As Government Retreats, Wal-Mart Dictates National Healthcare and Retirement Policies

It certainly seems as if the takeover by giant corporations is already happening, and hapening sooner I believe than any of us are ready for.

Recent events on the national scene provide a depressing vision for the future of healthcare and retirement security in the United States

In December 2003 Congress rushed through, in the waning moments of its session, a Medicare reform bill which was little understood at the time both by the public as well as many members of Congress. After the bill’s passage it was revealed that, while for the first time providing a limited prescription drug benefit in the Medicare program, the bill specifically prohibited the federal government from using its market strength to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. Rather, participants are left to find the best prices for their own prescriptions. This startling provision in the law was defended by its sponsors as necessary to avoid interference by the federal government in free-market competition. Of course, when viewed from the opposite perspective, this provision denies Medicare participants the protection of their collective market strength and places each individual at the mercy of the massive pharmaceutical industry, an industry which has imposed double-digit price increases for prescription drugs every year for the last several years. Such price increases will likely continue so long as the federal government refuses to assert its market power on behalf of the millions of citizens covered by Medicare.

Related to the government’s retreat from confronting big business on prescription drug prices are two private-sector developments, which occurred in late 2003 and early 2004. The first was a strike by some 70,0000 grocery workers in Southern California, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), employed by the Safeway, Kroger and Albertson’s grocery chains. That strike began in October 2003 and, at this writing, is continuing. Then next was the announcement by Sears Roebuck & Company that, effective January 1, 2005, it will phase out its defined benefit pension plan. Sears is believed to be the largest U.S. employer to shut its defined benefit plan to new participants. Those two stories are directly related because the actions taken by Safeway, Kroger, Albertson’s and Sears are all in response to the Wal-Mart Corporation’s policies on healthcare and pension benefits.

I believe that it has come to the attention of the majority of the public, that the way Wal Mart advertises for employees, announcing the wonderful careers prospective employees have ahead of them, all the wonderful benefits, etc...... is nowhere near the reality of the way the giant conglomerate really treats their employees. But, who would have thought that our government would be so callous, so untrue to the people who voted for them, that they would actually turn something as important as health care over to the likes of Wal Mart.

Wal-Mart, which has become the largest employer in the United States, has begun to sell groceries in its mega-stores. Wal-Mart has been able to drive its competitors out of business by not only selling products made in slave-labor conditions in foreign lands, but also by cutting the wages, benefits and working conditions of its U.S. employees to the bone. To employees at its U.S. stores, Wal-Mart makes available minimal healthcare benefits, which must be paid for almost entirely by the employees themselves. Safeway told its employees that they must begin cutting back to Wal-Mart’s level of healthcare benefits to keep their jobs.

I find this extremely frightening. I mean, think about it. What comes next?

In a democracy, the role of government is to provide a force on behalf of working men and women to properly assure that free-market competition operates in a manner that supports those societal values that protect basic human dignity --- including the availability of healthcare and retirement benefits.

What is happening to a society that elects officials, who, when campaigning will say just about anything to get elected, but after they are in ofice, they are now neglecting the very people who voted them into office now, more than ever. Face it, America is not now, nor has it been for quite some time, the democracy that the White House so loudly and repeaticiously proclaims it to be. It is getting to be anything but.

How can we get through to enough people to try to save our crumbling nation? If something doesn't happen, and happen soon, the quotes from the article
originally published in the International Operating Engineer will become our harsh reality rather than one of our greatest fears.

well i just wanted to say that this has been in the making for many long years, give it a couple of decades and world will be run directly by multinational corporations, but not before they buy every single inch of land,water and air on our planet, from "our governments" of course.

Explain to me "why business owes you health insurance", please.

Roper

Nice article CyberKat,

The problem with Wal-Mar is that it has targeted a part of the American population that is the faster growing one due to the out sourcing of our factories.

They are doing just the same also they are doing both out sourcing and giving low pay employment to americans in return, in a nations as ours that we feel outrage about human rights violations and slave working of children, nobody has question Wal-Mart about its business deals with China when it comes to manufacturing of goods or who are working for them.

People in the group targeted by Wal-Mart has been lured into employment and cheap goods. Wal-Mar is becoming successful.

People that work in Wal-Mart in low income areas and small cities are spending their income back into the big store and they as any monopoly is controlling the economy in those areas they target.

It may look good to some to have a job and spend their money in the same place they work, but actually the ones that suffer are the small business around that were part of the hart of the small cites.

