Walmart halting ammo sales

[madengr]

Everyone's favorite retailer has stopped ordering ammo. Couple guys on a local gun forum confirmed that the counter clerks cannot place ammo orders with the distribution centers.

[jbauer]

So what does walmart know that we dont?

[Anti Federalist]

LOL @ Wal Marx.

[LibertyEagle]

:rolleyes:

Stupid people sucking one of Obama's body parts.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

1.) Wal-Mart has some of the most powerful business lobbyists in DC so they know something is coming and are not wanting to get stuck with ammo.

2.) This will be great for small business because all the firearms customers will be now heading to other places.

[madengr]

So what does walmart know that we dont?

One guess is regulation of ammo as a workplace hazard via OSHA. Biden already tried this a few years ago but it didn't fly then. Second guess is NICS checks for ammo. Whatever it is though, Walmarx knows since they were present at the gun control meetings last week.

If I were to guess what happens next. The Tyrant will pull some executive action with bulk ammo via Internet.

The goal is to probably force ammo sales through gun stores, where the ATF thugscum are already established.

[TywinLannister]

I can't find a confirmed source for this, just posts on forums

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

I can't find a confirmed source for this, just posts on forums

Mother in law works in sporting goods at Wal-Mart and was told they would not be ordering anymore ammo and to inform customers of this.

[Danke]

http://investmentwatchblog.com/breaking-confirmed-wal-mart-is-not-going-to-order-any-more-ammo/

[TywinLannister]

Mother in law works in sporting goods at Wal-Mart and was told they would not be ordering anymore ammo and to inform customers of this.

I doubt I can stop shopping at Wal Mart entirely, but I can drastically reduce shopping there.

[Confederate]

Never spent a single penny at Walmart and this is just another reason not to start.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

I doubt I can stop shopping at Wal Mart entirely, but I can drastically reduce shopping there.

Why can't you stop?

[JK/SEA]

went to a little out of the way hardware store near me today that sells guns. He had a couple boxes full of 30 round mags for the AK and AR....35 bucks each...

[Acala]

Just Walmart playing nice with the guberment. Going to get out of the firearms biz voluntarily.

There isn't going to be a ban on ammo. There isn't going to be a ban on guns. There isn't going to be a gun confiscation. Not yet, anyway. They don't have the political capital for it now.

Maybe a high-cap magazine ban, but I doubt it.

[SpreadOfLiberty]

Boycott Wal-Mart by shopping at K-Mart.

They will get the message.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Boycott Wal-Mart by shopping at K-Mart.

They will get the message.

I just make it easy and avoid all the "marts".

[Acala]

went to a little out of the way hardware store near me today that sells guns. He had a couple boxes full of 30 round mags for the AK and AR....35 bucks each...

Nice!

[tangent4ronpaul]

One guess is regulation of ammo as a workplace hazard via OSHA. Biden already tried this a few years ago but it didn't fly then. Second guess is NICS checks for ammo. Whatever it is though, Walmarx knows since they were present at the gun control meetings last week.

If I were to guess what happens next. The Tyrant will pull some executive action with bulk ammo via Internet.

The goal is to probably force ammo sales through gun stores, where the ATF thugscum are already established.

I was reading an article earlier today (sorry, no link) that said the EPA was going to get their noses in ammo manufacturing, in order to price it out of reach of most ppl.

-t

[TywinLannister]

Why can't you stop?

Just one example: at the grocery store grapefruits sell for $1.25 a piece, at walmart, .69 cents... thats just one item. I save money by shopping there, and sometimes you really need to save money.

[Confederate]

I was reading an article earlier today (sorry, no link) that said the EPA was going to get their noses in ammo manufacturing, in order to price it out of reach of most ppl.

-t

I've been hearing for years that the EPA was going to regulate ammo because of the lead content polluting forests and rivers.

[oyarde]

I doubt I can stop shopping at Wal Mart entirely, but I can drastically reduce shopping there. I can , I do not buy anything there except some occassional shotgun shells...., usually just buy @ the farm store or shoot what my buddy reloads for me .

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Just one example: at the grocery store grapefruits sell for $1.25 a piece, at walmart, .69 cents... thats just one item. I save money by shopping there, and sometimes you really need to save money.

Not sure where you live but do you have any flea markets, swap meets or farmers markets near you? I know there is a flea market near here where there are several farmers and food vendors who sell fresh food for half of what I pay at the grocery store. For instance, I just bought two 50 pound bags of potatoes this past week for $7 a bag.

[oyarde]

Just one example: at the grocery store grapefruits sell for $1.25 a piece, at walmart, .69 cents... thats just one item. I save money by shopping there, and sometimes you really need to save money. I figured it was for the groceries.

[Koz]

I am boycotting Wal-Mart completely. I am also writing a letter to the CEO to tell him as much.

This is no coincidence, Wal-Mart is currently under investigation by the DOJ. Anybody giving odds on whether or not the investigation will be dropped now that Wal-Mart is complicit in Obama getting a major retailer of ammunition and firearms basically stopping sales under the threat of a ban?

http://truth-out.org/news/item/13469-the-bribery-aisle-how-walmart-used-payoffs-to-bribe-its-way-through-expansion-in-mexico

[Confederate]

Not sure where you live but do you have any flea markets, swap meets or farmers markets near you? I know there is a flea market near here where there are several farmers and food vendors who sell fresh food for half of what I pay at the grocery store. For instance, I just bought two 50 pound bags of potatoes this past week for $7 a bag.

Farmer's markets are great. Fresh, many times organic, and CHEAP.

[oyarde]

Not sure where you live but do you have any flea markets, swap meets or farmers markets near you? I know there is a flea market near here where there are several farmers and food vendors who sell fresh food for half of what I pay at the grocery store. For instance, I just bought two 50 pound bags of potatoes this past week for $7 a bag. I am fortunate too , drive by two Farmers markets any day I leave the house , another local farm market that sells meat,have two local groceries that run sales equivelent to Wal Mart and another that is cheaper all the time.I can eat deer , fish , rabbits , squirrel, dove, duck , geese , grouse , quail etc.Household stuff I can just get @ the dollar store .

[cheapseats]

Did they halt sales of too-big-to-fail APPLE shares when the price marched into the asking-for-trouble high $600's?

[Danke]

Looks like my petition worked: http://forcechange.com/21024/stop-walmart-from-selling-handgun-ammunition/

Now help me with this one:

http://forcechange.com/52171/stop-walmart-from-selling-assault-weapons/


(you can leave comments :) )

[presence]

BREAKING & CONFIRMED:

Wal Mart Is NOT Going To Order Any More Ammo.



January 12th, 2013


I do not have a link as of yet but here is what I have found out… Stopped by my local Wal Mart this morning. They are out of almost every kind of ammo.
I asked to talk to the person in charge of ordering to see if they had any information on this subject. The manager I talked to said they had not heard anything…BUT. She tried to order some .223 as I was standing there. She said the order was being rejected by the corporate office. Said she had never had that happen. She called corporate as I was standing there.


And was told this.

“As of right now Wal Mart is not going to be making any new orders of ammo because of the upcoming decision on the second amendment”. Said, “As of right now we are unsure of what new legislation might be coming, and because of this, we are suspending new orders. We will continue to sell what is already in stock in stores and at our distribution centers, but any new orders will not be shipped until the issue is resolved”.


So after they run out, there will be no restocking until Obama makes his decision…Hows that change working out for you now? As I said, I dont have a link, but you can call Wal Mart headquarters at 1-800-925-6278 for yourself and ask. After the answer press 2 then 1 then 1 again and wait to talk to a rep. I just did this myself and was told the same thing. Something must have changed at the meeting they had on Thursday. Guess we will have to wait and see what Obama has in store for us next.

Guys, I am not making this up…Call and find out for yourself.

Read more at http://investmentwatchblog.com/breaking-confirmed-wal-mart-is-not-going-to-order-any-more-ammo/#R89r7RV9bz2H0cJu.99

[oyarde]

Wal Mart does not need to order anything for me.

[cbrons]

1.) Wal-Mart has some of the most powerful business lobbyists in DC so they know something is coming and are not wanting to get stuck with ammo.

Good insight.

[Spikender]

People actually buy ammo and guns from Walmart?

Huh.

[shane77m]

How about starting a list of businesses and corporations that are supporting gun control?
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?401349-List-of-business-and-corporations-that-support-gun-control&p=4822628#post4822628

[cheapseats]

1.) Wal-Mart has some of the most powerful business lobbyists in DC so they know something is coming and are not wanting to get stuck with ammo.

I think I have never heard of anyone getting STUCK with ammo.

They could dump it all in one pre-dawn, trample-slow-people, super-sale Saturday frenzy.



