From an earlier letter I wrote to the Editor (cc my "friends" in Congress):

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America is being squeezed to death by the writhing underbelly of a Bottom Line Shopping culture.

Sam Walton started Wal-Mart with the motto "Made in America", a principal now abandoned by a corporation now achieving unbridled success at the expense of everyone else. At Wal-Mart, the customer is king, everyone else be damned, including employees and America’s manufacturing foundation. Wal-Mart single handedly accounts for over 10% of imports from China (it's now about 14%). We have literally lost the shirt off our backs.

Wal-Mart makes no apologies for its role in chronic under-employment: spiraling down employee wages and benefits, coldly closing a Canadian store rather than even discuss salaries adequate to feed a family, boldly telling workers to apply for food stamps as supplement.

Simply stated, we can’t afford to “Shop Wal-Mart” because we're shopping all the way to the unemployment line. Boycott this enterprise, because one can save a little today, but the final cost is one America cannot afford.

"Stores don't kill economies, consumers do"

Mr Scott,
If you liberals are so informed.Why do you not tell us what happen to the steel mills, auto industry, and what is happen to this left wing newspaper you are reading? Of course if I was Wally World, I would stop running ads in this paper.This is a least 2 times this paper has printed this letter.Of course if your tax and spend buddie TAX HIKE MIKE would lets us have a few of our own $$$$ maybe us seniors could shop some where else. Of course I know none of you liberals drive imported cars,thats un American. So you say. I have a Ford and it did not come from Wally World. My daughter who is a liberal will not shop at Wally World(un American ) drives a Honda.

Amen. Mr. Rockefeller.

Wal-Mart is well known for using the little man.
My youngest sister can't fathom shopping any where else. She owns stock there and smiles every time she shops in the crowds.

My husband and I feel you get what you pay for. A quality product, "Made in America" should be our first thought as consumers.

Manufacturing in this country has paid dearly for the consumers' desire for cheap products.

Another article I read a few days ago stated that, US Air is moving their overseas jobs back to Winston-Salem because of customer complaints about poor customer phone service.

Enough said.

"American workers cannot compete on cost with workers where there are no labor, wage or environmental laws."
"Wal-Mart is just taking advantage of the Bush administration's bias against American workers"

Did Bush create osha and it's insane rules? Did Bush create the epa and it's never ending war on free enterprise? Did Bush create the american labor unions which demand that the company their members work for supply health care from cradle to grave to them and their families?

Witness what general motors is going through to see what the labor unions can do to a business. I have read that $1500 on every new gm car goes to provide health care for 1 retiree.
Ditto the coal industry in this country. Labor unions had contracts that allowed the coal workers access 'free' dentures,'free' eyeglasses,etc. The result? The workers had several pair of 'free' eyeglasses and several pairs of'free' dentures. How do I know this? A relative of mine was one of the workers.

What the epa,osha,and the unions have created is coming home to roost and blaming Bush for his "bias" against american workers does nothing but help the liberals vent some of their anger and hopefully lower their blood pressure a bit.

Well, let's see. You don't like Wal-Mart because it does business with overseas, namely India or some such backward country.Do you shop at K-mart, Target,or Cosco? Perhaps you better bocott those stores as well. Seeing as how this is so violently against your nature perhaps you should check to see where you bank sends it's business . Try calling BankAmerica and see if the accent on the other end is not very Indian. Got a computer? Chances are if you need help say with Quark Express or some other system, your help is going to come from India. Chances are that most of the parts are made in one of the "dreaded" countries. Pitch out your TV too since it was probably made in one of your less favored countries. Let's not leave out China and the Far East since Wal-mart seems to like to import from these countries too. Start with your house and throw away everything else not made in the good ole USA or especially if it is made in China, Japan, Taiwan, Bangladesh etc etc. Are you getting the picture? Careful you might wind up standing with very few clothes on because few garments are now made in this country. They may be cut on pattern here but they will be sewn elsewhere and have a made in the USA lable put in them. Throw away your CD 's and DVD's , chances are they were made in some dreaded, underpaid , poor depressed country such as Wal-mart would do business with.
Neocon was right on this deal. Unions have been the ruination of this countries industries along with OSHA, EPA, NAFTA and other governmental regulation organizations and now, and yes, you can blame the latest debacle on Bush, CAFTA.
Go back and read some history MR. Scott and save us all the drivel next time around and just come out and say, I HATE BUSH!
Wal-mart does little different than anyother store, they just admit it and are open with how they do business. And oh yea, they are the biggest which scares the hell out of folks like you.

