16 replies to this topic

[Rogerdodger]

Walmart Shrugs
1,800 new retail jobs and 600 construction jobs GONE!
Will the Mayor and City Council step up and hire them?

Walmart Shrugs: Pulls Plans to Build Stores in Washington, D.C.

A government regulation called the "Large Retailer Accountability Act" (LRAA)a name that could have been taken from the pages of Atlas Shrugged, has resulted in the loss of 1,800 new retail jobs and 600 construction jobs. GONE!,

Walmart was not accepting any tax incentives, was planning to stock products from local producers and allow space inside their stores for local retailers, and was creating a job-training program open to the city’s residents. It also promised to support local non-profits with some of its revenues. As a result, a recent poll showed nearly three out of four residents favoring the additional investment in stores by Walmart in the D.C. area.

"Certainly $12.50 an hour is more than $8.25, but $12.50 times zero jobs is a lot less than $8.25 times 1,800 jobs."

French economist Frederic Bastiat wrote almost two hundred years ago in the early 1800s that “It is necessary to view economics from the viewpoint of the consumer. All economic phenomena must be judged by the advantages and disadvantages they bring to the consumer.”

If we apply that profound, timeless economic insight to the DC situation today and consider the significant economic benefits that six Wal-Mart stores will bring to inner-city DC residents (everyday low prices for groceries, clothing, household and other consumer goods, $4 drug prescriptions, etc.), in addition to creating 1,800 new retail jobs and 600 construction jobs for workers, it would really be a politically-motivated “economic death wish” for the DC city council and mayor to drive Wal-Mart away from the District.

For those consumers, however, that decision would mean higher prices, fewer jobs, and a generally poorer economy. These are economic principles that even city councils should not ignore.

But no doubt the members of the city council will pool their personal monies, open their own stores and pay at least a so called living wage while selling goods below the market prices to help the poor.
But on second thought, if $12.50 is good, maybe they will double it to pay $25 an hour to unskilled workers along with benefits and a golden parachute retirement package after 25 years.

[diogenes227]

[voltaire]

Walmart Shrugs
1,800 new retail jobs and 600 construction jobs GONE!
Will the Mayor and City Council step up and hire them?

Walmart Shrugs: Pulls Plans to Build Stores in Washington, D.C.

A government regulation called the "Large Retailer Accountability Act" (LRAA)a name that could have been taken from the pages of Atlas Shrugged, has resulted in the loss of 1,800 new retail jobs and 600 construction jobs. GONE!,

Walmart was not accepting any tax incentives, was planning to stock products from local producers and allow space inside their stores for local retailers, and was creating a job-training program open to the city’s residents. It also promised to support local non-profits with some of its revenues. As a result, a recent poll showed nearly three out of four residents favoring the additional investment in stores by Walmart in the D.C. area.

"Certainly $12.50 an hour is more than $8.25, but $12.50 times zero jobs is a lot less than $8.25 times 1,800 jobs."

French economist Frederic Bastiat wrote almost two hundred years ago in the early 1800s that “It is necessary to view economics from the viewpoint of the consumer. All economic phenomena must be judged by the advantages and disadvantages they bring to the consumer.”

If we apply that profound, timeless economic insight to the DC situation today and consider the significant economic benefits that six Wal-Mart stores will bring to inner-city DC residents (everyday low prices for groceries, clothing, household and other consumer goods, $4 drug prescriptions, etc.), in addition to creating 1,800 new retail jobs and 600 construction jobs for workers, it would really be a politically-motivated “economic death wish” for the DC city council and mayor to drive Wal-Mart away from the District.

For those consumers, however, that decision would mean higher prices, fewer jobs, and a generally poorer economy. These are economic principles that even city councils should not ignore.

But no doubt the members of the city council will pool their personal monies, open their own stores and pay at least a so called living wage while selling goods below the market prices to help the poor.
But on second thought, if $12.50 is good, maybe they will double it to pay $25 an hour to unskilled workers along with benefits and a golden parachute retirement package after 25 years.

Absolutely

Pay workers $1 per hour.

Goods will be cheaper.

