Walmart on Welfare: We support their employees so they don't have to.

[House]

It doesn't? "Under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, the government committed to pay for 90 percent of the cost of building 41,000 miles of interstate highways.", "A 1999 study, "Funding a Revolution: Government Support of for Computing Research," stated, "Federal funding not only financed development of most of the nation's early digital computers, but also has continued to enable breakthroughs in areas as wide ranging as computer time-sharing, the Internet, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality as the industry has matured." Among other things, the study details the now well-known role of the U.S. government in developing the ARPANET and the NSFNET for over three decades before it became available commercially as the Internet.", "Under the Pacific Railroad Acts of 1862 through 1866, the U.S. government handed railroad companies 103 million acres of public land that could be sold or used as loan collateral to finance the construction of transcontinental railroad lines.", "The 2010 budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for life sciences research was30.9 billion, almost double in real terms the budget of 1993 and triple in real terms the budget of 1985. From the founding of the first national institute in 1938 through 2010, NIH spending totaled738 billion in 2010 dollars. The 2011 budget is30.9 billion, and the request for 2012 is32 billion. In addition, federal and state governments provide many subsidies to the medical field.", "One could go on to talk about the U.S. government's support for nanotechnology andrenewable energy, among other programs. None of these government programs is a secret. Indeed, prominent corporate executives lobby for them (and you won't find the Tea Party attacking them). Yet there is a widespread belief that the U.S. government plays at most a regulatory role in the economy.", yes actually IT DOES!

Again, you keep posting someone's opinion, as though, that makes it fact.

Renewable energy is a complete disaster. It's a massive fail. All it is, is government paying rich wealthy people, to make a product that doesn't solve any problem. Solar Panels require more electricity to make, than they ever produce in their entire life span. Wind Mills, do not replace any conventional source of power, while costing billions of dollars for very little energy.

The Federal Highway act, has lead to the creation of super expensive infrastructure that we can't afford to maintain.

Moreover, a ton of you people who keep referring to the interstate system....

I don't get you people. Are you blind? Look at this.

Right above the red dot, is I-70. Directly above I-70, is Route 40.

Before I-70, Route 40, went from NJ to CA.

In many many parts of Route 40, you can literally see I-70 from Route 40.

When I-70 was opened... I *KILLED* towns and businesses along Route 40, and the road is practically not used at all.

Miles on miles and see barely a handful of cars.

The point is, the Interstate didn't help anything. We already had a perfectly good 4-lane divided limited access highway, that stretched from coast to coast. Why did we need a second highway? We didn't. It was a waste of billions of tax dollars, for a road that wasn't needed, and in the process you killed towns and businesses along Route 40.

I can show you pictures of motels, shops and gas stations along Route 40, at least here in Ohio, but I bet elsewhere too, that are completely deserted.

See, this is what you people do. You push a bad policy, and build stuff we don't need. Then claim that without you and your program, we wouldn't be able to survive. No, you are wrong. Without I-70, we would have used the perfectly fine, perfectly function 4-lane divided limited access highway we already had.

Instead, you saddled us tax payers, with paying to keep and maintain a road we didn't need. Trucks and cars, could just as easily drive down Route 40 if they needed to get here.

And the truth is, nearly all Interstate Highways directly parallel existing roads. I-71 is paralleled by Route 62 and 22, or by Route 42. Ironically there are two large towns between Columbus and Cincinnati, I-71 manages to hit neither of them, while of course the State built roads hit one or the other. What a waste. I-75 is paralleled by Route 25. Route 20 is paralleled by I-90/80 from Buffalo New York, to Chicago.

Over and over, you people on the left, build a road, that parallels EXISTING ROADS.... and the come on here and say absolute crap like "Without us you wouldn't have roads!" or "It's because of OUR road, that we have economic benefit". Bull crap. Just crap! You are full of crap.

No, without you, I would not lose 20% of check to pay for roads we don't need.

Nicely detailed rant, but you're missing one important detail.

Interstate commerce

Roads like route 40 go through small towns and lack bypasses for large city centers. There are several reasons for interstates to exist.

1. Safety: The more big rigs you have running through population centers, the more likely you are going to have accidents. As a truck driver, I try to stay away from state routes during the day because I don't like driving through school & hospital zones.
2. Congestion: Those roads aren't meant to handle the kinds of traffic interstates are. You don't want 50 trucks in Nowheresville, USA when you're trying to drive 2 miles to get home from working at the local grocery.
3. Fuel Economy: With commercial carriers being pressured to reduce emissions & fossil fuel usage, fuel economy is a major concern. Constant speed limit variations reduce fuel economy.
4. Limited access highway is right: Limited access to truck stops, truck shops, and truck parking. 4-wheelers don't have to worry about these things, but they are daily necessities to truck drivers.

