Pick a Winner
August 25th, 2006 - 4:19 pm
I have the feeling this whole anti-Wal-Mart thing isn’t going to do much for the Democrats this November. But if it does, then maybe Democrats could get more rich people to vote for them by explaining the evils behind Neiman-Marcus.
Really, doesn’t this new campaign strike you as yet another variation on the “poor people don’t know what’s good for them” theme? Except this time, the Dems have aimed their sights solidly on the Wal-Mart shopping middle class, too.
UPDATE: My bride tells me she’s a dead-certain Democrat voter this Fall. Assuming, that is, they can make her understand why she can’t buy any more strappy sandals.
Way back 60 years ago when Democrats actually were poor people instead of rich people who wanted poor people to vote for them, the democrat party was made up of exactly the same people who shop today at wal-mart today, unlike the left wing never-worked-a-day-in-my-life, trust fund, cultural elitists who whine about the conditions of those “poor people” while shop at Whole Foods, and call themselves “progressive” because they pay premium prices for their food.
I think that until the democrats learn to embrace Wal-mart – and more importantly – the people who shop there, they wont win elections. You cant be for improving the lot of poor people if you want to force everyone to pay 10 dollars for a head of boutique, chemical free lettuce.
wal-mart, and the pro-america, small business, hunting season, “working man” culture of the people who shop there, are a perfect microcosm of why the Democrats are losing their hold on American politics.
You cannot win elections in this country by saying you dont believe in it. Until the democrats get back to their theme song of “happy days are here again” and waving the flag of the USA, instead of singing “up against the wall redneck M***F**ers” and pissing or burning the flag, they will not hold significant power in this country.
Period.
The more they marginalize themseleves by making enemies of the wider populace, the smaller their ability to impact the politics of the nation. Their actions towards wal-mart and the people who both shop and work their show how far out of touch with reality that party is.
Im a perfect example. The Democrat party should attract me like a moth to a flame, but I cannot and will not sign on to a party that wants to cry and whine and bitch about how bad things are – and more importantly – how its all my fault and I need to be punished for all the crimes of western civilization.
Things are pretty good! Sure,they could always be better; we just see different ways to get there. But the one way I’m absolutely sure that we cannot “get there” is by making this country and people who shop and work at wal-mart into the new “enemies of mankind”.
They used to be Democrats, and Democrats need to take a long, LONG look at why they arent anymore.
…or you could do as I do. Wal-Mart is far from my favorite store, but every time I hear on the news that Wal-Mart’s profits are down, or I hear some union official or Democratic politician bad mouth them, I go out of my way to buy somethnig at Wal-Mart the next day!
Full disclosure-wise, I’m a full-time employee of the Wal-Mart beast here in DE. Why? It’s my 1st post-military retirement job (got my benefits, thank you,) it’s 5 minutes from my house, my bosses are cool, and taking care of Wal-Mart customers, mostly low to middle income folks, makes me feel good.
It’s that last thing that DE’s senior senator schmuck couldn’t possibly understand. DE’s governor, a Dem, is a bit more grounded. She’s from this town, and comes in from time to time. I don’t think you’ll EVER see Gov Minner making the goofy grasps at populism that Biden obviously enjoys; whether they’re acually his or he paid a second-year Del Tech poli-sci minor for them, well…
For those of you who just duck into Wally-World for a few minutes, you’re missing an intersting development in our American culture. Until I started working there last year, I had never seen so many “hurting” people in one place; handicapped, elderly (who willingly volunteer to you that they’re all on their own,) clearly poor, etc. Yet, shoulder to shoulder and cart to cart with them are those who come out of really nice cars, well-dressed, etc. They all love the merchandise and the accompanying low prices, and are all equally pissed off when we don’t have what they want! Why? Because they know that wherever else they now have to drive to, they’re gonna pay more.
And whether they came out of a wheezing ’89 Dodge Caravan or an ’06 Hummer, that matters to THEM.
And I treat most of them (excepting the jerks) like royalty, because they pay my wages.
As for the other stores in town, I make it a point to shop a few times a week at other grocery stores, auto parts shops, discount cig outlets, even if it means I don’t get my 10% discount.
Not many of us at Wal-Mart are company rah-rahs, but most of us give a shit about giving a day’s work for a day’s pay. Not much different from my days in the USAF.
Reading the comments for that linked article was like watching someone playing Missile Command badly. The lefties in the comments section get off to a fast start flailing wildly at the commenters who actually have a clue about economics, then they vanish without a trace, leaving Klein’s idiocy to be repeatedly nuked by the non-moonbats, leaving nothing but glowing rubble. Rather fun, if you have a sadistic streak.
I suspect that WalMart bashing by the Dems is mostly an attempt to pander to the unions and the anti-corporation & anti-industry crowds.
And yes, it seems awfully short sighted. It might help them pick up a couple million voters, but it could easily alienate 50 million others
It’s *definately* a variation of “poor people don’t know what’s good for them.”
Employees are as likely to be offended as feel defended and people who *shop* at Wal-Mart are going to feel as though they are being criticized for their behavior.
(I like some Wal-Mart stores and despise others. The closest to me is a SuperStore and I only go there if I absolutely am forced to. I’d chose shopping there over a root canal, but only barely.)
