Walmart traffic light

[Fluff and Stuff]

I'd say those using government to gain advantage over competitors are the biggest enemies of freedom.

Yes, and Walmart is on the list. I'd prefer not to fund the enemy.

But so are Target and Costco and K-Mart.  That's the big 4.  I guess I could shop at ALDI since it also has low costs but there are no ALDI's in NH.

[KBCraig]

I'd say those using government to gain advantage over competitors are the biggest enemies of freedom.

Yes, and Walmart is on the list. I'd prefer not to fund the enemy.

So, you're going to stop paying taxes? 

The instigator in these budding fascist relationships is the government. "Economic development programs" try to woo businesses by promising them tax breaks, special utility rates, road upgrades, and even free land (courtesy of eminent domain).

Once that starts, businesses must play to survive. When the government skews the market, competitors must seek similar accomodations, or they will fail. This naturally leads to "location shopping", where businesses look at several potential locations and ask, "Okay, what kind of deal are you offering?"

Like they say, "Don't hate the playa, just hate the game." Corporations didn't invent it, and can't play it unless government brings the ball and provides a court. This game will rear its head so long as government is large enough and powerful enough to have something to offer.

The answer to corporate/state collusion is to put government on a leash, not capitalists.

Kevin

[Russell Kanning]

These guys only have the guts to stand up to walmart ...... because Walmart doesn't throw you in jail if you boycott their store.
Don't pay taxes and see who the real badguys are.

[Caleb]

It's not as simple as that, Russell, and you know it.  If you want to know the truth, the "bad guys" in the tax situation are the Corporations, who do all the dirty work for the feds.  If all businesses would "just say no" to income tax withholding, it would go away.

Wal-Mart doesn't come into my home and seize my money.  In a sense, Fedgov DOES.  I pay my taxes.  Not voluntarily, mind you, but because the federal government reaches into my paycheck and steals the money before I even see it.  You yourself have told me that if I send in the proper forms, it is highly unlikely that Fedex would stop taking out the money.

No one here is arguing with you that a massive tax revolt is just what the doctor ordered for standing up to the Feds.  (Although, if you've read "Creature from Jekyl Island" you know that, from a funding standpoint, it is now a moot point anyway, but I digress.) 

What some of us are saying is that there needs to be more dialogue on how to address the corporate problem.  And you better have that discussion and not just ignore it because ignoring it WON'T make the problem go away.  It will just ensure that the only ideas out there are from the people who want to use the State to make more rules, more regulations, and less freedom.  So its a discussion that we need to have, and it does no good to just say, "It's the State that is the problem" because from my perspective, the State is now pretty much just an instrument of the corporations.

Caleb

[Russell Kanning]

Dialogue ..... how about just not paying taxes and boycotting walmart if you want?

[Happy Dude]

I agree with you once again. And fascism is the way this government is heading.

The bottom line is that Wal-Mart hates the little Mom & Pop stores and the thrive putting them out of business. There are greedy and scummy all in one.

[Caleb]

Law of Attraction:  I hadn't seen Fitts website ... but I did go there and there is some interesting information there.  Definitely worthy of a little time to read.

I think Russell gets this.  He has an "Its Keene to buy Local" bumper sticker on his van, and he is a member of a "tuath" which is an attempt to build a sort of close-knit community ... I think he's just playing Devil's advocate.

Still, he deserves a smite! 

[tracysaboe]

In Woodsville New Hampshire we are getting a SupeWallmart. Now we can drive 40 miles in all directions without going through one traffic light. They are going to have to put up a traffic light for the Walmart. Everyone keeps saying that if we had zoning we could make Walmart pay for the traffic light. I said that we should get enough tax money for the traffic light because of the high propert taxes they ( and the other businesses that are coming because of Walmart) will be paying. The house prices are also going up. I looked and I found one place that said a traffic light cost $75,000.

I was checking to see what others thought about this.

