Posted on 11/09/2004 1:11:34 PM PST by Willie Green
In Circleville, Ohio, population 13,000, the local RCA television manufacturing plant was once a source of good jobs with good pay and benefits. But in late 2003, RCA's owner, Thomson Consumer Electronics, lost a sizeable portion of its production orders and six months later shut the plant down, throwing 1,000 people out of work.
Thomson's jobs have moved to China, where cheap labor manufactures what the American consumer desires--from clothing to electronics--and can buy at "everyday low prices" at the local Wal-Mart.
On Tuesday, November 16, at 9 P.M. on PBS (check local listings), FRONTLINE® explores the relationship between U.S. job losses and the American consumer's insatiable desire for bargains in "Is Wal-Mart Good for America?" Through interviews with retail executives, product manufacturers, economists, and trade experts, correspondent Hedrick Smith examines the growing controversy over the Wal-Mart way of doing business and asks whether a single retail giant has changed the American economy.
(Excerpt) Read more at pbs.org ...
Let's rephrase the question a bit. Would Americans prefer to buy a DVD player for $200 or $70? Or a TV for $200 or $400. The movement of manufacturing jobs (I'm a manufacturing engineer) to overseas locations has been going on since the days of transistor radios. The world has NEVER been a fair trading place. But what has accelerated it a lot is our own desire to beat down our companies. That American companies are all about profits and abuse American employees. Until we change that attitude we will lose jobs.
You should have gone there last Wednesday and Thursday. My wife said that place was dead. Guess the RATs were in shock and mourning and the Republicans were at work or celebrating.
Thank you, at least one on this thread has sense!
Yes! Walmart shoppers voted for President Bush. If they know who's right to vote for they must know where the shopping is good!
Seriously, Walmart, K mart, EBay, Amazon, or Macy's---people should shop where they want.
Regardless of whether or not WalMart is, or isn't good, for America, ain't it somethin that what started as a
lil' ole five and dime in Arkansas, can ascend to the most powerful retailer in the whole wide world? Must be somethin in the water in them red states that make you smarter than the average New York lib.
Why do some still long for the days of the $600 VCR?
"I was watching the South Park last week that "
What a GREAT episode that was!
We have a great K-Mart close to home that I hope NEVER closes. Clean, neat, well-stocked, good prices.
On PBS?---whatever they are for I am against. Whatever they are against, I am for.
the retailer is closer to the customer, or the mass market, so to speak. in the end, the customer should have the power.
power to the people...er...make that mass market lest someone get the wrong idea!
Big, despite what the flaming leftists tell you, is not inherently bad nor is small inherently good. A smnall business that is inefficient, mismanaged and does not respond to the market is nothing more than a government office.
We've got a little hardware store nearby. Their prices are very high but they've got a bunch of little old retired men who know where everything is and provide wonderful help on little projects. Great. But, the owner's wife is the only one who can staff the register and the only one allowed to answer the 'phone. It takes a miracle to get out of that place. Sure, it's a small business but it can compete on very limited terms. When it fails (although, it's been there for years and seems to be doing OK) the blame will fall on Walmart.
It is the unions, of course, and their employees and lackies in Congress and the media leading the Walmart witch hunt. These are the same unions that drove the cost of domestic products so high that other providers were able to seize a position and then the whole market.
Can you imagine what this thread would be like on DU?
I dislike shopping at WalMart, however here in Hooterville it is WalMart or the over-priced and under-stocked Ma & Pa grocery with geriatric clerks who have a hard time working the register and require me to show ID when I write a check.
I can get auto parts, hardware, blue jeans, tennis shoes and groceries at WalMart.
It's good for me and my family, and crowds of other people like us. This is the United States. We get to choose where to shop.
You have answered the question. Wal Mart is an American business and they tend to keep their employees happy. Companies that abuse their employees will have trouble. BTW, companies who ship employees jobs overseas will suffer at the hands of employees who regard this as abuse. I predict that companies who participate in this outsourcing will not all be happy campers. The pendulum will swing.
Thomson is a French company is it not?
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