Dog Man asked: "If you liberals are so informed. Why do you not tell us what happen to the steel mills, auto industry, and what is happen to this left wing newspaper you are reading?"

ALL GOING or GONE – but for different reasons.

Steel mills – (I worked the industry for 5 years) too much to the unions and very poor management combined to make the US uncompetitive. ALSO – bottom dollar shopping by every one. This industry, which is CRITICAL to our national defense, is basically … gone.

Auto industry – quite complicated, actually. Honda US sales- 80% come from US factories, with about 16,000 USA autoworkers. Toyota about 20,000 USA autoworkers. The 2004 Saturn VUE Redline (An “American” car) uses a Honda 3.5 liter V6 motor, produced in Ohio. The typical "American" GM motor is produced in Europe. The “American” Chrysler PT Cruiser is built in Mexico and has a 61% domestic content which is less than the Kentucky built Toyota Avalon with a 70% American content.

http://honors.rit.edu/~ray/seniorseminar/index.php/Globalization_of_the_Automobile_Industry

http://www.facsnet.org/tools/biz_econ/detroit_auto.php

MORE (mostly my opinion): The [former] “Big Three”, Too much to the unions, combined with bottom dollar manufacturing by the Big Three so crappy cars were made while the market was in Quality Cars. Historically high Management to Worker Bee compensation ratio. Too much puff-a-luff from near-sighted folks (like some in this blog) hollering “The Market Wants It”, when in face artificially low gas prices on top of Federal Incentives up to $100,000 for the purchase of a gas guzzler Hummer.

“World Cars”: No unions – but they treat employees fairly to keep the unions out. Historically low Management to Worker Bee compensation ratio. Great Quality Cars made that are fuel efficient. Long-sighted Marketing.

Newspapers – Inability to adapt to the internet – totally unrelated.

TAX HIKE MIKE – a bunch of crap, links from reliable sources have been posted here-in that show Taxes in NC are in line with the rest of the US – some stated better, some worse. This is just partisan BS.

One more opinion: Someone complained about labor union contracts for 'free' dentures,' eyeglasses, etc. DO YOU THINK THE CEO PAYS FOR THESE?

"Do you think the ceo pays for these....?

No.No one pays for these anymore. The companies are broke and the workers are on welfare or at least working for a far less wage and benefits, thanks to the epa,osha,and the greedy labor unions.

Newspapers: unwilling to ghange their liberal stance even in the face of being buried by other news sources not kowtowing to the left in this country. (i know totally unrelated).

MRP. Welcome back -

I'm not convinced everyone does what Wal-Mart does. Many and probably most encourage imports - the almighty low price ya know - but I think Wal-Mart is much more ruthless than some others. Costco does pay it's workers well and does not by corporate policy require continuing 10% annual cost reductions from it's suppliers.

OSHA - Not really a bad thing - I deal with it EVERYDAY. Somethings are "over the top", but we are dealing with occasionally stupid contractors, ya know. The problem is the Foreign Companies can chop the fingers off worker-bees and just get another replacement, so they are not burdened by the cost of industrial accidents.

EPA - Really ditto above, but two problems: First: Foreign Companies can destroy the local landscape as long as they hire replacement worker-bees for the ones that can't work after being dipped in acid spills. Second: American Dummies that think the EPA is a bad thing, and allow corporations to shift the costs of clean-ups over to the taxpayers.

NAFTA / CAFTA - Totally different things. That great sucking sound as Uncle Ross stated.

WTO - A really bad idea for America (But GREAT for MultiNational Corporations and the Politicians that receive campaign contributions and get lobbyists help writing trade laws).

Mr. Scott wrote: Wal-Mart is just taking advantage of the Bush administration's bias against American workers. The real question that American workers should be asking themselves is, "If conservatives love America so much, why are they sending our jobs overseas?"

Let me guess... he thinks none of this happened BEFORE GWB.

Bunny:

I generally agree - certainly Clinton needs to take "credit" for NAFTA, and the WTO.

- GWB needs to take "credit" for CAFTA (is that "deal yet")?