 

[Andylusion]

It doesn't? "Under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, the government committed to pay for 90 percent of the cost of building 41,000 miles of interstate highways.", "A 1999 study, "Funding a Revolution: Government Support of for Computing Research," stated, "Federal funding not only financed development of most of the nation's early digital computers, but also has continued to enable breakthroughs in areas as wide ranging as computer time-sharing, the Internet, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality as the industry has matured." Among other things, the study details the now well-known role of the U.S. government in developing the ARPANET and the NSFNET for over three decades before it became available commercially as the Internet.", "Under the Pacific Railroad Acts of 1862 through 1866, the U.S. government handed railroad companies 103 million acres of public land that could be sold or used as loan collateral to finance the construction of transcontinental railroad lines.", "The 2010 budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for life sciences research was30.9 billion, almost double in real terms the budget of 1993 and triple in real terms the budget of 1985. From the founding of the first national institute in 1938 through 2010, NIH spending totaled738 billion in 2010 dollars. The 2011 budget is30.9 billion, and the request for 2012 is32 billion. In addition, federal and state governments provide many subsidies to the medical field.", "One could go on to talk about the U.S. government's support for nanotechnology andrenewable energy, among other programs. None of these government programs is a secret. Indeed, prominent corporate executives lobby for them (and you won't find the Tea Party attacking them). Yet there is a widespread belief that the U.S. government plays at most a regulatory role in the economy.", yes actually IT DOES!

Again, you keep posting someone's opinion, as though, that makes it fact.

Renewable energy is a complete disaster. It's a massive fail. All it is, is government paying rich wealthy people, to make a product that doesn't solve any problem. Solar Panels require more electricity to make, than they ever produce in their entire life span. Wind Mills, do not replace any conventional source of power, while costing billions of dollars for very little energy.

The Federal Highway act, has lead to the creation of super expensive infrastructure that we can't afford to maintain.

Moreover, a ton of you people who keep referring to the interstate system....

I don't get you people. Are you blind? Look at this.

Right above the red dot, is I-70. Directly above I-70, is Route 40.

Before I-70, Route 40, went from NJ to CA.

In many many parts of Route 40, you can literally see I-70 from Route 40.

When I-70 was opened... I *KILLED* towns and businesses along Route 40, and the road is practically not used at all.

Miles on miles and see barely a handful of cars.

The point is, the Interstate didn't help anything. We already had a perfectly good 4-lane divided limited access highway, that stretched from coast to coast. Why did we need a second highway? We didn't. It was a waste of billions of tax dollars, for a road that wasn't needed, and in the process you killed towns and businesses along Route 40.

I can show you pictures of motels, shops and gas stations along Route 40, at least here in Ohio, but I bet elsewhere too, that are completely deserted.

See, this is what you people do. You push a bad policy, and build stuff we don't need. Then claim that without you and your program, we wouldn't be able to survive. No, you are wrong. Without I-70, we would have used the perfectly fine, perfectly function 4-lane divided limited access highway we already had.

Instead, you saddled us tax payers, with paying to keep and maintain a road we didn't need. Trucks and cars, could just as easily drive down Route 40 if they needed to get here.

And the truth is, nearly all Interstate Highways directly parallel existing roads. I-71 is paralleled by Route 62 and 22, or by Route 42. Ironically there are two large towns between Columbus and Cincinnati, I-71 manages to hit neither of them, while of course the State built roads hit one or the other. What a waste. I-75 is paralleled by Route 25. Route 20 is paralleled by I-90/80 from Buffalo New York, to Chicago.

Over and over, you people on the left, build a road, that parallels EXISTING ROADS.... and the come on here and say absolute crap like "Without us you wouldn't have roads!" or "It's because of OUR road, that we have economic benefit". Bull crap. Just crap! You are full of crap.

No, without you, I would not lose 20% of check to pay for roads we don't need.

Nicely detailed rant, but you're missing one important detail.

Interstate commerce

Roads like route 40 go through small towns and lack bypasses for large city centers. There are several reasons for interstates to exist.

1. Safety: The more big rigs you have running through population centers, the more likely you are going to have accidents. As a truck driver, I try to stay away from state routes during the day because I don't like driving through school & hospital zones.
2. Congestion: Those roads aren't meant to handle the kinds of traffic interstates are. You don't want 50 trucks in Nowheresville, USA when you're trying to drive 2 miles to get home from working at the local grocery.
3. Fuel Economy: With commercial carriers being pressured to reduce emissions & fossil fuel usage, fuel economy is a major concern. Constant speed limit variations reduce fuel economy.
4. Limited access highway is right: Limited access to truck stops, truck shops, and truck parking. 4-wheelers don't have to worry about these things, but they are daily necessities to truck drivers.

