Just How Big Is Wal-Mart?

[Redhots]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Redhots
Wait till they decide to stop holding our debt

Why would they want to do that?

I just started a thread that touches on that subject.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31324

But the short answer is like I said, if oil starts trading on the Euro like most of the industrilalized world wants it to whats the point of holding onto so many US dollars?

The American dollar is wedded to oil.

Currently oil can only be bought with US dollars. Saddam started selling Oil for euros, but that didn't last too long.

This is why China and others hold our debt at a loss to themselves, they need US dollars to buy oil. No oil to power industry and they join the 3rd word.

But what if they didn't need US dollars anymore to buy oil? Also after the huge value hit the dollar would take if other countries started buying oil based on the euro theres even more reason for them to.

 

[MtnBiker]

And guess what? Wal-Mart is the largest employer in the U.S., so you're talking about people giving up the available jobs in their areas.

Why do you assume that? Employment is not a zero sum game. The economy continues to grow and expand. Employment is practially at full capacity. If someone is working a Wal-Mart it is because they choose to work there. No one is forcing them.

Tight Job Market

 

[5stringJeff]

Q: What do you call Walmart without $Billions worth of government subsidies?










A: Closed.

:funnyface

And exactly what subsidies is the government paying Walmart?

 

[fuzzykitten99]

Jillian, are you a parent?
If yes, have you ever been up at 3am with an infant that has a double ear infection, and they wake up every 2-3 hours crying because of the pain, and you have to wait until the next morning around, say, 8 am or even later to see a doctor? Meanwhile, you are out of tylenol, and the only store that carries liquid infant tylenol is the wal-mart that is open 24 hrs? It is a God-send. The self-checkout is the greatest for getting in and out with just a few items.

How about feeding the child? Since my son was using Enfamil from the start, the best place for me to get it was walmart. They were $5-7 cheaper per can than any of the other stores, including target. And at 1-2 cans/week, that savings adds up. Baby food is at a super great price. Usually I would save about $10-15 per week at walmart over the other local stores when Nathan was that age.

I am now expecting my 2nd boy Ben in 2.5 weeks. Diapers? I am able to get a huge box for a fraction of the price at any other store, and I get more too. Now with 2 kids, Nathan still in diapers (potty training will start around his 3rd birthday), and now the need to buy newborn diapers, we will definitely be going to Sam's club more.

 

[Abbey Normal]

...
It's very easy to talk about getting educated, etc., but in a world where student loans are being cut, the cost of college is sky-high, and medical care is the single largest reason for the filing of bankruptcy petitions, it's kind of putting your head in the sand.
...

In addition to colleges, there are all sorts of trade schools where you can get training in a field which should pay better than checkout clerk or stock boy at Wal-Mart.

People must provide the ambition, and as Shattered said, actually get up off their ass. I will admit that it must be hard to avoid buying into the victim mentality that is spoon-fed to so many today.

 

[Dr Grump]

actually get up off their ass. I will admit that it must be hard to avoid buying into the victim mentality that is spoon-fed to so many today.

And if everybody does that, who will be left to work at Walmart? :crutch:

 

[jillian]

Why do you assume that? Employment is not a zero sum game. The economy continues to grow and expand. Employment is practially at full capacity. If someone is working a Wal-Mart it is because they choose to work there. No one is forcing them.

Tight Job Market

Actually, if you look at the Department of Labor statistics, the jobs being created are not the high end jobs that were previously available. The new jobs being created are very much of the Wal-Mart variety.

People take the jobs they can get. And if the jobs that are available are at Wal-Mart, they take them.

 

[Abbey Normal]

And if everybody does that, who will be left to work at Walmart? :crutch:

Not to worry; not everyone will do that. Many will continue to do nothing to learn a trade, get a degree, or work hard for a promotion, and liberals wil continue to attempt to make others (read: Republicans) feel like it is their fault.

 

[manu1959]

Actually, if you look at the Department of Labor statistics, the jobs being created are not the high end jobs that were previously available. The new jobs being created are very much of the Wal-Mart variety.

