Why Do 1.4 Million Americans Work At Walmart, With Many More Trying To?

[hoz 240]

There have been plenty facts presented on this thread about the employment policies of Walmart. There is plenty of money there to pay their workers a living wage. Yet you people are worried about the "shareholders" the investors, the stock price, the return on investment. (As if the Walmart heirs have made an investment.). It's telling, we are concerned with people, and you with money. 

 

 

 

BTW, you seem to know all about this Alinski? Where can I learn more?

[lifeisgood 189]

lol-- you have a reading comprehension problem don't you

 

You work at a union job, correct?  I would think that is a full time job, correct?  Please enlighten me.  You started some business and hire some people.  Are those businesses still running and do the employ those people to this day?  If you can work a full time job, run two full time business while managing 8 employes all at the same time, you should be a CEO of a major company

 

There have been plenty facts presented on this thread about the employment policies of Walmart. There is plenty of money there to pay their workers a living wage. Yet you people are worried about the "shareholders" the investors, the stock price, the return on investment. (As if the Walmart heirs have made an investment.). It's telling, we are concerned with people, and you with money. 

 

 

 

BTW, you seem to know all about this Alinski? Where can I learn more?

 

 

Yeah, I can see by the way you interact with people that you are concerned with them.  Basically, you live in a fantasy world where some of us understand the reality.  You can either cry about how life is not fair or you can do something to insure your happiness.  This country allows for such opportunities.  The problem is you have to work for those opportunities.  It isn't given to you which is why you get so many people crying about fairness.

 

I don't think anyone here wouldn't want more jobs for people paying more money.  It isn't reality in today's economy.  Walmart heirs has nothing to do with our discussion and is simply a strawman.

Edited December 1, 2013 by lifeisgood

[KID 9,677]

You work at a union job, correct? I would think that is a full time job, correct? Please enlighten me. You started some business and hire some people. Are those businesses still running and do the employ those people to this day? If you can work a full time job, run two full time business while managing 8 employes all at the same time, you should be a CEO of a major company

 

thanks but no thanks----- I will let my father and brother handle the smooozing---- I like to tell people to feck off to much :moon:

Edited December 1, 2013 by KID

[lifeisgood 189]

thanks but no thanks----- I will let my father and brother handle the smooozing---- I like to tell people to feck off to much :moon:

 

You should partner up with Hoz.

 

Edited December 1, 2013 by lifeisgood

[hoz 240]

I like to tell people to feck off to much

 

I've been to that point a few times just in this thread. But Paul would probably ban me. 

You should partner up with Hoz.

 

 

 

{{{{{{{{TROLL}}}}}}}}   just can't help yourself can ya?

Edited December 1, 2013 by hoz

[lifeisgood 189]

I've been to that point a few times just in this thread. But Paul would probably ban me. 

 

 

{{{{{{{{TROLL}}}}}}}}   just can't help yourself can ya?

 

First sentence talks about telling people to feck off and the next calls someone a troll.  Not to mention all the name calling done in this thread.

 

Funny stuff sunshine.

Edited December 1, 2013 by lifeisgood

[hoz 240]

 

 

Yeah, I can see by the way you interact with people

 

Are assholes on an internet forum people?  

[lifeisgood 189]

Are assholes on an internet forum people?  

 

Don't be so hard on yourself.  Of course you are a person.  

[USMC-Retired 10,995]

It seems that welfare queens are back in the news these days. The old stereotype was an inner-city unwed mother -- that’s dog-whistle-speak for black -- having multiple babies to get ever bigger welfare checks (throw in a new Cadillac and the myth is complete). Regardless, welfare reform of the 1990s ended that narrative.

No, the new welfare queens are even bigger, richer and less deserving of taxpayer support. The two biggest welfare queens in America today are Wal-Mart and McDonald's.

About Barry L Ritholtz»

Barry Ritholtz is a Bloomberg View columnist who writes about finance, the economy and the business world. He started ... MORE

More from Barry L Ritholtz:

 

This issue has become more known as we learn just how far some companies have gone in putting their employees on public assistance. According to one study, American fast food workers receive more than $7 billion dollars in public assistance. As it turns out, McDonald's has a “McResource” line that helps employees and their families enroll in various state and local assistance programs. It exploded into the public when a recording of the McResource line advocated that full-time employees sign up for food stamps and welfare.

Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private sector employer, is also the biggest consumer of taxpayer supported aid. According to Florida Congressman Alan Grayson, in many states, Wal-Mart employees are the largest group of Medicaid recipients. They are also the single biggest group of food stamp recipients. Wal-mart’s "associates" are paid so little, according to Grayson, that they receive $1,000 on average in public assistance. These amount to massive taxpayer subsidies for private companies.

Why are profitable, dividend-paying firms receiving taxpayer subsidies? The short answer is, because they can. The longer answer is more complex and nuanced.

Both McDonald's and Wal-Mart are engaging in perfectly legal behavior. The system was set up long ago in ways that failed to imagine companies doing this. Yes, they are taking advantage of the taxpayer, but they are also operating within the law.

Which means it is time to change those outdated rules.

The simplest solution is to raise the minimum wage. If full-time employees are living below the poverty level -- especially those with children -- its no surprise they are going to need public assistance. Raising the minimum wage over a period of time will eliminate much of this corporate welfare. The costs will be slightly higher prices at fast food restaurants and low end retailers.

The next proposal is more severe: Charge back the amount of public assistance any employee receives to the company he or she works for. It would be separate from tax filings, and simply be a direct penalty charged to the firm. I doubt there is much political will for this proposal, but I can see some people -- especially on the Left -- supporting it.

The most radical idea is bit of pure fantasy: Guarantee every person in America a minimum salary. That is a proposal under discussion today in Switzerland. Its hard to even imagine such a concept gaining traction in the U.S. outside of the Great Depression era.

My politics are pretty middle-of-the-road, and I find myself offended by subsidizing profitable companies this way. As a taxpayer, there are much better things I would like to see my monies go towards. Some rule changes are needed to end this wasteful spending.

We should get corporate welfare queens off of the public teat. Regardless of your politics, it is an issue that politicians on both the Left and the Right can agree upon.

 

 

I agree with this and it is a good point of view on the issue. 

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-13/how-mcdonald-s-and-wal-mart-became-welfare-queens.html

[KID 9,677]

 

 

First sentence talks about telling people to feck off

 

Don't involve my post in your little sword fight

[lifeisgood 189]

Don't involve my post in your little sword fight

 

If I involved you I would have quoted you.  Do keep up.

I agree with this and it is a good point of view on the issue. 

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-13/how-mcdonald-s-and-wal-mart-became-welfare-queens.html

 

It is a short sighted article, imo.

 

Instead of going after specific companies, we should be looking at why there are so many people chasing the same low end jobs.   I don't think Walmart or McDonalds should be getting special tax treatment.  It's like the oil companies making billions of profit but also getting special tax subsidies.  It doesn't make sense.

Edited December 2, 2013 by lifeisgood

[USMC-Retired 10,995]

It is lack of skill.  That is a known.  It is not short sighted just stating facts about big companies exploiting the system.  There is very little you can do about it.

[hoz 240]

 

 

Don't be so hard on yourself.  Of course you are a person.  

 

Nice, you were an asshole from the jump. Stay with it.

[broden 57,115]

i think there is enough name calling going on and other than that not much discussion here so looks like a good time to shut this one down