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There is a huge swath of America without meaningful, marketable skills, and WM, as the largest employer, offers them a lifeline.
There has always been a huge swath of America without meaningful, marketable skills. After WW2, most returned to low/no skill factory jobs. Given the lack of global competition, at the time, unions peaked.
Unions and government lifted the masses out of poverty into the low rungs of middle class.
Beginning in the 60's, global competition caused the steel mills to begin massive lay-offs and outsource production to other parts of the globe. Other manufacturing sectors followed.
Then came technology which has and will continue to eliminate low/no skill jobs.
What remains is retail and restaurants, jobs that cannot be outsourced or completely eliminated.
Manufacturing is making a comeback but it's no longer your daddy's factory. Substantially fewer people are needed and it's all about technology.
No pushing necessary. Millions of people go there because the prices are lower and they can usually find what they want. If you had enough bad experiences to turn you off to them, clearly your case is unusual.
It's always a hoot to see people trying to pretend Wal-Mart is "oppressive" when everything that goes on there (for customers and employees alike) is as voluntary as any other store or employer.
No wonder it never changes. Nimrods keep whining about nonexistent "problems", or at best the wrong problem.
But you don't acknowledge the truth, that the workers are subsidized by food stamps, Section 8 and free daycare. All the things you hate.
Walmart would go belly up if not for this huge, Government subsidized workforce.
I refuse to use them. And I stopped going to Home Depot when they went to all self-service.
I had no idea they did that! I am lucky enough to live in a town that still has an old-fashioned, family-owned hardware store. Remember them, the kind where people will actually spend time with you and actually have knowledge of tools and hardware?
I refuse to use the self-checkout lanes and everyone else should too.
Just because a business wants to throw its employees out on the street doesn't mean we need to participate.
FTR, unionized Kroger also has these self-checkout lanes.
What are you bit*hing about, you got your guy in office, while more people get thrown on the street Obama is globe trotting at tax payer expense. Isn't that worth it?
Maybe you should appreciate employers instead of voting to raise taxes on them. It's going to get worse and you did it to yourselves. But you didn't care of course you think money falls out of the sky into your bank account.
Low prices and the convenience of getting all your shopping done at 1 location.
I'm not so sure that they are convenient. As far as low prices go, overall other places can and do match them. Of course, in smaller towns they may be the only store around so you really have no choice.
I will go to WalMart every 3-4 months but generally I find the place so depressing that I'd rather go elsewhere. Its just not a pleasant experience for me.
I had no idea they did that! I am lucky enough to live in a town that still has an old-fashioned, family-owned hardware store. Remember them, the kind where people will actually spend time with you and actually have knowledge of tools and hardware?
Lets hope they can survive Obama. He said he didn't want to tax all businesses out of business. Tax increases and Obamacare may put alot of them out of business.
A buck a pop for my 10 YOs underware today. WM keeps competative pressure on prices and as a consumer I like that. I buy groceries there too although I go to the butcher and farmers market for certain things depending on the season or occasion
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