Is WalMart killing America

[bachler]

The other day I broke the top water hose On my John Deere tractor; CI called John Deere , The cost of the Hose Is $28.99 plus shipping Plus Tax.. Union, Made in USA; OK ;; I went to a Cut rate Parts store And it was $6.50 Plus tax;; Made somewere alse;; let me pose this question to you all.. Weather Union or not;; Which/rhere would you buy at ???? ( not only the hose but everything you will need in your dayle life).. All I ask IS you be honest with your self and the rest of us. Life is good.

[fleamarketer]

Originally Posted by bachler

The other day I broke the top water hose On my John Deere tractor; CI called John Deere , The cost of the Hose Is $28.99 plus shipping Plus Tax.. Union, Made in USA; OK ;; I went to a Cut rate Parts store And it was $6.50 Plus tax;; Made somewere alse;; let me pose this question to you all.. Weather Union or not;; Which/rhere would you buy at ???? ( not only the hose but everything you will need in your dayle life).. All I ask IS you be honest with your self and the rest of us. Life is good.

Bulls-eye!!!. You nailed it.

[MRBB]

Originally Posted by bachler

The other day I broke the top water hose On my John Deere tractor; CI called John Deere , The cost of the Hose Is $28.99 plus shipping Plus Tax.. Union, Made in USA; OK ;; I went to a Cut rate Parts store And it was $6.50 Plus tax;; Made somewere alse;; let me pose this question to you all.. Weather Union or not;; Which/rhere would you buy at ???? ( not only the hose but everything you will need in your dayle life).. All I ask IS you be honest with your self and the rest of us. Life is good.

I guess you saved a few dollars. I guess your grand kids will be buying Chinese tractors if they can afford them or if they will ever need them....

[Yuji_Saeki]

We all want good wages, cheap prices...contradictive market. Federal Reserve lends USA money, our sole source, at interest. Figured it out yet? Doomed.

[bachler]

Now Lets not go to Our Grandkids. They allready have a $50,000.00 dedt they have to pay . And that was not My doing.. You see I did not suck off the goverment when I was Young.. I worked for .50 cents per hour. $5.00 per day and I was/am proud to work; And do something to make myself feel Like a person That had A productive place in our country and We my wife and 2 girls survived . We now have 6 pieces of property 5 Rentals. Life is/has been good to us. with out any Free handouts; I am sure this will be deleated That is just fine. I say go to work; You say there's no work. I say crap. We have immegrants comming to our wonderfull country and they all/most all seem to find work. Or is it that we feel we are worth more then we get Paid.... A man once come to my dad and asked about working for him. Dad said yes, The man asked what dad would pay.. dad said he would pay him what he was worth... The man said he could not work that cheap and left''' That should tell you the Mentality about some of our American Coulture/// Life is good. Tho some want to sink the BOAT..

[jamesgr81]

Well there are some short memories here....

First, today's cars are more reliable than cars of the past. All cars, American or foriegn. You just don't see too many cars broken down on the side of the road, period. This is mainly because technology eliminated those failure prone and maintainence intensive items - Ignition system of points, condenser, low voltage coil, distributer, low voltage spark plugs and wires. Carburetor and choke, vacuum engine controls, all stuff created by American companies and copied by the Japanese on their early cars.

Ever driven a 1968 Toyota Corona? Slow and drove like the Queen Mary. I remember my pal bought a 1971 Toyota Carolla for $1895 when the cheapest American car was $2295. See we even went cheap back then. THe plastic pulley for the clutch cable broke and I marveled at how cheap it was to use plastic parts...little did I know what was to come. What a pig. No power, and it handled like a rowboat. Eventually the tinny body rusted away. The same tuneups and carburetors failed just like American cars.

But they were cheap and got better gas mileage.

The oil embargo of 1974 changed the world forever. Price of gas, lines of cars waiting a gas stations, even - odd days.

Caught Detriot with its pants down because the old econo cars like the Falcon, Valiant, and Nova with inline sixes were not in favor with the market. But the Japanese cars, junky as they were, got better milaeage and they were cheap.

EPA puts the hammer down on Detriot. No leaded gas and emissions equipment required. No computers in those days so engine had miles of vacuum hose and electromechanical devices. Mileage suffer and more items to fail.

Detriot in a failure to assess the Japanese threat, doesn't react with a downsized high mileage vehicle quickly enough.

Meanwhile advances in technology eliminate the points type ignition, electronic engine controls appear. Electronic fuel injection eliminates that troublesome carburetor.

When people buy the new Japanese vehicles they compare them to the older American cars that broke down. Meanwhile Japan imports cars to US that cost more in Japan so they can sell them cheaper in the US.

Detroit fails to address the general perception of American cars and Chrysler needs a bailout. Lee Iacocca? Rage about the gov't bailing of Chrysler?

Japanese take advantage of trade laws, hire American marketing firms and try to make Toyota as American as apple pie. Detroit finally starts fighting back.

But the crafty Japanese. They build factories in right to work states where Chinese imports killed the textile and furniture industries. So they get free land, tax breaks by desperate states. and employees willing to work for less. The Japanese laugh at the stupid Americans who can't build a decent car and need the Japanese to show them how it's done.

Today Detroit is on the rocks and will probably be extinct in 10 years. The worlds greatest industries reduced to dust. The pride of Henry Ford - the River Rouge Plant - now replaced by Nissan in Tenessee. Now we have to answer to foriegn masters like China and Japan...

Like I said before. Defend WalMart and cheap imports if you must. But the bill has to be paid. And it's due now.

If Americans still had the opportunity to work at good paying jobs we would not be crying now. US Steel, Maytag, General Electric, General Motors, Levi's, Douglas Aircraft, shoes, clothing, furniture, textiles, hardware, electrical products.....

