WalMart is doing exactly what OUR politicians have given them permission to do.

[bvar22]

WalMart is only doing what our politicians, Democrat & Republican, have given them permission to do.

The benefits of "Free Trade" are ONLY available to Mega Corporations.
Mom & Pop do not have the resources to Demand a Volume Deal in China (or any other Slave Labor country), and then transport the product across the ocean.

There was a time, not so long ago,when legislation and regulation prevented large corporations from moving into an area and undercutting the locally owned businesses. Dollars spent in small towns stayed local,
and a Good Living could be made by The Many.

We could have that again,
if we had a Political Party that represented the Working Class.





You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their rhetoric, promises, or excuses.
[font size=5 color=green]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center]

[leftstreet]

1. DURec

[Zorra]

2. Thanks, bvar22. Rec'd. nt

[valerief]

3. And all we get out of it are stink bugs. nt

[Octafish]

4. The crooks express surprise at how cheap they can buy a politician.

?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1271675441205

I'm glad there are still some -- too few -- who can't be bought, no matter how enticing the offer. By their good works we know them.

[leftstreet]

5. LOL I forgot about that

Jefferson should have had his own cooking show?

[datasuspect]

6. all the while we get the mockery of a political system,

a true reality tv product.

they get us to fight against each other while the suited ghouls of both parties eat free lunches and dinners and carve up the decaying corpse of a failed state.

this country has been in fire sale mode since reagan for fuck's sake.

we get what we deserve.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

10. Yes, "this country has been in fire sale mode since reagan" but we DO NOT DESERVE what we get.

[datasuspect]

12. we get what we deserve for not fighting back

[AnotherMcIntosh]

13. Nope. We do what we can. Only Rocky Marciano won all fights.

[Tikki]

7. I don't care where anyone shops...but, parents PLEASE somewhere along..

the way take your children out in the bigger World and show them what
Quality Workmanship looks like.

Wal*Mart, yes, like other discount stores sells cheap furniture, appliances, clothing and
such. It's cheap for a reason and much of these stores' proprietary items can not
be repaired even by experienced repairpersons.

Having a child 'save up' to buy something special, that they could own for a life-time, that
is made to last is a gifted lesson you give to your child for their adulthood. These items
are often made by a local craftsperson.

And If I see Advil on sale and I don't have to drive far to get it..yes that makes sense.





Tikki

[xchrom]

8. Du rec. Nt

[randome]

9. I agree completely.

We say that corporations are not people (and they're not) but then we turn around and talk about what Wal-Mart is doing or what Wal-Mart plans to do as if it was an actual person.

A corporation cannot be blamed for having things go their way.

It's the people -our legislators- who allow this to happen. And it's often a more nuanced story when a new Wal-Mart comes to town. As in many of the voters actually want one.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

11. Thankfully, Obama will not sign more let's-send-jobs-to-foreign-countries "free-trade" agreements.

Or so I've been told.

Excuse me while I go find "the list" again.

[Teamster Jeff]

15. Obama is in Cambodia today talking about the Trans Pacific Partnership

I wonder how much Cambodians will make per hour? Will they undercut the Chinese? I can't wait.

[OnyxCollie]

14. K&R. nt

[Ford_Prefect]

16. Walmart and others have been undermining the economy for some time.

They created the advantages they now exploit by bending the system. Their management is not as blameless or innocent as the title line of this thread suggests. As has been made very clear in the recent exposure of their bribery practices they are aggressively competitive and will create any advantage they feel they need.

If you have ever fought against one coming to your town you know the truth of this. May their management at all levels find themselves in irons awaiting judgement for the rape and pillage of main street America. They murdered many small towns along the interstates and many ordinary local stores.

The legislators who helped them at federal and state levels, along with "others" in government did so due to the same influences which were so visible in the election: greed and raw money. It is an interlocking and seemingly symbiotic arrangement.

[bvar22]

18. Corporations have no soul, and that is not a bad thing.

They are created to maximize profit for the owners,
and THAT is not a bad thing.
Corporations are simply a tool.
It is foolish to blame a snake for acting like a snake,
or expecting it to act like anything other than a snake.


As citizens, consumers, and workers, the ONLY avenue we have to restrain these soulless entities, and make them behave for the Common Good is through Regulation imposed on them through our government.
Our fathers and grandfathers understood this,
and they fought and died to restrain Corporations through Regulations on Trade (Local, Interstate, & International) and Unfair Business Practices.

Not so long ago, our small towns and regional economies were protected by the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and other Interstate regulations against Unfair Competition where giant Corporations were NOT allowed to move into an area and undercut the local businesses.

The BLAME belongs squarely on the shoulders of those politicians (Democrat & Republican)
who helped sell the scam that we needed to get all those regulations "off the backs of our Businesses".
Now THAT was foolish, and inexcusable.



[font size=4]The Graven Image on the altar...

..of the New Church of The Invisible Hand.[/font]

[They_Live]

17. so true...

most of the crap that Bain/Romney does is legal as well, including hiding money on islands and in churches. We need to be changing some rules if we want to change the possibilities for many.