The market will take care of Wal-Mart one way or the other. Leave it up to Adam Smith’s invisible hand. If Wal-Mart listens to its customers and gives them what they want then it will be successful, if not it’ll go the way of Sears regardless of how many dim-whitted politico’s are lined up against it.
WalMart has good prices and have upgraded their merchandise in my small town super store. They also pay a little above average in wages. So, what’s the beef about WalMart. The only thing I’d criticize WalMart for is the quality of their meat. It has little taste and looks like veal.
I shop at Walmart. I don’t have a lot of money. I suspect many of the people who shop there don’t have a lot of money. I see people who work there who seem disabled. I think in the end this issue may backfire.
Did your bride watch that anti-Wal-Mart movie or something? Those agit-prop-DNC sponsored anti-capitalist movies always slay the liberals.
Tell the lovely better half the Dems are just trying to protect her from ankle injuries.
‘Cause they care…
It’s hard to understand why the so-called “party of the common folk” would launch a jihad at a store that helps those common folk stretch their dollars.
Wait a minute ……
maybe it’s because when their dollars go farther, they have less need for them?
– but I cannot and will not sign on to a party that wants to cry and whine and bitch about how bad things are – and more importantly – how its all my fault and I need to be punished for all the crimes of western civilization.–
Ahhh, Carter’s Malaise speech, I believe c. 1979.
No strappy sandals??? I’d Die!! I live in strappy things, hence the name…
The whole “Take care of the stupid wal-mart shopper and turn them off this evil enterprise because they’re too dumb to take care of themselves” argument is a red herring for the fact that the dems can’t stand the non-union involvement at their local wally world.
They just opened the first communist Wal-Mart in Bejing. I’m interested to see which continent it has greater effect upon. You know my money bets on China favoring the whole capitalist dance.
I shop Wal-Mart when I want to get out of the house at 2am. Target closes at 10.
Are you still looking for a financial instrument paying around 6%? Fremont out here in CA has a short term, $10k min at 5.9%
Living and working in NYC has made me appreciate Wal Mart more and more. I’m and ex-actor and I had the pleasure of touring with a number of Theatre companies in the Southeast. WM was a god send for underpaid actors plying their trade (cheap food, drink, clothes, books, mags, etc.). After getting to NY I had to start shopping at local bodegas/delis. Supermarkets are hard to come by if you don’t have a car. Sure I can pick up smokes and magazines, but the bodegas by-and-large lack not only the goods themselves, but variety. And when I travel to friends places in other areas of NY, I come across some mom and pop places that are dubious in their store quality and down-right predatory in their pricing. This phenomena BTW I find most often in areas that are heavily black or latino.
WM may not be the best thing since sliced bread, but from where I stand in NYC, its the least worst option. I would rather have variety and consistent level of quality at a low price rather than having to go from specialty store to specialty store in order to find something.
I just don’t see what the big -deal is with anti-WM folks. Don’t like it – don’t shop there.
BTW – the point I made above about predatory pricing and low-quality stores in black and latino areas was meant to highlight the fact that the communities that historically don’t have money are paying more for necessary items due to the current business structure with mom-and pop shops.
(As a play on what I always tell my annoying yuppie colleagues when the imbeciles get into bash Wal Mart mode…)
I know why you don’t go to Wal Mart. BLACK people shop there!
In my neck of these here woods, it’s them Mexicans who shop there… /tongueincheek.
I know why you don’t go to Wal Mart. BLACK people shop there!
Yup.
I stopped by a wallyworld saturday. It’s not a normal stop for me (it’s well out of my way), and one of the things I noticed immediately was that there were a lot more non-anglo types in there than was usual for a store around here.
I’m having a lot of trouble understanding why the Dems are going so far out of their way to bash the store their constituents shop at.
What’s minority turnout in Dem primaries like?
BD,
You’re right. If Republicans are successful at privatizing pension, healthcare and educational choice people will find that they have the ability to manage these facets of their lives just about as well as they manage other facets of their lives.
When the vast majority of people arrive at that point, yes, Democrats will be obsolete. Their whole purpose is to make people dependant upon their, Democratic, paternalism. Reach critical mass with a society of mostly independent, strong, people and nothing the Democrats stand for will resonate.
I think the Democrats know this and that’s why they don’t even bother debating the substance of ideas anymore. That’s why all you see is smear after smear after smear. Its sometimes effective, sure. And if its all you’ve got, what else can you do?
Those poor WalMart employees working in the big box just outside of town formerly worked for those merry little business owners on Main Street. You know the owners: hogged the best parking places on the street, weren’t open when you needed to shop, shoddy stuff, shabby fixtures, no returns or adjutments.
Oh, and how they treated their employees: No paid holidays; no paid vacation; no access to health care or profit sharing; poor, unsafe and uninspected work conditions; minimum or sub-minimum “off the books” wages; no hope of promotion. Yep, WalMart is bad for these former employees of Mom & Pop stores.
The facts are Wart-Mart and super stores are NOT good for our country. My father-in law lives in a little town in Humbolt Ca. where a rich rep. came in and try to drive out the Mom and Pop local hardware store. That is just one good reason you need to become a democrat.
“There goes the little man.” Allen Jackson