- GWB needs to take "credit" for not pulling back on NAFTA or the WTO.

- GWB needs to take "credit" for the $100,000 Hummer Support Program (one of my personal pet peeves).

JDR, nowhere have I let GWB off the hook, have I? I simply stated that much of this also went on prior to GWB and that the writer did not acknowledge this. You have simply "read" in my statement what you wanted to see (imo).

Dear Randy:

You, and your left-wing friends are truly deranged people. Let me see if I understand you.
There were no terrorist attacts until Bush was elected. There were no hurricanes until Bush was elected. There were no economic downturns until Bush was elected. No companies ever closed down until Bush was elected. No jobs were ever outsourced until Bush was elected, etc., etc., ans so forth an so on.

You people are a joke. The only people who take you seriously are the fringe lunatics who share your moronic, warped views. Problem with you folks is that there are plenty of issues to take Bush to task about. Most of us who support him probably disagree with him on many issues. But idiots like you anger us to the point that we put aside those differences because you lunatics are totally detached from reality. Your hatred of Bush overrides every other issue. Some of your contentions are so blatantly outrageous that you become a tired, worn joke. Your letter lacks a single, verifiable, fact ot support your insame contentions. Get off the left-wing websites. If you don't like Wal-Mart, don't shop there. I'm sure they miss your business! Fortunately for Wal-Mart, and for us, you people are a meaningless minority of Americans.

Tony Moschetti

One fact that seems to be missing in todays rantings is that a business is an institution responsible to it's stockholders. It is not a social, do good for all mankind organization. The folks who shop Wal-Mart, and others like it, don't seem to share the same value system of many who post here.

I do not care for Wal-Mart for a different reason...mostly a lousy shopping experience. I do not fault them for sourcing anywhere in the world since their customers seem to prefer those goods. Moreover, many name brands all would recognize as "American" are owned by corporations in other countries. As mentioned elsewhere, the auto world is so intertwined today that it would be folly to try to take the kinds of action against autos as proposed in these postings. Whose ox would be gored in this scenario?

All the industries bandied about in this blog were the victims of the same thing...namely, an inability to see what was happening and to adapt to the changing conditions.

On my favorite issues, EPA and OSHA, there is no doubt some good has been done by these organizations. No one, as far as I can determine, has calculated that the overall good outweighs the tremendous costs incurred to comply with what is today estimated to be 30,000 pages of regulation. As far as shifting the cost for clean up to the taxpayer, it is generally acknowledged that 70/80% of all air pollution is caused by mobile(trucks, cars) sources. The reason the cost is not levied agains these vehicles is that the public would not stand for it. Thus, it is easier to point the finger at the rapidly disappearing industries as the primary cause and easier to tax them. We can't stop traffic from passing through here in addition to the problems caused by residents going to work and to shop at Wal-Mart!

Bunny: When you say “let me guess” … it’s pretty easy to infer “You have simply "read" in my statement what you wanted to see …”

JDR: Please explain to me how saying "let me guess..." let GWB off the hook?

Did Mr. Scott anywhere mention that some things were put into place before GWB was elected? THAT was the point to my statement.

Tony Mo:

Clearly the response to terrorist attacks BEFORE Bush was elected were inadequate. Equally inadequate is the response so far to the hugely successful 9-11 attack. They're still out there, and any solution in Iraq is no guarantee of no further on-our-soil attacks.

There were admittedly no strong cat 3’s hitting NO ... but with great fan-fare we spent over 4 years more than $100 BILLION dollars preparing us for probable or anticipated disasters – including natural disasters – on homeland soils.

“There were no economic downturns until Bush was elected”. Wait – I thought “economic Strength” was what Bushits were using as a strong suite …

“No companies ever closed down until Bush was elected.” Of course, what a silly statement; but on topic, the destruction by alliance with Wal-Mart is well documented. Learn about Levi Strauss, and Rubbermaid (great examples), then get back to me.

“No jobs were ever outsourced until Bush was elected.” Frankly, Clinton holds more blame than Bush, although Bush has 1 – done nothing to slow it down, and 2 - assured his financial backers were at the head of the queue.

“Most of us who support him probably disagree with him on many issues.” - but you are so “supportive” you don’t admit any differences or disagreements. You rhetoric is clear: "Bush won Get Over It". You rhetoric is asinine.

