In Support of Wal-Mart

I was watching one of the financial channels reporting that Wal-Mart will be employing over 22,000 people in the near future; it further reported that the stigma, unbeknownst to me, of shopping at Wal-Mart was no longer prevalent due to the current recession. I supposed those of us who were not born on the equivalent of base ball’s “home base” or who’ve yet to remove the corrosion from the spoon we were born with, are mostly ignorant of such a stigma. The point I want to address is that I will never understand the animus generated towards Wal-Mart; it is an American company employing many and bringing affordable supplies to the masses. Wal-Mart’s critics say that its behemoth structures adversely affect the surrounding environment, stifle competition, and prevent union shops. There is an elitist, paternalistic streak that is evident when these critics address those who are employed at Wal-Mart. As for the environment, perhaps, we need to see the same amount of “green jobs” provided to match Wal-Mart’s. The critics of Wal-Mart always seem to speak in theory, offering no empirical evidence to support the findings of these theories--If you are going to bash Wal-Mart, you in turn must replace it with whatever it is that is so enticing and attractive to shop at Wal-Mart. I do not subscribe all the way to the Darwinist take on economic survival, but the difference in prices for food and especially medication is palpable for the typical consumer who shops at Wal-Mart. I have empathy for the “mom and pop” outlets which are competing with Wal-Mart, but it is hard to ignore what Wal-Mart adds to a given city: jobs, cheap food, clothing, and the attendant taxes from employment, payroll, and otherwise. For Wal-Mart’s critics, give us alternatives, augmented by empirical evidence, to support your findings of the supposedly negative influences Wal-Mart have on a given area. As for now, I will continue to laud the jobs, the consumer staples that are cost effective, and the cheap medication Wal-Mart provide for the poor and elderly….

-Verily Prime