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Wal-Mart, free market, and observations
Monday, December 22, 2008 5:14 AM PST
Apparently, Wal-Mart is coming. However, some interesting items have appeared in the paper along the way.
A few days ago, Lodi First paid for a full page against Wal-Mart that took the approach of trying to show that Wal-Mart brings crime. It had two newspaper stories about criminal events at Wal-Mart.
These two items may be true, but there are other criminal events that they ignored. If Wal-Mart is such a danger to the community, what about the child abuse that has happened at Catholic churches? Why isn't Lodi First asking that St. Anne's be required to relocate to areas physically removed from children, the way registered sex offenders are?
The other interesting thing was in the paper on Dec. 8, in a comment from Teresa Robles. She said she is a cashier at Rancho San Miguel market, has lived in Lodi for 20 years, and has been just fine without a Wal-Mart. I noticed that she didn't comment on how the small local Mexican stores felt when Rancho San Miguel opened. I'm sure that they didn't like it. I guess that they weren't as well-organized as the bigger store opposition that is now trying to stop Wal-Mart.
I live in Galt and we have almost no stores to shop at here, so I go to Lodi, Elk Grove, Stockton, Sacramento and the Internet. I have mixed feelings about Wal-Mart. I shop there at times because I cannot find some of the things I want any place else. But I am concerned about the power that Wal-Mart has in the market. They have a lot of control over how companies can do business with them.
Perhaps that is part of the price we must pay for living in a free market economy. But maybe with all the various bailouts, that too will change.
Reuven E. Epstein
Galt
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Rhodie wrote on Dec 22, 2008 5:24 PM:
" Rhodie, "stay at home dad" must kick butt."
The only hard part is vacations. Either it is take the kids with you or it is school breaks where they are home with you all the time. It took a few years but I finally came to the understanding with the wife that I need more than a day off a year which means she takes the kids and goes to family and leaves me at home so I can detox. "
sam wrote on Dec 22, 2008 4:38 PM:
He is struggling wanting to change direction and stay home more with his babies.
I said to "chase the babies, not the buck." Being an at home parent is a treasure. Nothing compares. "
Cogito wrote on Dec 22, 2008 12:28 PM:
Rhodie wrote on Dec 22, 2008 12:05 PM:
It was which was why I was "departed". I refused to do things I questioned the ethics of (an thought could be illegal). I also warned a customer or two not to purchase something because of my concerns. Wasn't a big deal, my departure, I had already given my 9 months notice (to start my new career as a stay at home daddy) they only shaved three weeks off my time with them.
"who did business with YOUR boss had the right whether to do, or not do, business with him."
I agree. A smart business owner is always looking for the best deals to give them the advantage. Walmart has dominated the market because they can create the advantage. Bad business owners think stagniant business is good business. "
Cogito wrote on Dec 22, 2008 10:51 AM:
Rhodie wrote on Dec 22, 2008 10:00 AM:
I use to work for a small bulk food distributor and one of the bosses pastimes was to bargin hunt for his business. That is if he could get a better deal somewhere else then he would call his current distributor and demand they make a better deal. We would get three to four new suppliers every month on a constant rotation.
It should be noted that I had questions about his ethics and business practices but not in regard to looking for the best deals (more in the area of quality control) which lead to my departure. "
LodiSafeway wrote on Dec 22, 2008 8:41 AM:
Unless in violation of the law, Wal-Mart (and any other store) should have absolute control over how companies can do business with them. I am more concerned about the limitations being placed on this very Supercenter as it attempts to conduct business here. "
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