Wal-Mart, Healthcare, and the U.S. Government

I just read an article by Wayne F. Cascio of the University of Colorado “Decency Means More than “Always Low Prices”: A Comparison of Costco to Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club” and it is one of the most biased, poorly written articles with misinformation I have ever read. The two key problems are that the size of Wal-Mart and Costco are quite different and that the conclusions drawn are of little substantial basis. He is comparing Sam’s Club to Costco but uses data and incidents that have occurred at Wal-Mart which is a completely different kind of retail operation.

As a former Wal-Mart employee, I definitely hold some animosity towards them. As an Assistant Manager, you work hard, long hours for little pay or respect. It was definitely not the right work environment for me but let’s it least be objective with our judgments. And let’s try to see the whole picture. Is it even right to be outraged by the lack of healthcare and support Wal-Mart offers its employees? Let’s think for a moment and look at the big picture. Whose responsibility really is it?

Why should a company be responsible for healthcare and not the government? The article implies that Wal-Mart, the second largest employer in the United States (after the government), has a social responsibility to have healthcare for all of its employees. Let’s take a step back, why can we not make the link that maybe the government has a social responsibility to take care of its citizens? The key issue is not Wal-Mart. It’s society. It’s the United States government’s lack of responsibility, not Wal-Mart’s.

For example, many of the friendly door greeters that you see as you enter Wal-Mart are actually retired people that should be….RETIRED. They should be out enjoying life, spending time with their grandchildren, and relaxing after spending the majority of their lives working hard. Why do they go to Wal-Mart and start working again? Because Wal-Mart offers a healthcare plan and is willing to hire retirees. U.S. citizens that weren’t lucky enough to work for a company with retirement benefits are forced to find a job that can help them. The cost of medicine is so high and they cannot afford it without a private insurance plan. There is no other option for them. Whose fault is that? It’s the fault of the current healthcare system of the U.S. government and the people that aren’t trying to change it.

Now that healthcare reform is more than just a hot topic, I found it appropriate to actually write down my opinion and express it with others. I hope Obama’s team is able to make change happen! I would love to hear your thoughts – dissent and support- in order to address weak points and strengthen my viewpoint. I’m hoping to refine this document and add more facts and others perspectives in order to submit it to my local paper. Who knows? It just might get published.