The Case Against Wal-Mart by the Southern Avenger

When James Island residents in South Carolina decided to oppose the expansion of their local Wal-Mart on environmental grounds, SA thought it might be worth pointing out the multiple negative effects of the corporate chain on American life.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Southern
• Avenger
• Stop
• Wal-Mart
• Wendell
• Berry
• Vermont
• environmental
• agrarian
• conservatism
• community
• populism
• corporate

[southernavenger]

You are underestimating the power of monopoly -the long term interests of folks disenfranchised by status quo politics would be greatly improved by investing time and effort into an alternate politics -through organization and activism.

Likewise, the long term interest of folks disenfranchised by corporate capitalism would be improved by only patronizing local businesses or starting their own.

Are either endeavors realistic, given the daily schedules and worries of average Americans?

SA

[magnumsynderella]

I agree with the southern avenger most of the time, not so much here. he says "the fate of a community should be decided by the people who actually live in it." but they do. wallmart is not a vampire, it doesn't just suck people's money. the consumers make all the decisions with their dollar. if they don't like walmart, then don't shop there. let walmart go bankrupt by not buying into walmart. If you are going to demonize walmart,be consistant make your case against costco, kmart, ect.

[xtremejohnny69]

@VoteCliffHutchison So true. In a truly free market, it's almost impossible to have a monopoly. However when government gets involved, monopolies start through subsidizing, tax breaks, etc.

[flubno]

That was a good way of putting it. They are not really conservative, more like Corporate Apologists. It's time for conservatives to break away from these big money corporate A-holes that don't give a shit anything but them selfs. We should quit letting the souless richest 1% hide behind us or use us as connon fodder.

[Pentazoid111]

You falsely think that it is only corporations who have the power to create monopolies. Anybody can create a monopoly, whether they are a small town business, big business, or most commonly the government. If there was a only one local business and its customer based was primarily the residents of a small town radially five milies way, then that business would be a monopoly. Businesses who dont want wal-mart want to preserve there own monopolies because they are afraid of competition.

[JTM45100]

@magnumsynderella Costco is an example of a more worker friendly business plan. Their employees aree paid much more than what China-Mart pays. I would love to see Walmart divided by 5, as a ot of the Telecomonopolies, and Oilogopolies.

That seems to be on thing both Mainstream Dummycrats and Repuglican Politicians are for. They both declared war on the working class with Nafta.

[VoteCliffHutchison]

Is Wal-mart's global expansion 100% due to supply and demand and free markets?

OR did they carefully navigate managed trade schemes like NAFTA and CAFTA to gain advantage from cheap foreign labor while avoiding corporate gains taxes, import duties and tariffs?

Without NAFTA, GATT, CAFTA and the WTO, Wal-mart would be a regional southern chain store.

Put the blame where it belongs and let's Repeal these monstrous trade agreements!

[sleedolfine15]

Private property rights. the reason why small businesses can't compete is because people choose to buy from Wal-Mart. To keep Wal-MART out interfers with the rights of consumers to buy where they want. Keeping Wal-Mart out does'nt violate their rightr,but mine. You're wrong SA.

[gypster2004]

I hate wal-mart, so I do not shop there. If only more people would do that, but some people have to shop there because of these damn corporatists have wrecked the economy.

[L0VECHILDD]

You missed the point. Re-watch the video

[L0VECHILDD]

are you kidding? i'm not sure if you are totally retarded or a slick satirist.