Now about no control in the big pharmaceutical business and not regulations or slack regulation by the government in any business or corporations in American is what’s going on right now.

Corporations are good but only when they are under control as not to monopolize our economy and when they get into our government and become politicians you know that we the consumer has not control anymore on what is going on in our nation.

We are given products we are given prices as in pharmaceuticals and we are force to pay what they ask.

I wonder if is anybody out there anymore taking care of us the citizens and making sure we are not taken advantage off, but by the way things are I am losing faith in my elected politicians.

Originally posted by Roper
Explain to me "why business owes you health insurance", please.

Roper

Well, I for one didn't exactly say that "business owes me health insurance." I actually didn't say anything what-so-ever like that. However, I am responsible for posting quotes from the aritcle which I referred to, and it does somehow indirectly infer something to that effect.

I think, (and to be honest, I'm just guessing) that what they were referring to, was the fact that many people have worked their whole lives, until retirement age, or have worked their whole life for as long as possible until their disability finally did not allow them to work any longer (that's me). Yes, I am disabled and I receive Social Security Disability. And believe me, it's no trade off for getting even minimum wage for working! I can barely keep my Internet service on. O.K. off track, sorry.

What I was trying to say is that judging from the above referenced article, the jist of it was that since the government has apparently backed off on Social Security Reform for the time being, and the Senate(?) I think the Senate, well anyway a bill was hastily drawn up involving Medicare, which is long and complicated, it's hard to understand by most. However, I think the jist of that is that the deductible will be so high, that people might as well not pay the premiums on top of the high deductible on high cost medicines.

This then, kind of leaves that Medicare bill just sort of hanging, nothing is being done by government to clarify it, or modify it so that it would be of help in obtaining prescription medication at an affordable cost for those who are living on Social Security. Which in turn, pretty much leaves the pharmacies in charge of how much seniors and people who are disabled will have to pay for their medication.

I think that this is where Wal-Mart comes in. Simply because it is the major competition for almost all business that sell, or did sell anything that Wal Mart sells before Wal Mart put them out of business. So any other pharmacies are going to have to meet or beat Wal Marts' prescription prices, which will be hard to do. That leaves it pretty much up to Wal Mart to set the precident for what the prescription prices will be.

So, you see, I never meant to imply that Wal Mart, or any other corporation owes me health insurance. I do however feel that the U.S. government owes me health insurance, the same as anone else who is disabled, or has reached the age of retirement. Maybe those on Medicaid who just keep having more and more kids, in order to get their welfare and medicaid, who have never worked a day in their lives ought to be scrutinized more closely. However, the honest citizen, who has worked, literally until they simply could not be a functioning member of the work force any longer, and have paid their taxes all along, these people I believed o deserve government assistance, which includes health care.

But if the government just sort of steps aside and does nothing, then it will be up to the big corporations, Like Wal Mart to set the prices of medication because they can, and it's highly unlikely that anyone is powerful enough right now to stop them.

Sorry, I think that was a pretty rambling answer. I hope it made some kind of sense.

The tax payers don't owe you or anyone else health care either.

Roper

Pointless typical use of a dodgy 5 pointed star and i count a total of 33 letters plus fullstops n wateva mark on it. lol (not to get into freemasonry here of course! so dont) just pointing it out... dodgy walmart.. TrAm*LaW.. watever that means

Originally posted by Roper
The tax payers don't owe you or anyone else health care either.

Roper

I was a taxpayer for 21 years. Doesn't that count for anything?

Are you just mean? Or do you think this is funny?

Cyberkat--of course your work life has worth. Forget Ropert. It's not worth it to explain anything to him. Leave his five or six word responses as irrelevant as they are.

Health insurance- what a topic.

Who owes what? This is decided by law makers. If they decide national- then wham, that's it. If they decide any company over 25- then wham.

Or, they can turn away and allow the almighty and glorious FREE MARKET to decide. In this market each company makes its own decisions. A person works for a company with no health insurance by choice. The person fends for themselves. Their children do without and the poor live in emergency rooms because they can't afford regular hospital care.

From a market perspective- capitalism rulz! this is fine. From the perspective of a progressive and civilized country this doesn't fly. One of the problems in the U.S. today is deciding to stay or become a civilized nation or a 2nd rate nation with a powerful military- kind of like China.

Maybe this is where America is headed- to out do China at being run by power groups. In The U.S. these of course are called corporations- whoops- political parties. In
China 'they' are called government. Other than the name is there much of a difference in direction?

