Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price

I wonder how this will play in the Red States, when they see the heartland raped and pillaged by The Walton family. When they see God-fearing, flag-waving patriotic Americans whose lives have been decimated by this Evil Empire in a Big Box. People might think that a documentary like this is the territory of the "Liberal Elite," but the liberals can live in their sophisticated cities where Walmart's presence cannot make quite as big a gaping hole in the local economy...but it is the rural, Bush-voting Red Staters that should be leading the rallying cry against this company. It is especially effective to see ministers preaching about how Walmart's values are not in line with the Christian faith.

Obviously, the creators had an opinion before they started this documentary, but the findings and facts are consistent with what the mainstream media reports about the way this company is run. The long arm of Walmart is dramatic enough without necessitating the filmmakers occasional lapses into melodrama, but the points are well-made and ignoring the facts presented in this film and continuing to support this Goliath in a blue smock could be our undoing-I hope this gets passed around from person-to-person faster than the Paris Hilton sex video and also hope we soon see a documentary on how Walmart collapsed like the Roman Empire.

Another strong message by Robert Greenwald of "Outfoxed" fame. Similar to that doc, however, it is a quickly done, and somewhat less than fully polished film. Too shticky at times, it occasionally comes close to a parody of propaganda films, especially when dealing with the lives of Chinese workers. However, there are some moving portrayals of those affected by Walmart, including former employees, and some powerful testimonials by former management who feel betrayed by a company they gave their loyalty to.

I was most shocked by some facts about the Walton family, who are some of the richest people on the planet, and apparently some of the stingiest. You'd think they'd be more generous just for to get positive P.R., even if they couldn't care less about "the little people". For a more sober depiction of the Walmart phenomenon, I also recommend the Frontline documentary "Is Walmart Good for America".

This movie presents information available from other sources. Yet the way it's shown here is still compelling. The overall impact is powerful. The movie is worth watching. Most disturbing are the types and numbers of crimes committed in Wal-Mart shopping lots, aided by lack of security. Shoppers could be protected but that would cost money ...

There's a glaring omission. Wal-Mart gets its main strength from us, the consumers. That point is made eloquently in South Park's episode "Something Wall-Mart This Way Comes" (season 8, episode 9, Nov 2004). Another good critique is PBS's Frontline in "Is Wal-Mart Good For America?"

If we didn't shop there, there would be changes. We get what we pay for.

Rating: WWW (Well Worth Watching)

Trust me, I work there; they have---if you can believe it---gotten WORSE for the workers. They recently (within the last 2 months) changed our dress code---no hats (not so bad), everybody has to wear a blue clone shirt (a little bit worse), no more vests (so we have find other ways to carry the tools required for our job), and, just a couple days ago, no radios on the floor, which have been allowed ever since I started working there over 2 years ago. Also, within the last 2 months (this is the worst), they have decided we need to be to be timed on how long long it takes the stockers to work their freight. I mean, c'mon already, this is WAL_MART---not Ford Motor Company!!! If you want me to do piece work, then pay me piece work rate, not less than $10 an hour. Yup, Wal*Mart's lowering prices, alright---lowering the price they pay their employees (oops, sorry---ASSOCIATES).

There are some "viewer posts" on this site that are fake. Someone at WalMart's rapid response team is posing as a Wal Mart employee, and providing facts regarding how wonderful Wal Mart is.

One fact I know is that COST PLUS pays its employees a respectable wage, and WAL MART does not. In one study, WAL MART's SAM'S CLUB STORE was found to pay its employees A $11.52 per hour, while COSTCO paid its employees $15.97, 40% Less. (Source: Business Week Online April 12, 2004)

Note: I am NOT associated with any business, labor group, political party, association, or group of any kind. I'm just sick of WAL MART paying its employees disgusting wages, and then paying politicos big money to provide RAPID RESPONSE PUBLIC RELATIONS sound bites, attempting to defend the indefensible. They should start by not lying about who them are, when they post submissions on IMDb.