Buy American, Or Sell Out For A Discount?
Patt Morrison goes to Walmart:
Sam Walton's autobiography is subtitled "Made in America." Sam's been dead about a dozen years, but I'd still like to take him shopping with me to find out just what there is in Wal-Mart, besides Mr. Sam, that's made in America. The grail of free trade ó Greenbacks Sans Frontieres ó has made it not only old-fashioned to "Buy American," but damned near impossible.All right, Mr. Sam, just inside the door, Jordache low-rise jeans, $17.94 ó from the Philippines. That floaty pink rayon blouse on sale for $9 ó India. Ah, here we go, L'Eggs panty hose, nude, sheer-toe, three pairs for $5, made in USA ó of imported and domestic fibers. And oh, Sam, oh, Walt ó a Disney Winnie-the-Pooh anniversary clock for $19.86 Ö made in China?
I tell you, who needs an exotic overseas vacation? Let Wal-Mart take you on a tour of the far-flung souks and sweatshops of the world, brought right here to your own hometown:
Little girls' Fruit of the Loom boy-leg briefs, two pairs, pink and blue, $4.66, made in Egypt. Scooby-Doo men's sleep pants, trademark Cartoon Network, $11.93, made in Cambodia. A Vassarette silken heather underwire bra, $9.66, size thirty-Öno, you don'tÖmade in Thailand. On the clearance rack, a Kathie Lee jacket from Bangladesh, a White Stag striped shirt from Honduras, a fake-leather-trimmed coat from Korea, another jacket from Guatemala.
Don't I need a visa for this? No, just a Visa.
Patt nails it in the finale:
I didn't talk to the shoppers. They were busy, and what's the point? Just as the bus strikes pitted the working class against the working poor, Wal-Mart sucks them all up: foreign workers desperate for jobs, American workers whose real wages have dropped and left them desperate for cheap goods, and Americans who would rather work at Wal-Mart's non-union jobs, with poor benefits and lower wages, than have no work at all. It's a circle of falling dominoes: Because decent-paying working- and middle-class American jobs are harder to come by, shoppers can't afford to go elsewhere, so they buy goods made overseas for pennies an hour, which encourages manufacturers to shut factories here to send work overseas, which means that more decent-paying jobsÖyou see where this goes.
I do, and that's why I don't shop at Walmart or Sam's Club. Do you?
When China knocked our our Navy jet a few years back I stopped buying things made in China.
I got thrown out of Wal-Mart for taking a basket full of things made in China and in the middle of the aisle in front of the cash registers demanding of the manager that he explain why he sold so much "SHIT" from China. I refused to leave until the deputy Sheriff arrived.
Most people thought I was crazy.
The wage issue is just one more reason not to shop there.
Bob at December 25, 2003 9:17 PM
Yeah, middle class jobs are disappearing -- that's why so many people are standing in line to buy widescreen teevees and the average couple owns 2.6 cars, including at least one SUV.
Walton's at one time did only sell made-in-the-USA products, but consumers kept demanding lower prices, so that's the direction the country choose to go in. Wal-mart isn't successful because it's forcing people to buy its merchandise; it's successful because people want lower prices, and Wal-mart efficiently delivers lower prices. And in the process, saves American consumers about $100 billion a year -- that's $100 billion people can spend on other things, which means more jobs! And by being such a large company keeping prices down, Wal-Mart has a profound effect in fighting inflation, which means more money in circulation and more jobs!
Would it suck to work and Wal-Mart with their wages and their benefits? Sure! But that's why I got a some college and some learning and got me a professional-level job, so I wouldn't have to work at Wal-Mart or even a union job at Von's or Ralphs. But beyond that, how many of Wal-Mart's employees are really that miserable? How many of them are really just semi-retirees, who don't need a full-on income, or spouses just looking for a second income.
All I'm saying, the picture is much more complex than the anti-Wallies make it out to be.
Howard Owens at December 26, 2003 10:21 AM
Actually, I stand with Virginia Postrel on this one -- that techno-goodies are now so cheaply manufactured that the middle class can afford them. It's simply short-sighted to go for discounts that mean we'll be picking up social services slack for the people who work at the Wal-Marts of the world; an immoral to go for them with the price being some Honduran lady's wrists. I'm not against getting a good price on labor -- but it should also be a fair price. Unfortunately, the reason laissez-faire capitalism isn't a viable system -- and this is from a person who is a capitalist -- is that many people aren't voluntarily moral and ethical.
Amy Alkon at December 26, 2003 10:41 AM
The way you correct the labor situation overseas isn't to stop shopping at Wally World (Let's be realistic, that ain't going to happen. It rubs against the very basic tenants of capitalism). The way deal with third-world labor issues is through trade agreements that aim to protect worker rights.
Howard Owens at December 26, 2003 4:58 PM
Howard! I'm shocked! You're for protectionism?
Amy Alkon at December 26, 2003 5:04 PM
Wal Mart does have it's faults I agree but it was a place my mother and younger sister (who has since passed away)could go and spend the day shopping and get everything they needed in one place. Their cars worked on, their hair cut, etc. It's a memory my mom has of my sister and for that I thank Wal Mart.
Jack at December 27, 2003 9:22 AM
"how many of Wal-Mart's employees are really that miserable? How many of them are really just semi-retirees, who don't need a full-on income, or spouses just looking for a second income."
Howard -- These are good questions that could be answered easily enough with an employee survey. It would certainly be in the interests of Wal-Mart to publicize the kind of findings that you seem to think they'd find. So why do you think we don't have firm answers to these questions?
Lena at December 27, 2003 9:55 PM
we are both i and my lover is different riligious.we love each other .we know our relation can't be suported by our socity but we can't fogate each other.Now if you help us by given some advice about our relation and lower suport in bagladesh then we will be pleased.
bye
prakash chandra mondal. at April 27, 2004 10:19 PM