Frankly, if you would discuss your disagreememts openly instead of unequivocally support for the shortcomings of this admin’ (see above) - then we could talk and the world would be a better place.

Let me repeat that – ‘cause that’s the wisest thing I ever said:

If you would discuss the shortcomings of this admin’ rather than unequivocally support every thing that is done - good and bad - you would have more credibility. The give and take would be more useful and the world would be a better place.

Sorry – I do not see those that do not blindly approve of every stupid thing that is being done as being lunatics totally detached from reality. As back up, ask the Pres – he is now saying things didn’t go as “planned” – which is what asses like me have been saying for 5 years and what asses like you have been denying for 5 years.

Cutawad:

I have no issue with your post. I do think that Corporations in general - certainly the multi-nationals with no exceptions I can think f - are evil empires. They act legally (usually), but not in a way that benefits mankind.

I have tons of data backing that statement up.

Clarence Thomas, the most avid "Don't interprete the Constitution" dude needs to read the original paperwork, and do something.

Bunny - lov' ya babe, but not worth more typing about. Keep up the discourse.

Wow, for a moment there when I read this letter, I thought that there would be a discussion of an issue without the mention of George Bush as the culprit. Is it possible for someone to write a letter in this newspaper about a problem or issue without George Bush being identified as the proximate cause? I really had no idea that he was so all encompassing in his influence and power. Or maybe it's just that some people's blood boil at even the thought of his name. they have to blame someone for their problems, and George is as good of a scapegoat as any, I suppose. Who did these people blame for their problems before 2000?

Oak Ridge Runner, The answer to your first question is NO. Same with all the other papers that I read around the country. If it weren't for George, nothing would ever have gone wrong in this country?

Who did they blame before 2000? Aw surely you know the answer to that one? Richard Nixon was the blame for everything that happened from the end of his term until 2000? Unfortunately they leave out inept Carter who brought us the worst economy since the depression. But then that was all Richard Nixon's fault or didn't you know that?

JDR, find me a government regulation on industry that ever did anything to improve anything for the consumer and I will buy you a steaming hot cup of coffee. Remember it has to have not cost the consumer more money to have it in place.

MRP:

The restriction on "not costing anything" is tough - but here're a couple examples you'll have to agree to - or not! {:-)

SEATBELTS - Add about $20 / car, clearly save lives. The same may be true for air bags, but I'm not ready to call that yet. I would argue - with no facts - that this cost has been more than offset by lowered hospital bills.

OSHA / MiOSH - All the avoided coal-mining accidents, chopped off fingers and hands and arms, heads protected from bolts dropping from above ... again I argue without facts the cost has been more than offset by lowered hospital bills.

EPA - You may argue the cost of environmental protection adds to the cost of products and forces companies to close. I argue the cost of clean-up has to be born by someone, and if it's not the producer, it'll be the tax-payer (actually this has happened many times). We'll have to agree to disagree, but I'm right on this with 35 years of seeing it from the inside.

How about all those gas tanks that were pulled a couple decades ago - the reason was the simple steel tanks had rotted (oxidized, really) after being installed in the ground. No one liked pulling and replacing theem, it added a big cost to many mom-and pop stores - and took a few marginal stores out of business - but the next time you take a drink of potable tap water - remember that regulation which made your water safe to drink.

PCB's? Asbestos? Lead? Mercury? The list goes on forever.

As I stated before, often these rules go overboard - but I deal with stupid contractors all day. Now I'm not saying they all are, but "there's always one", and I argue my insistence they follow the rules has more than once kept some dude out of the hospital.

Seatbelts-$20? Try $182 plus tax PER BELT. Not counting the labor to install it.
Not arguing the price of seatbelts,just making a point that these regulations have a far greater price than the average joe thinks.They are hidden costs. The telephone companies have to follow fcc regulations and there are costs involved in adhereing to the rules. Do we see a line on our phone bill for $0.32 for fcc services? No,it is included in the bill. I wish they would itemize every cost the government added to services in this country. The revolution would start tomorrow.

where'd you get that $183 price, neo?

I had to buy one to go in my vehicle. It has sensors in it that communicates with the air bag system.

neo, is that a replacement price? I would imagine that the "bulk" price would be somewhat cheaper. At least that is the way I was taught economics, bulk rate purchasing meant bulk rate pricing (i.e. lower cost).