People take the jobs they can get. And if the jobs that are available are at Wal-Mart, they take them.

do you have examples of these lost high end jobs that these wal mart stock boys are quailfied to perform?

 

[jillian]

Jillian, are you a parent?
If yes, have you ever been up at 3am with an infant that has a double ear infection, and they wake up every 2-3 hours crying because of the pain, and you have to wait until the next morning around, say, 8 am or even later to see a doctor? Meanwhile, you are out of tylenol, and the only store that carries liquid infant tylenol is the wal-mart that is open 24 hrs? It is a God-send. The self-checkout is the greatest for getting in and out with just a few items.

How about feeding the child? Since my son was using Enfamil from the start, the best place for me to get it was walmart. They were $5-7 cheaper per can than any of the other stores, including target. And at 1-2 cans/week, that savings adds up. Baby food is at a super great price. Usually I would save about $10-15 per week at walmart over the other local stores when Nathan was that age.

I am now expecting my 2nd boy Ben in 2.5 weeks. Diapers? I am able to get a huge box for a fraction of the price at any other store, and I get more too. Now with 2 kids, Nathan still in diapers (potty training will start around his 3rd birthday), and now the need to buy newborn diapers, we will definitely be going to Sam's club more.

I'm not saying that Wal-Mart doesn't provide a service. Far from it. All I'm saying is that for a couple of cents more, they could provide things that are desperately needed by their employees. That isn't a huge leap or a huge thing to ask of a corporation.

Like I said, a few dollars less in Wal-Mart's coffers wouldn't hurt them any and it would change lives. Is that a bad thing?

And the answer is yes, I'm a parent. I don't have a Wal-Mart in my area, but I look to Costco for the things you're talking about.

Congratulations on your second child, btw... I hope it's an easy birth.

You have a great avatar...my son and I are huge Harry Potter fans. :cof:

 

[MtnBiker]

Actually, if you look at the Department of Labor statistics, the jobs being created are not the high end jobs that were previously available. The new jobs being created are very much of the Wal-Mart variety.

Link a graph, lets look at it.

 

[jillian]

Link a graph, lets look at it.

OK...

http://www.jobwatch.org/

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/ib219

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/2004-06-29-jobs_x.htm

 

[5stringJeff]

OK...

http://www.jobwatch.org/

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/ib219

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/2004-06-29-jobs_x.htm

Interesting stats. Here's what I take from it:

1. The economy is improving, but not as fast as in previous recoveries from recession.

2. Lower wages jobs, which are more plentiful than higher-wage jobs, are growing at a faster rate than higher wage jobs.

What I take from point #2 is that more entry-level workers are able to get jobs, and the economy is creating jobs for those who work hard enough to rise to a higher level.

 

[MtnBiker]

I was questioning your assertion that people were giving up jobs to go to work for Wal-Mart. Your links show nothing to that affect.

GOPJeff is on to something, as the economy grows and expands jobs on the lower end will see growth as well.

 

[jillian]

Interesting stats. Here's what I take from it:

1. The economy is improving, but not as fast as in previous recoveries from recession.

Yes.

2. Lower wages jobs, which are more plentiful than higher-wage jobs, are growing at a faster rate than higher wage jobs.

Yes.

What I take from point #2 is that more entry-level workers are able to get jobs, and the economy is creating jobs for those who work hard enough to rise to a higher level.

No. People who lost better paid jobs or who would otherwise have taken jobs of a higher level are being forced to accept lower-level jobs because THAT is where jobs are being created.

 

[Hobbit]

No. People who lost better paid jobs or who would otherwise have taken jobs of a higher level are being forced to accept lower-level jobs because THAT is where jobs are being created.

See, people fail to grasp the big picture. Every army needs its generals, lieutenants, seargents, and privates. When one increases, so does the other. The more of these low end crap jobs that spring up, the more high end executive jobs will be needed to manage the lower jobs.

