JMO - When Walmart talks

I wrote about when the AARP talks, you should watch your wallet and checkbook. They're after it. I was reading about that Walmart is now supporting mandated business-funded health insurance for employees. And I'll add the same warning, but with a caveat. When Walmart talks, they don't just want your money as a customer, they want the compettion's money too, as profit for themselves.

Really? Why would Walmart, which has opposed state-backed initiatives and laws mandating employer-funded health insurance, suddenly decided federally-mandated employer-fiunded health insurance is a "good" thing? For one they already meet any minimum standard that would be established, but not because they're pro-employee, quite the opposite, they only provide the barest minimu while employee pay the rest.

They discovered after years of fighting employer-funded health insurance, it's good business and good for the bottom line, their profit. When it comes to money and making money, Walmart has few equals, they're the least interested company in supporting employees and their employment rights and protections. If you read the details in the story about their change, you'll see they're supporting a version of their health insurance.

Like we expect anything different? What Walmart is looking for in the federal mandate is mandatory reduction in health and drug costs, to lower their costs, and maybe tax incentives to companies who do provide health insurance. And by the simple law of economy of scale, they're the biggest hammer in the toolbox to insurance companies to lower costs. They've done that to many small and medium sized business, getting prices below profitability and driving them into bankruptcy or forcing them to move production to China.

You see Walmart doesn't support Americans and American workers. Almost all the products they sell, outside of food, are made in China or other countries where labor is cheap and labor and enviromental laws are minimu at best and non-existent at worst. They're also the company with one of, if not with the, lowest wages and benefits for workers. They're simply profit-motivated, and everyone else, including America and Americans, be damned.

So, when you read Walmart supports some new federal legislation for anything, and especially workers, check your wallet and checkbook. It's your money they want for themselves, and not to share, not even back to the local, state or national economy and environment.