573,650 |
82% |
18% |
Strongly Democratic |
59 |
Southern Co |
$568,900 |
19% |
81% |
Strongly Republican |
60 |
Wachovia Corp |
$565,960 |
33% |
67% |
Strongly Republican |
61 |
Bank of America |
$559,440 |
45% |
55% |
On the fence |
62 |
Viacom Inc |
$557,300 |
72% |
28% |
Strongly Democratic |
63 |
Akin, Gump et al |
$550,278 |
55% |
45% |
On the fence |
64 |
Boilermakers Union |
$546,200 |
94% |
5% |
Solidly Democratic |
65 |
National Air Traffic Controllers Assn |
$545,750 |
61% |
39% |
Leans Democratic |
66 |
Ironworkers Union |
$537,225 |
85% |
14% |
Strongly Democratic |
67 |
National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn |
$529,673 |
43% |
57% |
Leans Republican |
68 |
Skadden, Arps et al |
$488,119 |
74% |
25% |
Strongly Democratic |
69 |
International Assn of Fire Fighters |
$476,600 |
74% |
26% |
Strongly Democratic |
70 |
Cassidy & Assoc/Interpublic Group |
$474,867 |
48% |
52% |
On the fence |
71 |
Federal Express Corp |
$457,700 |
29% |
71% |
Strongly Republican |
72 |
Baron & Budd |
$450,183 |
96% |
4% |
Solidly Democratic |
73 |
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance |
$446,300 |
44% |
56% |
On the fence |
74 |
American International Group |
$438,663 |
38% |
62% |
Leans Republican |
75 |
United Food & Commercial Workers Union |
$436,550 |
99% |
2% |
Solidly Democratic |
76 |
Bank One Corp |
$434,336 |
46% |
54% |
On the fence |
77 |
Wells Fargo |
$429,116 |
41% |
59% |
Leans Republican |
78 |
Comcast Corp |
$426,373 |
41% |
59% |
Leans Republican |
79 |
Patton Boggs LLP |
$419,583 |
70% |
29% |
Strongly Democratic |
80 |
Natl Assn Insurance & Financial Advisors |
$416,700 |
33% |
67% |
Strongly Republican |
81 |
Metropolitan Life |
$414,711 |
57% |
43% |
Leans Democratic |
82 |
GlaxoSmithKline |
$409,500 |
31% |
69% |
Strongly Republican |
83 |
Americans for a Republican Majority |
$409,278 |
0% |
99% |
Solidly Republican |
84 |
Altria Group |
$405,550 |
41% |
59% |
Leans Republican |
85 |
United Technologies |
$403,465 |
37% |
63% |
Leans Republican |
86 |
National Rifle Assn |
$402,123 |
14% |
86% |
Strongly Republican |
87 |
WPP Group |
$401,648 |
45% |
54% |
On the fence |
88 |
Communications Workers of America |
$397,708 |
99% |
1% |
Solidly Democratic |
89 |
Simmons Firm |
$391,750 |
100% |
0% |
Solidly Democratic |
90 |
Walt Disney Co |
$381,210 |
62% |
38% |
Leans Democratic |
91 |
Holland & Knight |
$377,537 |
57% |
43% |
Leans Democratic |
92 |
International Longshoremens Assn |
$377,400 |
93% |
7% |
Solidly Democratic |
93 |
American Financial Group |
$369,849 |
4% |
96% |
Solidly Republican |
94 |
AFL-CIO |
$367,400 |
87% |
13% |
Strongly Democratic |
95 |
Exelon Corp |
$365,418 |
43% |
57% |
Leans Republican |
96 |
Cigna Corp |
$362,294 |
17% |
83% |
Strongly Republican |
97 |
HSBC USA |
$360,500 |
39% |
61% |
Leans Republican |
98 |
Eli Lilly & Co |
$359,927 |
29% |
71% |
Strongly Republican |
99 |
Amalgamated Transit Union |
$359,750 |
85% |
15% |
Strongly Democratic |
100 |
Winston & Strawn |
$353,404 |
30% |
69% |
Strongly Republican |
METHODOLOGY: The numbers on this page are based on contributions from PACs and individuals giving $200 or more to federal candidates and parties as reported to the Federal Election Commission. All the numbers on this page are for the 2004 election cycle and are based on data released by the FEC on Monday, March 01, 2004. Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. To view data for previous cycles, visit our Big Picture section. |
|
5
posted on
03/30/2004 11:11:10 AM PST
by
So Cal Rocket
(If consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds, John F. Kerry’s mind must be freaking enormous)
To: Mike Bates
I actually do not like Wal-Mart because they DO run other grocery stores out of business, which lowers the amount of merchandise I have to choose from. In my town Lowes is a gonner, ALbertsons is next, and I hate to count the
wonderful "Mom & Pops" they have destroyed.
Would not be so bad but Wal-Mart has a HORRIBLE selection of food-colored,water filled meats, no real brand-name selection in canned and dry goods . .etc. If Wal-Mart had a better selection, I suppose it would be OK to run old mom and pop stores out of business, but they really stink in the food selection areas.
