Matt’s Blog

The obsession with oil continues. I’ve been hearing on the news that the government is considering issuing gas rebate checks to drivers for up to $100. Why don’t we put that money into renewable energy research?

Well, I just watched “Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price,” and this has induced me to join the much hyped world of weblogging. I never thought too much about blogging before, but now that I live alone, I don’t have much opportunity to speak out my thoughts on many topics. Hopefully this will help.

As I watched the movie, I was quite suprised with my own reaction, I’ve always been vehemently anti-Walmart. I used to live in a small town with one Walmart, and not long after I moved, they began construction on a second. There was a small protest in the town attempting to keep it out, but I believe that is was too late for them to have much success.

Most of my own complaints were covered heavily in the movie. Among them being the revolting manner in which Walmart treats their employees, their venomous business practices, and their seeming desire to provide every service any man, woman or child could ever want (from an oil change to a pedicure to a new pair of glasses) all from within the snuggly confines of a football field sized building without a window to speak of.

Covered just as heavily however, were transgressions that our government should be addressing, wrongs done not only by Walmart, but by many other corporations in America, and done because the laws of this country allow it.

First in this list is the need for many Walmart employees to take advantage of government sponsored assistance programs, such as welfare and Medicaid. I feel somewhat certain that Walmart isn’t able to dodge labor laws in the United States. If such laws are inadequate to gaurantee a sustainable lifestyle for a person gainfully employed, then part of the responsibility to make changes falls on the shoulders of the government.

There was also a long segment on all the crimes committed in Walmart parking lots. Many citizens complained that Walmart could implement simple measures to reduce crime in their lots almost to zero. While that’s most likely true, it isn’t Walmarts responsibility to police the community. If crime is high in Walmart parking lots, then local Police Departments should be there to find out why and correct the situation.

Fear not however, there’s still plenty of reasons not to shop at Walmart, and I’ll remember them every time I’m tempted (which is never) to set foot in any one.