Muscatine

  So if the citizens of the United States that farm and their crops are exported to China can make money off a represive, brutal regime they shouoldn't go for it?  Or if the United States can make money by exporting weapons and other technology to places like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, also repessive government is that the same thing?  Maybe the 10 or 20 thousand Americans that would loose their jobs in the aerospace industry if the US didin't export weapons woud think differently.

Last aI heard China hasn't invaded any countries in the middle east...nothing brutal or repressive about that I'm sure.

Several years ago I purchased a large block of Walmart stock and I was just informed that their profits are up some 17%.  Good news for us that believe in capitlaism and the power of consumerism.

The average family of 4 that buys their groceries at Walmart will save over $2,500 this year over what they would pay in any other grocery outlet.

Walmart is good for America, and good for families that are having tought times due to the high cost of gasoline and transportaion in general.  That extra $2,500 buys more than a few gallons of gas or clothes for kids.

That other local place may have a "helpful smile in every aisle" but that smile due to their overinflated prices (at least a 30% mark up) is even brighter at their corporate headquarters.

Before the "Walmart is anti-union" harpies start complaining, just keep in mind that if it weren't for Walmart's current corporate strategy, many of the people employed there would have no jobs at all, which means that ther would be a far greater drain on our social welfare system.  Walmart employs more women, minorities and physically/mentally challenegd people than any other corporation in the WORLD!

So you seem to be implying that we should just shut up about Wal-Mart's labor   practices         and be thankful that they're employing people. Personally, I think that we should be more concerned with the quality of employment (worker representaion, working conditions, etc.) rather than just employment. It's a matter of quality over quantity.

And what about supporting small, local businesses who can't compete with the Wal-Mart machine? Should we just ignore them and think only of ourselves and our own pocket books? Seems rather selfish to me.

Personally, I don't shop at Wal-Mart and haven't for many years. I'm perfectly content paying more for goods and services elsewhere and supporting local employers whenever possible.

So you can keep your China-supporting, sub-par quality, anti-employee stock, thank you very much. I'll support my local companies that treat their employees with a little more respect and sleep well at night knowing that I'm doing the right thing for my community.