Has all retail turned into WalMart ( made in China )

[Cd]

One of the things I have been wondering about is whether or not it makes that much of a difference if I shop at WalMart or some of the other 'big box' stores.
Both sell the same product, made in the same factory, employing the same workers, originating from the exact same location. ( ex - China )
By shopping at WalMart, what difference is made ?
I realize a portion of the sale goes to the owners of WalMart, versus the other guys, but what else ?

What alternatives are there ?

I bought some canvases online and looked for something made in the US. What i got were several poorly constructed canvases made in California. The fit and finish was so bad that I had to apply a 1/4 " thick texture and use them for abstract art.
Had i been able to see them in real life, versus online, I would have shopped elsewhere.

I know - make my own canvases, right ? It's on my to- do list.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

Our medical system seems to be paralised and incapable of treating the most simplistic of lifelong conditions that lead to death, such as heart disease, diabetes and immune conditions (from allergies) such as crohns.

They push drugs at conditions that are at best degenerative with treatment as opposed to telling the hard truth and focusing on lifestyle changes...

Who's 'they'? The medical system tells the public about this, over and over and over, but most people just don't listen, and choose not to follow that advice. Doctors can't stand over their patients with guns, and force them to exercise, eat sensibly, and do all those other lifestyle things that keep you healthy.

FWIW, the US does seem, in some respects, to be ahead of many other countries that have government-provided medical care, Smoking rates, for instance.

Be carefull how you read that data, many private loans are publicly guaranteed but technically lended "privately"
With default rates as high as 40% on these loans and most hospitals being tax exempt in most areas one can only guess on the true public burden.

How did loans & hospitals get in here? The figure is for medical research, which is funded by government research grants, grants from private charities &c, drug companies hoping to make a profit...

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

Medical care that's available to visiting heads of state but isn't available to the people who live in the same city doesn't count as being available. That's not an economic philosophy question...

Why do you think the medical care isn't available? I think it is, to anyone who can pay for it. And that's the economic philosophy: that people get what they're able & willing to pay for, whether it's a mansion, private jet, Rolex, or whatever.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Who's 'they'? The medical system tells the public about this, over and over and over, but most people just don't listen, and choose not to follow that advice. Doctors can't stand over their patients with guns, and force them to exercise, eat sensibly, and do all those other lifestyle things that keep you healthy.

In terms of my father the diabetic trainer he was assigned had him eating foods that would cause his disease to go out of control.

He could not eat the way prescribed or his glucose was 300+ continuously.

The diabetic trainer prescribed potatoes, sugary fruits and items with a lot of sugar & starch and other foods that he cannot eat. For him he is VERY diabetic and eating the 200 grams of carbohydrate in the diet would not work.

So saying people don't listen can be a misnomer, sometimes what the experts believes in terms of nutrician is flawed.

As for hospitals I was generalizing, the fact is ALL business in this country get a strong public backing, usually with private loans that are guaranteed by the government. Locally most of our "empty" brand new mini malls are tax exempt unless they get filled and were built using private loans guaranteed by the city.

This practice transcends all levels of government and from what I can see usually does not work.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by Cd

One of the things I have been wondering about is whether or not it makes that much of a difference if I shop at WalMart or some of the other 'big box' stores.

Costco vs Walmart.

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Who's 'they'?

Before a pill goes in my mouth there has to be agreement between myself, the doctor and the pharmacy of my choice. The most obstructionist, glitchy and obtuse is the pharmacy. They sit between me and the doctor and can't track changes in dosage (down at least). The good news is that they only tried to push an unprescribed medication on me once.

Single-payer health care - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Why do you think the medical care isn't available? I think it is, to anyone who can pay for it. And that's the economic philosophy: that people get what they're able & willing to pay for, whether it's a mansion, private jet, Rolex, or whatever.

That's odd. I remember an awful lot about death panels, rationing, and long waits if everyone had the chance to get medical care. Or did you mean available to anyone who has been able to get the government to subsidize their use of it? That's not economic philosophy, it's tax policy. Really, the question is who has the power to force the government to subsidize their own personal expenses?

