LunarRay
Diamond Member
- Mar 2, 2003
- 9,993
- 1
- 76
All those stores simply exploit the economic conditions of the day. They have all sorts of folks seeking work that they control the wage. There is an over supply of labor.. simple.. If that could or would change then they will be forced to compete for bodies and the wages will go up as will the price of the products.
CADsortaGUY
Lifer
Originally posted by: LunarRay
Originally posted by: CADkindaGUY
I don't know what you are searching for.
CkG
I edited in the link... the issue about walmart in that Iowa town we spoke of..
Yes - I discussed what is happening here in Ankeny.
I believe it was mostly via PM though which I have since deleted.(damn 100PM limit now that my subscription ran out)Walmart hasn't hurt this town
Just opened a Sporting goods warehouse next to it and not to mention all the other businesses that popped up right around it. There are maybe 3 small "out lots" available in that area now.Kohls came in
Super Target came in(which forced Walmart to build a "super")
Menards
Home Depot came in
Wendy's
Burgerking
McDonalds
IHOP
Chops BBQ
Sub shop
Radio Shack
Craft stores
Hollywood video
3 banks
mattress warehouse
gas stations
car wash
Tire shop
Chili's
New Ford dealership
plus lots of local shops that have moved into the little strip mall things they have built
Yup - Walmart trashed our 35K community.
Oh wait - and don't mind the HUGE new Firestone Distribution center just south of town.(I drove past it tonight - it's HUGE!!) And about the only "casualty" as far as "local businesses" was a Home electronics/furnishings/flooring place but that was more because they made some stupid business decisions.
And one more thing - they broke ground on a new Emergency care Clinic/hospital thing where the old Walmart was. WOOT - Now I'll be 7 blocks away from emergency care instead of over 10 miles
CkG
I understand Walmart is "unique" Bow. I just asked why they are the only target. Are you saying that all these other corporations are great? They each are taking jobs away and destroying communities in their own way.
If you don't want to discuss this, you don't have to. I was just trying to broaden the scope of this discussion to include all large retailers, because they aren't much different than Walmart. You can't tell me that Best Buy is supporting American manufacturers when they are busy selling Korean and other foreign produced goods??
LunarRay
Diamond Member
- Mar 2, 2003
- 9,993
- 1
- 76
CAD,
The folks who shop there won't be shopping where they used to. Unless you have a population growth consistent with the expansion. Someone somewhere is looking for the customers that used to drive to their store... NO?
Plus all that gas savings will get pumped into those stores and not into the gas tank.. that is good.. less smog.. Walmart is an ecology minded outfit..
The folks who shop there won't be shopping where they used to. Unless you have a population growth consistent with the expansion. Someone somewhere is looking for the customers that used to drive to their store... NO?
Plus all that gas savings will get pumped into those stores and not into the gas tank.. that is good.. less smog.. Walmart is an ecology minded outfit..
CADsortaGUY
Lifer
Originally posted by: LunarRay
CAD,
The folks who shop there won't be shopping where they used to. Unless you have a population growth consistent with the expansion. Someone somewhere is looking for the customers that used to drive to their store... NO?
Plus all that gas savings will get pumped into those stores and not into the gas tank.. that is good.. less smog.. Walmart is an ecology minded outfit..
Yeah - we had next to nothing here a few short years ago - we had to drive to DesMoines. But DesMoines has expanded quite rapidly too so those retailers are sitting happy
The word on the street(actually the city council meeting) is that Ankeny will top 50K people in a few short years which I think I've posted here before and I'd say it's grown by atleast 5K(if not 10K) since I moved to town a couple years ago.CkG
Bowfinger
Lifer
- Nov 17, 2002
- 15,776
- 392
- 126
I don't think the Des Moines situation is as rosy as Cad suggests, but that's not all due to Wal-Mart. In general, I think large urban areas can absorb Wal-Marts more easily than smaller communities. That's where they do the real damage. Much of the Des Moines metro growth has come at the expense of outlying rural Iowa towns. Much of rural Iowa is dying.Originally posted by: LunarRay
CAD,
In that case the expanded DesMoines area is ok.. but, the general growth rate is taking folks from somewhere.. maybe California..
Cad's town of Ankeny is a "bedroom community" suburb of Des Moines. Compared to other towns of its size, it didn't have much local business. Wal-Mart built their Ankeny store in a brand new retail park. Other new stores include Home Depot, a Super Target, Staples, Menards (regional Home Depot competitor), and smaller stores. This area is right on I-35 on the northern outskirts of the Des Moines metro, making it is a convenient shopping location for outlying areas.