FYI, I drove 18-wheeler back in 2009. I drove all the way from Maine, to Washington state.

First, the reason unused 4-lane, divided highways, don't have truck stops.... is because they are UNUSED 4-lane divided highways.

Again, you are looking at the results of the interstate killing off business along existing roads, and then claiming "without the interstate we wouldn't have truck stops!". The reason Route 40 doesn't have truck stops, is because there are no trucks, because the Federal government blew billions on redundant roads we didn't need.

Second, Route 40 is not a constant speed variation.

Third, Congestion has simply moved. It's not gone... it just went from Route 40 to I-70. Have you driven I-70 during rush hour? It's a parking lot.

Fourth, the most dangerous road I've ever been on was I-5 around Portland Oregon. Further, most of the State Routes do not go through any of the towns. R23 bypasses Marion and Delaware, and Chillicothe. R33 bypasses Mariesville, Bellefontian, and bypasses Lancastor and Athens going the other way.

Most routes bypass the significant 'safety' hazards. I don't, and did not when I was driving, find that a significant problem. I personally loved the routes, because they were practically empty. I used them every chance I could get, granted I wasn't on the road long though. Only half a year.

 

[OnePercenter]

Proof? Oh yeah, it's the Jake Starkey school of argument. Assert something and then insult anyone who doesnt agree.

Sure. Lot's of big words so I hope you can get through it.

The Effects of Wal-Mart on Local Labor Markets by David Neumark Junfu Zhang Stephen M. Ciccarella SSRN

 

[OnePercenter]

Like every other employer in the universe. Was there a point?

Not me, but I'm not a greedy fuck.

 

[The Rabbi]

Proof? Oh yeah, it's the Jake Starkey school of argument. Assert something and then insult anyone who doesnt agree.

Sure. Lot's of big words so I hope you can get through it.

The Effects of Wal-Mart on Local Labor Markets by David Neumark Junfu Zhang Stephen M. Ciccarella SSRN

Right Total speculation by leftist economists. Thanks. Confusing cause and effect as well.

 

[The Rabbi]

Like every other employer in the universe. Was there a point?

Not me, but I'm not a greedy fuck.

You're also not an employer. Hell I doubt you're an employee.

 

[OnePercenter]

So does Apple.
What was your point again?

Greed becomes you!

 

[The Rabbi]

So does Apple.
What was your point again?

Greed becomes you!

Stupidity is your middle name.
Do you have anything to add here? I dont mean just this thread either.

 

[House]

Nicely detailed rant, but you're missing one important detail.

Interstate commerce

Roads like route 40 go through small towns and lack bypasses for large city centers. There are several reasons for interstates to exist.

1. Safety: The more big rigs you have running through population centers, the more likely you are going to have accidents. As a truck driver, I try to stay away from state routes during the day because I don't like driving through school & hospital zones.
2. Congestion: Those roads aren't meant to handle the kinds of traffic interstates are. You don't want 50 trucks in Nowheresville, USA when you're trying to drive 2 miles to get home from working at the local grocery.
3. Fuel Economy: With commercial carriers being pressured to reduce emissions & fossil fuel usage, fuel economy is a major concern. Constant speed limit variations reduce fuel economy.
4. Limited access highway is right: Limited access to truck stops, truck shops, and truck parking. 4-wheelers don't have to worry about these things, but they are daily necessities to truck drivers.

FYI, I drove 18-wheeler back in 2009. I drove all the way from Maine, to Washington state.

First, the reason unused 4-lane, divided highways, don't have truck stops.... is because they are UNUSED 4-lane divided highways.

Again, you are looking at the results of the interstate killing off business along existing roads, and then claiming "without the interstate we wouldn't have truck stops!". The reason Route 40 doesn't have truck stops, is because there are no trucks, because the Federal government blew billions on redundant roads we didn't need.

Second, Route 40 is not a constant speed variation.

Third, Congestion has simply moved. It's not gone... it just went from Route 40 to I-70. Have you driven I-70 during rush hour? It's a parking lot.

Fourth, the most dangerous road I've ever been on was I-5 around Portland Oregon. Further, most of the State Routes do not go through any of the towns. R23 bypasses Marion and Delaware, and Chillicothe. R33 bypasses Mariesville, Bellefontian, and bypasses Lancastor and Athens going the other way.

Most routes bypass the significant 'safety' hazards. I don't, and did not when I was driving, find that a significant problem. I personally loved the routes, because they were practically empty. I used them every chance I could get, granted I wasn't on the road long though. Only half a year.