So what does walmart know that we dont?


They'll wanna be outta harm's way in case any of the SandyHook lawsuits set any precedents implicating manufacturers/retailers. They can get back INTO the biz with one phone call if ever, whenever, they want.

They could do it in ANOTHER sensational weekend...they could break their own records.

It's good to be king.

FOR SURE, paperwork-heavy "safety" regulations are coming down the pike.

Compliance is an INDUSTRY...that doesn't produce anything, but that DOES require Employees.



2.) This will be great for small business because all the firearms customers will be now heading to other places.

Seems like at least a short-term windfall. Major Players will not refuse a long-term moneymaking trend.

Kid yourselves not, tho, ONLINE PURCHASES are deleterious to Mom & Pop brick & mortar.

[Confederate]

(you can leave comments :) )

Here's a gem:


Sign this..Walmart is already here..and I dont think we want AJ 47 s on their shelves.

[shane77m]

AJ47 sounds like some brand of malt liquor.

[ghengis86]

AJ47 sounds like some brand of malt liquor.

No, just the the 47th iteration of a certain basketball players shoes, which cause riots even when you have to use all your Obama bucks to buy them.

[oyarde]

AJ47 sounds like some brand of malt liquor. I remember buying a case of quarts of Colt.45 one nice day in 1980 , came up with enough with all the change on my front seat .It was the cheapest beer in the store :)

[sluggo]

Farmer's markets, local grocers, Amazon, Ebay, Drugstore.com, etc......

Plenty of places selling Chinese crap around town, if you ever need a trash can or a shower curtain.

No reason to shop at WalMart unless you absolutely have no other choice.

[COpatriot]

Yeah I think I'm done with Wal Mart too.

[Koz]

Yeah I think I'm done with Wal Mart too.

Make sure you send an email or letter to let them know why.

Mike Duke
President & CEO
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
702 SW 8th Street
Bentonville, Arkansas 72716

[madengr]

2.) This will be great for small business because all the firearms customers will be now heading to other places.

Unless Walmarx put them out of business too.

[Tod]

What is Wal-Mart?


No, seriously, I shop there maybe three times a year.

[Confederate]

What is Wal-Mart?


No, seriously, I shop there maybe three times a year.

I've never shopped there in my entire life. I've been inside 2 and never bought anything. Did find a date both times, though.

[Anti Federalist]

One-Man Moral Code

Posted by Lew Rockwell on January 14, 2013 09:09 AM

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/130590.html

Chuck Schumer, like other powerful pols, is a one-man moral code. If one were to do the opposite of everything he advocates, one would be almost always right. And now this guy is ordering gun stores to stop selling self-protection to the innocent, pending the latest edicts of our overlords. So, instead, we private people should step up our buying and selling of guns, through retail outlets and personal dealings.

[Anti Federalist]

Unless Walmarx put them out of business too.

Thread winner...lucky for us gun sellers are a little more resilient than grocery stores or your local hardware store.

[Danke]

I've never shopped there in my entire life. I've been inside 2 and never bought anything. Did find a date both times, though.

Surprise, surprise...

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/4386.jpg

[Uncle Emanuel Watkins]

In my hood, the people of the Hispanic persuasion like to get out to shoot their guns during New Years and I bet most haven't bought any new ammo yet. When they do go to Walmart, it will be fairly certain that most of them will doing their shopping for bullets while their kids stand up in grocery baskets. You see, most Hispanics are Catholics who follow after the Pope who never came out to throw his support behind gravity. Amazing, they also believe that bullets that go up will always come down as jelly beans. Tragically, most of these kids standing up in baskets are going to fall out with some of them living while most will suffer traumatic brain injuries. In time, because they themselves will be mentally challenged parents when they grow up, they too will allow their kids to stand up in grocery baskets. I've always wondered why they don't just stand them up on the hoods of their cars as ornaments.
Anyway, I don't shop at Walmart myself as I really can't afford to.

[Confederate]

You see, most Hispanics are Catholics who follow after the Pope who never came out to throw his support behind gravity.

What the fuck are you talking about?

[ClydeCoulter]

People actually buy ammo and guns from Walmart?

Huh.

I bought a lot of 7.62x39 tulammo from them, only $4.57 for a box of 20. A lot better price than I could find at local gun shops.

[Anti Federalist]

Did find a date both times, though.

Thus proving the old adage:

The odds are good...
But the goods are odd.

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4532.jpg

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4523.jpg

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4520.jpg

[puppetmaster]

If they prevent me from buying ammo I will use my amok wisely......very wisely

[MikeStanart]

Wal-Mart is forever boycotted by Mike Stanart. By this action alone.

[Dr.3D]

Well, guess I'm going down to my local gun store tomorrow and buying another 1000 rounds of 22lr.

[TywinLannister]

The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking about just paying $1.65 per grapefruit. This pisses me off.

[TheTexan]

Don't jump to conclusions. This rumor about Wal-Mart looks like it may be false.

http://www.bob-owens.com/2013/01/rumors-that-walmart-is-stopping-ammo-purchaseresupply-are-completely-false/

[shane77m]

Thus proving the old adage:

The odds are good...
But the goods are odd.

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4532.jpg

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4523.jpg

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4520.jpg

http://www.beetlecruncher.co.uk/88%20WOLF%20WHISTLE%207.jpg#cartoon%20wolf%20whist le%20400x300

[Danke]

Don't jump to conclusions. This rumor about Wal-Mart looks like it may be false.

http://www.bob-owens.com/2013/01/rumors-that-walmart-is-stopping-ammo-purchaseresupply-are-completely-false/

http://www.wnd.com/2013/01/walmart-responds-to-suspended-ammo-story/

[Uncle Emanuel Watkins]

What the fuck are you talking about?

I'm no good at humor. I guess you have never seen any of those Hispanic kids standing up in the grocery baskets defying gravity? They do fall out on occasion, but when they do the parents just shout, "Ole!" And they must believe that when bullets are shot up into the air that they come back down as jelly beans. And, by the way, I will bet you anything most who celebrate New Years by shooting their guns up into the air have yet to replenish their bullets.

I've checked my own ammo. I don't have enough to go on the offensive by any means. Every shot will count when the bastards come to take my gun away.

[green73]

Never spent a single penny at Walmart and this is just another reason not to start.

I suppose it's kind of hard to do so from Europe.

[green73]

Why are people so happy to attack Walmart on this forum? This story is not even true. But look at the fangs come out. Very telling.

[Confederate]

I suppose it's kind of hard to do so from Europe.

Walmart isn't just in the US. There's Walmart in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, China, India, Germany, the UK, South Africa, Japan....albeit sometimes under different names. For example, Asda, which you must be familiar with in the UK, is owned by Walmart.

[TywinLannister]

I suppose it's kind of hard to do so from Europe.

ahaha! but maybe they have walmarts in europe?

[TywinLannister]

I'm no good at humor. I guess you have never seen any of those Hispanic kids standing up in the grocery baskets defying gravity? They do fall out on occasion, but when they do the parents just shout, "Ole!" And they must believe that when bullets are shot up into the air that they come back down as jelly beans. And, by the way, I will bet you anything most who celebrate New Years by shooting their guns up into the air have yet to replenish their bullets.


i found this amusing

[green73]

Walmart isn't just in the US. There's Walmart in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, China, India, Germany, the UK, South Africa, Japan....albeit sometimes under different names.

And you boycott them why?

[shane77m]

They do fall out on occasion, but when they do the parents just shout, "Ole!"

For some reason I find that very funny. I have seen those kids at Wal Mart.

[Confederate]

And you boycott them why?

I don't. I just prefer not to buy garbage.

[green73]

I don't. I just prefer not to buy garbage.

Your statement is garbage. They sell a lot of top quality lines.

[Anti Federalist]

http://www.beetlecruncher.co.uk/88%20WOLF%20WHISTLE%207.jpg#cartoon%20wolf%20whist le%20400x300

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4509.jpg

[shane77m]

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4509.jpg


http://youtu.be/kY84MRnxVzo

[TywinLannister]

Walmart is a mixed bag. You can save money there, and usually get everything in one trip. On the other hand, you have to deal with the people that shop there which encompass all colors of the rainbow, white trash, hood rats, illegal aliens with 15 kids, and a crowded store with only 2 lines open, with about 8 self checkout lines that are always closed.

[green73]

Walmart is a mixed bag. You can save money there, and usually get everything in one trip. On the other hand, you have to deal with the people that shop there which encompass all colors of the rainbow, white trash, hood rats, illegal aliens with 15 kids, and a crowded store with only 2 lines open, with about 8 self checkout lines that are always closed.

The horror!

[Anti Federalist]

Great Scott...In retrospect, I may ban myself.