Shalom

Darryl,do you think the markup on a seatbelt that costs $20 to manufacture is $163? I doubt it.As I stated,I'm not arguing the price of seatbelts,just the hidden costs that government is responsible for.
And yes,that was a replacment cost.

Neo-CON,

Yes, a $20 factory installed item could be $183 as a replacement. Went to get a cable for the emergency brake on a Dodge and it cost me $86 !

Do you think for one minute that when they put that, less than three foot cable from pedal to hook, just inside firewall, that it cost them that much???? It looks just like the cable on your push mower that goes from the handle to the engine---$86 ???

I'm with JDR on the costs and the progress we've made with OSHA and EPA.

World traveler, I'm not at all surprised that you side with jdr on big government and the nanny state.
Let's just say that the $20 ammount IS accurate.(btw,I never noticed anyone raising an eyebrow to this and there is no proof offered.Guess who makes the statementt has something to do with that) Add to the cost of building a car the complicated federally mandated emmission systems,the federally mandated air bag system,and a host of other epa standards that must be met and we are talking about a few grand added to the price tag,not a few hundred.

The cost of a catalatic convertor on most newer cars and trucks are well over the $300 mark,some are in the $500 range. Try to get your vehicle inspected without one of these or a defective one and you will see what the government and some of it's insane rules can cost.

I know that those who support the nanny state will argue that these are necessary to help out on the 'global warming' problems,but none of this has been proved as an effective means of combating the myth that is global warming.

Neo - I grant those items you list add to the cost of the car. So What. Did you ever visit Los Angeles in the late 60's? Or see pictures of the smog there?

We'll have to agree to disagree - but I would argue - again with no facts beyond common freaking sense - that these cost have been more than offset by lowered hospital bills.

I also r-emphasise the cost of clean-up has to be born by someone, and if it's not the producer, it'll be the tax-payer (actually this has happened many times).

CASE IN POINT - from Today's News:

"For 30 years, General Electric dumped more than 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River from their Hudson Falls and Fort Edward plants ... the Hudson River remains the largest PCB Superfund site in the United States.

"Since 2000, GE has [spent millions of dollars] pursued a lawsuit challenging federal Superfund requirements ..

"GE and the Environmental Protection Agency [now have] an agreement regarding cleanup of the Hudson River ... including a disturbing provision that only requires GE to pay for the first 10% of the cleanup, allowing GE to opt-out of the remaining 90% of the cleanup with no penalties"

Hello Mr. Taxpayer!

Come all ye False-Conservatives - tell me GE can't afford to clean up it's own mess, they need "Corporate Welfare" - cause that's what this is.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/07/15/news/fortune500/ge/index.htm?cnn=yes

Wanna learn?
http://courses.dce.harvard.edu/%7Eenvironment/lecture20011128_Air_Sources_and_Human_Health_Effects_jds/sld001.htm

From another site - "The History of Smog":
"The effects of smog on human health were evident, particularly when smog persisted for several days. Many people suffered respiratory problems and increased deaths were recorded, notably those relating to bronchial causes. A haze of dense harmful smog would often cover the city of London. The first smog-related deaths were recorded in London in 1873, when it killed 500 people. In 1880, the toll was 2000. London had one of its worst experiences with smog in December 1892. It lasted for three days and resulted in about 1000 deaths. London became quite notorious for its smog. By the end of the 19th century, many people visited London to see the smog. Despite gradual improvements in air quality during the 20th century, another major smog occurred in London in December 1952. The Great London Smog lasted for five days and resulted in about 4000 more deaths than usual. In response to the Great London Smog, the government passed its first Clean Air Act in 1956, which aimed to control domestic sources of smoke pollution by introducing smokeless zones. In addition, the introduction of cleaner coals led to a reduction in sulphur dioxide pollution. In the 1940s, severe smog began covering the city of Los Angeles in the USA.

http://www.visualsunlimited.com/browse/vu213/vu213528.html

The number of Stage 1 smog alerts has declined from over 100 per year in the 1970s to almost zero in the new millenium.

I liked this one:

http://chemmac1.usc.edu/Smogb.html

"Wee'll have to agree to disagree".... what else is new?

"Those costs have been more than offset by lower hospital bills".....? You have been reading too muck of rfk jr.my friend.

IMO OF COURSE!!!