This is called deflation.

Name one economist who thinks deflation is good for the economy?

Deflation and you put off buying while things get cheaper.

Inflation and you buy now before it goes up.

Pretty simple really.

[diogenes227]

"If everyone worked at Walmart, no one would be able to shop at Walmart" -- Raj Patel.

[Rogerdodger]

The part you chose to ignore:
"But no doubt the members of the city council will pool their personal monies, open their own stores and pay at least a so called living wage while selling goods below the market prices to help the poor.
But on second thought, if $12.50 is good, maybe they will double it to pay $25 an hour to unskilled workers along with benefits and a golden parachute retirement package after 25 years."

Three of the wealthiest women I have met made their wealth as Walmart cashiers.
As "associates" who received profit sharing, they did quite well and now several of their heirs are still benefiting.

I can't say that about those GM Union retirees and their widows and heirs who had their stock and bond holdings destroyed with the stroke of an egalitarian presidential pen.

How's Detroit doing by the way?

Edited by Rogerdodger, 13 July 2013 - 01:15 PM.

[Rogerdodger]

This is why I call collectivist egalitarianism a "religion": It's merely a belief system loaded with dogma, but believers never really live what they force others to live.
The freedom and liberty of others are of no value compared to their elitist views.
Thus thousands in D.C will remain unemployed and are denied the freedom to work and shop where they wish.

D.C. Government Fails to Pay 'Living Wage' Required of WALMART...

"Last week, the Council approved a measure that would require Walmart and other large retailers doing business in the District to pay a “living wage” of $12.50 per hour.
But… uh oh. Hypocrisy alert.
District government pays less than $12.50 per hour.
According to the D.C. Department of Human Resources, some full-time school maintenance workers and custodians make $11.75 per hour. The rate for a clerk at the University of the District of Columbia is $10.40.
Council members went to great lengths to criticize Walmart's pay scale. They should have taken care of their own business first."


D.C. Council salaries are second-highest among big U.S. cities

The council members could have easily reduced their own salaries in the spirit of true egalitarianism.
Like that's ever going to happen.

Edited by Rogerdodger, 16 July 2013 - 03:20 PM.

[diogenes227]

Ah... I see the Walmart propaganda media machine is already on the move... But, yes, the DC government needs to remedy this. Now that it has possibly begun to nurture a local retail economy by keeping out a predator like Walmart, the council should at least bring all of their workers up to its prescribed "living wage." Better yet, increase the minimum wage in the district to $12.50 for everyone working there. That would give a real boost in shopping power for district residents, and a boost to local businesses since that's would be a stimulus that won't be able to be bled off by usual big-box cut-rate cutthroat.

[Dex]

Ah... I see the Walmart propaganda media machine is already on the move...

But, yes, the DC government needs to remedy this.

Now that it has possibly begun to nurture a local retail economy by keeping out a predator like Walmart, the council should at least bring all of their workers up to its prescribed "living wage." Better yet, increase the minimum wage in the district to $12.50 for everyone working there. That would give a real boost in shopping power for district residents, and a boost to local businesses since that's would be a stimulus that won't be able to be bled off by usual big-box cut-rate cutthroat.

Why not increase it to $25 and give a real boost!

[mss]

Why not increase it to $25 and give a real boost!

Then the price of bread, milk etc would go up.

[diogenes227]

Ah... I see the Walmart propaganda media machine is already on the move...

But, yes, the DC government needs to remedy this.

Now that it has possibly begun to nurture a local retail economy by keeping out a predator like Walmart, the council should at least bring all of their workers up to its prescribed "living wage." Better yet, increase the minimum wage in the district to $12.50 for everyone working there. That would give a real boost in shopping power for district residents, and a boost to local businesses since that's would be a stimulus that won't be able to be bled off by usual big-box cut-rate cutthroat.

Why not increase it to $25 and give a real boost!

Excellent idea! It's been tried before and worked great!

Henry Ford's Five-Dollar Day

In 1914, Henry Ford started an industrial revolution by more than doubling wages to $5 a day—a move that helped build the U.S. middle class and the modern economy.