[madengr]

Why are people so happy to attack Walmart on this forum? This story is not even true. But look at the fangs come out. Very telling.

It probably was true, and the corporate suit is back peddling.

[green73]

It probably was true, and the corporate suit is back peddling.

I know. Corporation = evil.

[TywinLannister]

I'm pretty skeptical and the first to point out bullshit, but I went ahead and spread this story around based on jd's statement that his mother confirmed this. If this turns out to be fake I am going to feel like a total dumbass

[Anti Federalist]

The horror!

Wal Marx pays ridiculously low wages, and then actively encourages its employees to seek government hand outs.

So it is using its subsidized wages, paid for with my tax dollars, extorted at gun point, to put my neighbor's business under.

While marketing mostly communist made junk.

Fuck a bunch of Wal Marx.

[Danke]

http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/276.jpg

[madengr]

I know. Corporation = evil.

I work for a fortune 50 company. I hate corporate suit fucktards. Not all corporations are evil.

[Uncle Emanuel Watkins]

Walmart is a mixed bag. You can save money there, and usually get everything in one trip. On the other hand, you have to deal with the people that shop there which encompass all colors of the rainbow, white trash, hood rats, illegal aliens with 15 kids, and a crowded store with only 2 lines open, with about 8 self checkout lines that are always closed.

The best way to shop at Walmart is to park illegally. Oh, they might threaten to tow you, but they never do. Parking illegally is a must so you won't lose the money you would normally be saving by shopping within the store when a grocery cart outside goes careening into the side of your car.
While inside the store, one can save lots of money by avoiding the long lines at the checkouts. The best way to do this is to fill your basket like normal, but rather than getting in a long line at the checkout when you've finished, just go ahead and get in the return line. Figure all those Chinese products you were about to purchase are either broken or you won't be able to open up any of the plastic packaging later on when you get home.
While it can be quite difficult avoiding all the lowlifes who frequent the store, it can be downright discouraging when others try avoiding you.

[madengr]

I'm pretty skeptical and the first to point out bullshit, but I went ahead and spread this story around based on jd's statement that his mother confirmed this. If this turns out to be fake I am going to feel like a total dumbass

Hell, I posted it, but another on a local gun forum confirmed it at the store too. It's either a bunch of people are lying, or Walmart is back peddling.

[Anti Federalist]

http://www.beetlecruncher.co.uk/88%20WOLF%20WHISTLE%207.jpg#cartoon%20wolf%20whist le%20400x300

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4499.jpg

[TywinLannister]

True story: About 4 years ago I was in a WalMart in the return line. A LONG return line. The person at the front (Whom I will refer to henceforth as "Hood Rat") who had her two children in tow, approximate ages 3 and 6, was cursing up a storm. You see, Hood Rat was upset that the customer service person could not take accept her return. Hood Rat advised the customer service person that she would return to the establishment and "Kill yo' mothafuckin ass". Maybe one of these days, I will stop observing this stuff, put my fingers around the person's throat, and squeeze until my fingers touch each other. Probably not though.

[green73]

Wal Marx pays ridiculously low wages, and then actively encourages its employees to seek government hand outs.

So it is using its subsidized wages, paid for with my tax dollars, extorted at gun point, to put my neighbor's business under.

While marketing mostly communist made junk.

Fuck a bunch of Wal Marx.

It seems China is more capitalist than the US these days.

I hate to see comments like this from someone I so respect on this forum. Working at Walmart is a pretty low-skilled job, for the most part. How are they underpaid? This is the same type of argument lefties throw out about "sweatshops (http://www.tomwoods.com/blog/the-sweatshop-issue/)". Truth is they pay a competitive wage the people voluntarily choose to accept.

What is this about gov't subsidized wages? I'd like to see some data on this. But even if it is true (which I highly doubt) it's the gov's fault.

[Anti Federalist]

The hits just keep on coming!!!


http://www.beetlecruncher.co.uk/88%20WOLF%20WHISTLE%207.jpg#cartoon%20wolf%20whist le%20400x300

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4496.jpg

[TywinLannister]

The hits just keep on coming!!!



http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4496.jpg

Undecided. Her legs look a bit thick. But I would need to see her face.

[shane77m]

The hits just keep on coming!!!



http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4496.jpg

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Anti Federalist again.

[TywinLannister]

Oh I almost forgot. Another true Walmart story. This old dude was riding around walmart in one of those electric carts. His wife was in an actual wheelchair, and rode behind her husband by holding on to the back of his chair. Their apparent son, around 40 years of age, was also in an electric cart, riding behind them. Essentially, they appeared as a small train. After going through the checkout line, they all stood up out of their carts and walked out of the store, the lazy fat fucks. I got a picture on my cell phone, if I can find it I will post it.

[Anti Federalist]

It seems China is more capitalist than the US these days.

I hate to see comments like this from someone I so respect on this forum. Working at Walmart is a pretty low-skilled job, for the most part. How are they underpaid? This is the same type of argument lefties throw out about "sweatshops (http://www.tomwoods.com/blog/the-sweatshop-issue/)". Truth is they pay a competitive wage the people voluntarily choose to accept.

What is this about gov't subsidized wages? I'd like to see some data on this. But even if it is true (which I highly doubt) it's the gov's fault.

Well, I've addressed this many times in the past, and don't get me wrong, I don't "hate" a corporation, or profit, or wealth, in and of itself

Fact is though, that way too much of "big business" is now in bed with "big government" to the detriment of both the free market and individual liberty.

That is fascism, and it really does describe what we are living under.

Let me see what I can find in the news about that pay scenario.

[Danke]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Anti Federalist again.

For Shane and AF:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2d1_1212561280

[Uncle Emanuel Watkins]

Well, I've addressed this many times in the past, and don't get me wrong, I don't "hate" a corporation, or profit, or wealth, in and of itself

Fact is though, that way too much of "big business" is now in bed with "big government" to the detriment of both the free market and individual liberty.

That is fascism, and it really does describe what we are living under.

Let me see what I can find in the news about that pay scenario.

Send me that news link and I will express it in the form of a stream of consciousness elaborating on it feelingly with metaphors and superfluous similes.

[green73]

Well, I've addressed this many times in the past, and don't get me wrong, I don't "hate" a corporation, or profit, or wealth, in and of itself

Fact is though, that way too much of "big business" is now in bed with "big government" to the detriment of both the free market and individual liberty.

That is fascism, and it really does describe what we are living under.

Let me see what I can find in the news about that pay scenario.

Yeah but all corporations are not the same. From what I've seen of Walmart's "shady" dealings it's mainly getting around the stupid gov't (e.g. giving into the demands of corrupt Mexicans officials in order to conduct business).

[Anti Federalist]

Send me that news link and I will express it in the form of a stream of consciousness elaborating on it feelingly with metaphors and superfluous similes.

I...I think I'd pay to read that.

Here you go, don't let me down.

Disclosures of Employers Whose Workers and Their Dependents are Using State Health Insurance Programs

Updated January 18, 2012

http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/corporate-subsidy-watch/hidden-taxpayer-costs

Since the mid-20th Century, most Americans have obtained health insurance through workplace-based coverage. In recent years there has been a decline in such coverage caused by a rise in the number of jobs that do not provide coverage at all and growth in the number of workers who decline coverage because it is too expensive.

Faced with the unavailability or unaffordability of health coverage on the job, growing numbers of lower-income workers are turning to taxpayer-funded healthcare programs such as Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

This trend is putting an added burden on programs that are already under stress because of fiscal constraints caused by medical inflation and federal cutbacks. Many states are curtailing benefits and tightening eligibility requirements.

It also raises the issue of whether states are being put in a position of subsidizing the cost-cutting measures of private sector employers.

Across the country, policymakers and others concerned about the healthcare system are pressing for disclosure of information on those employers whose workers (and their dependents) end up in taxpayer-funded programs.

The following is a summary of the employer disclosure that has come to light so far. It includes two cases (Massachusetts and Missouri) in which the information was produced as a result of legislation. The other cases involved requests by legislators or reporters. The latter situations have sometimes resulted in data that are incomplete or imprecise, which suggests that only legislatively mandated, systematic disclosure will tell the whole story.

This compilation was originally produced by Good Jobs First as part of its preparation of testimony given before the Maryland legislature on an employer disclosure bill. A version of that testimony can be found here.

Alabama
In April 2005 the Mobile Register published an article citing data from the Alabama Medicaid Agency on companies in the state with employees whose children are participating in Medicaid. The newspaper obtained a list from the agency of 63 companies whose employees had 100 or more children in the program as of mid-March 2005. At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, whose employees had 4,700 children in the program. Following it were McDonald's (1,931), Hardee's (884) and Burger King (861). The data were similar to information obtained from the same agency by the Montgomery Advertiser two months earlier.