Making medical expenses tax deductible isn't just a government subsidy, it makes those costs higher for people at the lower end. People who can't just say "it's covered, do it." People who have to pay out of pocket and maybe, if everything goes well, manage to get some of that back with their tax return. Then market forces like large insurers demanding discounts force list prices artificially high, prices that only people without insurance will ever see.

I thoroughly enjoy being in the financial position to have my medical expenses subsidized by the government. I thoroughly enjoy waving an HSA card at things that aren't "covered" but are deductible. Why should I pay for prescriptions and whatnot with real money when I can do it with this wonderful card that used pretax money? It's great- I have enough money to get some awesome benefits from the government. People who don't make that much money don't deserve government help with their expenses, I guess.

I also enjoy my mortgage interest being deductible. I'm paying about what I was in rent, but I'm going to own it outright and Washington's subsidizing that. What I don't enjoy is people pretending that the government isn't spending money on their personal expenses. Because it is.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Why do you think the medical care isn't available? I think it is, to anyone who can pay for it. And that's the economic philosophy: that people get what they're able & willing to pay for, whether it's a mansion, private jet, Rolex, or whatever.

When I worked with the White Bird Free Clinic in the early 70s, their motto was "health care is a right not a privilege'. (still is, they're still around)

Is education and public safety also the equivalent of a Rolex?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

In terms of my father the diabetic trainer he was assigned...

Diabetic trainer? That's something like a personal fitness trainer?

The diabetic trainer prescribed potatoes, sugary fruits and items with a lot of sugar & starch and other foods that he cannot eat. For him he is VERY diabetic and eating the 200 grams of carbohydrate in the diet would not work.

So this is one person, right? And we all know that not every individual in any particular line of work is competent.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

That's odd. I remember an awful lot about death panels, rationing, and long waits if everyone had the chance to get medical care. Or did you mean available to anyone who has been able to get the government to subsidize their use of it?

No, I mean available to anyone who is willing & able to pay for it.

Works that way in many, if not all, countries with socialized medicine. As for instance in Britian: you can* either get things 'free' through the NHS or whatever, and endure possible waits, rationing, poorer quality care, &c, or you can pay to go private.

*Or could, about 15 years ago. Don't really know what it's like today.

Originally Posted by freebeard

When I worked with the White Bird Free Clinic in the early 70s, their motto was "health care is a right not a privilege'.

Which merely demonstrates that they are socialists. As I said, economic philosophy :-)

[freebeard]

From my present perspective, I would describe it as social anarchism. Certainly not a cooperative.

The only reason they are still around is they were co-oped by The Man. Now they have a crisis intervention service, called Cahoots, with a white Sprinter van with floodlights on the sides and a two way radio.

Edit: The only thing I was involved in that I would call socialism was the U. S. Army.

No comment on education and public safety?

[Cd]

I have been looking into employee rights lately, and I was shocked to find just how little protection we are given under law.

For instance, in Texas an employer is not required to even give you a break or a lunch.
Additionally, employers can make you work any hours , - and any job - they desire, and you must comply.

( ex. If hired as a manager, you can still be forced to work as a janitor if he gets sick. )

An employer can terminate you for any reason, and at any time.

A fellow i work with got married and had to work on his honeymoon. He requested time off over two weeks in advance.
This is legal as well.

My employer makes me work 2-4 hours per day more than my other co-workers, and I have to cut my time the remaining days ( no overtime )

My employers tactic for getting you to quit is to cut you down to part time and screw around with your schedule, till you finally quit.
They don't have to pay unemployment then.

They will frequently cut people down to just a few ( 3-4 ? ) hours a week and have the person come in at odd times.
For example, have the person close, then come in the next morning, so that the person does not get enough sleep.
The employee is also forced to work outside in the hot sun, versus inside the store in the A/C.

What a shame that there are less employee rights.