Comments on: Why Wal-Mart Is Now Supporting An Employer Mandate http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/06/30/walmart-letter/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:42:01 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Deborah http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/06/30/walmart-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-155002 Deborah Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:43:16 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/?p=17171#comment-155002 I see a clinic in every Walmart... I see a clinic in every Walmart…

]]> By: Sean W. Malone http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/06/30/walmart-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-154927 Sean W. Malone Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:17:06 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/?p=17171#comment-154927 By "levels the playing field between employers", you mean: <em>"Gives an enormous advantage to mega-corporations like Wal-Mart at the expense of their smaller competitors"</em>, right? Wal-Mart is going to be able to easily afford to comply with the new regulations, as are a few of their major competitors, but these kinds of laws erect GIGANTIC barriers to market-entry for smaller competitors who don't have the teams of lawyers, the financial reserves or the lobbyists in Washington needed to either comply with, or get around the new laws. I love it when people are unable to see the secondary and tertiary effects of policy. What's even better is that a few months ago, Wal-Mart is a greedy multinational who does everything in their power to stifle competition and squeeze out the little guy... and today, when they're doing *exactly* that, they are lauded for it? Wal-Mart's support isn't a mark of generosity, but a mark of opportunism... DUH. Speaking of patterns, this one is getting old: <blockquote> 1. Government policy screws us, then politicians blame the market 2. People see "greedy" corporations and are more than happy to blame them for current crisis 3. Government gets massive new powers 4. Mega-corps benefit most from new laws, since they're politically connected, can afford lobbyists and love seeing policies hurt their prospective competition 5. Politicians laud new policy as "reining in greedy corporations" - People BELIEVE it (!?) 6. Mega-corps get bigger, politicians get more power and more bribe money, little corps go out of business under the weight of the new laws... and consumers get royally hosed by higher prices, fewer choices, poorer quality.</blockquote> 7. Consumers blame mega-corps' greed and the "free market", then pass new laws to "rein them in"... don't rinse, repeat. By “levels the playing field between employers”, you mean:
“Gives an enormous advantage to mega-corporations like Wal-Mart at the expense of their smaller competitors”, right?

Wal-Mart is going to be able to easily afford to comply with the new regulations, as are a few of their major competitors, but these kinds of laws erect GIGANTIC barriers to market-entry for smaller competitors who don’t have the teams of lawyers, the financial reserves or the lobbyists in Washington needed to either comply with, or get around the new laws.

I love it when people are unable to see the secondary and tertiary effects of policy. What’s even better is that a few months ago, Wal-Mart is a greedy multinational who does everything in their power to stifle competition and squeeze out the little guy… and today, when they’re doing *exactly* that, they are lauded for it?

Wal-Mart’s support isn’t a mark of generosity, but a mark of opportunism… DUH.

Speaking of patterns, this one is getting old:

1. Government policy screws us, then politicians blame the market
2. People see “greedy” corporations and are more than happy to blame them for current crisis
3. Government gets massive new powers
4. Mega-corps benefit most from new laws, since they’re politically connected, can afford lobbyists and love seeing policies hurt their prospective competition
5. Politicians laud new policy as “reining in greedy corporations” – People BELIEVE it (!?)
6. Mega-corps get bigger, politicians get more power and more bribe money, little corps go out of business under the weight of the new laws… and consumers get royally hosed by higher prices, fewer choices, poorer quality.

7. Consumers blame mega-corps’ greed and the “free market”, then pass new laws to “rein them in”… don’t rinse, repeat.

]]> By: Matthew Schonholz http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/06/30/walmart-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-154917 Matthew Schonholz Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:02:53 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/?p=17171#comment-154917 Could it also be that Wal Mart sees the writing on the wall with localities like Maryland and San Francisco putting in these mandates and Wal Mart just wants a national standard, not just a patch work of laws? Could it also be that Wal Mart sees the writing on the wall with localities like Maryland and San Francisco putting in these mandates and Wal Mart just wants a national standard, not just a patch work of laws?

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