Sources: Sean Reilly, "Medicaid Providing Health Care for Kids of Working Families," Mobile Register, April 17, 2005 and John Davis and Jannell McGrew, "Health Plans Not Family Friendly," Montgomery Advertiser, February 22, 2005, p.B6.

Arizona
In July 2005 the state Department of Economic Security issued data on the largest private employers with workers receiving taxpayer-financed medical insurance through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, with about 2,700 workers--or 9.6 percent of its Arizona workforce--participating in the program. It was followed by Target, Kroger and regional supermarket chain Bashas, each of which had about 5 percent of their workers getting state healthcare coverage.

Sources: Howard Fischer, "Wal-Mart 1st in State Aid Enrollees," Arizona Daily Star, July 30, 2005 and Amanda J. Crawford, "Nearly Half of Poor in AHCCCS Hold Jobs," Arizona Republic, July 30, 2005.

Arkansas
In March 2005 the Department of Human Services, responding to a request from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the Arkansas Times, released a list of the number of employees at the state's largest employers who receive some form of public assistance for themselves or their family, mostly Medicaid coverage for their children. The disclosure found a total of 9,698 workers at the top nine employers, by far the largest number of which--3,971--were employees of Wal-Mart.

Source: Brian Baskin, "Top 9 Employers in State have 9,698 Getting Public Aid," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 17, 2005.

Connecticut
In January 2005, the Office of Legislative Research released a report on the employers of participants in the state's HUSKY health program for children of low-income families. The report was prepared at the request of several legislators who had been encouraged to seek the information by organizations such as Connecticut Voices for Children. HUSKY (an acronym for Healthcare for UninSured Kids and Youth) has two parts: Part A is traditional Medicaid and Part B is Connecticut's version of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. For HUSKY A, the top employer of workers with children in the plan was Wal-Mart, with 824 workers with children in the plan. It was followed by Stop & Shop (741), Dunkin' Donuts (530), Laidlaw (460) and McDonald's (also 460). The report also looked at employer data for HUSKY A enrollees who were also enrolled in HUSKY B. For that group the top employer was Stop & Shop with 99 HUSKY A enrollees also participating in HUSKY B, followed by Wal-Mart (79), Laidlaw (65), Home Depot (45), Dunkin' Donuts (39) and Family Care VNA (also 39). The report counted only parents of plan participants, not the total number of their children. A 2011 update of the report again had Wal-Mart at the top of the list for HUSKY A.

Source: Robin K. Cohen, HUSKY A and B--Enrollment and Employer Data, Connecticut Office of Legislative Research Report 2005-R-0017, January 10, 2005; available online at www.cga.ct.gov/2005/rpt/2005-R-0017.htm. 20011 update: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/rpt/2011-R-0263.htm


Florida
In March 2005 the St. Petersburg Times published a summary of data it obtained from the Department of Children and Families on the employers in the state with the most workers who were enrolled in Medicaid or KidCare Insurance (Florida's version of SCHIP). Leading the Medicaid list was Wal-Mart with 12,300 employees or their dependents enrolled in the program. Wal-Mart also accounted for 1,375 employee children enrolled in Kidcare (second only to Miami-Dade County with 1,518). The other employers with the most Medicaid enrollees were McDonald's (8,100), Publix (7,900), Wendy's (4,100), Winn-Dixie (4,000) and Burger King (3,900). Publix ranked third on the KidCare list with 1,250 and Winn-Dixie ranked fifth (after Broward County Schools) with 379.

The St. Petersburg Times story also took note of the fact that several of the companies with the most employees and dependents enrolled in public health insurance programs were also recipients of substantial amounts of economic development incentives such as tax abatements.

The St. Petersburg Times numbers were significantly higher than comparable data cited in a December 2004 published by the Tallahassee Democrat. That story, also based on data from the Department of Children and Families, reported that the company with the most employees participating in Medicaid was McDonald's, with 1,792 claims filed. The other top private-sector employers on its list were Publix (1,579), Winn-Dixie (1,108), Burger King (830) and Wal-Mart (756). The article noted that the data supplied by the state referred to the number of claims rather than the number of beneficiaries, which it said was likely to be much higher. This might explain the discrepancy.

Sources: Sydney P. Freedberg and Connie Humburg, "Lured Employers Now Tax Medicaid," St. Petersburg Times, March 25, 2005 plus a spreadsheet with additional data provided by the authors to Good Jobs First. Also: Rocky Scott, "50,000 Workers Qualify for Medicaid: Some Say Companies Taking Advantage," Tallahassee Democrat, December 19, 2004, p.1 According to a private communication with the author, the headline was incorrect and should have referred to 50,000 employers.

Georgia
In February 2004, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the contents of an internal memo prepared by the Department of Community Health in 2002 that contained a list of the employers whose workers had the most dependents enrolled in the state's PeachCare for Kids health insurance program for low-income working families. At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, whose employees in Georgia had 10,261 children in PeachCare. Far behind in second place was Publix with 734, followed by Shaw Industries (669), Mohawk Industries (657) and Cagle's Keystone Foods (463).

Source: Andy Miller, "Wal-Mart Stands Out on Rolls of PeachCare," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 27, 2004, p.1B.

Iowa
In March 2005, the Associated Press bureau in Des Moines reported that it had obtained a list of the Iowa employers with the largest number of workers participating in Medicaid. The list, prepared by the state Department of Human Services, listed Wal-Mart first with 845 employees. It was followed by Tyson Fresh Meats (388), Casey's General Stores (371), Hy-Vee Inc. (361) and Access Direct Telemarketing (217).

Source: Ryan Foley, "IA Medicaid Employers," Associated Press, March 4, 2005 and "Top Ten Employers with Workers on Medicaid," Associated Press, March 4, 2005.

Maine
In June 2005 the Institute for Local Self-Reliance obtained data from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services on companies with workers enrolled in Medicaid and other public assistance programs (data on dependents was not available). At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, with 751 workers receiving benefits. It was followed by supermarket chain Hannaford with 527 and LL Bean with 170.

In November 2005 the Lewiston Sun Journal obtained information from the state Department of Health and Human Services on those employers with the largest number of workers on MaineCare (the state's version of Medicaid), food stamps and TANF (temporary assistance to needy families). At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, with 1,100 employees in one or more of the programs, followed by the supermarket chain Hannaford Bros. (662), L.L. Bean (362) and Shaw's Supermarkets (257).

Sources: Press release issued June 28, 2005 by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance; available online at http://www.newrules.org/retail/news_slug.php?slugid=311 and Kathryn Skelton, "Working, On Welfare: Thousands in Maine Have Jobs, But Get Assistance," Lewiston Sun Journal, November 14, 2005.

Massachusetts
In 2004, the legislature included in the 2005 budget a requirement that the state compile a list of employers with workers or their dependents participating in public healthcare programs. The requirement applied to employers with 50 or more employees using programs such as MassHealth and the Uncompensated Care Pool (UCP). On February 1, 2005 the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy issued the first report required by the law. The report identified 138 employers that met the 50-employee threshhold. At the top of the list was Dunkin' Donuts, with 1,923 employees participating in UCP and 982 participants in MassHealth. Others at the top of the list were Stop & Shop (1,352 & 788), Wal-Mart (1,258 & 823), McDonald's (1,125 & 600) and UNICCO Service Corp. (743 & 339).

In February 2006 the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy issued its second report, saying that changes in methodology meant that the new numbers were not compatible with those from the previous year. This time Wal-Mart was at the top of the list, with a total of 2,866 MassHealth members and UCP users. It was followed by Stop & Shop (2,737), McDonald's (2,162) and UNICCO (1,728).

In February 2007 the third report was issued. Wal-Mart was at the top of the list when counting the total number of MassHealth members (employees and dependents) and UCP users. Its total was 6,070. Second was Stop & Shop with 5,785.

In May 2008 the fourth report was issued. Wal-Mart again was first with 5,021 employees and Stop & Shop was again second with 3,868.

Sources: The reports and spreadsheets can be found here.

Missouri
In October 2009 the state Department of Social Services finally fulfilled a requirement contained in a law passed in 2007 by publishing a list of the companies with the most employees (and their dependents) participating in the state's Medicaid program, known as MO HealthNet (MHN). At the top of the list is Wal-Mart, which was found to have 1,555 employees enrolled in MHN and another 3,040 employees with dependents enrolled in MHN.