All gone forever.

[laj]

Works for me. Americans spoke, and Sam Walton listened. Just good business.
The ones that didn't are now out of business.
If the rest don't, they will go down the same road.
It's just cause and effect at its finest.

[bachler]

If you must;;; When you sit at a stop light Check the cars/trucks around you .. I have many times. Out of 10 you will see 7 Toyota/honda/insson/ Small chev.. ETC. You really need to check the auto industry Out, Toyota/Suberu/Nisson. and others have plants HERE IN THE USA.. Look at the componants on your so called American made car, You will find parts made in Mexico, Tiwan.china . And places I've never herd of. On the Harley Davidson. about 70% is made in China. (that is what I have read and been told). So Not to belittle some one. You all need to look at the big picture;; And friends . It has China in it. WHY... because we support them.... And it's not the other guy;;; IT IS ME AND YOU>> Life is good.

[Coached]

I dunno. All this talk about bad old China and Sam Walton's relationship with them. There's a bunch of folks in Seattle, Washington making a whole lot, a ridiculous lot actually of money making aeroplanes for Boeing, who saw to it that Boeing would not be allowed to make aeroplanes in South Carolina because the folks there were willing to work for just a bunch of money, they weren't as greedy I guess? Teachers in Chicago aren't happy with a meagre average of $72K plus outlandish benefits and perks; and, expect them to subject themselves to performance requirements? I think not. And you're gonna compete with the Chinese? I can't prove this but I'd bet allot that these same folks shop at Walmart without giving a thought to the impact their actions might be having on others - they don't have to.

[jamesgr81]

BOEING won't be around much longer now that AIRBUS is building a new factory in Alabama. Just good business for Europe.

Life is good.

[Theluckys]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

So on one hand I want low prices, on the other hand, i want WM employees well paid.. Its a conundrum.

Please don't take this personally but WHY do you want WM employees to be well paid? Isn't that the responsibility of the company? If a person doesn't have the proper job skills and can only operate a scanner or be a bagger then why should they be paid the same or more than a person with construction skills or marketing skills?

Today's unions care about one thing: THEMSELVES. Unions were important in getting working conditions safer. Unions were important in collective bargining BEFORE there was a minimum wage. Not today, unions are one reason that many businesses that used to manufacture moved away from the US. Just saying....

[Theluckys]

Originally Posted by jamesgr81

Well there are some short memories here....

If Americans still had the opportunity to work at good paying jobs we would not be crying now. US Steel, Maytag, General Electric, General Motors, Levi's, Douglas Aircraft, shoes, clothing, furniture, textiles, hardware, electrical products.....

All gone forever.

But we DO have those opportunities today: Microsoft, Google, Apple, the NFL, NBA, The Mayo Clinic, The Cleveland Clinic, Exxon-Mobil and yes even Wal-Mart.

The difference in jobs is this - in the past it didn't take much dedication/education to assemble screw A into part B. Today it takes college degrees in marketing and financing MBA's to get those high paying jobs.

Heck I didn't even include Wall Stree firms...

The days of dropping out of high school and getting a decent job, well that's LONG GONE and I for one am GLAD. It's time the US started using our potential and became a leader once again.

As for the costs involved with those college educations - think military for training and don't forget ROTC.

[Boeing Guy]

Originally Posted by bachler

You see I did not suck off the goverment when I was Young.

I don't know if you were being personal, but I fought for your right to express your opinion, and yes, I admit it. I sucked off the government when I was young (and not so young), and still do it. And a lot of sucking was done. I sucked 20 years of pay checks, a bachelor and masters degree, a military retirement, and the skills to get an excellent job. I also got 2 free one-year "vacations" to Viet Nam. So yes, I am part of the nasty, unwashed, despicable 47% that sucks off the government. Problem is, I paid $27,000 in federal taxes last year, so I am not sure which way the suction was going.
And no, Douglas Aircraft is not gone. It was absorbed by McDonnell, and McDonnell-Douglas was aborbed by Boeing. Neither is GE gone. We buy their engines every day. As for Air Bus. They are not moving to Alabama, they are building a plant in Alabama. Not so good for Boeing, but good for Alabama and America. If Boeing can't compete, my paycheck will once again change colors. Air Bus will provide good paying jobs for Alabamians. Last I looked, Alabama was in the U S of A. The world is changing.

Anyone who really misses 1950, should go back. Put away your computer, microwave, Winnebago, cell phone, post it notes, iPad, iPod, DVD player, etc, and go back. Me, I love 2012. 2013 will be better. Most of us have adapted. Our children/grandchildren and future generations will adapt. Since this is a Wal Mart killing thread. Once again I should point out that America is not dying. Contrary to my dad's belief, Rock and Roll didn't kill it, neither will Wal Mart. Good luck to your future.

[bachler]

From what I read in the posts, There are no personal attacks on any one . They are for the most part people voicing there opionons. And how they feel. And that is good to share there thoughts with us;; If we don't take them personal they are vary informative and good food for the mind;;; Also my thought about the employees/wages at wallmart. I am a frequent shopper at wallmart;; I have yet to See an employee with chains on his ankles keeping him/her there. They are told what they will get paid they agree to work for that amount; So I don't understand when Some people start harping about the wages.. MY MY Take a cup and beg for change on some corner... Take a real close look at the expence of having a person work for you;; wages+ taxes+insurance+ uniforms+parking+ coffee brake.+getting paid to go to the bathroom=Getting paid to have a smoke brake+ a discount on anything you buy. OH did I mention You are in a warm place, have water to drink.. So please Don't complain about the wages. or the things that are made in China. I buy chineese stuff. And it will serve me Just fine Tell we here in the good old USA can make it at a reasonable price... Life is good.