 

[BaronVonBigmeat]

# Wal-Mart collected on behalf of the state of Texas more than $1.3 billion in sales taxes in 2005.
# Wal-Mart paid more than $240.2 million in state and local taxes in the state of Texas in 2005.

Surely the state used some of that for roads.

Even if you're paying the cost of roads, you're still not paying the full market price. Especially if you're talking about peak useage fees that private road companies would adopt to keep traffic moving and to encourage mass transit. A government monopoly on land transportation has given us (surprise) basically one lifestyle choice: car centric, with retail that is custom tailored for that lifestyle.

Short term ya, long term no.

Wait till they decide to stop holding our debt because I don't know... oil starts trading on the euro...

Iraq tried to, Iran wants to, Saudi Arabia wants to (and they're having security talks with China now; BIG NEWS) other OPECs want to, so does Russia.

And here America will sit with our worthless service jobs because we let our manufacturing base be bled dry and outsourced.

The future does not look pretty... :crutch:

I agree, although it's not really free trade itself per se; it's free trade, distorted by our fiat currency system. The dollar is due to take a big shit.

Why would they want to do that?

Because we're spending like drunken sailors and paying with depreciated dollars?

 

[archangel]

I'm hearing all one needs to do is work hard and move up the ladder..."get off your ass"...my my aren't some becomming elitist...no one is arguing about the lower level jobs being for lazy people just fair liveable wages...and for the record I am going to laugh like hell when some in here lose their cushy upper crust job to outsourcing and cheap labor insourcing...and must hit the bricks and fight for one of those $8.00 per hour Wal-Mart jobs! There is a old but so true saying 'what goes around comes around!' I'm glad I am retired...but worry about the kids and grandkids in todays greedy corporate world!


Hey pretty soon even you cushy ones won't be able to afford the gas to get to your hard earned position...never mind it will probably be outsourced about then!

 

[Abbey Normal]

I'm hearing all one needs to do is work hard and move up the ladder..."get off your ass"...my my aren't some becomming elitist...no one is arguing about the lower level jobs being for lazy people just fair liveable wages...and for the record I am going to laugh like hell when some in here lose their cushy upper crust job to outsourcing and cheap labor insourcing...and must hit the bricks and fight for one of those $8.00 per hour Wal-Mart jobs! There is a old but so true saying 'what goes around comes around!' I'm glad I am retired...but worry about the kids and grandkids in todays greedy corporate world!


Hey pretty soon even you cushy ones won't be able to afford the gas to get to your hard earned position...never mind it will probably be outsourced about then!

Now Arch, that wasn't very nice, was it? Tsk. Tsk.

I have friends and relatives who have been downsized, outsourced from a job, and even fired, but to a person, they all landed on their feet. Why? Because they had good educations, and a super work ethic. Both of my brothers-in-law were in this situation, eventually decided to start their own (individual) consulting businesses, and are doing better than ever financially.

You put your resume out there and market your education and skills for another job. It's not the end of the world.

 

[007]

I'm hearing all one needs to do is work hard and move up the ladder..."get off your ass"...my my aren't some becomming elitist...no one is arguing about the lower level jobs being for lazy people just fair liveable wages...and for the record I am going to laugh like hell when some in here lose their cushy upper crust job to outsourcing and cheap labor insourcing...and must hit the bricks and fight for one of those $8.00 per hour Wal-Mart jobs! There is a old but so true saying 'what goes around comes around!' I'm glad I am retired...but worry about the kids and grandkids in todays greedy corporate world!


Hey pretty soon even you cushy ones won't be able to afford the gas to get to your hard earned position...never mind it will probably be outsourced about then!

My younger sister had a cushy job... got fired. Two of her friends that had long time cushy jobs are now out of work too. They're all on unemployment, and my sister has been on unemployment for quite a while now. It's going to run out. She thinks she's going to either get another high paying cushy job or nothing. What she and her friends better realize is, they might, just MIGHT, have to take one of these lower paying moron jobs like walmart offers. Swallow your pride and do what you need to do to survive. Worry about finding a better paying job AFTER you've got a paycheck coming in.