Source: Missouri Department of Social Services, MO HealthNet Employer Match Report: First Quarter 2009, October 21, 2009; online at http://dss.mo.gov/mhd/general/pdf/emp-match.pdf

Montana
In June 2005 the Great Falls Tribune examined records for the state's CHIP program and found that the private employer with the largest number of workers with dependents receiving the health insurance was Wal-Mart. Its 193 employees using CHIP represented about 4 percent of the company's workforce in the state. Other companies high on the list were McDonald's, Pizza Hut, NAPA Auto Parts and Subway.

Source: Mike Dennison, "State Insurance for Kids Going to Employees You Might Not Expect," Great Falls Tribune, June 26, 2005, p.16A.

Nebraska
In October 2005 the Nebraska Health and Human Services System reported that an estimated 9,369 workers and an unknown number of their dependents were receiving benefits through the state's Medicaid program. Leading the list was Wal-Mart with 654 workers and Tyson with 548.

Source: Paul Hammel, "Thousands with Jobs are on Medicaid Rolls," Omaha World-Herald, October 19, 2005.

New Hampshire
In May 2005 the Associated Press reported that it had obtained a report from the state Department of Health and Human Servic es on those employers in New Hampshire with the most workers (or their dependents) enrolled in Medicaid or the Healthy Kids Silver program. The employer at the top of the list in both categories was Wal-Mart, which had 487 of its 8,500 workers in the state getting subsidized coverage. Also high on the list were the state government, Dunkin' Donuts, the supermarket chain Shaw's, Concord Hospital, nursing-home operator Genesis and the U.S. Postal Service.

Source: Norma Love, "State, Retail Workers High on List of Needing Health-care Subsidy," Associated Press, May 12, 2005.

New Jersey
In August 2005 New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) issued a report that for the first time disclosed which employers have the largest number of workers or dependents participating in the state's SCHIP program known as NJ FamilyCare. NJPP, which had to pay to get the state to reprogram the database of FamilyCare participants to retrieve the information, found there were about 50 employers that accounted for 100 or more program participants. The employer with the most was Wal-Mart, with a total of 589 adults and children. It was followed by Home Dept (335), the supermarket chain Pathmark (329) and Target (302).

Source: Mary E. Forsberg, ATTENTION SHOPPERS: You Pay the Health Insurance Bills for Some of New Jersey's Largest Employers, New Jersey Policy Perspective, August 2005; available online at http://www.njpp.org/rpt_familycare.html

Ohio
In September 2009 the United Food and Commercial Workers announced that it had received data from the state Department of Job and Family Services showing that 15,000 Wal-Mart workers in Ohio were receiving health benefits through Medicaid. In July 2008 Policy Matters Ohio published an updated report on the employers with the largest number of workers participating in the Medicaid, food stamps and Ohio Works First (cash assistance) programs. The report, based on data from the Department of Job and Family Services, showed the following. For Medicaid, Wal-Mart was first with 13,141 employees, followed by McDonald's (11,446), Yum! Brands (6,596) and Wendy's (5,620). For food stamps, McDonald's was first with 9,316, followed by Wal-Mart (8,565), Yum! Brands (5,286) and Wendy's (4,623). McDonald's also led the list with regard to cash assistance with 874 employees. It was followed by Yum! Brands (500), Wendy's (450) and Wal-Mart (305). The same four companies were at the top of the list when the Department of Job and Family Services released its own report in February 2006 in response to requests from Policy Matters Ohio and others.

Sources: Laura Bischoff, "Employees of Big Companies Fill Ohio's Medicaid, Food Stamp Rolls, Report Says," Dayton Daily News, September 29, 2009; online at http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-news/employees-of-big-companies-fill-ohios-medicaid-food-stamp-rolls-report-says-323224.html. Policy Matters Ohio, Public Benefits Subsidize Major Ohio Employers: A 2008 Update, July 31, 2008; online at http://www.policymattersohio.org/pdf/PublicBenefits2008_0731.pdf. See also: Julie Carr Smyth, "Ohio Workers Depend on Public Benefits," Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 25, 2006. See also the Policy Matters Ohio initial analysis of the 2006 data at: http://www.policymattersohio.org/pdf/public_benefits_2006_03.pdf

Pennsylvania
In March 2006 the Philadelphia Inquirer published a report on data it obtained from the Department of Public Welfare on the percentage of workers enrolled in Medicaid at the ten largest employers in the state. Wal-Mart was at the top of the list, with 15.8 percent of its workforce (7,577 individuals) enrolled. Giant Food Stores was second with 11.8 percent (2,244 workers).

Source: Amy Worden, "Many Wal-Mart Workers Use Medicaid," Philadelphia Inquirer, March 2, 2006.

Rhode Island
In March 2007 the Providence Journal reported that the Department of Human Services had completed a report, requested by the state legislature, showing which employers in Rhode Island had 250 or more employees or their dependents participating in public healthcare programs such at RIte Care, RIte Share or Medicaid. The report found nine such employers. Not including temp agencies, the companies with the largest number of total beneficiaries (employees and dependents) were Citizens Financial Group (610) and Wal-Mart (500).

Sources: Felice J. Freyer, "Some Workers Getting Health Care Through Medicaid," Providence Journal, March 30, 2007. The Dept. of Human Services report can be found at http://www.ritecare.ri.gov/documents/reports_publications/pub%20health%20ben%20final%20report%20030507.pdf A January 2008 update can be found at: http://www.ritecare.ri.gov/documents/reports_publications/pub%20health%20ben%20report%202008%20pdf.pdf

Tennessee
In January 2005, state officials released the results of a survey, undertaken at the request of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, of which companies had employees who were enrolled in TennCare, the state's health plan for the poor, uninsured and disabled. Ranking first was Wal-Mart, with 9,617 employees on TennCare, nearly 25 percent of the company's entire workforce in the state. Trailing Wal-Mart among the top five were four temp agencies: Randstad Staffing Services USA (6,389), Adecco USA Inc. (4,205), Staffmark East LLC (3,818) and Real Time Staffing Services (3,783). The survey found that the top 20 employers of TennCare recipients accounted for more than 68,000 participants in the program, or about six percent of total enrollment.

Sources: John Commins, Dave Flessner and Ashley M. Heher, "On the Job and on TennCare," Chattanooga Times Free Press, January 20, 2005, p.A1. Also: Rebecca Ferrar, "Big Companies Have a Large Number of Workers in Program," Knoxville News-Sentinel, January 30, 2005, p.C1.

Texas
The Center for Public Policy Priorities, a non-partisan research center based in Austin, has obtained data on the 20 employers in the state with the largest number of employees whose dependents participate in the Children's Health Insurance Program. (Employer data for Medicaid are not available.) The data for February 2005 show Wal-Mart at the top of the list, with 2,333 employee families in CHIP, with an estimated 4,363 individual children enrolled. Many of the other employers on the list are school districts (led by Houston with 712 families). The University of Texas System ranked third with 475 families. Among the other private-sector employers on the list are the department-store chain Dillard's (sixth with 284 families) and McDonald's (13th with 238 families). The full list for both March 2004 and February 2005 is here.

Source: Data obtained by the Center for Public Policy Priorities < www.cppp.org > and provided to Good Jobs First

Utah
In February 2006 the Salt Lake Tribune reported on an analysis it had done of data from the state's department of health concerning workers along the Wasatch Front (Weber, Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties) who were receiving health coverage for themselves or dependents through public programs such as Medicaid, SCHIP or the Primary Care Network. The newspaper said that the employer with the largest number of such workers was Wal-Mart, with 234. It was followed by call-center operator Convergys with 181.

Source: Kirsten Stewart, "Utahns Foot Insurance Bill: Large Companies' Workers Without Health Care Turn to Medicaid," Salt Lake Tribune, February 5, 2006.

Vermont
In April 2005 the Vermont Guardian reported that it had obtained data from the state's Department for Children and Families on families enrolled in Medicaid that had someone employed by a large company or a government agency. The state government itself was said to account for largest number of such employees with 481. Among the private-sector companies with the most workers using Medicaid were Price Chopper (443), McDonald's (290), Hannaford (288) and Wal-Mart (286). Among industry groups, grocery stores accounted for the largest number at 1,036.

Source: Kathryn Casa, "Employees at Vermont's Top Companies Enrolled in Medicaid Health Plans," Vermont Guardian, April 18, 2005. Some of the numbers cited above came from a copy of the data prepared for Casa that was provided to Good Jobs First by the Department for Children and Families.

Washington
In December 2006 the Tacoma News Tribune reported that new numbers from the state showed that Wal-Mart still accounted for the largest number of workers receiving benefits from the state's Medicaid and Basic Health plan. The number for Wal-Mart was 3,194--far ahead of number two McDonald's with 1,932.