The potential impact on local Ankeny businesses is more than offset by the new traffic. The impact on the rest of the Des Moines metro is real, but modest. The impact on other area towns is more significant.
Originally posted by: Bowfinger
I don't think the Des Moines situation is as rosy as Cad suggests, but that's not all due to Wal-Mart. In general, I think large urban areas can absorb Wal-Marts more easily than smaller communities. That's where they do the real damage. Much of the Des Moines metro growth has come at the expense of outlying rural Iowa towns. Much of rural Iowa is dying.Originally posted by: LunarRay
CAD,
In that case the expanded DesMoines area is ok.. but, the general growth rate is taking folks from somewhere.. maybe California..
Cad's town of Ankeny is a "bedroom community" suburb of Des Moines. Compared to other towns of its size, it didn't have much local business. Wal-Mart built their Ankeny store in a brand new retail park. Other new stores include Home Depot, a Super Target, Staples, Menards (regional Home Depot competitor), and smaller stores. This area is right on I-35 on the northern outskirts of the Des Moines metro, making it is a convenient shopping location for outlying areas.
The potential impact on local Ankeny businesses is more than offset by the new traffic. The impact on the rest of the Des Moines metro is real, but modest. The impact on other area towns is more significant.
"The impact on other area towns is more significant." But CAD & Co, Rush and the rest loves it so it's OK...
CADsortaGUY
Lifer
Originally posted by: Bowfinger
I don't think the Des Moines situation is as rosy as Cad suggests, but that's not all due to Wal-Mart. In general, I think large urban areas can absorb Wal-Marts more easily than smaller communities. That's where they do the real damage. Much of the Des Moines metro growth has come at the expense of outlying rural Iowa towns. Much of rural Iowa is dying.Originally posted by: LunarRay
CAD,
In that case the expanded DesMoines area is ok.. but, the general growth rate is taking folks from somewhere.. maybe California..
Cad's town of Ankeny is a "bedroom community" suburb of Des Moines. Compared to other towns of its size, it didn't have much local business. Wal-Mart built their Ankeny store in a brand new retail park. Other new stores include Home Depot, a Super Target, Staples, Menards (regional Home Depot competitor), and smaller stores. This area is right on I-35 on the northern outskirts of the Des Moines metro, making it is a convenient shopping location for outlying areas.
The potential impact on local Ankeny businesses is more than offset by the new traffic. The impact on the rest of the Des Moines metro is real, but modest. The impact on other area towns is more significant.
I never suggested that this was all due to walmart
I just said Walmart building a new "super" didn't harm Ankeny and infact this town has pretty much just accepted all the new growth. The impact on DesMoines was minimal as they have been growing westward for longer than Ankeny has been growing. But yes - rural Iowa has been dying for years. The farm communities have gone the way of the dinosaur. There is nothing that will magically "save" them. Who in their right mind would put a factory out in the middle of nowhere where the 2 lane highway limits your shipping lanes and who's worker base is somewhat limited. This is not Walmart's fault - it is people's fault. People want access to things - small towns have never provided good access to things.But yes Ankeny was and still is mostly a "sleeper town" as we only have a couple "big" employers here. Tones spices, John Deere plant, Casey's Corporate offices(gas station chain), and the grocery warehouse. Those 4 don't support a 35K town but they provide a good base. Most of the people though do work in DesMoines...like me
(althought our office used to be in Ankeny).CkG
"This is not Walmart's fault - it is people's fault. People want access to things - small towns have never provided good access to things."
It's not us the Citizens fault, it is the Politicians that are controlled by the Execs of Companies like Walmart.
Walmart as well as developers putting up massive Retail Centers as well as 20,000 house all on top of two lane Country roads, brilliant
Now they (Local and State Politicians) siad they will allow a Private firm to turn the roads into Toll roads so they can add lanes and overpasses and make all the bucks to do it.
That is what I said they had planned all along, to get into the pockets, DEEP into the pockets.
Walmart & the Developers should have to pay for this sh1t up front and Politicians/Corporate Execs should not have the right to pull this crap, period.
It's not us the Citizens fault, it is the Politicians that are controlled by the Execs of Companies like Walmart.
