NationStates Jolt Archive

Do you think Wal-Mart plays a positive or negative role in the US (poll coming)?

Based on what I've seen and read; I chose negative.

Well, negative. The way they treat their workers...the supporting of the NRA and all that...the culture of materialism...it can't be great. I still shop there occasionally though. I mean, what are ya gonna do?

Walton Five and Dime for life.

Supermarkets are a personal bugbear of mine. I hate all of those fuckers.

I mean, what are ya gonna do?

You're going to buy from a store which sells its items at low prices and thereby increases the real wages of low-paid workers and contributes a great deal to the US economy. It's good to shop there.

Haven't we all heard that WalMart is an evil corporate empire? Treat their employees like crap, sued for sexual discrimination, smash any attempt at unionization and move in to towns and destroy all the small businesses there with great efficiency. I also understand that where a WalMart moves in so does traffic and decreased property values for nearby homes.

Well, negative. The way they treat their workers...the supporting of the NRA and all that...the culture of materialism...it can't be great. I still shop there occasionally though. I mean, what are ya gonna do?

Perhaps you would like to explain what's so bad about supporting the NRA.

Or what it is about materialism that's so bad, for that matter.

You're going to buy from a store which sells its items at low prices and thereby increases the real wages of low-paid workers and contributes a great deal to the US economy. It's good to shop there.

Amen.

Positive; it increases the buying power of consumers by offering the same products at lower prices and attracts other stores to the area through the increased customer flow to the Wal Mart.

Honestly, the number of jobs threatened by a Wal-Mart moving in is nothing compared to the benefits for everyone else. Most people in any town don't work at small retailers, so the number of jobs threatened tends to be fairly small. Also, it's a boon to lower income consumers.

Plus, Wal-Mart and Sams Club gasoline is cheaper than at other stores because it is supplied by independent refiners; and, by buying from them, you support small refiners rather than integrated oil like Exxon.

Haven't we all heard that WalMart is an evil corporate empire? Treat their employees like crap, sued for sexual discrimination, smash any attempt at unionization and move in to towns and destroy all the small businesses there with great efficiency. I also understand that where a WalMart moves in so does traffic and decreased property values for nearby homes.

Yeah, Nike is horrible, McDonalds is horrible, Coke is putrid acid.
Oh wait, I think I see a trend.
Everyone picks on gigantic corporations and blames all economical problems on them.

This is Capatilism, leave them alone, they are your gods.