Wal-Mart signifies all that is wrong in America

Late last night, it came to my immediate attention that I was out of a specific body part wiping product, and it was clear to me that my life could not continue properly until more was acquired. So off to the corner store I went (and quickly, as Mother Nature was calling as loudly as she could).

Now the particular corner store I drove to at 90 mph was known quaintly as the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market. I found it odd that Wal-Mart, your favorite neighborhood monopoly conglomerate, would attempt to corner the non-Wal-Mart market as well...then again, I wasn't surprised at all. What I was surprised about was what I found inside as I ran down each and every confusing aisle in search of a roll of sanity.

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Now, this is where the journey gets screwy. I could have sworn I was in an actual Wal-Mart now, because I stumbled upon: televisions, stereos, even skateboards! In a grocery store, no less! Yes, there were cell phones for sale, blow dryers, even satellite systems. I'm all for gadgets, but when I'm looking for toilet paper late at night (in my friendly, neighborhood market) these comforts of home are the last things I expect to get in my way in my search for the greatest comfort of all-peace of mind.

It was bad enough that the cosmetics aisles were actually larger than most neighborhood markets, but when I stumbled upon the school supplies and automotive portion of the store I knew the ghost of Sam Walton had gone too far. Had I been searching for any other item late that night, I would have told Sam's ghost and the neighborhood nightmare he had conjured to take a flying leap into the neighborhood landfill. But he had me, and he knew it. It's no coincidence that they make the most important things so hard to find. They plan it that way. How many times have you said to yourself, "I need a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk and a stick of butter," and come out with a new riding mower and a baby grand piano? If you live in Sam's neighborhood, I bet it's more times than you care to admit.

I could get a key made, a prescription filled and my taxes done, all before I even got to the frozen foods section. I was beginning to believe that "neighborhood market" was a euphemism for labyrinth, and only the carefully selected, subduing, elevator-style tunes were keeping me from going ballistic inside my friendly neighborhood market. There were automated toilets, sinks, hand dryers, debit card machines, even check-outs! When I was a kid, the neighborhood market was run by a guy named Sam and the only thing he had inside were soft drinks, beer, and, oh yeah-toilet paper. We've come a long way, baby.

Or perhaps we've taken a step back. Isn't this what Hitler and Stalin wanted? Fewer choices in a readily available environment? On the surface it appears handy, easy and convenient; but underneath all the choices, I realized that the Neighborhood Market was attempting to squash any other choices, just as the friendly neighborhood superstore has done to other general stores. I never did get my toilet paper that night. I've decided I never need to buy it again. All I need to do is look under all the crap I bought on one of my late night toilet paper excursions, find the receipt and use that.

Did you hear about the new one? Wal-Mart locked their janitorial crew in the store to work. You can't lock your employees in your store and force them to work until morning, can you? The hits just keep coming to Wal-Mart, and McG keeps on defending them.

Faced with mounting criticism over low pay, sex-discrimination, exploitation of undocumented immigrants, violation of child labor laws and hard-line anti-union tactics, Wal-Mart has tapped its $250 billion in annual revenues to shower conservatives in Washington with money. According to a study by the non-partisan Center for Responsive politics, Wal-Mart is now the second highest contributor to the 2004 elections, having already contributed more than $1 million to federal candidates. Last year, Wal-Mart didn't even rank in the top 100. But, notwithstanding their generosity to "pro-business" politicians, as Wal-Mart aggressively expands - 220 new U.S. supercenters are slated to open this year alone - it is sparking citizen revolts around the country.

Wages for many Wal-Mart employees are so low that many are forced to rely on government assistance - especially for health care. The Seattle Times reports that in Washington state, subsidized insurance for the working poor costs tax payers "several million dollars annually." Some state lawmakers have had enough. Legislation has been that would "force big business to help pay for the state's Basic Health Plan."

The legislation has been nicknamed the "Wal-Mart bill." And not without justification - of those enrolled in the taxpayer-subsidized health plan who are employed, more work at Wal-Mart than anywhere else. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that citizen interest in the bill "drew crowds of people to a hearing last week in Olympia." In Georgia, an AFL-CIO study found 10,000 children of Wal-Mart employees were enrolled in Georgia's public health insurance program...

In California, concerned about the effect that superstores would have on the local economy, the environment and water supply, the Inglewood City Council passed an ordinance banning the construction of stores with over 155,000 square feet of space that sell 20,000 food items. But Wal-Mart "has decided to leapfrog" the City Council, according to the Washington Times. Determined to build a huge store in Inglewood, Wal-Mart introduced a ballot measure that will be voted on on April 6. The initiative would "authorize the entire [Wal-Mart] project without any action from the city."

Wal-Mart has been attempting to win approval for store construction by circumventing public city council meetings and talking to city council members privately. This tactic has raised legal and ethical concerns. In San Marcos, CA there is a call for a grand jury investigation into whether "three council members illegally reached a consensus before a formal vote on plans to build a Wal-Mart in south San Marcos," according to the North County Times. The complaint alleges that, prior to the vote, the three council members met privately with Jack Orr - who was both their "political consultant" and representing Wal-Mart. Orr did not meet with two other council members who voted against the store. Opposition to the store was so fervent that, even after the vote approving the store, San Marcos voters forced a city-wide referendum on the issue, scheduled for March 2.

Wal-Mart used strikingly similar tactics in an attempt to win approval for a store in Grand Island City, NE. The Grand Island Independent reports that "eight council members violated the public's trust by meeting with Wal-Mart officials in individual or group meetings - out of the public's eye and away from city staff and the mayor." After the private meeting, the council "basically gave them what they wanted," breeding "suspicion about what happened behind those doors."