To what extent has Wal-Mart contributed to the U.S. economy's recession?

Question

Think about it. Yeah, I can understand everyone loves the low prices, and maybe sometimes there's no where else to shop in your town or city. But the thing people don't understand is that when you are buying products from Wal-Mart...you are NOT helping our country get out of the recession. Instead of putting our dollars back into our own economy, you are investing in the Chinese/Latin American economies, thus furthering the U.S. into debt/recession. It's unpatriotic. By shopping at Wal-Mart you are putting your money in the hands of China, a communist country, instead of putting in the hands of your local community. If you people really want to get the American economy back on track, you'll start buying American made goods. It's obvious that shopping at Wal-Mart is going to help you specifically out in the long run, but doesn't anybody care about the long-term well-being of the USA anymore?

Answer 1

To expand just a bit on the first answer:

Wal-Mart is not the cause here.  It's actually the result of Americans' obsession with the lowest price.  We Americans have continually placed price as the most important element in our consumerism.  It completely outweighs quality to the point that we purchase and even consume absolute c**p which not only supports economies other than our own, but is so toxic for our bodies and our environment that we're becoming physically less healthy and even more dependent on the drug companies.

As much as I HATE Wal-Mart, I have to say it is us, the consumers who have made Wal-Mart, Cosco, Sam's Club, the whole fast food industry and entire pharmaceutical industry what it is today.

Answer 2

oh my.

i love wal*mart.

haha. they have everything.

Answer 3

You are targeting Wal-Mart here, but many of your rants can also be applied to virtually an big box retailer. Try going into Target, Best Buy, Toys R Us, or any other big box chain and finding items made in the US.

The one thing that many people fail to recognize about Wal-Mart is that they do give people jobs and they give greater buying power to the lower income segment. If you can afford to shop somewhere else, then please do. But don't criticize people who can buy two pairs of pants instead of one by shopping at Wal-Mart.

And really, the problems run much deeper than one retailer who sells imported goods. Maybe you should be railing against the US companies that have exported their manufacturing plants over-seas where labor is cheaper. These companies  have given away many of the jobs that supported the middle class for years. Maybe you should blame the commodities speculators that are driving up the price of oil and forcing consumers to spend more money just to get to and from work. Maybe you should blame the reliance on foreign oil which is causing farmers to dedicate more of their crops to biofuel which is raising the cost of food. And maybe you should blame a President who has spent trillions of dollars and incurred unfathomable debts to fight a war against a country that wasn't an immediate threat to our security.

To single out Wal-Mart as the cause of the US economic down turn is shortsighted and simple minded.

Answer 4

You are absolutely right but when you can't pay the higher prices you look for a bargain.  Also, you can't drive far with the price of gas and Wal-Mart is everywhere these days.

Answer 5

none