Walmart teaches (quite literally, they have classes on how to get state aid) their employees how to live off of state aid rather than pay better wages or give benefits. By association this means Walmart relies on Socialism (or near forms of Communism) to be able to generate a profit. Thus we can call Walmart Unamerican!

How can you defend an Unamerican, and at best, SOCIALIST company. Realistically you could compare the head honchos to the Party Apparatchiks in the former USSR. They too used the system to give themselves extra wealth.

So basically Walmart = Socialism/Communism whereas Costco (a Walmart rival) = Capitalism.

Thank you, thank you. I'm pounding Socialists all week.

Code_Archeologist:Yep... I have all the respect in the world for Costco. They show that you can be corporation that acts as a responsible partner in the community and still make a profit.

I'm not too sure about the company as a whole. I actually know very little of them, but, I do know one thing: Costco employees are rarely on state aid.

monstera: both Costco & Wal-Mart are customers of mine - tropical produce.
Wal-Mart shows, by far, much more concern and takes a much more active role in supporting domestic farmers. Both are extremely smart customers, but to say that one is more 'American' than the other is absurd. Both are heavily invested in global sourcing and vertical integration to the point that they already own farms (if not factories) in other countries.

You are joking right? Saying Walmart supporting domestic farmers is like saying Walmart supports local butchers. Now don't get me wrong, I won't say that Costco does, BUT Walmart's produce is definitely not based on domestic or import, simply on the lowest price. If someone gave them a 1/2 penny less than you did per thousand pounds, they'd switch in an eyeblink

on topic...I can't think of a better Democratic candidate than Biden, but I haven't seen the dirt on him yet.

Who cares about Biden? I am concerned about Walmart driving us (along with HMO's) to Single-Payer state health insurance.

Walmart trains employees to get state aid. Therefore Walmart = SOCIALISM Now Walmart can end this at any time by doing any combination of the following:

1) Stop giving classes on how to get state aid.
2) Paying their employees more so they can buy their own health insurance and will not qualify state aid.
3) Paying their employees the same and paying for their healthcare.

I don't care which they do. I simply don't want to subsidize their business with my taxes.

LunaBlue: Not everyone can be a mogul, some NEED to be ditchdiggers.

Not a problem.

If you want more of the pie, stop complaining and get an education, training, or a better idea!

Good idea.

Redistributing wealth is not American

Precisely! So why is Walmart so UNAMERICAN!?!?!? Why are they helping their employees milk the system? Why are they being, at best, SOCIALIST. Again you could refer to them as similar to the Party Apparatchiks from the former USSR. They too manipulated the system to get rich. Walmart teaches employees how to get state aid so it doesn't have to provide benefits or better pay to be competitive.

Support Socialism and Communism, SHOP AT WALMART!

Hang On Voltaire: * Cuts prices to eliminate local retail competition from local small business

Or force prices down equaling more money in the consumer's pocket and forcing small businesses to focus on being different or offering different service.

There's a reason for minimum markup laws and thy name is Walmart. Walmart believes in pricing the competition out of business and then raising prices (or closing the store down due to lack of sales after its driven the competition out). That's just bad for the consumer overall. Incidentally have you seen the crap you get at Walmart? One of the first reasons I didn't shop there (before I found out they supported Socialism/Communism) was because most of the items there are of an inferior quality.

Great example is that I grew up fixing lawnmowers at my grandfather's small engine repair/lawnmower/snowblower/misc sales and service. Properly taken care of, a Bolens, John Deere, Snapper, or Toro mowers would easily last a decade. Taking care of it was easy. Keep the blade sharp (sharpen 1x-2x a year), watch the plug(s), change the oil (1x a year), and clean the grass from underneath (1x-3x a year). The quality of a Walmart mower is significantly less. They'd be lucky to last three years, and they cost about 150$ for a decent one. Now that's less than a good Snapper (about 350$+) but you get nicer options on the Snapper mower too, and the bloody thing starts easier. TCO (something we in the business world have to justify) shows the Snapper to be less costly.

* Pays employees the minimum supported by the local job market, and by eliminating employer competition drives down that minimum.

Just as every employer pays the minimum

Offers classes on how to get state aid, keeps employees at minimum to keep them showing up. Incidentally many gas stations pay better than Walmart (the one small chain in my area is 6.25-6.5 at Walmart vs 8-8.5 at Motomart).

* Does not offer health care to most of its employees to increase profits

and the local Mom & Pop hardware store did?

Actually you would have been surprised, many did.

* Lack of health care and lower wages means that in many places Wal-Mart workers have to use food stamps and Medicaid

Just as workers of other companies do.

Really, that gas station I cited had benefits for everyone there. Not great, but useful. Often, many companies do, gasp, pay employees enough that they do not qualify for state aid! Great scot!

So those low prices that we enjoy at Wal-Mart... well we are actually paying for them in the back end through taxes to support their employees who need welfare assistance.

No we don't. If Wal-Mart were not around and everything was at a Mom & Pop company they still would not have benefits

You just show your blatant ignorance with this statement. Many "Mom & Pop" stores have had (and continue to have) insurance.

Curiosity kills: how old are you that you did not know these things about "Mom & Pop" stores.