In January 2006 the Seattle Times had reported that the number of Wal-Mart employees (or their dependents) in the state receiving taxpayer-subsidized health coverage was more than 3,100--nearly double that of any other company and far more than had previously been reported. The information, which came from two confidential state reports leaked to the Times, showed the numbers both for the Basic Health Plan, a program that is entirely financed by the state, and the state-federal Medicaid program, but it was unclear how much overlap there was. Wal-Mart had 3,180 employees on the Medicaid list and 456 on the Basic Health tally. On the Medicaid list, McDonald's came in second with 1,824 employees receiving benefits, followed by Safeway with 1,539.

Back in February 2003, the state Health Care Authority had given the Associated Press a list of the ten employers whose workers appeared most frequently on the rolls of the Basic Health Plan. At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, with 341 workers participating in the plan. It was followed by Catholic Community Services (265), Del Monte (253), Snokist (218) and Express Personnel (191). In February 2004 the Seattle Times reported that 281 Wal-Mart workers were enrolled in Basic Health as of March 2003.

Sources: Sean Cockerham, "A Ranking Wal-Mart Could Live Without," Tacoma News Tribune, December 1, 2006. Ralph Thomas, "More Than 3,100 Wal-Mart Workers Got State Health Aid," Seattle Times, January 24, 2006; Rebecca Cook (Associated Press writer), "Legislature: Bill Has Employers Pay Share of Health Care," The Columbian (Vancouver, WA), February 28, 2003, p.C2; Andrew Garber, "Enrollments in State's Health Plan Questioned," Seattle Times, February 3, 2004.

West Virginia
In December 2004, the Bureau for Children and Families, acting at the request of the Charleston Sunday Gazette-Mail, released data on the employers of parents of children enrolled in the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Leading the list was Wal-Mart, with 452 workers whose children participated in the plan. This group represented about 4 percent of the company's employees in the state. Next on the list were the tree-cutting company Asplundh (146), McDonald's (100), Respite Care (97) and the U.S. Postal Service (94).

Source: John Heys and Paul Wilson, "Wal-Mart Culture: Wal-Mart Tops State CHIP List," Charleston Sunday Gazette-Mail, December 26, 2004, p.1A.

Wisconsin
In June 2007 the state Department of Health and Family Services posted an updated list of Wisconsin employers with the largest number of employees (or their dependents) participating in BadgerCare, the state's health insurance program for low-income working families. At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, which had 897 employees enrolled, plus an additional 776 dependents. The Department projected the annual cost to the state of those enrollees at $3.7 million. Other employers at the top of the list were McDonald's (248 employees; 149 dependents), the non-profit healthcare provider Aurora (193; 162), and home improvement chain Menard (163; 184). The 116 employers with 15 or more employees on BadgerCare were said to cost the state a total of $23.9 million a year.

In October 2005 Wisconsin Citizen Action published a report estimating that large corporations, led by Wal-Mart, were costing the state $46 million a year because of the participation of their employees in public medical assistance programs.

Sources: The Department of Health and Family Services list is posted at http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/badgercare/pdfs/employers0307.pdf. See also Stacy Forster, "Who Has Staff using Health Care Safety Net?" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 21, 2007. For coverage of earlier reports, see Stacy Forster, "Big Companies Fill BadgerCare Rolls," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 24, 2005; Anita Weier, "Wal-Mart Workers Need State Health Aid," The Capital Times , November 4, 2004, p.1A; Stacy Forster, "Tab for Uninsured Workers Rises 13%," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 30, 2006.

Quarterly employer reports can be found at http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/badgercareplus/enrollmentdata/enrolldata.htm

[green73]

AF, did Walmart lobby the gov't to make these laws? Or did they just encourage their employees to utilize them?

[Anti Federalist]

Yeah but all corporations are not the same. From what I've seen of Walmart's "shady" dealings it's mainly getting around the stupid gov't (e.g. giving into the demands of corrupt Mexicans officials in order to conduct business).

I posted some of that information in a long reply to UEW, and am feverishly awaiting his reply.

LOL.

In all seriousness, the accusation is simple and I think backed up by the facts: Wal Marx fixes its wages in such a way as to maximize the amount of public assistance that its employees qualify for and receive.

Therefore they have a taxpayer funded labor pool that is used as a competitive advantage against other retailers.

Now, are they at fault for that?

Yes, I think so and if it were me running the show, I'd dismiss anybody advocating or promoting such practices.

Do I think there should be some sort of law or government action taken against them?

No.

I am exercising my rights as a citizen and as a customer to encourage that people no longer do business there.

Nothing could be more free market driven than that.

[Danke]

Yeah but all corporations are not the same. From what I've seen of Walmart's "shady" dealings it's mainly getting around the stupid gov't (e.g. giving into the demands of corrupt Mexicans officials in order to conduct business).

I don't know, it seems they have used the gov to stifle small businesses too.

http://reclaimdemocracy.org/independent_business_walmart_eminent_domain/


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jazb24Q2s94

[Anti Federalist]

AF, did Walmart lobby the gov't to make these laws? Or did they just encourage their employees to utilize them?

Yes, I have read that they lobbied for lower and more liberal "acceptance" levels for welfare/EBT/Medicaid benefits and so on.

Let me see if I can dig up some of those articles.

[TywinLannister]

Yes, I have read that they lobbied for lower and more liberal "acceptance" levels for welfare/EBT/Medicaid benefits and so on.

Let me see if I can dig up some of those articles.
no surprise, they would rather taxpayers pay instead of having to pay themselves

[green73]

I don't know, it seems they have used the gov to stifle small businesses too.

http://reclaimdemocracy.org/independent_business_walmart_eminent_domain/


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jazb24Q2s94

Again, how is the gov't not the culprit here?

[green73]

no surprise, they would rather taxpayers pay instead of having to pay themselves

I feel like I'm in a lefty forum. You do realize that "gov't" is the problem then, yes?

[Anti Federalist]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/etc/script.html

HEDRICK SMITH: I wanted to see how this bold new world of retail power had changed the game for established brand-name manufacturers, so I headed to Wooster, Ohio, a small college town and long-time home to one of America's best-known brands, Rubbermaid, maker of plastic pails, garbage cans and all kinds of containers.

STANLEY GAULT, Former CEO, Rubbermaid: We were one of the best-known brand names in America because we were in virtually every home, one way or another.

HEDRICK SMITH: Stanley Gault was CEO of Rubbermaid through the 1980s and early '90s. Gault bet Rubbermaid's future on supplying big box discount chains like Wal-Mart.

STANLEY GAULT: The tea leaves said, "You better be a part of this growing– of these growing new segments." They provide a tremendous opportunity for growth and for volume sales. And they can take a new product and make it a success overnight

HEDRICK SMITH: One of Gault's rising lieutenants was Wolfgang Schmitt, who would later become CEO.

WOLFGANG SCHMITT, Former CEO, Rubbermaid: Well, there was a dramatic shift over a relatively short period of time, as we went from thousands of customers that we were selling to, to where five or seven of our customers represented two thirds of our volume.

HEDRICK SMITH: [on camera] These big box retailers.

WOLFGANG SCHMITT: The big box mass merchants. You have to have a very tight relationship with them. And you have to be important to them.

HEDRICK SMITH: [voice-over] No customer was more important to Gault than Wal-Mart.

STANLEY GAULT: When I came to Rubbermaid, they did not sell Wal-Mart. They were selling K-mart, but they wouldn't sell Wal-Mart. Well, within a short period of time, Wal-Mart – really, within a year – they were our largest customer.

[television commercial]

ANNOUNCER: Tired of dragging your garbage to the end of the drive? Then roll it with a roughneck wheeled refuse container from Rubbermaid. Heavy-duty construction and–

HEDRICK SMITH: The Wal-Mart account helped fuel Rubbermaid's rapid growth. Sales and profits soared. Its products were so highly regarded for quality that Rubbermaid was voted the nation's most admired company in 1994.

CAROL TROYER, Former Rubbermaid Executive: It's really your peer group, the other manufacturers out there in the world, saying, "This is the company that is really doing it. They're doing all the things right, and they're doing the things that make them very admired– our brand name, our quality, our product development."

HEDRICK SMITH: But behind the headlines, Rubbermaid was struggling to maintain its ambitious growth targets. Then, suddenly, it found itself in a showdown with its biggest customer.

CAROL TROYER: The price of resin skyrocketed. And resin is a huge component of any plastic product that you make. And when we went out with a price increase across the industry to all retailers, saying, "Our raw material costs have increased significantly, We have to get a price increase for our products," Wal-Mart would not take that price increase. They flat-out refused to take the price increase.

HEDRICK SMITH: Other mass retailers agreed to a price hike, and Rubbermaid's CEO flew to Arkansas to ask Bill Fields, head of Wal-Mart stores, to reconsider.

