A different take on Wal-Mart - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Orkrist2 · #16 08-25-2006, 11:07 AM

I guess we'll wait 20 years and see.

Hatterasguy · #17 08-25-2006, 12:05 PM

Actauly if anyone has been watching companies are moving factories out of China for India and Vietnam. Vietnam has cheaper wages.

Welcome to the global economy, get used to it or fall by the wayside.

Jorn · #18 08-25-2006, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pxland

No offense to you but...

So what?

Maybe it doesn't matter to me personally but It it will have implications for the rest of the world. Money means power and we will be come depending on
a communist country with a horrible human rights record.

Americans are not allowed to travel to Cuba, but we can do free trade and open factories in a country where people are disappearing or are jailed for reading a political website.

If you go to Long Beach you can see those massive container ships from China, can't remember what happened but one of those ships could not unload his cargo, a couple of weeks before christmas and had a huge impact on the retailers that were depending on products from China to meet there christmas sales.

And I think it's ironic that at the end a communist country beats a capitalist
country with it's own way of live; it's greed for products. Especially with the help of such an American icon as Wal-Mart.

But in history power shifts, not always a bad thing.

raymr · #19 08-25-2006, 02:11 PM

What would be ironic is if the Chinese present Walmart with a buyout offer that they just can't refuse......

Jorn · #20 08-25-2006, 02:18 PM

But are they not already in the same boat?

420SEL · #21 08-25-2006, 02:59 PM

http://www.mises.org/story/2219

dannym · #22 08-25-2006, 04:12 PM

China is not a Communist/Socialist nation like The former USSR.
They have managed to mix capitalism and Socialism quite well.

The biggest problem with China is their economy is very fragile and could completely collapse at any time.
Have the Commies beaten the capitalists at their own game? Not quite yet!

Personally I don't care who Walmart has taken out of poverty if they are causing people to lose jobs here.

Danny

riethoven · #23 08-25-2006, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannym

Personally I don't care who Walmart has taken out of poverty if they are causing people to lose jobs here.

Danny

Hooray Let's put tariffs on Chinese good to make them the equivilent as if they were manufactured here. Why should we give them business when we are losing manufacturing jobs?

Kuan · #24 08-25-2006, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannym

China is not a Communist/Socialist nation like The former USSR.
They have managed to mix capitalism and Socialism quite well.

Please don't presume you know what life is like inside China.

Dee8go · #25 08-25-2006, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jorn

. . Some predict that the Chinese economy will surpass the American in 20 years from now. It's ironic that communist China beats capitalist USA with it's own stick.

It's not really that ironic. We have passed the zenith of our great American empire. We have grown fat and lazy, more interested in being entertained and pampered, than in achieving new things.

If another country (like China) has the hunger and the political will to overtake us, they will. I was staggered at the amount of US debt the Chinese own now.

raymr · #26 08-25-2006, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

It's not really that ironic. We have passed the zenith of our great American empire. We have grown fat and lazy, more interested in being entertained and pampered, than in achieving new things.

If another country (like China) has the hunger and the political will to overtake us, they will. I was staggered at the amount of US debt the Chinese own now.

I don't completely agree. Part of the American story is the spreading of capitalism and democracy around the world. Its to our credit that these concepts are taking hold and growing outside our borders. What we need now is new leadership that doesn't just rehash old ideas, but moves us in a new direction. An all-out push for sustainable renewable energy and regaining our leadership in education and high tech manufacturing would be a good start.

aklim · #27 08-25-2006, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

It's not really that ironic. We have passed the zenith of our great American empire. We have grown fat and lazy, more interested in being entertained and pampered, than in achieving new things.

If another country (like China) has the hunger and the political will to overtake us, they will. I was staggered at the amount of US debt the Chinese own now.

Hence, I have a side question. If the oil supply were interrupted and China cannot get enough and say collapses, what do you think will happen to the debt situation?

aklim · #28 08-25-2006, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MedMech

Meijer keeps employees just below 40 hours so they don't have to pay benefits and keeps most wages at minimum, and add union dues on top of that.

Well, you have a way of sticking it up my butt (Union) and I also have a way of sticking it up your butt (keeping you under 40 hrs). Meijer doesn't add union dues on top of that. The employees did that all by themselves when they voted in the union.

BTW, why did you say similar union store? I thought Wal*Mart is non-union?

aklim · #29 08-25-2006, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymr

I wish I could care more about the plight of the Chinese, but I don't. Its really nice of Walmart to pull so many folks out of poverty on the other side of the world, while creating more here. Does anyone remember their 'Buy American' slogan?

Buy American is a nice idea. Who will do that? Look at the story of the Little Red Hen. They will sell all the American you will buy. But if you won't buy American then they can either beat a dead horse and go out of business or change. Stores will sell what you want. If you are willing to pay $10 for a US made wrench while the Chinese one is $2, they will sell it all day long.

Seems to me like when the customer speaks with his wallet, people either are in support of it if they like what happens or are against it if they don't like what happens. What do you want? Do you want a store to sell what people will want to buy or sell what it wants to sell?

mikemover · #30 08-25-2006, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jorn

And I think it's ironic that at the end a communist country beats a capitalist
country with it's own way of live; it's greed for products. Especially with the help of such an American icon as Wal-Mart.

They are FAR from "beating us at our own game" yet... They're playing a quick (and unsustainable, in my opinion) game of catch-up right now...

And the reason is: Their economy is becoming "Westernized" (in other words, becoming more and more capitalist). The government will eventually follow suit. Once enough Chinese folks learn how much that a free market economy can benefit them, their government will lose its "iron grip." It is already beginning.

Mike