Walmart is Just Fine With All Those Taxpayer Subsidies, Says Walmart

 
 This just in: Walmart, depressing as it is, would be an EVEN MORE depressing place to work if taxpayers weren't subsidizing the low, low wages paid to Walmart employees. Yes, that's right! You, me, and all the other taxpayers in the room are subsidizing the wages of Walmart workers. It's almost like we are shareholders, except we reap no financial benefits (indirectly or otherwise) and exert no real control over its board of directors, prices, management, or day-to-day operations (indirectly or otherwise). Isn't that a nice arrangement?

Walmart wages are so low that many of its workers rely on food stamps and other government aid programs to fulfill their basic needs, a reality that could cost taxpayers as much as $900,000 at just one Walmart Supercenter in Wisconsin, according to a study released by Congressional Democrats on Thursday.

OK well, before we get our panties in a wad, let's all remember that this report was authored by DEMOCRATS, which are kind of like Communists, so probably this report--among other things-- fails to see the benefits inherent to socializing losses and privatizing profits.

After accounting for the total number of Walmart stores and employees across the state and the per-person costs of BadgerCare, as [Wisconsin's] health care program is known, the report's authors estimated that the cost of publicly funded health care comes to $251,706 per year for a 300-employee Supercenter.

The authors then added up the projected costs of other public-assistance programs available to families on BadgerCare, such as reduced-price school meals, Section 8 housing assistance, the earned income tax credit and energy assistance. Assuming all those workers avail themselves of those additional programs -- granted, an unlikely scenario -- the report extrapolates that the final tab would top $900,000.

Well why don't we just take away all the food stamps and reduced price school meals and Section 8 housing and earned income tax and all that? If we take all of those things away, workers will have no choice but to find higher-paying jobs, the economy will improve, taxpayers will be relieved of their burden, and BAM. No more wasted tax dollars. Amiright? No, of course not, that was a trick question, but we wouldn't surprised if Scott Walker suggested any or all of these things as a remedy.

Anyway, things are just FINE at Walmart, says a lady who works for Walmart:

In response to the report, Walmart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said the company was proud of the opportunities it provides for employees.

"Unfortunately there are some people who base their opinions on misconceptions rather than the facts, and that is why we recently launched a campaign to show people the unlimited opportunities that exist at Walmart," Buchanan said, noting that 75 percent of Walmart managers started as hourly employees. "Every month more than 60 percent of Americans shop at Walmart and we are proud to help them save money on what they want and need to build better lives for themselves and their families. We provide a range of jobs -- from people starting out stocking shelves to Ph.D.’s in engineering and finance. We provide education assistance and skill training and, most of all, a chance to move up in the ranks."

Did Brooke Buchanan forget to mention that Walmart compensates its CEO more in one hour than a retail employee earns in an entire year , has refused to pay overtime , understaffs to the point of compromising employee safety , and pays such a meager wage that a majority of its employees with children are living below the poverty line ? It must have slipped her mind. But don't worry, if you have a PhD in engineering or finance, they are happy to pay you minimum wage to stock shelves so everything will work out great.

 [HuffPo]