And the answer is: SNAP, Unemployment Insurance & a Living Wage
Just in case anyone on the planet didn't realize that Walmart is the company store for the working and non-working poor, they decided to put it in writing and broadcast it for all of the Oligarchs to hear. Here is
Marketwatch's catch from Walmart's 2014 10-K statement filed with the SEC last Friday:
There are oodles of things Wal-Mart is fearful of, from Fed interest-rate policy to climate change, but here’s the specific language on benefits: “changes in the amount of payments made under the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Plan and other public assistance plans (and) changes in the eligibility requirements of public assistance plans.” (Yes, Wal-Mart’s lawyers got the name of the program wrong — it’s the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.)
The latter language could reflect both the change in the food-stamp program as well as the ongoing debate over whether Congress should renew extended jobless benefits that lapsed at the end of December.
Corporations put everything and the kitchen sink into 10-Ks as potential reasons for loss of revenue but Walmart hasn't included this language in the past. Probably because Teahadists weren't savaging SNAP and Unemployment Insurance in the past. Actually DEFINITELY because of that.
You see, when you ain't got much you shop at Walmart, when you ain't got nothing... well, you starve. Walmart's meat and potatoes clientele can't afford Walmart's meat and potatoes anymore. This is why the Irish left Ireland people!
The only humans who read 10-Ks are financial analysts and financial reporters. Each vocation works directly for the investor class. Another vocation that works directly for the investor class, politicians, are getting calls and emails saying "Come on assholes, prime the pump a little. Now you are costing ME money!"
The problem is the Teahadi tribe doesn't listen to orders well. They are wired to think the best way to fix something is to break it. Why use a scalpel when a hammer is available? Am I right! Their motto is "If your neighbor's in trouble, F- HIM!" The point is these hired guns the GOP brought in aren't, by nature, cooperative or competent. And that is why, if you haven't noticed, there is a civil war going on in the Republican primaries. The sides are fire breathing, bible thumping, budget slashing Redstaters versus invisible, rich, old white Wall Street Journalers. By the way, Marketwatch is owned by the Wall Street Journal, just saying.
The TPers have virtually all of the media turf because no Red media personalities dare to speak anything but ultra-conservative gospel. The rich old white dudes let all Republicans speak Tea all the time because they have the almighty checkbook on their side. Unlike in 2010 when crazed, Obama-addled candidates were showing up with big campaign budgets... dark money fell from the sky like Mana from heaven... in 2014 the money is all going to safe establishment candidates. Astroturf isn't free y'all. Crazies who would have been embraced with gold in 2010 are now being told to scram.
Why? It's obvious to the Walton's that these Ultras are ruining their racket. You've got to keep the townsfolk poor enough that they will work shit hours for peanuts while the government gives them Wally money to spend at the company store. At Walmart. But the Ultras broke the damn money machine.
Not that they couldn't help by actually paying their employees a living wage. In fact they address that issue in the same 10-K. Here is another impediment to growth according to Walmart's management:
Our ability to continue to expand our operations depends on our ability to attract and retain a large and growing number of qualified associates. Our ability to meet our labor needs, including our ability to find qualified personnel to fill positions that become vacant at our existing stores, clubs and distribution centers, while controlling our associate wage and related labor costs
For some reason they have a tough time getting people to work for them. The worst stay and the best leave ASAP. Maybe if they could state the problem without adding "controlling our associate wage and related labor cost" in the same sentence they could make progress with that. Try "
uncontrolling wages and related costs" a little. Message to Walmart, your employees are your customers. In fact, the first place a $3/hr national minimum wage increase would go is into Walmart's revenue stream. Good, liberal governance has always proven good for business and we have reams of charts to prove it.
These Takers don't put an old guy who should be retired and fishing at the front door to make you feel welcome, it's to remind you who you work for.
If they earned a Living Wage, they would be inside shopping
Unfortunately for all of us, SNAP, Unemployement Insurance extensions and most importantly a minimum wage increase simply are not going to be realized by this current congress. We need a new and vastly improved House with Nancy Pelosi at the gavel to make anything happen and that is possible. Even with Obama at his polling nadir and the public still skeptical about the ACA national polling still show Democrats with a slight advantage on the generic Congressional ballot and a large advantage in party approval. By the summer millions of Americans will be swamping state capitols with signs saying "Raise My Minimum Wage", "Expand My Medicaid" and "I Want My ACA". Gerrymandering has created a lot of red districts with small, beatable margins. If the tide comes our way we need to be in a position to win them.
To that end it is so important that we turn our heads around and take to the offensive by fielding great candidates against incumbent Reds in pink districts. If you live in a safe Dem district or a safe GOP district, look around for a winnable district to contribute to.
Erin will gladly kick Keith Rothfus' arse to the curb this November in your name
In PA, where a popular congressional vote win of 75,000 votes netted Dems 5 of 18 seats in 2012 thanks to treasonous gerrymandering I have found my adoptive candidate in the Pittsburgh suburb PA-12 . Erin McClelland is a progressive with the resume, charisma and 25/8 campaign hustle to take back this traditional home of John Murtha and union Dems. If you don't have a candidate to call your own please give her a twenty and follow her campaign from up close or afar. It's like gambling but with great kharma.
Go to her ACT Blue page to help.
If you have a good candidate you want people in prohibitive D or R districts to help please mention them in the comments. I do think this is something we need to start dwelling on because 2014 is going to be a year that shocks the Stu Rothenbergs and Larry Sabato's of the world into admitting that the Republican Party is already in histories trash heap.