Humiliating Politicians Into Addressing Wal-Mart

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Mon, 11 Apr 2005 08:24:09 -0500

Humiliating Politicians Into Addressing Wal-Mart

 

 

 

http://www.davidsirota.com/2005/04/humiliating-politicians-into.html

 

Humiliating Politicians Into Addressing Wal-Mart

 

 

Progressives in Colorado are on the verge of passing one of the most

important pieces of legislation when it comes to workers, health care,

and Wal-Mart. Denver's Rocky Mountain News reports that under pending

legislation, the state " would publish a list of companies that offer

little or no health insurance - as well as how much they're costing

the state in Medicaid. " Wal-Mart is expected to be high on the list.

 

Consider the following statistics to understand how disgusting

Wal-Mart's willingness to shaft its workers really is: The company is

one of the wealthiest in the world, regularly topping the Fortune 500

list, with almost $300 billion in annual sales. The company is so

flush with cash, it pays its top executive almost $20 million a year,

showers the Republican Party in campaign cash, uses its army of

lobbyists to push for estate tax cuts for the Walton family, and,

according to a former top executive, spends freely on anti-union

activities.

 

This same super-wealthy company, however, pleads poverty when it comes

to its workers, often paying employees so little they have to seek

welfare assistance. In Florida, for instance, the St. Petersburg Times

reports Wal-Mart " has more employees and family members enrolled in

Medicaid than any company in the state. "

 

Similarly, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that a Georgia

survey " found 10,261 of the 166,000 children covered by Georgia's

PeachCare for Kids health insurance in September 2002 had a parent

working for Wal-Mart. " That was " about 14 times the number for next

highest employer: Publix, with 734. " And the New York Times reported

that a North Carolina hospital " found that 31 percent of 1,900

patients who described themselves as Wal-Mart employees were on

Medicaid, while an additional 16 percent had no insurance at all. "

 

That's why Colorado's potential move is so important - it is a first

step to more publicly exposing just how abusive Wal-Mart is to its

workers - and just how much Wal-Mart is ripping off regular taxpayers

with its reliance on public assistance.

 

One might think that the federal government would already be following

Colorado's lead, what with the the world's wealthiest company

disingenuously relying on government assistance to provide its workers

with health care. Instead, however, it is giving away even more

government cash and favors to the company. For instance, the

Associated Press reported federal lawmakers actually approved a bill

" that includes $37 million for widening and extending the Bentonville

street that provides the main access to the headquarters of Wal-Mart

Store. " Meanwhile, the Bush administration reportedly cut a secret

agreement between with Wal-Mart giving the giant retailer the

authority to conduct its own investigations of employee wage and hour

complaints. The New York Times reported that " a provision of the

agreement also promises to give Wal-Mart 15 days' advance notice "

before the Department of Labor investigates accusations such as

failure to pay minimum wage or overti me.

 

Maybe, if the Colorado effort is successful, free-market ideologues in

the White House and Congress will finally be embarassed into reversing

these odious actions, and cracking down on this abusive corporation

once and for all.

 

 

 

Sources:

 

Colorado's new legislation:

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/legislature/article/0,1299,DRMN_37_3687607\

,00.html

 

Wal-Mart tops Fortune 500 list for third year in a row:

http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/21/news/fortune500/f500_release/

 

Wal-Mart's roughly $300 billion in annual sales:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/04/national/main685527.shtml

 

Wal-Mart's executive salaries:

http://retailtrafficmag.com/mag/retail_always_low_prices/

 

Wal-Mart showers the GOP in cash:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2004-02-02-walmart_x.htm

 

Wal-Mart pushes for estate tax cuts:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2005-04-05-waltons-usat_x.htm

 

Wal-Mart executive says company funded anti-union efforts:

http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/08/news/fortune500/walmart.reut/

 

Florida Wal-Mart workers on Medicaid:

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/25/State/Lured_employers_now_t.shtml

 

Georgia Wal-Mart workers on Medicaid:

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/0204/27walmart.html

 

North Carolina Wal-Mart workers on Medicaid:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/01/business/01health.html?ex

=1257051600 & en=1332da2a8d6bb9ac & ei=5090 & partner=rssuserland

 

Congress/Bush still giving Wal-Mart welfare:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2005-03-25-walmart-street_x.htm?\

csp=34

 

Bush cuts secret deal with Wal-Mart:

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ed31_democrats/rel21405.html

Just wait till Jesus gets his hands on you, you little bastard......

Abbie Hoffman