This is an inherent problem of road socialism. I would argue indeed Walmart should pay for the traffi light. They're the reason the town needs it. But how do you force that w/out regulations and zoning when the transportaion business is socialized. If roads wer privatised the owner of the road WalMart is building next too could make Wal-Mart pay for it.
Tracy

No notice nobody even picked up on my comment.

The problem in this particular case is road socialism.  Walmart comes in, it increases demand on the roads such that the current structure can't support it. So the obvious choices for the state is regulation of some sort.  Road socialism, is what leads to many of these fascist zoning andp lanning board policies.

[KBCraig]

The bottom line is that Wal-Mart hates the little Mom & Pop stores and the thrive putting them out of business.

Patently false. When businesses go under, it harms the economy, and people have less money to spend -- including at Wal Mart.

Wal Mart doesn't compete against Mom & Pop. They compete against other big merchandisers. Mom & Pop have a huge advantage over Wal Mart when it comes to flexibility. Those that see this, and take advantage of it, thrive. Those that try to continue doing business the way they always have, offering the same products as Wal Mart, except at 30-100% markup, will fail.

I shop at Wal Mart for the thing they're good at providing: identical goods at a lower price. If I need service or expertise, I shop elsewhere. If I need a couple of 2x4 studs, I go to Lowe's; if I need 4/4 quartersawn white oak, I go to a local sawmill. If I need household cleaning products and box dinners, I go to Wal Mart; if I want a specific cut of meat trimmed a certain way, I go to a local grocery that has a butcher. If I want a Ruger 10/22 or a cheap box of plinking ammo in a common caliber, I'll go to Wal Mart or Gander Mountain; if I want a fine gun or gunsmithing services or advice or defensive ammo in an uncommon caliber, I patronize local gun shops.

I'm a big fan of shopping local stores, and I go out of my way to patronize local business when possible.

Whether the collusion is between Wal Mart and the government, or Lowe's and the government, or Target and the government, or Home Depot and the government, or Best Buy and the government, or Big Monster Out-Of-State Construction, Inc. and the government, then there's only one common denominator: the government. Business is not the enemy of liberty; government is.

Kevin

[Russell Kanning]

If NH gets rid of Walmart then where will all those people from VT go to who like to shop at our walmarts?
I am not a big advocate of the devil ..... unless you are calling walmart the big satan.
I like to shop local ..... at my walmart.

[Russell Kanning]

I'm a big fan of shopping local stores, and I go out of my way to patronize local business when possible.

This just struck me funny.

[KBCraig]

I'm a big fan of shopping local stores, and I go out of my way to patronize local business when possible.

This just struck me funny.

Oh, I meant it. I'm as condescending towards them as I can be. 

NOT.  :neener:

[Pat McCotter]

It's not as simple as that, Russell, and you know it.  If you want to know the truth, the "bad guys" in the tax situation are the Corporations, who do all the dirty work for the feds.  If all businesses would "just say no" to income tax withholding, it would go away.

If all states would "just say no" to FedGov requirements, it would go away.

[Russell Kanning]

I'm a big fan of shopping local stores, and I go out of my way to patronize local business when possible.

This just struck me funny.

Oh, I meant it. I'm as condescending towards them as I can be. 

NOT.  :neener:

I was also laughing at the idea of you "going out of your way" to shop locally.

[KBCraig]

I was also laughing at the idea of you "going out of your way" to shop locally.

Oh, that... well, I do have to drive past Wal Mart and Lowe's, etc., to get to the local stores. We have a very handy local grocery store, but it's mostly one of those "oops, we're out of milk!" places. Except, they do have a full service butcher shop and great deals on meat, which they cut on the premises (much better quality, and usually cheaper than Wal Mart).

My "local" sawmill is about 30 miles away. But this being Texas, that's only about 25 minutes.

We love to explore local restaurants, and prefer them to chains.

We made a Wal Mart run a couple of hours ago for the basics. For the other stuff, we shop around.

Kevin