It's Day 298 of the Pelosi Revolution and...

Problem solved.

* Wal-Mart pays an average hourly wage of $8.23 an hour, according to independent expert statistical analysis, which falls below basic living wage standards and even below poverty lines.
* Wal-Mart claims an hourly wage of $9.68 an hour is its national average, though that still equals poverty levels for workers. Since “full time” at Wal-Mart is 34 hours a week according to company policy, full-time workers make a mere $17,114.24 a year—below the federal poverty level for a family of four.
* The most common Wal-Mart jobs earn less.
o A sales associate--the most common job classification--earns on average $8.23 per hour ($13,861 annually)
o A cashier—the second most common job—earns about $7.92 per hour ($11,948 annually)
o Sales associates and cashiers combined account for more than a third of all Wal-Mart jobs.
* The world’s largest and richest retailer—with more than $250 billion in annual revenue--can afford wage increases. Wal-Mart could pay each employee a dollar more per hour if the company increased its prices by a half-penny per dollar. For example, a $2.00 pair of socks would then cost $2.01. This minimal increase would annually add up to $1,800 for each employee.
* A Wal-Mart spokesperson told USA Today on 1/29/03 that their pay is close to or equal to union wages.

http://www.ufcw.org/press_room/fact_sheets_and_backgrounder/walmart/wages.cfm

 

America: Third World Nation on the Rise. Where the highest corporate pigs are gouging customers with one hand, kneeling before their boss gods and fixing their next meth batch with the other hand.

 

If you can tell me that not working pays more, then you win. But last I knew, not working paid $0.00 an hour ($0.00 annually).

Also, you're apparently under the impression that Wal-Mart is the only place in the country hiring. You're also under the impression, apparently, that people can't get an education and qualify for better jobs than at Wal-Mart.

 

Tony, I know a man on disability who tried to go back to work, but he can't because his disability insurance and supplment won't allow him to without forfeiture of some up to all of that assistance. And he cannot work full-time because of his disability. So in his case, he profits by not working. And it kills him. I'm for Republicans on morals and the fact they're not doves when it comes to the defense policy of this country. But these same Republicans are out of touch with the growing working poor in this country. And the Democrats are worse because they're hypocrites, saying one thing and doing another about it. I agree with the previous poster: blow Congress up.

 

What you describe is also exactly how the welfare system used to be run. And to an extent, it's still run in that manner. Work is discouraged; dependence encouraged. And the dems are right there to tell those folks that they'll take care of them. They've done a great job so far, no?

 

That's it, but on the other hand, the GOP hasn't perfected a worthy alternative.

 

Largest private employer in the US? Glad you asked.

http://ask.yahoo.com/20040802.html

 

That wasn't the question, and you know it. The question was whether Wal-Mart is the ONLY employer, which is what you insinuated. And 1.1 million about 0.007 percent of total jobs. So if you're comfortable with positing that Wal-Mart is the only place hiring, you're clearly below moron level on the IQ chart.

And I note with interest that you had to put "private" in front of employer. Millions and millions of jobs in the public sector, too.

 

Didn't insinuate a thing o_t., just noted a disquieting trend toward institutionalized poverty in our "service economy". But in a country where 1.1 million jobs represent only 7/1000s of a percent of all possible employment, I'm sure we'll be turning the corner soon. How could we not, with a billion and a half US jobs out there?


And why would a Republican want more people taking jobs in government?

 

But Tony, and I'm with you man, what do you do with a growing cost of living and a growing service industry that pays low wages? What's the ultimate shape of this country? There's a reality to economic growth. If you can't afford the goods, you can't buy them. Or you enslave yourself to debt - which is what the government itself has done. In light of those trends, tell me how the future is bright. I know you can come up with something better than the hyprocisy of a guy like Kerry ("Help is on the way") or the revolutionary Pelosi. I guess since Kerry didn't get elected, he quit helping in Congress.

 

Jesus.
Bill Clinton signed the welfare-reform act 11 years ago, largely so he could get elected, and you're running tropes from 1979.

 

I vote. I don't have much confidence in the cocksuckers I send up there, but I vote.

And, I don't think I've thrown up my hands. I believe I've taken more interest in our government than most. Hell, the vast majority.