Eye on Election, Democrats Run as Wal-Mart Foe --NYT

[spindrifter]

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and MICHAEL BARBARO
Published: August 17, 2006

DES MOINES, Aug. 16 — Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, a likely Democratic presidential candidate in 2008, delivered a 15-minute, blistering attack to warm applause from Democrats and union organizers here on Wednesday. But Mr. Biden’s main target was not Republicans in Washington, or even his prospective presidential rivals.

It was Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private employer.

Among Democrats, Mr. Biden is not alone. Across Iowa this week and across much of the country this month, Democratic leaders have found a new rallying cry that many of them say could prove powerful in the midterm elections and into 2008: denouncing Wal-Mart for what they say are substandard wages and health care benefits.

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The focus on Wal-Mart is part of a broader strategy of addressing what Democrats say is general economic anxiety and a growing sense that economic gains of recent years have not benefited the middle class or the working poor.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/17/washington/17dems.html?hp&ex=1155787200&en=0cf53d756a9f9da6&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[DeadManInc]

1. I would love nothing more than wal mart going belly up.

[tomreedtoon]

2. Wal-Mart is the obvious target, but talk about others!

It's easy to pick on Wal-Mart, but Democratic candidates should point out other companies - preferably local ones - that have sabotaged labor, cut or refused medical benefits, cheated on overtime and other things. "Just as bad as Wal-Mart" could be a rallying cry.

Of course, if there is a company nearby that does things BETTER...like, for instance, Costco, which has much fairer labor policies...the candidates should praise them. Democrats should never allow Republicans to tar them as "anti-business." They should respond, "I'm not anti-Business. I'm only anti-slavery."

[MannyGoldstein]

3. But Not Mrs. Clinton...

... she was a Director of Wal-Mart for years - while they were pioneering their "always the lowest wages - always" policies.

God bless the DLC!

[MysteryToMyself]

4. I am not a Hilary fan

but I have to say that when she was on the board and Sam Walton was alive, there were poor people that became rich working at Walmart. Walton hired his housekeeper's son and he showed up at the store and said "I've come to help run this place." He became a millionaire. There are a lot of poor young men that became millionaires after going to work for Walmart. I know Walmart truck drivers that are millionaires because of Walmart profit share and buying Walmart stocks. That hasn't happened lately, because the stocks haven't went up.

No one has noticed, but Walmart is paying more and improving their insurance. It isn't those who work there that are complaining, except for a very few.

People should be on the case of high costs of health care and insurance. I broke my arm and it didn't have to be set, but I have already spent $1,000 out of pocket medical on it and still have to have an mri and start therapy on it next week.

[MannyGoldstein]

5. Ponzi Schemes Work The Same Way

The early folks that get into Ponzi schemes get rich too. But most folks get fucked.

Same thing as Wal-Mart, effectively.

I agree that medical care in the US is a catastrophe.