"Frontline" on PBS next week slams Wal-Mart.

[Bullshot]

On the Mitch Albom radio show today, the reporter of next week's "Frontline" report explained how Wal-Mart devastates our economy. Most people associate this accusation with Wal-Mart stores driving locally-owned "mom and pop" stores out of business, which is accurate. But the reporter says Wal-Mart's impact is more macro-economic. Because of its size and volume, Wal-Mart dictates to manufacturing companies what to produce, and how much, if they want to do business with the retailer. This results in manufacturers being pressured by Wal-Mart to outsource its labor to China and other low-wage countries in order to deliver the merchandise to Wal-Mart at the prices the retailer demands. And that's what's been happening.

Didn't Wal-Mart used to market itself as a store that markets merchandise "made in the USA?" You don't see that any more.

By shopping at Wal-Mart, you're not just jeopardizing locally-owned retailers. You're also jeopardizing your local manufacturing jobs.

As Paul Harvey says, "You can't ask for a better neighbor in your community than Wal-Mart."

Indeed.

[eleonora]

1. I hate to say it but...

as long as people are poorer and poorer and Walmart offers lower prices, Walmart will win...My parents go to Walmart because it's cheaper than going to locally owned supermarkets. They're tight on the money so I can't blame them, even thought they know Walmart's awful..

[Sin]

10. Ive always though about that

And wonder when Walmart is going to become a charity
( people with no money wont buy any thing)
I guess they will never do that because it would be better just to be the company store. shovel 16 tons and what do you get...

[tk2kewl]

2. i hear more funding cuts for PBS coming

[TheFarseer]

3. Haven't heard that name in a while

I sleep on a Serta perfect sleeper too and listen to a Bose radio, yes that magic music box has delighted my family for many years. I think he would endorse radioactive sewage for a quarter but somehow you've got to love him.

[Patiod]

4. Not to mentiion getting taxpayers to subsidize

Additional police to supplement their security, more roads built, etc.

[Keirsey]

5. Opportune time!!

Maybe more than a few Americans will watch the PBS show, and will understand when we begin protesting Wal-Mart.

It would be lovely to cut their holiday season sales by a percentage point or two. Watch their stock go down. :)

http://www.responsibleshopper.org/basic.cfm?cusip=931142

Maybe a couple of the creative Du'ers can come up with some flyers and posters.

How about a December 1 kick-off date?

[TheFarseer]

6. YEAH! That pisses me off!

When I have to stop at a red light so people can make a left turn into the Walmart. Of course the traffic is set up so poorly here in Houston, that there is a light on my way to work so people can turn into a church parking lot - and there's no electric eye, that fucker is on a timer! So I'm literaly waiting for no one

[Francine Frensky]

7. 33% of the kids in Georgia on public health are Walmart kids

Ok, I don't have the exact stat/link on hand, but our paper (atlanta journal constitution) did a story analyzing the kids who were on georgiapeach, our state health-welfare system, and a shocking number were children of walmart workers.

the cost of walmart, to COMMUNITIES, is much more than advertised in their circulars....

[LizW]

8. This will be an eye-opener to lots of people

I hope they tell the story about Vlasic pickles and how WalMart killed them. It clearly demonstrates the ruthlessness of the chain.

[WoodrowFan]

9. what happened to Vlasic?? (NT)

[laura888]

11. It's the world's largest company

It's the world's largest company--bigger than ExxonMobil, General Motors, and General Electric.

It does more business than Target, Sears, Kmart, J.C. Penney, Safeway, and Kroger combined.

more here: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html