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Thread: Your Walmart dollars at work

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    God/dess Deogol's Avatar
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    Default Your Walmart dollars at work

    Sing with me "It's going to be a communist world, yes it is, it's going to be a communist world, yes it is..."



    This year, two Caribbean countries -- Dominica and Grenada -- switched allegiance to China, abandoning Taiwan, which China calls "a renegade province."

    "Democratic, market-oriented Taiwan is a thorn in its side," said Steve Johnson, senior policy analyst at the conservative Washington, D.C.-based Heritage Foundation.

    Two weeks before Dominica changed sides, Taiwan gave it $9 million. China promised Dominica $112 million over the next six years.

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    Banned Melonie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your Walmart dollars at work

    these days, money talks and politics walks !

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    Featured Member Destiny's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your Walmart dollars at work

    I don't get the title of this thread.
    Dancing is wonderful training for girls, it's the first way you learn to guess what a man is going to do before he does it. ~Christopher Morley, Kitty Foyle

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    Banned Melonie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your Walmart dollars at work

    Quote Originally Posted by Destiny
    I don't get the title of this thread.
    Americans spend tons of money at WalMart. Walmart buys most of their bargain basement products from Chinese companies, most of which flows on to the Chinese government rather than the pockets of $1.50 a day Chinese workers. The Chinese government then turns around and uses that formerly American money to effectively 'buy off' existing international support of it's 'rebel province' Taiwan (which some of us like to think is actually an independent, democratic country, and which the US gov't continues to support at a hefty cost to US taxpayers) - via the governments of Carribean nations being willing to change their foreign policy and UN votes in exchange for a few million dollars worth of of Chinese investment/aid.

    Bottom line is that the governments of some 'disreputable' countries aren't much different than some 'disreputable' dancers, i.e. they'll gladly sacrifice principles in exchange for earning a few extra bucks in the back room ! The irony here of course is that Americans are indirectly paying the bill which allows the Chinese gov't to further its own foreign (or domestic depending on your view about the 'rebel province') policy in a manner which is in direct opposition to US foreign policy and the continued independence of 'democratic' Taiwanese.

    ~

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    Featured Member Destiny's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your Walmart dollars at work

    Okay, but the last paragraph of the article says:

    U.S. exports to China have grown more rapidly than to any other country with
    cumulative investment there reaching $35 billion, according to the State Department. Among leading U.S. businesses there, Wal-Mart sales in China totaled $707 million in 2003.

    So while we're buying stuff from China, it sounds like they are buying more and more stuff from us. It seems like a gross over-simplification to blame Wal-Mart for a foreign country's foreign policy decisions, and what would you suggest Wal-Mart do about it?
    Dancing is wonderful training for girls, it's the first way you learn to guess what a man is going to do before he does it. ~Christopher Morley, Kitty Foyle

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    God/dess Deogol's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your Walmart dollars at work

    Quote Originally Posted by Destiny
    Okay, but the last paragraph of the article says:

    U.S. exports to China have grown more rapidly than to any other country with
    cumulative investment there reaching $35 billion, according to the State Department. Among leading U.S. businesses there, Wal-Mart sales in China totaled $707 million in 2003.

    So while we're buying stuff from China, it sounds like they are buying more and more stuff from us. It seems like a gross over-simplification to blame Wal-Mart for a foreign country's foreign policy decisions, and what would you suggest Wal-Mart do about it?
    You are focusing on the tree and not the forest.

    What I am saying, is that we are empowering a communist country with our own greed and consumerism (via multiple companies), and that greed and consumerism is going to bite us in the ass in the coming decade.

    This is an example of outsourcing and free trade working against democracy and enabling anti-thesis countries to our belief in freedom.

    (As for China buying more and more stuff from us, I postulate it is made by the chinese, sold by the chinese, consumed by the chinese and yet since it is an "american" organization the numbers go on "our" side of the balance sheet.)

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    Banned Melonie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your Walmart dollars at work

    As for China buying more and more stuff from us, I postulate it is made by the chinese, sold by the chinese, consumed by the chinese and yet since it is an "american" organization the numbers go on "our" side of the balance sheet.
    Yes, China has attracted a lot of capital/business investment from American companies who in effect have closed down their manufacturing operations in the USA in favor of constructing and operating new manufacturing operations in China to take advantage of China's lower taxes. much lower labor costs, less stringent environmental regulations, virtually non-existant labor and employee benefit laws etc. Products made and sold by such companies are booked on the American side of the balance sheet because of the American ownership of the company located in China, however not one dollar of this business goes to American workers and very few dollars of this business go to American tax receipts.

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    Featured Member discretedancer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your Walmart dollars at work

    WHile reading this, consider that WalMart is China's 8th largest trading partner. Bigger than most countries. Then add the effect of all the TV manufacturers, other box stores, etc....and you see how much we contribute every day to the problem.

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie
    in favor of constructing and operating new manufacturing operations in China to take advantage of China's lower taxes. much lower labor costs, less stringent environmental regulations, virtually non-existant labor and employee benefit laws etc.
    All of the above is true, and as a consumer I have trouble accepting that my purchases go to support these practices - and it's why I try to work with "Made in USA products or companies (like Nike, surprisingly) that are making efforts to control/improve their overseas operations.

    Products made and sold by such companies are booked on the American side of the balance sheet because of the American ownership of the company located in China, however not one dollar of this business goes to American workers and very few dollars of this business go to American tax receipts.
    This is the problem I have with most imports - the loss of jobs in the US (and the resulting loss in our security) and the fact that the companies can sidestep many taxes and regulations (even after the product hits US shores) by working overseeas. Not to mention the INCENTIVES our government has recently put in place for companies that "stimulate shareholder revenues" by working in this way.

    As a remedy, consider using CoOp America's "Green Pages" or some other guide to socially responsible consumer practices (places and brands to buy) and don't just go for the lowest price. As a planet, we get what you pay for.


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