Walmart as well as developers putting up massive Retail Centers as well as 20,000 house all on top of two lane Country roads, brilliant
Now they (Local and State Politicians) siad they will allow a Private firm to turn the roads into Toll roads so they can add lanes and overpasses and make all the bucks to do it.
That is what I said they had planned all along, to get into the pockets, DEEP into the pockets.
Walmart & the Developers should have to pay for this sh1t up front and Politicians/Corporate Execs should not have the right to pull this crap, period.
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
"This is not Walmart's fault - it is people's fault. People want access to things - small towns have never provided good access to things."
It's not us the Citizens fault, it is the Politicians that are controlled by the Execs of Companies like Walmart.
Walmart as well as developers putting up massive Retail Centers as well as 20,000 house all on top of two lane Country roads, brilliant
Now they (Local and State Politicians) siad they will allow a Private firm to turn the roads into Toll roads so they can add lanes and overpasses and make all the bucks to do it.
That is what I said they had planned all along, to get into the pockets, DEEP into the pockets.
Walmart & the Developers should have to pay for this sh1t up front and Politicians/Corporate Execs should not have the right to pull this crap, period.
How can they turn a street into a toll road? I never heard of that. Highways yes, but not local-access roads. Developing an urban area on rural infrastructure is retarded. 4 and 6 lane boulevards every mile are a necessity if you don't want gridlock.. lol. Hey, at least those local and state politicians are putting the money back into roads and not into mass transit, which seems to be a major pork project! It's sad because mass transit usually sells.. people actually think that everyone ELSE is going to take the train so THEY can drive in to work faster. Sorry, it doesn't work like that!
Walmart isn't playing on a level field. If they're going to put their building in front of a two-lane country road or anywhere where there's not good access, they should be forced to pay for the improvements and not the taxpayers! If they decide to develop outside city limits, they should have to pay for EVERYTHING. THEY should build the road from the highway to the store, THEY should build sewer.. whatever. Not the taxpayers.
So Wal Mart is SO prevailent that there are NO good jobs left and people have no other choice but to work there? Can you say "nonsense" ?
Jhhnn, I can't comment on Wal Mart's current policies with regard to full time, but I can tell you that 10 years ago, when I worked there in order to make ends meet while I went to college, I always had 40 hours, and sometimes I would have up to 48 (less common, but every couple of months I'd have overtime).
Actually Wal Mart has over 70% turnover on their normal associates. So let's see, 70% of Wal Mart employees quit when they find jobs with better pay and benefits...doesn't that require that there BE jobs with better pay and benefits? But I thought that many folks here were contending that Wal Mart DESTROYS jobs with better pay and benefits? If that's so...then where are these workers going?
If it's PAID and it's VOLUNTARY, it isn't slavery in any sense.
Should we banish minimum wage? ABSOLUTELY! Who is hurt most by Minimum Wage? POOR people. Minimum wage effectively tells poor people, "It's better for you to have NO job than to have one that pays $5 an hour." How many jobs are lost *because* small business cannot afford the minimum wage well enough to pay the right amount of workers for their business? So now what you have is a handful of people making minimum wage who have to make up the extra work that should have been given to other workers. So instead of a lower wage, now you have worse working conditions with less flexibility for the workers themselves. How does that help anyone? It doesn't.
As for the government doing nothing to put a damper on people who are MAKING a lot of money..why should they ? What right have they to do so? This is another example of operating from the FALSE premise that wealth exists in a static quantity and that one person having a certain amount makes it impossible for another person to have any given amount. It's poor logic and it's a false story. Money is nothing but a physical *placeholder* for the value of goods and services. Wealth is measured in terms of the amount of goods and services available for use.
As for unionization, if I were Wal Mart or any other business that has low-skill employees, I would burn my store to the ground before I let them form a union. Unions are properly used to negotiate FAIR wages for SKILLED labor, not for getting ridiculous wages for trained monkeys. It's better if low skill jobs are low pay jobs too, because that in itself is incentive for the workers to get themselves some skills in order to work a better job somewhere else. See the "Wal Mart has 70% turnover" snippit above.
Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I can say that when *I* worked at Wal Mart 10 years ago, I was never treated badly. The company spirit was great, the management treated me and everyone else I knew like they were part of a team and they were always willing to listen to new ideas, and ideas they adopted were recognized and the originator rewarded with recognition and pay increases. Yeah, the pay sucked, but it was grunt work and I knew it, and I always thought I got paid more than what the work deserved.
