Wal-Mart Helping Those Who Need it Most
It's been a long time since I wrote about Wal-Mart but I saw this story today and felt it was time to renew my support for this great American corporation.
Most «progressives» and those who claim to look out for the middle class and low-income people also hate Wal-Mart. Why? Because they are a wildly successful gigantic corporation.
This corporation is trying to keep food prices lower by using it's clout and sheer size to pressure vendors to take the costs out of the supply chain. They are temporarily lowering prices by as much as 30% on hundreds of food items. Good companies try to maintain market share and keep their customers happy. One example they give is on coffee.
Cut out the middleman. Wal-Mart typically buys its brand-name coffee from a supplier, which buys from a cooperative of growers, which works with a roaster - which means «there are a whole bunch of people muddled in the middle,» says Wal-Mart spokeswoman Tara Raddohl. In April the chain began buying directly from a cooperative of Brazilian coffee farmers for its Sam's Choice brand, cutting three or four steps out of the supply chain.
So, in the end, the price of coffee is going to be cheaper for the consumer. Who shops at Wal-Mart? Middle class and low income people. Once again, they are helping those who need it most. However, the Wal-Mart haters are going focus on the three or four «middlemen» that were cut out of the supply chain and how they were hurt by Wal-Mart.
In fact, it's the small suppliers that are feeling the pain from Wal-Mart's pushback the most. Bushwick has seen its costs rise 10% over the past year, but has passed only half that amount on to Wal-Mart and its other retailers. For consumers who are having a hard time paying $3.80 for a gallon of milk, however, without those measures that sticker shock would be a lot worse.
Thank you, Wal-Mart, for your efforts in making it a little bit easier dealing with this mess the Democrats and environmentalists have foisted upon us and helping us with our grocery bills.
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20 comments
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20 comments
7 months and 9 days ago
Not an original quote. «the poor have been voting for 50 years for the dems, and they are still poor»
7 months and 9 days ago
It's not just food and it's not just poor people.
Wal-Mart is helping all Americans by hammering the price of prescription drugs and breaking into the health care business. Read Jim Jubak's recent article over at MSN Money.
As for the poor, that is only partly true. According to a proprietary Nielson report from last year, somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of Wal-Mart shoppers earn over $100,000 per year. So start counting smart people as Wal-Mart shoppers, too.
Like the Iraq War, which we are winning, the liberals have shut up about Wal-Mart because it is winning the battle for the hearts and minds and wallets of all Americans.
7 months and 9 days ago
Oh Butters!
You just can't stop hating America, can you? Wallmart buys the majority of their goods from overseas, mainly China. You will be hard-pressed to find something from the United States.
Don't forget that they also encourage their employees to sign up for food stamps and medicaid as well.
7 months and 9 days ago
Apparently the Chinese love America, too! Now if we could just make Saudi Arabia love us as much.
Hey, maybe Wal-Mart should get into the crude oil business. What do you think, A. Citizen? You seem know a lot about how Wal-Mart works, up to about 1997.
7 months and 9 days ago
Bozeman,
Are you saying that Walmart does not buy mostly from China or encourage their employees to go on the dole?
7 months and 9 days ago
Are you prejudiced against the Chinese? Can you confirm that Walmart has a policy that encourages them to go «on the dole»?
7 months and 9 days ago
Oh Butters,
DO you hate America so much that you want people to buy from other countries first?
And yes, it's even been videotaped.
7 months and 8 days ago
Wal-Mart buys stuff from China, and Exxon buys stuff from Saudi Arabia, and General Motors buys stuff from Japan, and Dell buys stuff from Malaysia, Dole buys stuff from Brazil, and so on and so forth ad infinitum.
A. Citizen—What are you trying to prove besides the fact that you're an idiot?
7 months and 8 days ago
Bozeman, it's quite easy and economical to buy a bit more «local». There are times when it's not always possible, no doubt. But frankly I would rather turn my hard-earned cash over to someone down the street than someone on the other side of the planet.
I know, it's hard for you to understand, not taking basic economics in high school. But I'm sure you can find someone in the unemployment office to explain it to you.
7 months and 8 days ago
a. or A.,
You are the noble and rare exception. You go right ahead and buy those products from someone down the street and keep paying considerably more for those products. As long as it makes you feel good.
I would rather make my hard earned cash go as far as it can.
I love how nobody claims to shop at Walmart but the parking lot is always full.
7 months and 8 days ago
a.,
So this video tape you've seen is about Walmart corporate policy encouraging employees to go on the dole?
7 months and 8 days ago
Nothing noble about it. It's easy, cheap, and at least I know that my goods are not coated in toxins.
And yes, I've seen the tape.
7 months and 8 days ago
«at least I know that my goods are not coated in toxins. »
I'm sorry for calling you an idiot. You're obviously a paranoid-schizophrenic.
7 months and 8 days ago
So, you dumb, cheap bastards think saving money is more important than eating good, locally grown food. Hmm. I suppose that means no good restaurants either---not when you can go to McDonald's and get a real deal. Pathetic.
7 months and 8 days ago
I tried that high-priced organic food, but I could never develop an immunity to the e. coli.
7 months and 8 days ago
a. & Good Eats,
How serious and committed are you to just buying local? Or is it just talk to make you look good to your progressive friends?
Give me a Quarter Pounder or Big Mac any day! Yuuuumy!
7 months and 7 days ago
I freely admit (indeed, I'm even proud of) the fact that I'm anti-Wal*Mart, for a number of reasons. PBS has run several different programs about the less-visible impact Wal*Mart has on the country. I only wish more people could see and understand that the price they pay for something isn't just what they pay at the cash register -- that it includes a variety of other factors along the way.
7 months and 6 days ago
With the price of gas, electricity, and trying to feed #2 teenage boys, I will shop at WalMart and Costco to try and make my dollar go as far as possible. Its cheaper to by an «extra-value meal» than it is to buy 1 pound of hamburger. Go figure!
7 months and 6 days ago
Bozman...
«I'm sorry for calling you an idiot. You're obviously a paranoid-schizophrenic.»
I guess you've been hiding under a rock for the past year, because it's been all over with multiple headlines. Remember the fallout with Mattel? How about the toys coated in metabolize?
Per e-coli As that my niece was one of those that fell victim to it last summer, I'm in the unfortunate position to say IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH «ORGANIC».
It had to with the handling, and packaging.
Butters,
Quite seriously. I'd say 90-90% of our food is bought locally,
You're welcome to that quarter-pounder. However, I guarantee that if you knew what what is in it, you would think more than twice about it. But hey, if you're into eating cow feces, fingertips, and other possible contaminants, dig in and good eating. I'll be down the street paying a little extra for something with a lot more flavor, I know what is in it, and definitely does not stand a good chance of killing me.
Tina....
«. Its cheaper to by an «extra-value meal» than it is to buy 1 pound of hamburger. »
Really? Are you sure about that?
7 months and 5 days ago
I'm postive about that! But then again according to other posts I'm a left-wing whining liberal! HAHA! I guess I really can have it both ways. HMMM!!! sounds to me that common sense really does lay somewhere in the MIDDLE!!
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