WOLFGANG SCHMITT: They were very public in those days, as you might recall, as were a lot of retailers, about saying, "One of the advantages we, as big box retailers, have is we can put the hammer to the manufacturers and we can give American consumers lower prices."

HEDRICK SMITH: [on camera] So did Fields put the hammer to you?

WOLFGANG SCHMITT: Oh, in his own way, certainly.

CAROL TROYER: I thought it was a vindictive kind of meeting that said, "Yes, you may be Rubbermaid and you're big Rubbermaid and you got the great name and all that, but you're not going to tell us what to do. We're not going to take your price increase, and we really don't care what it does to you."

HEDRICK SMITH: [on camera] So what does it mean to you? Do you lose shelf space? Do you lose volume, to Wal-Mart at that point?

WOLFGANG SCHMITT: Sure. You know, when push comes to shove, their way of disciplining the supplier is to show that, you know, volume can be given or it can be taken.

CAROL TROYER: And they dropped a number of our products for a couple years, just dropped those products. That impacts the company tremendously. To me, it was one of the first signs of the decline of Rubbermaid.

HEDRICK SMITH: [voice-over] I asked a Wal-Mart spokesman about the clash with Rubbermaid because Bill Fields, no longer at Wal-Mart, didn't answer FRONTLINE's inquiries.

RAY BRACY, V.P., Wal-Mart Int'l, Corp. Affairs: Whatever happened there, I'm sorry, I can't comment because it predates me and I'm not familiar with the specifics. But I would just reemphasize that it is not our intent to be bullies as buyers to our suppliers.

HEDRICK SMITH: Wal-Mart's pull-back was a body blow to Rubbermaid. Coupled with lax management at Rubbermaid, it plunged the company into deep trouble. In 1999, Rubbermaid sold out to Newell, a major competitor. By the time I arrived in Wooster five years later, it had come to this, Rubbermaid auctioning off its birthright.

[on camera] Where're the buyers from?

AUCTIONEER: They're from all over. We've got guys from all over the 50 states. We've got two guys in from South America, two guys from Italy, a guy from Spain, two guys from over in Japan or China area. We've got a guy from Austria–

HEDRICK SMITH: A couple of guys from China?

AUCTIONEER: Yeah.

HEDRICK SMITH: And they're buying here?

AUCTIONEER: They're buying. They bought the one big machine today, yeah.

HEDRICK SMITH: The Chinese guys bought the big machine?

AUCTIONEER: Right. It's an injection machine. They bought it, I believe, for $850,000.

HEDRICK SMITH: [voice-over] So Rubbermaid's original plant was closing shop, and countries like China were picking up the pieces.

AUCTIONEER: You know, when you think of Wooster, you think of Rubbermaid. And you think of Rubbermaid, you think of Wooster. I mean, this is what this town is all about.

HEDRICK SMITH: [on camera] So what's it going to be without– when you move all this stuff out, you know, you've got a carcass here.

AUCTIONEER: Exactly. There's a–

HEDRICK SMITH: Is the town a carcass, too?

AUCTIONEER: Well, there's about 1,000 jobs that were lost here.

HEDRICK SMITH: [voice-over] It seemed to me that it wasn't just a plant dying, a set of corporate values was passing away. Ten years ago, Rubbermaid, with its reputation for quality, was named most admired. Last year, Wal-Mart, with its reputation for its cost-cutting, was most admired.

[on camera] If you look at the shift from Rubbermaid as the most admired company in 1994 and Wal-Mart as the most admired company today, in terms of the larger American economy, what does that mean? What does that say about the touchstones of success?

Prof. GARY GEREFFI, Duke University: Rubbermaid represented an innovation-oriented high road towards U.S. competitiveness. I think Wal-Mart represents a cost-driven, low-price low road towards U.S. competitiveness. And in a sense, they're two dramatically different styles in which the U.S. economy can be organized. I think the Wal-Mart model is winning out.

[oyarde]

The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking about just paying $1.65 per grapefruit. This pisses me off. If you have an Aldi, they usually run 39 cents on sale.

[green73]

PBS, AF?

[Anti Federalist]

I feel like I'm in a lefty forum. You do realize that "gov't" is the problem then, yes?

It's not "lefty" to point out that big business can tyrannize you just as quickly as big government can.

And when the two collude together, the individual and his rights, are fucked.

[oyarde]

http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/276.jpg Danke, what is up with that all sales are final , no refund sign ? does this mean I cannot return half a box of ammo I did not need ?

[TywinLannister]

If you have an Aldi, they usually run 39 cents on sale.

Yeah we have an ALDI, some good deals there, didn't see any grapefruit though, I eat a shit ton of that stuff

[green73]

It's not "lefty" to point out that big business can tyrannize you just as quickly as big government can.

And when the two collude together, the individual and his rights, are fucked.

Walmart tyranny? That's not happening. You're thinking of GE, BOA, etc. Walmart has been a godsend for the American public. Some people wrongfully hate them for putting the mom and pops out of business. Those people are Luddites.

[oyarde]

Yeah we have an ALDI, some good deals there, didn't see any grapefruit though, I eat a shit ton of that stuff

I like it as well , that is where I buy mine when they are sale, I make a glass of juice too probably 5 days a week,or just stop by he dolar store and buy grape juice there.

[Confederate]

Yeah we have an ALDI, some good deals there, didn't see any grapefruit though, I eat a shit ton of that stuff

Did you know that the brothers who own Aldi are worth a combined $50 billion? They're from Germany.

[Anti Federalist]

Walmart tyranny? That's not happening. You're thinking of GE, BOA, etc. Walmart has been a godsend for the American public. Some people wrongfully hate them for putting the mom and pops out of business. Those people are Luddites.

Well, I am self professed Luddite, after all.

Look, brother, I am tired, and don't feel like arguing this point, and I think we have much bigger fish to fry right now, so I'll be happy to cede the point to you.

But of course I agree about BOA and GE and Lockheed Martin (Fuck them and their ever fucking TWIC cards and James Loy too)

[oyarde]

My local wal mart is horrendous, worst service I have ever seen in my life, you can go in there as late as midnight and expect to stand in line twenty minutes.Not for me.Been in there once this year that I remember, pick up a weapon cleaning kit for my Brother in Law, they were sold out @the farm store , I went there first .

[green73]

Did you know that the brothers who own Aldi are worth a combined $50 billion? They're from Germany.

Contributing to humanity on a grand scale does pay off.

[FrancisMarion]

AJ47 sounds like some brand of malt liquor.

I heard that.http://media11.dropshots.com/photos/525558/20130114/233012.jpg

[green73]

My local wal mart is horrendous, worst service I have ever seen in my life, you can go in there as late as midnight and expect to stand in line twenty minutes.Not for me.Been in there once this year that I remember, pick up a weapon cleaning kit for my Brother in Law, they were sold out @the farm store , I went there first .

The bastards. They should raise their prices. Too much demand.

[TywinLannister]

Best to go to walmart late at night like 3am. even hood rats and banjo playing white trash have to sleep some time

[Danke]

Again, how is the gov't not the culprit here?

They are. So? I guess the Universal Solider shouldn't be blamed either.

[green73]

They are. So? I guess the Universal Solider shouldn't be blamed either.

Am I evil when I use a tax loophole?

[oyarde]

The bastards. They should raise their prices. Too much demand.Or maybe, staff it and open up another reg since the demand is there , or just put up with people like me who have found the same things for the same price or less where I do not have to wait.LOL.

[green73]

Or maybe, staff it and open up another reg since the demand is there , or just put up with people like me who have found the same things for the same price or less where I do not have to wait.LOL.

Yeah well, they lost your business now I'm sure, and if that store keeps up the poor service their competitors will thrive. Capitalism.

[Danke]

Am I evil when I use a tax loophole?

No, unless you lobbied for it to be exclusive for you and stifle your competition.

[Confederate]

Am I evil when I use a tax loophole?

Depends what hole.

[green73]

No, unless you lobbied for it to be exclusive for you and stifle your competition.

Has Walmart done that?

Even if so, you can't deny: the gov't made it happen.

[oyarde]

Yeah well, they lost your business now I'm sure, and if that store keeps up the poor service their competitors will thrive. Capitalism.Sounds about right to me .

[TywinLannister]

Depends what hole.

I will use any hole available to me.



To avoid taxes, that is.

[osan]

So what does walmart know that we dont?

Don't get all paranoid. Use the brain first.

Consider what Walmart is: it is a BIG part of the establishment. Sell ammo to make profit so long as it does not jeopardize your standing as a member of the club. The moment you see writing on the wall, change tack - be an early adopter - get in on the ground floor - demonstrate that you are on board with the program. They may know nothing specific as your question implies, but Walmart did not become what they are by sleeping at the switch. These people have ears to the ground at all times and in all places. Marketing is what Walmart is about and that is largely how they made their bones. When you operate on margins as thin as theirs, you have to be super-aware and super-savvy in terms of your business intelligence because you are particularly vulnerable to errors in decision making. They know how to read the wind.