You're right, we DO need to consider those things. First order of business: ELIMINATE all subsidies and welfare for anyone who is CAPABLE of working. Allowing for those who CANNOT provide for themselves is one thing, but doing so for those who WILL NOT provide for themselves is criminal at best. As for where the jobs move around to, the government has no business regulating such matters. It's an interference with Freedom of Trade. I know some of the things that happen can seem alarming, but to take a reactionary position and try to force the world to comply to your narrow vision of labor and trade is a bad idea. The very nature of Lberty is volatility, not stability, and it's far better to simply get used to it and learn to find your best opportunities than it is to try and control what others do. The government's place is only to ensure that business and individuals deal with each other on honest terms without deption, force or fraud. Nothing more.
They have Popcorn at your Wal Mart?! Oh man, I'm getting ripped off, we don't have popcorn! DOH!
I don't think that's the case at all. Wal Mart uses it's "power" to negotiate good deals which it then passes on to its consumers; Wal Mart makes a load of cash, people get the goods they want at a price they can afford. Everyone wins. This whole notion of not seeing the forest through the trees until it's too late is, IMHO, reactionary, paranoid nonsense with no basis in reality. Until Wal Mart starts chaining their workers and whipping them while withholding pay checks, you've got no grounds to force them into anything. Their relationships with their employees are *VOLUNTARY*; if you want to blame Wal Mart for offering low wages, you'd better blame their workforce for being willing to work for those wages too.
I've seen some terrible analogies in my time, but that may be the worst. What Dairy farmer doesn't feed his milk-producing cows enough to survive? That is so much nonsense I can scarcely believe it. If Wal Mart's employment policies are so awful, *WHY* do people keep *VOLUNTEERING* to go to work for them? No one forces these people, they just *do it*. That being the case, neither you nor I have any right to *do* anything about it, though we can sit here and grump about it all day if we want.
Oh, because only WEALTHY Americans buy all those cheap goods from China, right? The middle class doesn't buy, use or gain any benefit whatsoever from low-priced goods, do they?
Correction: The average Wal Mart worker CHOOSES to make $12,000 a year by CHOOSING to accept $8 an hour and a 32 hour work week. Perhaps if they would CHOOSE to go get educated and get a real job they would then be CAPABLE of earning a better salary.
Oh, and who creates the Corporations, Bow? THE PEOPLE. Who are corporations designed for, from a legal standpoint, as a method of doing business in a somewhat protected state? THE PEOPLE. Who's General Welfare was in mind when the idea of Corporations was introduced? THE PEOPLE.
The US Constitution is a document about LIBERTY, Bow, the LIBERTY of each and every INDIVIDUAL. It's main purpose is to LIMIT the power of government from interfering with the day-to-day life of the INDIVIDUAL. Who needs to be free to earn a living? INDIVIDUALS. Who starts Corporations in order to earn a better living? INDIVIDUALS. You, Bow, do not even understand the nature and meaning of Capitalism. Unlike your apparently beloved Socialism, Capitalism is not a Man-Made system, but is an *effect*, a *consequence* that occurred when Man's Natural Rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness were declared as the justification of government's existence. Our government exists to PROTECT THE NATURAL RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE UNDER IT. That INCLUDES the right to earn a living to whatever extent that you are capable of. Some people are better at it than others; GET OVER IT.
When you say that "Too much Capitalism is bad for us" you say that "Too much LIBERTY is bad for us" which is the same as to say that man should be chained to some extent. The only limit that should unilaterally be put upon all men and all business is this: Live honestly and honorably, making no intentional effort to cause the harm of another.
Where did you go to school, China?
What thread was that? I have not seen ONE thread listing nations that have tried unchaining man, because of course, there ARE NONE. Not even America, though we came the closest and as a consequence became the richest, most powerful nation on Earth.
Of COURSE there isn't anything about Capitalism in the constitution; the phrase hadn't even been *coined* yet. The constitution was designed to protect the LIBERTY of all men who live under it; Capitalism occurred as a NATURAL CONSEQUENCE of Liberty.
OK, so America spent last century industrializing and in the following century became the richest country on earth. Cause and Effect, people? These countries SHOULD industrialize, and hopefully do so learning their lessons from our mistakes and create cleaner factories, more environmentally friendly products and so forth. America is *nothing* like Mexico in operation nor in appearance, who would even state such a nonsense claim?