6
posted on
03/30/2004 11:11:24 AM PST
by
Iron Matron
(Civil Disobedience? It's not just for liberals anymore!)
To: Mike Bates
This article makes some good points, but it does not present a fair portrayal of the opposing position. It reads like it was written by a libertarian, and it makes generous use of sophistry. It would be a much better article if the author actually dealt with (and refuted) the best objections to his position, instead of ridiculous speculation that the reason a number of communities oppose Wal-Marts is that, for example, Wal-Mart sells Bibles.
7
posted on
03/30/2004 11:16:41 AM PST
by
adiaireton8
("There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse." - Plato, Phaedo 89d)
To: Mike Bates
bump for later
To: Iron Matron
I grew up in a small town with no Walmart.
It stunk.
The mom and pops never had any selection and never carried anything the least bit in style.
The mom and pops can't deliver the goods. Its called capitalism. But mom and pops can deliver boutique goods and services. And should do so rathe rthan blaming their woes on some big bad demon.
9
posted on
03/30/2004 11:23:20 AM PST
by
Notwithstanding
(Good parents don't let their kids attend public school)
To: Corin Stormhands
fyi walmart bump
To: Iron Matron
I actually do not like Wal-Mart because they DO run other grocery stores out of business, which lowers the amount of merchandise I have to choose from. In my town Lowes is a gonner, ALbertsons is next, and I hate to count the wonderful "Mom & Pops" they have destroyed. Wal-Mart is hardly a threat to chain supermarkets, which use the same marketing model, nor to Lowes, which sells a lot of merchandise that Wal-mart doesn't carry. In this state, all of these stores have continued doing just fine when a Wal-Mart moves in down the street.
And does Wal-Mart nuke small shops? It killed the crappy little downtown stores that were dying anyway - good riddance. But right next to every WM in this state, new small stores are springing up, feeding on the traffic the supestore generates and offering merchandise that extends what is availble in the WM: specialized products, upscale products, ethnic food, special services. Groom your dog while you shop?
To: Iron Matron
Food?? Remember when their slogan was "made in America"? Their clothing disintegrates upon the first wash...Their pillows have feathers seeping out of them after one month...Everthing the sell..or damn near, is now made in China! Screw "Wall of China" Mart!!
To: Iron Matron
I love having a WalMart nearby. The only regular item I buy there is dog food (and I save a fortune); but every couple of weeks I need
something, for the house, car, work, whatever. It's great having this giant clearinghouse of
everything; you almost faint when you find out you need an item they don't stock.
If the crowds are any indication, Wal Mart still has a lot of fans out there.
13
posted on
03/30/2004 11:31:56 AM PST
by
Mr. Bird
To: So Cal Rocket
I missed the entry that said "Halliburton: $2 Billion: Exclusively Republican"
Halliburton is SO influential in Washington that they don't even rate the top 100 contributors.
/sarcasm off/
14
posted on
03/30/2004 11:34:16 AM PST
by
TexasNative2000
(Can't we all just get a longneck?)
To: BlazingArizona
You hit the nail on the head. Whenever a new Walmart pops up there are at least a half-dozen smaller, specialized shops that spring up next to it.
Here in De Pere, Wisconsin (a suburb of Green Bay) a Walmart Supercenter opened up - there are also plans for a Menards (home improvement store) and there is a gas-station island with several fast-food chains.
Liberals absolutely despise Walmart.
15
posted on
03/30/2004 11:37:16 AM PST
by
ServesURight
(FReecerely Yours,)
To: EggsAckley
Public Enemy #1 = Labor UnionsExactly, EggsAckley.
16
posted on
03/30/2004 11:39:12 AM PST
by
PRND21
To: Mike Bates
Why the war against Wal-Mart? Cuz Wal-Mart sucks.
Go Target! (pronounced, Tarz-shay)
17
posted on
03/30/2004 11:39:17 AM PST
by
PokeyJoe
(FreeBSD; The devil made me do it.)
To: So Cal Rocket
ya know, I hate it when people abuse the word "democratic" to mean the democrat party.
The column should say "Leans Democrat"
both Republicans and Democrats belong to the democratic cause, though there is a strong wing in the democrat party who are socialist progressive liberal democrats.
These socialist progressive liberal Democrats like to hide behind their party name, and take the term "democratic" as if they own it.
In the immortal words of Eric Cartman, "Democrats piss me off."
18
posted on
03/30/2004 11:46:28 AM PST
by
PokeyJoe
(FreeBSD; The devil made me do it.)
To: Iron Matron
...Wal-Mart has a HORRIBLE selection of food-colored,water filled meats,...
The same meat that my home-town, non-Wal-Mart grocery stores have....bubble wrapped, water-drenched, sodium ''enhanced'' chickens & pork. It's not just Wal-Mart carrying that crap.
On a positive note, I drive to the next town to shop at a Wal-Mart SuperCenter in order to buy food items that my local grocery stores do not carry and other items that are priced much lower. Wal-Mart groceries aren't glitzy, but the selection is adequate and actually better than the stores in my city of over 60,000 population offer. So it really depends on where you live.
19
posted on
03/30/2004 11:47:38 AM PST
by
elli1
To: PRND21
~</;o)
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