To those that call on 'everyone for themselves' let us know how your next car wreck comes out when your insurance company denies you coverage. Also, please tell us how much you had to pay the judge to not rule against you.

I have government insurance (Vet) and paid health insurance. Why both- protection. Anyone that has ever had a need and been turned away because their 'coverage' wasn't accepted knows what I mean. To the rest, I hope you never find out.

From fire departments to flood control, everyone that posts 'I'm my own person' stuff is full of bunk. If you were your own person nothing would happen when you flick that light switch.

*own person- needs no government for any reason but supports the military
.

.

No I am not mean or trying to be funny, just stating fact.

The socialism is not funny. The nanny state is not funny. This government was not setup to be a parent.

All the money you and I sent to the government is spent long ago. The Feds spent it on other thing other than SS.

The government owes you the right to make a living but does not owe you and I a living.

The so called citizens of the USA think that they should be handed everything, just look at public school kids. They don't want to work toward anything but sports. Not all but most.

Now if the government let you have all the money that you made, then you could have helped yourself.

Close down these large corporations and a lot of people will be out of work, then what? No one is forced to work at Wal-mart, they do so on their own.

PS. Hows that ProudAmerican are your panties out of a bunch now?

I live in Arkansas where Wal-Mart was born so I can assure you, what is happening here is coming your way.

In the statewide newspaper two days ago was an article about those that are on public assistence and also have a job. Of the 10,000 people who are employed and still need state assistance in Arkansas, one third of them are employee'd by Wal-Mart.

The state has to cover them with medicare, cover their children with medicaid or send them food stamps because Wal-mart will not pay them a livable wage.

This article was in Thursdays edition of the Arkansas Democrat gazette. (3/17/05)

I honestly loved Mr. Sam. He was a good man. When he died his children and their minions began a rape and pillage of all they could lay their hands on. They have desecrated his legacy.

Love and light to each of you,

Wupy

Well, Roper.....

I believe 100% in your right to have an opinion, and to express it
However, I don't have to agree with it, nor you with mine. So, I think enough said between us on this topic.

[edit on 3/19/2005 by CyberKat]

Originally posted by mrwupy
This article was in Thursdays edition of the Arkansas Democrat gazette. (3/17/05)

I honestly loved Mr. Sam. He was a good man. When he died his children and their minions began a rape and pillage of all they could lay their hands on. They have desecrated his legacy.

Love and light to each of you,

Wupy

Thats exactly what I am talking about, with all the out sourcing of our industries over sea, small towns have been targeted by Wal-Mart, the store is giving them a false sense of hope, but in reality Wal-Mart pay minimum wage, and with their cheap goods people will buy goods in Wal-Mart with the money they make in the store.

Is a total control of the small towns when this happens, and still the state have to help the people with because the Wal-Mart insurance is to high for the people to afford it.

Originally posted by kazi
Cyberkat--of course your work life has worth. Forget Ropert. It's not worth it to explain anything to him. Leave his five or six word responses as irrelevant as they are.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

I honestly loved Mr. Sam. He was a good man. When he died his children and their minions began a rape and pillage of all they could lay their hands on. They have desecrated his legacy.

I've heard that. It is very sad.

CyberKat, the first article you posted was in a magazine of the Operating Engineers Union, an AFL-CIO union. Of course they're going to be against Wal-Mart!

Wal-Mart has become the biggest retailer in the world and one of the reasons it has is that it has kept its costs down by not dealing with the unions. If Wal-Mart had to pay union wages to all its employees, they would have to raise the price of the goods substantially.

Yet, their employees wouldn't be any better, just more expensive.

This is an example of the reality of what is referred to as the "NWO"; the most misinformation based theory on the net.

It's not so hard to fathom when you refer to the old adage of who has the most to gain.

As a society we advocate greed as a way of life, to the extreme, a necessity. That is what we, as western society, promote. Some are conditioned enough to view the advancement of corporations on the same level as some type of natural evolution. Many will at the same time deny their own realisations and other gripes about corporations and even beliefs in thier overall control when doing so means compromising their fundamental political beliefs.

The excuse often given when faced with the harsh reality of corporate greed is inexplicably that it's for own benefit in the end.

Everyone knows that corporations work on the basis of profits. Everyone knows that corporations buy huge infulence in politics. Hardly anyone denies this. What people deny is the reasons. That's when it's declared it's for our own good.