If you think Wal Mart is destroying itself, then what are you worried about? Kick back, pop open a beer (I can't stand beer, so I'll snag a Margarita, thank you very much
and watch the show!And of course, they aren't *bringing* any new jobs, are they? :roll: Maybe we should just ban all forms of trade altogether! That should solve ALL of America's problems!
A few years back, when I lived in Roseburg, Oregon,(which is a sh1thole of a town, IMHO) the Wal Mart there DID widen the road they are on (something like a 2 mile stretch), plus the nearest 2 intersections, all to 6 lanes, as I recall. They also put in new signal lights and, while they were tearing up the road to do it, they tore out all the old sewer lines and replaced them with brand new ones. The only reason I know this about that area is because I *lived* there and it was the big news for a couple of weeks in the local paper.
Jason
Originally posted by: Ultima
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
"This is not Walmart's fault - it is people's fault. People want access to things - small towns have never provided good access to things."
It's not us the Citizens fault, it is the Politicians that are controlled by the Execs of Companies like Walmart.
Walmart as well as developers putting up massive Retail Centers as well as 20,000 house all on top of two lane Country roads, brilliant
Now they (Local and State Politicians) siad they will allow a Private firm to turn the roads into Toll roads so they can add lanes and overpasses and make all the bucks to do it.
That is what I said they had planned all along, to get into the pockets, DEEP into the pockets.
Walmart & the Developers should have to pay for this sh1t up front and Politicians/Corporate Execs should not have the right to pull this crap, period.
How can they turn a street into a toll road? I never heard of that. Highways yes, but not local-access roads. Developing an urban area on rural infrastructure is retarded. 4 and 6 lane boulevards every mile are a necessity if you don't want gridlock.. lol. Hey, at least those local and state politicians are putting the money back into roads and not into mass transit, which seems to be a major pork project! It's sad because mass transit usually sells.. people actually think that everyone ELSE is going to take the train so THEY can drive in to work faster. Sorry, it doesn't work like that!
Walmart isn't playing on a level field. If they're going to put their building in front of a two-lane country road or anywhere where there's not good access, they should be forced to pay for the improvements and not the taxpayers! If they decide to develop outside city limits, they should have to pay for EVERYTHING. THEY should build the road from the highway to the store, THEY should build sewer.. whatever. Not the taxpayers.
Welcome to Georgia. Road pork capitol of the south. You'll find a 6 lane Intestate like type road out in the middle of nowhere, while around Atlanta where the Developers put up massive subdivision after subdivision and Retail strip after retail strip on top of two lane country roads.
Look up State Rd 316. A feeder from I-85 outside of Atlanta to Athens Georgia (Univeristy of Georgia). It was origianlly scheduled to be built with bridges and overpasses. They didn't, now it's "Gridlock" at all of the north and south roads that intersect with this East West Country road that was expanded but obviously not properly. Now they want to make it a Toll rd to pay for the Bridges and Overpasses.
This is actually a better alternative since it would "Tax" those that use the road and not everyone all around in general Taxes. Either way I'm sure it was the "Master Plan" of all thes corrupt people to begin with. I spoke with the head of the DOT personally and called him on the corruption of a local road and bridge around the corner from my house.
It's an amazing thing to behold. Highway 211 from I-85 to Hwy 53 is a 2 lane Country road. They are building massive subdivisions (20,000), Apts, Townhomes, Retail Center after Retail center, Restaurant after Restaurant. They have already added more driveways in and out of these developments than I can count and added 3 traffic lights last year with 3 scheduled to go in this year all within a 3 mile stretch. There is "Gridlock" being planned right there alone but that is not the icing on the cake.
Just north of I-85 the road crosses Duncan creek at Chateau Elan, it is a narrow 2 lane bridge built in 1948. Only a half mile north of it is a bridge that crosses Mitchell Creek and it was changed from a Pipe under the road to a bridge in 1984 and they built the bridge 4 lanes wide. Last October they closed the Duncan creek bridge for 3 months for an overhaul. Do you think they widened it to 4 lanes? No of course not. The jackhammered the top layer of decaying concrete to float a new layer of concrete, why? Because the old concrete would've crumbeled under the "Gridlocked" standing still traffic of all the trucks and cars they are purposely planning!!!
When I confronted the DOT guy on this he turned beet red, you can practically see the steam coming out of his ears, his spokeslady had to grab his arms or he would've came after me in the meeting I'm sure. I asked him, oh when do you "Plan" on widening the bridge to alleviate the planned Gridlock? He said they are not even thnking about making plans for it for 10 years. I said oh yea, so that your DOT can come back and say they have to reach deep in our pockets to do the expansion. Of course it would cost so much more because they would have to buy the land right back from the very people they allowed to build right on top of the road. Bulldoze perfectly fine Retail shopping centers.
