More WalMart. Gotta Luv thier low prices

[I.P. Freley]

Anyone who would spend under $150 for a DVD player deserves exactly what they get, which is a POS.

Like a poster above, I will buy measuring tape, cheapo frying pans, and bulk paper towels at WalMart. Maybe a toaster, too. Nothing more.

 

[Checks]

The real problem isn't TRADE it is FAIR TRADE. China does not have FAIR TRADE with the U.S.
Germany, Japan, Great Britian, and France are a few countries that have FAIR TRADE with the U.S. CHINA DOES NOT HAVE FAIR TRADE

I should go to some poor asian country and do the following:

-employ a bunch of little kids
-keep those same kids chained to their machines
-beat them when they dont work hard
-take the ones that get injuried out back and shoot them
-work them 20 hours a day
-Pollute the environment

then I could send all the toys I make to America for Wal-Mart to sell. WalMart in turn would not buys toys from an American manufacturing who:

-employ adults
-abides by OSHA laws
-Abide by EPA rules
-Abides by all Dep of Labor rules
-pays a living wage
-provides medical and retirement benefits
-invests in my local community
-pays taxes which support my local governement and schools

 

[enigma]

I have no problem buying goods made outside of the USofA.............Unless they are made by slaves living in a communist country.

I have no problem with Wally World squeezing its suppliers for lower prices, I have an enormous problem with Wally World sourcing its goods from COMMUNIST China.


So, I shop at WalMart, but don't buy Chinese. Which means that I don't buy much there other than dog food, cleaning supplies and motor oil.

As to the argument that buying Chinese introduces capitalism to the Chinese, I say hogwash. Buying from China only enables the Chinese government (did I mention that China is COMMUNIST?) to spend more money on little things like ICBMs.

BTW, I recently bought some shop boots and a small stereo from Wal Mart. The shoes were Mexican and the stereo was Malaysian. It's hard to avoid China, but it can be done.

I am willing to pay more for a quality product, and China makes it easy for me to avoid their stuff. Most everything I see from there is junk. I was forced to buy a gear puller at the Tractor Supply store one weekend afternoon (emergency repair). It was Chinese and the jaws were not even equal length. It took four times as long to do the job as it would have take had I been able to use a quality tool.

If the Chinese ever get their quality up to par, were in even more trouble.

regards,
enigma

 

[kevdog]

Aren't quality products like Nike that sell for lots of cash usually made in China? It seems like it is hard to buy shoes from anywhere else.

 

[enigma]

Aren't quality products like Nike that sell for lots of cash usually made in China? It seems like it is hard to buy shoes from anywhere else.

So far, I've been able to find American made NewBalance shoes. My ropers are made in Gods country, and my rockports are from Romania (I think) The only Nikes I own are a set of ACGs made in Indonesia. Like I said, it is possible to find products made in other places than China.

I really can't speak to the quality of Chinese Nikes, because I don't buy them. It is entirely possible that they are first class. I still won't buy them because of their country of origin.

BTW, I've related this before, but I stopped buying Chinese after the readers digest published grainy pictures of naked children standing in vats of tannic acid as they manual agitated (stomped) the acid around cow hides. They hides they were tanning, were slated to go into those cheap shoes that some of us wear so indifferently. That's right, the leather on those Nikes could easily have cost a child permanent physical damage, or death. Not for me, I just can't be a part of it. I don't care how cheap those shoes are.

If anyone is interested, I believe that the article was printed about seven years ago.

regards,
enigma

 

[surplus1]

Enigma,

The only problem I have with what you say is that you appear to put all of the "blame" for this on the communist government of China. I respectfully submit that while the communists do have cupability for what they do, the corporation known as Wal-Mart is a typical example of capitalism run amok.

The Chinese are by no means the only people that Wal-Mart exploits. It's activities here at home are far reaching and it takes advantage of American workers, bribes politicians, steals land through abuse of eminent domain law, and destroys hundreds of small businessmen across the country. All to make the billionaire owners richer.

Your analysis is similar to the one we apply to South Americans that grow coca plants and make cocaine, or Afghans that grow poppies and produce heroin. Meanwhile we ignore that market that we more enlighted Americans have created, which is the only thing that makes the "enterprise" of these evil "foreigners" possible.

Until we are willing to recognize our own culpability in these processes, be it Chinese "slave labor" or Afghan poppie raising or Bolivian coca plants, it will continue.

In typical human fashion, it is always easier to blame the other guy for our own failings. I won't hold my breath for the public to change WM by not buying from them. There is far too much greed for that to happen.

 

[Snakum]

Much like Enigma and others ... I don't buy products from countries who exploit our fellow human beings. I will go the extra mile to find US goods, and pay a little extra to buy them when I find them. If you're willing to put in the time anyone can do it.

Think this isn't a big deal? You will when your siblings, parents, or children are working those high-paying service industry jobs because there's nothing left.

Buy American ... the job you save may belong to someone close to you.



Minh

 

[enigma]

Surplus, I wasn't trying to place blame. But since you mention blaming China, I do. I also blame cheapskate American consumers, greedy American distributers like ChinaMart, greedy American producers who move overseas in order to take advantage of slave labor, politicians who don't care, and burdensom Federal regulations that have made corporations American plants unprofitable.

I am willing to recognize our culpability in the situation. That's why I go out of my way to support small business and not to support the oppressors, regardless of whether they take the form of foreign dictatorships, or American robber barons.

You write that it's easier to blame the other guy for our own failings. I would agree, but I'm not ready to accept that the problems are related to my own failings.

More later on the capitalism run amok theme.

regards,
enigma

pardon the poor grammer, I'm in a hurry

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

On a side note, bought a package of (Martins) hamburger buns the other day. On the back of the package it had an American flag and stated Made in the USA. While I'm grateful I think it shows how far we have come when we have to "advertise" a bread/food item to be made in America.