The 'NWO' Is the corporate takeover of the world. And they'll get away with it simply because people have a perverse take (aided by governments for decades) that any control of corporations is viewed as some kind of socialism, which in the US in particular (logically as the financial powerhouse) is a common belief that they use to the full advantage. The common view that anything anti corporation being viewed as socialist or even communist has always been fermented and widely used to douse any large outcry when corporations cross the line with something that can't be easily held from the public. Not to say that these ideologies don't exist. Just that the presented reality of their power and aims is greatly distorted for the 'opposing' views use. Much like the modern reevaluation of terrorism today.


If your one that belives that the NWO is some kind of country, contininent, UN based operation, how do you answer this?


I ain't gonna work on Maggies farm no more...

[edit on 19-3-2005 by kegs]

Originally posted by Off_The_Street
CyberKat, the first article you posted was in a magazine of the Operating Engineers Union, an AFL-CIO union. Of course they're going to be against Wal-Mart!

Off_The_Street, I am neither for nor against unions. My post was not about unions vs non-unions. I'm sorry that you took it that way/or it came out that way. I was simply pointing out some truths about Wal-Mart. Some I know to be fact, because I have known quite a few people who currently work there, or used to work there.

And....I have to admit that I don't particulary care for them myself. Maybe my personal bias came through, I don't know. I didn't mean for it to.

The 'NWO' Is the corporate takeover of the world. And they'll get away with it simply because people have a perverse take (aided by governments for decades) that any control of corporations is viewed as some kind of socialism, which in the US in particular (logically as the financial powerhouse) is a common belief that they use to the full advantage.

Hmmmm.....Kegs, that was a very thought provoking post. In a lot of ways I want to say that I agree with you. But there are still a few things associated with corporations taking over government, that make me uneasy. Mainly, that when our forefathers wrote the Declaration of Independance, I believe that they did so, for the very sake of NOT allowing corporations to take over government. After all, we, the citizens of America supposedly elect who we want as our leaders in government. However, there isn't even a chance that anyone can try to claim that we elected any corporations of any kind to govern us.

Also, and I'm not 100% sure on this one, but I have been of the understanding that when corporations take over government, then government is no longer answerable to the people it governs, but answerable only to the corporations who own it. I also am under the impression that when that is the case, there is some kind of confidentiality clause that comes with that arrangement, to the effect that since corporations, although they have stockholders, are still apparently private entities, therefore, any information shared between government and the corporations that own it, is confidential. So, that would mean that us citizens, would no longer be able to access any government information that we can now, more to the point, that we could a few decades ago. we would have no information anymore, none!

I find that thought very frightening. (I hope I worded it right, the way I meant for it to come out). As far as the NWO, I guess this what I really find interesting about your post, is that, I have had a feeling, and have been hearing it on the news, from other people, etc.. for a long time that a corporate takeover was already well on it's way, and that one day, the takeover would be complete. But I never really associated that with the NWO, which I think that trying to name it, or figure out exactly what or who it will be, what they are going to do, do they really have concentration camps underground for us? I started wondering, (although I never posted anything about it) if back several months ago, when the flu shots had become contaminated, so that there were only enought for the very elderly, very sick, like people with HIV, etc.... "but don't any of you healthy people be taking any now." It's probably far fetched, but it crossed my mind a few times if maybe those really weren't flu shots, but a new disease that had a long incubation period, and that it was all done on purpose in order to weed out the weak, the elderly and the sick, so that they wouldn't be a burden when the NWO came. Pretty far fetched, huh?

I really did think that, BTW, but my point I'm trying to make about what interested me in your post, was the fact that there are so very many different explainations for who's behind the NWO, what is behind it, what it is? Are we going to lose all sense of life as we know it? The questions are endless, and so are the answers. But really, unless there really is someone or someones way up there, organizing the whole thing, can any of us really say for absolute sure what is the NWO, when is the NWO coming, or if there will even be a NWO. Your theory I found interesting, because I have always for as long as I can remember, heard about corporations taking over more and more. I have for not quite so long, been hearing theories about the NWO. So much so, that I seriosly began wondering about those flu shots.

Things were getting very confusing. Now, I never put the it together, the fact that corporations are taking over as being one in the same as the NWO. That made me think. If that were the case, well, it's interesting, but
(I don't always have the words to fit what I'm trying to say, sorry) anyway, I'm not saying that I believe or disbelieve your theory any more or any less than any others. But, it does make sense in a very practical way. But then again, logs of the other theories make sense in their way also.

Basically, I'm rambling now. But no one even knows if there will be a Tomorrow, much less know for sure about a New World Order.

See what I'm saying? I certainly hope so, 'cause by now, I'm not even sure myself.