Is Wal-Mart good for America? (Response to PBS hit piece)

Townhall.com ^ | November 19, 2004 | Bruce Bartlett

[Haro_546]

You are making me laugh, You are communist you believe that that products have value determined by other things other than the free market. Come on, are you a conservative?

[BufordP]

Seems that story has more to do with Colonial Properties than Wal-Mart.

[Haro_546]

"In the 60's, GM was the nations largest employer. Today, besides the government, WalMart is the nations biggest employer.

If you think exchanging factory jobs for clerk jobs is good for America then you're part of the problem"
THIS IS COMMUNISM, VALUE IS DETERMINED BY THE MARKET !

[Wonder Warthog]

"But, most of these landowners come out pretty nicely in terms of market value."

Maybe, but the exercise of "eminent domain" for private business purposes is a major abuse and gross extension of that government power. In fact, I believe that "eminent domain" should be eliminated.

More to the point---why bash Wal-mart with this, when a significant number of other major corporations are using the same tactic.

[The Great Yazoo]

Isn't it ironic that PBS, in the journalism business, which, as an industry especially protected by the First Amendment, is least regulated by government, and as government, is least susceptible to economic competition, is so adamant in its criticism of freedom for everyone else.

[toomanygrasshoppers]

Lots of Mom and Pop businesses did close b/c of Walmart. But many of them where I live closed at 5 p.m. on weekdays, were not even open on Sunday and Monday and they closed at noon on Saturdays. They often did not have what I was looking for, and if they did, it cost more.

[The Great Yazoo]

Wal-Mart sells good products. I didn't say "great" products. I wouldn't buy a suit from Wal-Mart (or Sears for that matter). But I would buy socks, tee-shirts, shorts, etc.

[LibertyRocks]

Anyone interested in this might want to read the discussion earlier tonight about this topic...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1283416/posts

Did you all know that Mrs. Kerry owns $1 million of Wal-mart stock? That's enough reason for me not to shop there... besides the labor disputes, etc...

[LibertyRocks]

Maybe I should re-phrase that - earlier LAST night... LOL

[The Great Yazoo]

Wal-Mart will utterly fail to monopolize the retail market, if that's its goal.

[The Great Yazoo]

If you think exchanging factory jobs for clerk jobs is good for America then you're part of the problem.

Exchanging a skilled factory job for an unskilled clerk job is a bad deal. Exchanging freedom for serfdom is a worse one.

[sawmill trash]

bump for later

[the invisib1e hand]

Wal Mart sucks. But PBS sucks a whole lot more.

[buffyt]

Well, I go where ever I find the cheapest prices. Their fresh meat isn't so great. But they have a decent seafood department. And canned goods, staples, paper products, batteries... why pay more? If the other stores want my business all they have to do is lower their prices or do comp. ads. Some stores will let you bring in your WalMart ad and they will give you the WalMart lower price. But it is a pain, you have to show the cashier each item/price and she has to key it in. I have a mortgage, five cars, and three kids in college. I go for bargains. My favorite brands are Bargain and Clearance....

[buffyt]

I get all my jeans at WalMart. $10-$15 a pair. They have size 10 Tall, and they fit. They last longer than Levis.

[unspun]

Wal-Mart destroys small businesses and local markets. It moves retailing toward an oligopoly. The centralization of a market is hardly conducive to free enterprise and free capitalism.

[cyborg]

I rarely go to Walmart anymore. Unless the item is dirt cheap, I pay the same price elsewhere in a small business.

[cyborg]

Shopping for food at Walmart, must be like going to a wholesale club. Don't they have one anyway? Walmart is good in a way that you can get a quick temp job.

[Nephi]

Are you saying that America grew into the world's superpower based upon serfdom?

[Lazamataz]

Is Wal-Mart good for America?

(In my best Martin Luther King voice) Isn't it time that we asked ourselves, is AMERICA good for WAL-MART?