This is exactly what they are doing now at my exit at Hwy 53 and I-985. It's all a bunch of pr-planned BUllsh1t and we are the Suckers.
Have to record a Parody of the We are the World song, "We are the Suckers, bend Us over".
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: Ultima
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
"This is not Walmart's fault - it is people's fault. People want access to things - small towns have never provided good access to things."
It's not us the Citizens fault, it is the Politicians that are controlled by the Execs of Companies like Walmart.
Walmart as well as developers putting up massive Retail Centers as well as 20,000 house all on top of two lane Country roads, brilliant
Now they (Local and State Politicians) siad they will allow a Private firm to turn the roads into Toll roads so they can add lanes and overpasses and make all the bucks to do it.
That is what I said they had planned all along, to get into the pockets, DEEP into the pockets.
Walmart & the Developers should have to pay for this sh1t up front and Politicians/Corporate Execs should not have the right to pull this crap, period.
How can they turn a street into a toll road? I never heard of that. Highways yes, but not local-access roads. Developing an urban area on rural infrastructure is retarded. 4 and 6 lane boulevards every mile are a necessity if you don't want gridlock.. lol. Hey, at least those local and state politicians are putting the money back into roads and not into mass transit, which seems to be a major pork project! It's sad because mass transit usually sells.. people actually think that everyone ELSE is going to take the train so THEY can drive in to work faster. Sorry, it doesn't work like that!
Walmart isn't playing on a level field. If they're going to put their building in front of a two-lane country road or anywhere where there's not good access, they should be forced to pay for the improvements and not the taxpayers! If they decide to develop outside city limits, they should have to pay for EVERYTHING. THEY should build the road from the highway to the store, THEY should build sewer.. whatever. Not the taxpayers.
Welcome to Georgia. Road pork capitol of the south. You'll find a 6 lane Intestate like type road out in the middle of nowhere, while around Atlanta where the Developers put up massive subdivision after subdivision and Retail strip after retail strip on top of two lane country roads.
Look up State Rd 316. A feeder from I-85 outside of Atlanta to Athens Georgia (Univeristy of Georgia). It was origianlly scheduled to be built with bridges and overpasses. They didn't, now it's "Gridlock" at all of the north and south roads that intersect with this East West Country road that was expanded but obviously not properly. Now they want to make it a Toll rd to pay for the Bridges and Overpasses.
This is actually a better alternative since it would "Tax" those that use the road and not everyone all around in general Taxes. Either way I'm sure it was the "Master Plan" of all thes corrupt people to begin with. I spoke with the head of the DOT personally and called him on the corruption of a local road and bridge around the corner from my house.
It's an amazing thing to behold. Highway 211 from I-85 to Hwy 53 is a 2 lane Country road. They are building massive subdivisions (20,000), Apts, Townhomes, Retail Center after Retail center, Restaurant after Restaurant. They have already added more driveways in and out of these developments than I can count and added 3 traffic lights last year with 3 scheduled to go in this year all within a 3 mile stretch. There is "Gridlock" being planned right there alone but that is not the icing on the cake.
Just north of I-85 the road crosses Duncan creek at Chateau Elan, it is a narrow 2 lane bridge built in 1948. Only a half mile north of it is a bridge that crosses Mitchell Creek and it was changed from a Pipe under the road to a bridge in 1984 and they built the bridge 4 lanes wide. Last October they closed the Duncan creek bridge for 3 months for an overhaul. Do you think they widened it to 4 lanes? No of course not. The jackhammered the top layer of decaying concrete to float a new layer of concrete, why? Because the old concrete would've crumbeled under the "Gridlocked" standing still traffic of all the trucks and cars they are purposely planning!!!
When I confronted the DOT guy on this he turned beet red, you can practically see the steam coming out of his ears, his spokeslady had to grab his arms or he would've came after me in the meeting I'm sure. I asked him, oh when do you "Plan" on widening the bridge to alleviate the planned Gridlock? He said they are not even thnking about making plans for it for 10 years. I said oh yea, so that your DOT can come back and say they have to reach deep in our pockets to do the expansion. Of course it would cost so much more because they would have to buy the land right back from the very people they allowed to build right on top of the road. Bulldoze perfectly fine Retail shopping centers.
