Why I hate Wal-Mart…

The other day I watched an eye opening news broadcast on the PBS.org website called “Is Wal-mart good for America?” It went on to say how from an economic point of view how Wal-mart holds a supply advantage over everyone else. Do to the labor supply in China, .50 cents a day for workers and they live at the factories. No one can compete with that. Not only is there an 80% mark up on Wal-Mart products, but they are pressuring other domestic companies to follow their lead. It’s hard to say how many companies to date Wal-mart has put out of business. What we do know is that Wal-mart is helping to create the $100billion trade deficit we have with China. The free trade agreement we made with China was suppose to open them up to American goods. It has not; I can’t help but think there have been anti-trust laws broken here. If something is not done to even the playing field soon, there will not be any market for Wal-mart to sell to. China has the labor and the goods, but no market and we have the market, but no money. I am I the only one that see the irreversible damage Wal-mart is doing, not only to companies in their own market but also to the economy as a whole.

The news piece went on to say how a small Kentucky TV making company took on China and Wal-Mart over the issue of Dumping cheap TVs onto the American market. Not surprisingly, Wal-mart sided with China. The small company won the right to stay alive, however long that is. Let’s be clear, the low waged workers of China are not the problem, Wal-mart and the China government is. The china government gives money to the companies to help of set costs in order to let them sell products to Wal-mart at prices no one can. Let’s also be clear that the American worker are not fighting to be rich, only to have a chance to survive in a country where milk is $4.00 and cereal is $5.oo a box. Our economy demands we make a level of income with all the other trappings of being a citizen here. When ATT had the monopoly on the phones, anti-trust violations were filed. Is Wal-mart any different? By exploiting the slave labor of CHINA, the get goods made for nothing, driving American companies out, buy up their land for pennies on the dollar and rehire their workers for have of what they were making. What a great model, too bad we all don’t have access to this slave labor of China, oh we done. No everything from newspaper pieces to x-rays is now exported. With an army of slave labor, what incentive would any company have to produce anything here? You decide, post how you feel about what is going on here for others to read.

Sales rise on inferior goods

To understand the rise in the sales of inferior goods is a lesson in economic 101. Plainly stated, inferior goods are lesser-priced goods that can take the place of something else. Like Hamburg for t-bones. Which gives you more for your money, which is good. The problem hanging out there is what if they raise the price of the inferior good?
In this economy, there has been a major shift in consumer buying to these types of products, and shopping for name brand items at discount stores. Does it pay to buy cheap priced products in bulk? That depends, if let’s say you buy 20 rolls of paper towels because there on sale. At two dollars a roll, that adds up to $40.00. Good deal right? However if you had only bought 2 rolls for four dollars you would an extra 38.00 dollars to buy something else on sale.
There is always a trade off when buying things, you like, but to sustain yourself in this time maybe learning to with less or without is better for you bottom line. Maybe you just like the taste of the cheaper peanut butter, Okay then maybe you can do without the magazine on sports saving you ten bucks. It’s much easier to manage your money when there’s a cash flow. But when the flow slows down or stops it gets harder to retrain your buying habits.
I ‘m sure you can come up with more ideas to save money, in the mean time understand that inferior products doesn’t mean lesser quality just lesser price.

Is Afghanistan our desert Vietnam?

According to recent story by the Ap posted on the USATODAY.com website a top U.S. military officer said Saturday that the Pentagon wants double the number of American troops in Afghanistan by next summer to 60,000. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that between 20,000 and 30,000 additional U.S. troops could be sent to Afghanistan to bolster the 31,000 already there. Mullen goes on to say how the Afghanistan government has been less than expected as far as having the ability to stand on its own. In addition, “the Taliban and extremists are more sophisticated and effective”. In order to support this move and continue to truck men and supplies into the region the U.S depends on certain routes of travel. That is under the control of the remaining power of the Soviet Union. The current proposal is if we want to continue to use the routes, we’ll have to pay, a little taste of good old fashion black male by the Russians. They offer no additional help in the fighting they just want our money. In light of this and the failing economy in the states, one has to wonder what the long-term price tag this war and the other one will cost. With every passing day, it becomes clearer that we will never be able to leave the region with any hope of the Afghanistan’s being able to take care of themselves. To make matters worse our friends to the north said they would not answer the president’s call to aid us in the fight with additional troops Canada has had enough. As had nearly all the other supporting countries that stood with us in the beginning. In addition, with our mounting money problems, job loss and the wars, what is compromise to our own national security? If the government’s money problems are so bad that there is talk floating around about cutting postal service, what condition does the empty bank account leave home land security in? The motto has always been, take the fight to the enemy so we don’t have to fight him here. Only time will tell if in our weaken state how susceptible we are to not only a terrorist attack, that some are says like the former VP will be worse than 911. But a economic attack as well.

Tax dodging Daschle Withdraws Nomination for Health & Human Services Secretary

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In a recent news piece by foxnews.com, Senator Daschle tries to explain his way out of his tax mess. With unsuccessful damage control over the fact, he tried to get away with not paying his taxes the senator withdrew his nomination appointed to him by the president. (Major Garrett, 2009)
Interestingly enough just days before the senator was optimistic about being able to have his cake and eat it too. Thinking paying his bill along with a heartfelt apology would do the trick and all his hopes and dreams would come true.
More to the fact, he was only sorry that he got caught. He didn’t release he didn’t pay his taxes the day they discovered the bill. He was aware of it and choose not to act. Feeling his power and position somehow put him above answering to the IRS. Then in a sudden burst of conscious, he decided it was in the nation’s best interest to step down. If he were concerned about the best interest of the nation, he would have paid his taxes, like the rest of us.
No, I believe the insincere senator was more interested in salvaging his credibly and career. However, the senator is not alone in the tax line or the line for turning down nominations by the president because of tax fraud. White House’s first performance officer, Nancy Killefer, also withdrew her nomination because of her own tax liabilities. What message are these publicly elected officials sending? That it’s okay to dodge the fed’s if no one is watching? This could possibly be the tip of the iceberg of dishonest politicians with a total disregard for the laws they sworn to uphold. With seeming no one left in Washington left untouched by the hand of dishonesty, whom will we turn to clean up the mess that continues to be made by these so-called public servants’? Will the president be the one to stand up and take the flak from both sided of the isle for slapping the hands of those deepest in the cookie jar?
Works Cited
Major Garrett, T. T. (2009, Feb 3). FoxNews.com/politics. Retrieved Feb 3, 2009, from FoxNws.com: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/02/03/daschle-withdraws-nomination-health-human-services-secretary/