According to this site:
“Your tax dollars pay for Wal-Mart’s greed
The estimated total amount of federal assistance for which Wal-Mart employees were eligible in 2004 was $2.5 billion.
One 200-employee Wal-Mart store may cost federal taxpayers $420,750 per year. This cost comes from the following, on average:
$36,000 a year for free and reduced lunches for just 50 qualifying Wal-Mart families.
$42,000 a year for low-income housing assistance.
$125,000 a year for federal tax credits and deductions for low-income families.
$100,000 a year for the additional expenses for programs for students.
$108,000 a year for the additional federal health care costs of moving into state children’s health insurance programs (S-CHIP)
$9,750 a year for the additional costs for low income energy assistance.[The Hidden Price We All Pay For Wal-Mart, A Report By The Democratic Staff Of The Committee On Education And The Workforce, 2/16/04] “
If you’re a fan of government running your life, you probably support legislation to force Wal-Mart to raise wages & offer health care coverage.
Wal-Mart is a business not a charity. Their job is to create profit by giving value to the customer. Wal-Mart’s value propisition is an easy one-low prices.
To create that value, they must buy low (usually not American-made goods) sell higher (but lower then the competition) and keep their overhead low (you’ve been in their stores right?)
Employees know the salary and benefits (or lack thereof) when they apply and accept the job. Wal-Mart’s choices represent good business.
On the other hand, the US Government has no concern for cutting costs, holding people responsible and creating value.
The policies (welfare, WIC, medicaid, etc) created by the Government allow Wal-Mart to be profitable. If the government didn’t provide free medical care, daycare, subsidized food, rent, etc. then the workers would demand higher wages & better benefits. The market would force companies like Wal-Mart to compete for the labor.
Just another example of how a free market creates value and independence in companies and individuals and government interference creates complacency and a sense of entitlement.