This is exactly what they are doing now at my exit at Hwy 53 and I-985. It's all a bunch of pr-planned BUllsh1t and we are the Suckers.
Have to record a Parody of the We are the World song, "We are the Suckers, bend Us over".
Maybe you just need to move.
Originally posted by: charrison
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: Ultima
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
"This is not Walmart's fault - it is people's fault. People want access to things - small towns have never provided good access to things."
It's not us the Citizens fault, it is the Politicians that are controlled by the Execs of Companies like Walmart.
Walmart as well as developers putting up massive Retail Centers as well as 20,000 house all on top of two lane Country roads, brilliant
Now they (Local and State Politicians) siad they will allow a Private firm to turn the roads into Toll roads so they can add lanes and overpasses and make all the bucks to do it.
That is what I said they had planned all along, to get into the pockets, DEEP into the pockets.
Walmart & the Developers should have to pay for this sh1t up front and Politicians/Corporate Execs should not have the right to pull this crap, period.
How can they turn a street into a toll road? I never heard of that. Highways yes, but not local-access roads. Developing an urban area on rural infrastructure is retarded. 4 and 6 lane boulevards every mile are a necessity if you don't want gridlock.. lol. Hey, at least those local and state politicians are putting the money back into roads and not into mass transit, which seems to be a major pork project! It's sad because mass transit usually sells.. people actually think that everyone ELSE is going to take the train so THEY can drive in to work faster. Sorry, it doesn't work like that!
Walmart isn't playing on a level field. If they're going to put their building in front of a two-lane country road or anywhere where there's not good access, they should be forced to pay for the improvements and not the taxpayers! If they decide to develop outside city limits, they should have to pay for EVERYTHING. THEY should build the road from the highway to the store, THEY should build sewer.. whatever. Not the taxpayers.
Welcome to Georgia. Road pork capitol of the south. You'll find a 6 lane Intestate like type road out in the middle of nowhere, while around Atlanta where the Developers put up massive subdivision after subdivision and Retail strip after retail strip on top of two lane country roads.
Look up State Rd 316. A feeder from I-85 outside of Atlanta to Athens Georgia (Univeristy of Georgia). It was origianlly scheduled to be built with bridges and overpasses. They didn't, now it's "Gridlock" at all of the north and south roads that intersect with this East West Country road that was expanded but obviously not properly. Now they want to make it a Toll rd to pay for the Bridges and Overpasses.
This is actually a better alternative since it would "Tax" those that use the road and not everyone all around in general Taxes. Either way I'm sure it was the "Master Plan" of all thes corrupt people to begin with. I spoke with the head of the DOT personally and called him on the corruption of a local road and bridge around the corner from my house.
It's an amazing thing to behold. Highway 211 from I-85 to Hwy 53 is a 2 lane Country road. They are building massive subdivisions (20,000), Apts, Townhomes, Retail Center after Retail center, Restaurant after Restaurant. They have already added more driveways in and out of these developments than I can count and added 3 traffic lights last year with 3 scheduled to go in this year all within a 3 mile stretch. There is "Gridlock" being planned right there alone but that is not the icing on the cake.
Just north of I-85 the road crosses Duncan creek at Chateau Elan, it is a narrow 2 lane bridge built in 1948. Only a half mile north of it is a bridge that crosses Mitchell Creek and it was changed from a Pipe under the road to a bridge in 1984 and they built the bridge 4 lanes wide. Last October they closed the Duncan creek bridge for 3 months for an overhaul. Do you think they widened it to 4 lanes? No of course not. The jackhammered the top layer of decaying concrete to float a new layer of concrete, why? Because the old concrete would've crumbeled under the "Gridlocked" standing still traffic of all the trucks and cars they are purposely planning!!!
When I confronted the DOT guy on this he turned beet red, you can practically see the steam coming out of his ears, his spokeslady had to grab his arms or he would've came after me in the meeting I'm sure. I asked him, oh when do you "Plan" on widening the bridge to alleviate the planned Gridlock? He said they are not even thnking about making plans for it for 10 years. I said oh yea, so that your DOT can come back and say they have to reach deep in our pockets to do the expansion. Of course it would cost so much more because they would have to buy the land right back from the very people they allowed to build right on top of the road. Bulldoze perfectly fine Retail shopping centers.
