Parts Boxes

[soundtrane]

<<I am a proponent of capitalism.  Other systems have failed miserably. >>

Maybe so, but so is capitalism.

-vin

[Izen Ears]

  Ken you are great at touting the company line.  I agree with your world view that everyone gets what they deserve, but you are wrong by saying we all benefit by Wal-Mart existing since it drives other companies into competitive pricing.  It has forced us to live with crappy products that cost less.  And by the way since we invested in the gear we deserve the rental, it's a specious argument to use that in calculating the rate differences.

  Robert sorry I misspelled your last name. 

  Dan Izen

[John Blankenship]

I, too, think capitalism works better than most systems since, at its root, it's based upon mankind's desire to excel.

HOWEVER, its longevity depends upon it existing within a society that maintains some standards of ethics and morality.  I don't consider predatory business practices to be ethical.

John B.

[Daniel McIntosh]

Type walmart sucks into your favorite web crawler.  This morning Google came up with 946,000 hits.

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=walmart+sucks&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[Guest Ken Mantlo]

  Ken you are great at touting the company line.  I agree with your world view that everyone gets what they deserve, but you are wrong by saying we all benefit by Wal-Mart existing since it drives other companies into competitive pricing.  It has forced us to live with crappy products that cost less.  And by the way since we invested in the gear we deserve the rental, it's a specious argument to use that in calculating the rate differences.

  Robert sorry I misspelled your last name. 

  Dan Izen

You make my point, Dan.  Walmart invested, so they deserve the profit.  By the way, you don't have to live with crappy products, just pay more and you'll get all the quality you want.  Just remember though, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Walmart fulfills a need effectively.  If they didn't, people wouldn't work there or shop there.

Am I touting the company line?  No.  I am touting the line of freedom, the freedom to choose.  Walmart does not force anyone to work or shop there.  There is enough competition for people to shop/work at other places.  People vote with their dollars and, so far, Walmart has received a lot of votes.

Look, I'm not saying that Walmart's the greatest store in the world.  I prefer to shop at Mom and Pop stores because I like to support local shops where the atmoshere is better, but, every now and then, I'll pop my head into Walmart to see what's shaking, and, believe it or not, no one's being waterboarded...although most times it smells funny.

[Guest Ken Mantlo]

<<I am a proponent of capitalism.  Other systems have failed miserably. >>

Maybe so, but so is capitalism.

-vin

I don't believe that capitalism is failing, I believe that it is running its course, ie: correcting itself from poor decisions.

[johnpaul215]

I don't believe that capitalism is failing, I believe that it is running its course, ie: correcting itself from poor decisions.

What part of textbook capitalism requires the government to bail out the banks, car industry, oil industry, airlines, railroads....... you name it? A pure capitalist would be a little bit more Darwinian and say any failing business should be left to fail, and something else will sprout from its ashes. It's not "correcting itself from poor decisions", it's getting a handout.

-johnpaul

[Guest Ken Mantlo]

I, too, think capitalism works better than most systems since, at its root, it's based upon mankind's desire to excel.

HOWEVER, its longevity depends upon it existing within a society that maintains some standards of ethics and morality.  I don't consider predatory business practices to be ethical.

John B.

Isn't capitalism great!  It makes us WANT to work (work is not a dirty word as most of us that are weathering out this quasi actor strike know).  It makes us think and want to improve.

I do believe that a good business has a solid business plan, provides a service, makes a profit and keeps it's customers and employees happy.  I'm a proponent of profit sharing as I feel that it promotes company loyalty and increases productivity.  A win-win situation.

[Guest Ken Mantlo]

What part of textbook capitalism requires the government to bail out the banks, car industry, oil industry, airlines, railroads....... you name it? A pure capitalist would be a little bit more Darwinian and say any failing business should be left to fail, and something else will sprout from its ashes. It's not "correcting itself from poor decisions", it's getting a handout.

-johnpaul

I don't agree with the bailouts.  The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'

[André Boisvert]

Type walmart sucks into your favorite web crawler.  This morning Google came up with 946,000 hits.

Microsoft sucks yields 1,130,000 hits. Oddly, André Boisvert sucks gets me 1,800 hits.

I gotta work on my PR.

[Brian Ferguson]

Well the odd thing to me is that Hillary Clinton was on the Walmart Board of Directors for quite a while.

Makes me glad Obama got elected. Spots Chalet and Fishing stores are great places for boxes.

[Reid]

Ken... I think you are taking an idealistic path that has been tested time and again. I don't believe that you can mix perfect capitalism and human nature and get a healthy out come for society or its economic base. Large profits lead to power leads to control leads to more of each as it cycles on.  I grew up in Guatemala and have seen the ravages of big companies as they decimated anyone who got in their way and destroyed any other options workers might have found. On the other hand my grandfather was a homesteader in North Dakota. During the late 1890s and early 1900s the railroads came in with the same objectives of the big box retailers.  If it hadn't been for co-ops and unions there would never have been the resilience build into their commerce and society that helped them through the depression of the 30s.

There has to be some semblance of balance between power bases or we humans will always attempt to decimate the opposition. Business leaders who get some domination in a market tend to exemplify that human trait. It can get bad enough here in the US but over seas it can be horrible.  I don't believe that  a desperate worker has to give up all his/her power as they try to achieve a better life. Having seen the results of a people pushed to wall with hundreds of thousands of deaths, corrupt government, no education, and families living through terrible pain the Walmarts of the world, to me, represent the irresponsible excesses of business catering to our most self-serving wishes as consumers ( I want that at lower cost no mater what the cost to others). That is not a validating reason for a company to walk on the edge of morality never mind turning its back as a corporate citizen.

Trotting out capitalism as the holy grail is just another religion that carried to irresponsible extremes breeds extremism.  Balance and stability are far healthier and lead to a better kind of competition.  Now see what you have done Ken you just got me wishing we could go out for a beer and really have some fun at this. 

Best ...Reid

Dang Mr Wexler... I think you need to get out there! I think some of those sound guys over in the fishing section are argu'in with the other ones in the bead dept.  It just isn't right....its just not right!!!!