(First post cropped out because... damn)

If you were a truck driver,then you should be well aware of the differences between traveling US40 vs I-70. Yes, there are speed variances. Every time you come across a town, you have to slow down as you pass through it. Often multiple times. Then you can speed back up once you are through it. Just to slow down again at the next town. Ad nauseum, through ~a dozen states. As opposed to an interstate where you can generally keep at one speed throughout the entire state (with the occasional exception of a slightly lower limit through heavily populated cities).

Also, you missed my point entirely about congestion. I am not referring to congestion as it affects truck drivers. I am talking about the local yokels just trying to travel to/from their job a couple miles from home along those state and county roads. Big rigs in small towns are a massive nuisance.

If you think I-5 is dangerous, I totally believe your 6 month claim. Also, you're comparing apples to oranges. The more time you spend around local traffic, the more likely an inattentive driver who takes their responsibilities on the road for granted will do something stupid and cause an accident.

Any time there is an accident that involves a big rig, there are consequences for that driver regardless of whether or not he is determined to be at fault. If the wheels are turning, according to safety departments across the industry, there is SOMETHING the (truck) driver could have done differently to avoid the accident.

The less a driver puts himself at risk, the less likely he/she is to suffer the effects of "4-wheeler Derp Syndrome"

 

[OnePercenter]

I think what liberalism is coming to terms with, and will eventually learn, is that government power over our economic decisions is every bit as dangerous as government power over our religious choices.

The commonality of Republicans and big business is that neither can be trusted. OnePercenter

 

[OnePercenter]

Right Total speculation by leftist economists. Thanks. Confusing cause and effect as well.

Couldn't make it through the big words? Figures.....

 

[The Rabbi]

Right Total speculation by leftist economists. Thanks. Confusing cause and effect as well.

Couldn't make it through the big words? Figures.....

I guess I didnt get a masters in business from Columbia like you. Fake.

 

[OnePercenter]

I guess I didnt get a masters in business from Columbia like you. Fake.

We know you didn't.

 

[The Rabbi]

I guess I didnt get a masters in business from Columbia like you. Fake.

We know you didn't.

And we know you didnt either.

 

[dblack]

I think what liberalism is coming to terms with, and will eventually learn, is that government power over our economic decisions is every bit as dangerous as government power over our religious choices.

The commonality of Republicans and big business is that neither can be trusted. OnePercenter

Okay. What does that mean to you in terms of policy?

 

[paulitician]

Walmart could do better. America as a whole could do better in how it treats its workers. Unfortunately, too many of my Conservative friends feel compelled to defend Corporations like Walmart and denigrate Workers.

But you can be a Capitalist and still defend the workers. You don't have to Goose Step along and lick Corporate boots. Sometimes Corporations are wrong. And it's ok to point that out. Walmart does represent the 'Evil Corporation' perfectly. They've earned their reputation.

 

[dblack]

Walmart could do better. America as a whole could do better in how it treats its workers. Unfortunately, too many of my Conservative friends feel compelled to defend Corporations like Walmart and denigrate Workers.

But you can be a Capitalist and still defend the workers. You don't have to Goose Step along and lick Corporate boots. Sometimes Corporations are wrong. And it's ok to point that out. Walmart does represent the 'Evil Corporation' perfectly. They've earned their reputation.

Agreed. But this thread isn't really about Wal-Mart. It's about mini,um wage nonsense.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

Walmart could do better. America as a whole could do better in how it treats its workers. Unfortunately, too many of my Conservative friends feel compelled to defend Corporations like Walmart and denigrate Workers.

But you can be a Capitalist and still defend the workers. You don't have to Goose Step along and lick Corporate boots. Sometimes Corporations are wrong. And it's ok to point that out. Walmart does represent the 'Evil Corporation' perfectly. They've earned their reputation.

Agreed. But this thread isn't really about Wal-Mart. It's about mini,um wage nonsense.

And the minimum wage is too low.

Simple as that. What some "conservatives" can't figure out is that they need to get past the "no no no" rhetoric or they're not going to be part o the discussion of what a reasonable minimum wage would be, then they will really be pissed when they have no say.

Americans are tired of the "no no no"

 

[Mac1958]

.

Interesting thing about the thread title: "Wal Mart: We support their employees so they don't have to."

Something's missing in that equation. I wonder what it could be?

Oh yeah, the employees. We assume they're helpless, and it convinces them that they are.

Self-fulfilling prophecy.

.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

.

Interesting thing about the thread title: "Wal Mart: We support their employees so they don't have to."

Something's missing in that equation. I wonder what it could be?

Oh yeah, the employees. We assume they're helpless, and it convinces them that they are.

Self-fulfilling prophecy.

.

Of course it is, who wouldn't take free money they qualify for? An idiot