I am not a fan of Wal-Mart. Not because of it's practices but rather, I find target to be cleaner and better run. I am a fan however of the effect that Wal-Mart has on the economy.

People cry all the time about the low pay and lack of benefits that Wal Mart offers. I say that they are paying market rate and jobs found at these stores do not warrant high pay and benefits. Just because a person wants his or her job to provide a self sufficient living wage with benefits, does not mean it should. My rule of thumb, if a teenager in HS can do the job then that job should not be one considered a supporting position. Wal-Mart is simply going bucking the trend of making every job a "living wage" job.

Another trend that Wal-Mart is bucking is the cost of prescription medicine. In Sept. Wal Mart started to offer some prescriptions at $4. Other larger retailers like Wegmans and Target followed. The two largest drug store chains, Walgreen's & CVS, will not follow. The question that I have is this. What is the real value of these meds? If you say that they are only worth $4 if they can be sold for $4, then you must agree that a job that pays $7 dollars only deserves $7.


Just some food for thought.