Not trying to defend WalMart (and I do understand what you are trying to say), but the majority of retail stores in this country are in the same position.

If China was to disappear overnight I would imagine most of the retail outlets would be forced to close their doors.

Also, your comment that "nothing in a Walmart store is made in our country" is misleading at best.

I shop at WalMart to purchase fishing supplies, ammunication and other hunting equipment, oil, filters, sparkplugs, pet food, and people food.

These "Made In The USA" items are exactly the same as the products I can purchase at any other retail store, the only difference is that the prices at WalMart are much lower.

Maybe it's just me, but I have no problem walking into a WalMart and purchasing these products for 30% less money than I can get them anywhere else.

 

Too many folks are wrapped around the axle over union or non-union workers. It really doesn't matter. What matters is whether the cost of labor and their benefits represent value in the marketplace vs competitive alternatives. And the cost of labor is only one factor. Taxes are a very significant factor as well. The Chinese have actually now begun outsourcing their own labor costs to Viet Nam because it's cheaper.

In the end, capital flows where its wanted and where its rewarded. The US no longer wants or rewards capital investments. Until folks wake up to the reality that labor costs and taxes MUST be lowered in the US if we are to be competitive, we will suffer significant pain until its unbearable. At that point Unions will have become irrelevant as most of the non-government blue-collar jobs will have been shipped overseas for both cost and tax reasons.

At that point Americans will seek a no-nonsense leader ready to use a butcher knife on government workers and benefits in order to dramatically lower both corporate and individual taxes and get us back into a competitive status with the rest of the world. Maybe someone like Gov. Christie of NJ...I don't know. But's it going to take someone with a big set of cajones to take on the government workers in order to take a huge chunk of cost out of government so that taxes can be lowered to make us more competitive.

Until then, expect substantially more pain regardless of what the wild-eyed economic optimists tell you. The US national debt in 2014 will far exceed the ratio in Greece today. Fasten your seat belts, we're in for a bumpy ride until the American electorate decides they've had enough pain for one lifetime.

Maybe then they'll elect leaders that will do what needs to be done and not what's politically expedient.

 

Ditto Heatwave....I totally agree its not a union vs. a nonunion issue and a comparitive/competitive value of labor in the marketplace.

Also agree with you about capital. We now demonize and punish capital investment, growth and profits. Those who take risks and create the wealth this country has enjoyed are punished and targeted by politicians.

We are living in unprecedented times with this national debt. How will we solve it? Will we stiff China and others we owe? Will we raise taxes and further destroy jobs and economic growth? Will we devalue the currency by actaully adopting another currency? I dont see any bucher knife as you state. There doesn't seem to be any real push toward cutting spending. Entitlements are growing and expanding and will soon include healthcare. The federal government is expanding more rapid than ever. We are soon to adopt a bunch of illegals that will further cost this country in benefits.

 

Well if they start to out source everything to save money they had better drop the prices to metric level;s as that they are no longer MADE IN THE USA

 

The people have found that they can vote themselves cake and circuses. But who pays for them. The rich don't and the non-working don't. We that work or have worked pay for them. I love my country but fear my government.. And always remember that civil servant really means civil master.

 

I absolutely agree. That's why my prediction for the near term future is rather dire with alot more pain to be experienced. Only then will a future Ronald Reagn rise from the ashes of a very demoralized US to put government in its right place with a dramatically reduced budget focused on defense, taking care of the most indigent, big projects like space exploration, defense of our borders and that's about it.

The nanny state that liberals pine for will be sacrificed by the American public once the pain of job loss and unbearable taxes is high enough and the interest on government debt grows to a # larger than all discretionary expenses combined (around 2014-15).