This is exactly what they are doing now at my exit at Hwy 53 and I-985. It's all a bunch of pr-planned BUllsh1t and we are the Suckers.
Have to record a Parody of the We are the World song, "We are the Suckers, bend Us over".
Maybe you just need to move.
I agree.
This is more stupid than your trade deficit theory. We can help poor people by paying 10 cents an hour. Maybe we can repeal the 13th amendment so you don't have to pay them at all. They only buy booze and drugs anyway.
Here is a fact for you. The economy grows when people have money to spend. The economy grew after each minimum wage increase.
Forget it Ldir, the next generation like DMA is what will be running whatever is left of this Country, obviously it will be a Fascist Caste System and everybody will be happy about it. Resistance is Fultile.
Great, then let's make the minimum wage 132415153 billion dollars an hour. I bet the economy will soar so fast it will make your head spin.
- Oct 30, 2000
- 42,589
- 5
- 0
And so did inflation.
Is is better to have 4 people working for $10/hr or 5 people @ $8/hr.
Remember that the employer has only $40/hr in wage money.
Ldir, you are a moron, as you show *constantly*. As I explained before: When you raise the minimum wage, which affects all businesses, not jsut the big ones like Wal Mart, prices are increased to compensate and the people at the low end of the scale, the POOR people, do not see the benefits of an increase in cash because you've also just created INFLATION. In addition you've more than likely just put a few poor people out of work because the employer can only afford so many dollars per hour, and if he can now only afford 3 workers instead of 4, someone loses their job.
The MIDDLE class, of course, probably wasn't making minimum wage anyway (that's why they're the MIDDLE class and not the POOR) so the only effect they see is an increase in prices, which means that they can afford to buy less stuff now.
The RICH, on the other hand, have a hefty buffer against what, to them, are relatively small price increases, and so they are barely affected at all. They certainly won't be dissuaded from buying their favorite foods, clothes and so on --which are all now more expensive because YOU increased the minimum wage.
So in the end you HURT the poor by eliminating jobs, you HURT the middle class by raising prices and NOT raising their wages, effectively reducing their cash flow, and while you might, in fact, knock a few dollars off the budget of the rich man, you aren't affecting his standard of living at all.
Wow, you're a great problem solver, Ldir! It's too bad we don't have more of you around, we might be able to starve out the poor and middle class altogether!
Jason
EDIT: DMC, a Fascist caste system? Are you really THAT stupid? The only thing I've EVER advocated is simple LIBERTY that respects the rights of ALL men blindly and does NOT discriminate on the basis of wealth or ability in any way, shape or form. A system that says "EACH Man has certain unalienable rights, and these we will protect."
That's right a great Economy with the masses at 25 cents an hour stocking shelves and cleaning grills with a select few Billionaire Elitist Corp Execs and the Politicians they own as well driving the best Economy America has ever seen.
Um, it's more like 4 people at $10/hr vs 4 people at $8/hr. The employer isn't going to hire more people just for the hell of it.
I agree that minimum wages can't be set too high, but they should be set high enough so that someone on minimum wage can afford to rent an apartment, buy food, and pay his bills. This obviously varies from area to area. Here in Montreal, the $7.30CDN minimum wage at 40hrs/week can just barely cover a $700 apartment, $200 monthly food, and say another $200 - $300 in bills. In that regard, I would consider it a decent minimum wage.
In areas where the minimum wage can NOT provide for at least the minimum things mentioned above, it should be raised. Otherwise you know what happens? Companies get away with paying their employers less while taxpayers pay the difference, quality of life goes down and crime/homelessness go up. Really, do you think giving them enough to at least have a home and food is going to drastically increase inflation? Please.
What are you worrying about Ultima, you heard the AT experts, wages are highest ever, have gone up a penny at over $15.64 an hr Vs previous Govt report of $15.63 an hr. That should be plenty for Apts, food and pay bills.
Just curious, All you Wal-Mart haters, what does everyone think about the following retailers?
Kmart
Target
Marshalls
Kohl's
Cosco
etc. etc. (I'm sure if we put our heads together we could find about 10-15 more)
Last time I checked, none of those have unions, pay the same wages, offer the same benefits as Wally world?
Kmart
Target
Marshalls
Kohl's
Cosco
etc. etc. (I'm sure if we put our heads together we could find about 10-15 more)
Last time I checked, none of those have unions, pay the same wages, offer the same benefits as Wally world?
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes + WCL Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 24K
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
-
Facebook
Twitter