Run, Wal-Mart, Run Part II

The Dude Page
Excerpts from Run, Wal-Mart, Run
April 7, 2005

The General Assembly in Maryland has voted to enact a law that is designed to hurt Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart alone. The bill would require organizations with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on health benefits, or put the money directly into the state's health program for the poor. Wal-Mart is the ONLY company in the state that fits that description. Wal-Mart has 15,000 some employees. Being a smart company, Wal-Mart has said that this might make it abandon further projects in the state…. Keep in mind that it is the Democrats who believe that this country’s economy is dying, and that the poor cannot afford anything. If this is really the case, then why are they driving away Wal-Mart? They are socialists, that is why.

I have a very simple solution for both the state of Maryland and Wal-Mart. The state should enact that law, and Wal-Mart should move from the state. Move just over the border into other states. That way, the Democrats get their wish for fewer or no Wal-Marts, and Wal-Mart can take the jobs away from that state to a state that will appreciate them. That is a wonderful idea. I hope it happens so that it will teach a lesson to the Democrats. Businesses will not stay in a country, state, county, or city that is unfriendly to business.

I knew we’d see this story again. That is why I have all The Dude Page articles stored on my stylish Apple PowerBook G4. The year is now 2006, and the liberals feel the time is right to proceed with this law again. In May of 2005, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. vetoed the law because of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce’s statement that the law was illegal and went against federal law.

The Democrats are at it again as I said. This time, however, they are back with the wrath of over a year of waiting. Their allies in the labor unions are at their side again, and this time the unions are not satisfied with just Maryland becoming unfriendly to business; the labor unions in 31 states are requiring large employers to spend more on health care benefits or contribute to Medicaid this year. States these unions are aiming for include: Colorado, Connecticut and Washington (On a side note, this is a brilliant strategy. All three of these states are liberal. There is no doubt in my mind they will win in these states, which will increase morale for the entire campaign. That’s just a side note though).

Being a business major (well… in 7 months I will be), I could easily argue how this plan will hurt business and the general public. However, I will let the professionals explain it to you.

Sarah Clark is a Wal-Mart spokesperson. She told the press more than three-quarters of the company's 1.3 million employees have health insurance, either through work, their family or Medicare.

"They should focus on solving the nation's health care challenges, not attacking companies that provide families with access to affordable health insurance," she said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the unions' effort, if successful, would make it harder for companies to survive. Bruce Josten of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said U.S. companies already have to pay for health care costs, unlike competitors in Europe and Asia.

When you read this, you probably see the logic in this, unless of course you believe in the U.S.S.R. style of life. However, there is something simply profound in the above excerpts that many of you might not have noticed – unlike competitors in Europe and Asia. I believe these attacks on free enterprise are a two-phase plan by the Left to fundamentally change the way the United States operates.

The first stage is simple – force companies to pay obscenely high health care packages for their employees. Most people know companies will not do this and NOT change their practices. Companies, in an effort to maintain profitability, will raise prices, cut employee pay, or shift their health care over to the government. Management will recognize that the third option, the government, is probably the best option for the company to maintain profitability and satisfy the liberals. Does the phrase “unlike competitors in Europe and Asia” seem more logical now? Liberals, I believe, are attempting to force businesses into socialism by making businesses dependent on the government for services they have to provide for their employees. Of course, we all know where socialism leads – double digit unemployment (10% for France, 11% for Germany, etc.), incredibly long unemployment spells, and a disincentive to work hard because it will get you nowhere in life.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is what socialism brings you. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what labor unions, Hillary RODHAM Clinton and millionaire Senator Rockefeller desire for you. The first way they’ll go about getting this for you is by attacking successful American companies so that the American companies will become dependent on the government.

Another fine lesson from the Conservative Textbook.