Combine that skill with the element of membership and it is not terribly surprising that they would make this move. I think when the hammer comes down, they want to be at the forefront of the new order in order to share in the glory and to be rewarded with position, trust, a say in matters, and the best insurance of position that one might hope for as a high-level boot licker.

There is another potential danger I see: Cerberus owns most of the US arms and ammo manufacturers. There is NOTHING in principle from stopping them from divesting themselves from those lines of business. One responds by saying so what? They sell, someone else gets in and life goes on. Not necessarily. There is NOTHING to stop them from deciding to scrap all the machinery - gun drills, rifling machines, CNC programming for machining receivers, forging dies, and so forth. Consider what this government did in the wake of the housing collapse to bail their buddies out. Now consider them doing the same with Cerberus. For a mere, say, 100 or 300 billion dollars, Cerberus agrees to dismantle every firearm maker they own. Machines to the melter, employees to the four winds, and America shit out of firearms luck. They are recompensed for their losses and either go on to other business or have very happy retirements, courtesy of the suck.... erm... I mean, the taxpayers. This would be SO easy to accomplish today that I believe most people fail to appreciate it.n I seriously doubt the people on the Cerberus board are what we would call patriots. I found their purchase of so many manufacturers most alarming and my distress has not abated in time, but rather has increased, especially in the wake of this Newtown nonsense.

If such a thing happened, we would be in deep poo even if we rebelled and strung Obama and his buddies from the White House flag pole because there is not likely so much as a single breathing soul on the planet that could reproduce the designs of a Pratt & Whitney hydraulic rifling machine, the best the world has ever seen. It would probably take decades to recover the lost knowledge and those years could be very precarious for us.

[green73]

Blah blah blah. Walmart is a huge part of the Establishment. That's why they rail on them every chance they get.

[TywinLannister]

Maybe it's just fun to rail on stuff...governments, companies, whatever

[Danke]

Has Walmart done that?

Even if so, you can't deny: the gov't made it happen.

Did you even look at the links I posted. Yes, gov. made it possible, as they did the banks' bailout, so what? I guess we really shouldn't criticize the Federal Reserve Bank either.

[oyarde]

Did you even look at the links I posted. Yes, gov. made it possible, as they did the banks' bailout, so what? I guess we really shouldn't criticize the Federal Reserve Bank either. Please feel free to criticize the Fed for me at any time .

[green73]

Did you even look at the links I posted. Yes, gov. made it possible, as they did the banks' bailout, so what? I guess we really shouldn't criticize the Federal Reserve Bank either.

If I remember correctly it seemed like governments were doing all they could to get Walmart to come to their cities.

[Danke]

...

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2592.jpg

[green73]

Please feel free to criticize the Fed for me at any time .

Nice comparison. The Fed does nothing but rip us off while Walmart provides us affordable goods.

[bolil]

Meh, Walmart launders our money to the chinese politburo. They would never be able to compete with a free market america, the logistics alone would be prohibitive.

[Danke]

Nice comparison. The Fed does nothing but rip us off while Walmart provides us affordable goods.

The Fed with the support of our gov. allows us to export our inflation to give us cheap crap to buy at establishments like Walmart.

[TywinLannister]

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2592.jpg

Sheeeeeit.

[green73]

The Fed with the support of our gov. allows us to export our inflation to give us cheap crap to buy at establishments like Walmart.

How is that Walmart's fault?

How am I the only one defending Walmart on this forum? Ron Paul, Lew Rockwell, Tom Woods, Jeff Tucker, Bob Murphy--all the intellectual acolytes of the liberty movement--sing the praises of Walmart. Sad.

I guess people here wish they were paying more for their goods. They like having less.

[Anti Federalist]

How is that Walmart's fault?

How am I the only one defending Walmart on this forum? Ron Paul, Lew Rockwell, Tom Woods, Jeff Tucker, Bob Murphy--all the intellectual acolytes of the liberty movement--sing the praises of Walmart. Sad.

I guess people here wish they were paying more for their goods. They like having less.

More is not always better and cheap is not always good.

[Anti Federalist]

http://media.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2592.jpg

SHART!

[Uncle Emanuel Watkins]

If you have an Aldi, they usually run 39 cents on sale.

They can be six for a dollar for ruby reds down here in Texas.

[Uncle Emanuel Watkins]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4EF9ifvkPA

[Uncle Emanuel Watkins]

I...I think I'd pay to read that.

Here you go, don't let me down.

Disclosures of Employers Whose Workers and Their Dependents are Using State Health Insurance Programs

Updated January 18, 2012

http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/corporate-subsidy-watch/hidden-taxpayer-costs

Since the mid-20th Century, most Americans have obtained health insurance through workplace-based coverage. In recent years there has been a decline in such coverage caused by a rise in the number of jobs that do not provide coverage at all and growth in the number of workers who decline coverage because it is too expensive.

Faced with the unavailability or unaffordability of health coverage on the job, growing numbers of lower-income workers are turning to taxpayer-funded healthcare programs such as Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

This trend is putting an added burden on programs that are already under stress because of fiscal constraints caused by medical inflation and federal cutbacks. Many states are curtailing benefits and tightening eligibility requirements.

It also raises the issue of whether states are being put in a position of subsidizing the cost-cutting measures of private sector employers.

Across the country, policymakers and others concerned about the healthcare system are pressing for disclosure of information on those employers whose workers (and their dependents) end up in taxpayer-funded programs.

The following is a summary of the employer disclosure that has come to light so far. It includes two cases (Massachusetts and Missouri) in which the information was produced as a result of legislation. The other cases involved requests by legislators or reporters. The latter situations have sometimes resulted in data that are incomplete or imprecise, which suggests that only legislatively mandated, systematic disclosure will tell the whole story.

This compilation was originally produced by Good Jobs First as part of its preparation of testimony given before the Maryland legislature on an employer disclosure bill. A version of that testimony can be found here.

Alabama
In April 2005 the Mobile Register published an article citing data from the Alabama Medicaid Agency on companies in the state with employees whose children are participating in Medicaid. The newspaper obtained a list from the agency of 63 companies whose employees had 100 or more children in the program as of mid-March 2005. At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, whose employees had 4,700 children in the program. Following it were McDonald's (1,931), Hardee's (884) and Burger King (861). The data were similar to information obtained from the same agency by the Montgomery Advertiser two months earlier.

Sources: Sean Reilly, "Medicaid Providing Health Care for Kids of Working Families," Mobile Register, April 17, 2005 and John Davis and Jannell McGrew, "Health Plans Not Family Friendly," Montgomery Advertiser, February 22, 2005, p.B6.

Arizona
In July 2005 the state Department of Economic Security issued data on the largest private employers with workers receiving taxpayer-financed medical insurance through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, with about 2,700 workers--or 9.6 percent of its Arizona workforce--participating in the program. It was followed by Target, Kroger and regional supermarket chain Bashas, each of which had about 5 percent of their workers getting state healthcare coverage.

Sources: Howard Fischer, "Wal-Mart 1st in State Aid Enrollees," Arizona Daily Star, July 30, 2005 and Amanda J. Crawford, "Nearly Half of Poor in AHCCCS Hold Jobs," Arizona Republic, July 30, 2005.

Arkansas
In March 2005 the Department of Human Services, responding to a request from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the Arkansas Times, released a list of the number of employees at the state's largest employers who receive some form of public assistance for themselves or their family, mostly Medicaid coverage for their children. The disclosure found a total of 9,698 workers at the top nine employers, by far the largest number of which--3,971--were employees of Wal-Mart.

Source: Brian Baskin, "Top 9 Employers in State have 9,698 Getting Public Aid," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 17, 2005.

Connecticut
In January 2005, the Office of Legislative Research released a report on the employers of participants in the state's HUSKY health program for children of low-income families. The report was prepared at the request of several legislators who had been encouraged to seek the information by organizations such as Connecticut Voices for Children. HUSKY (an acronym for Healthcare for UninSured Kids and Youth) has two parts: Part A is traditional Medicaid and Part B is Connecticut's version of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. For HUSKY A, the top employer of workers with children in the plan was Wal-Mart, with 824 workers with children in the plan. It was followed by Stop & Shop (741), Dunkin' Donuts (530), Laidlaw (460) and McDonald's (also 460). The report also looked at employer data for HUSKY A enrollees who were also enrolled in HUSKY B. For that group the top employer was Stop & Shop with 99 HUSKY A enrollees also participating in HUSKY B, followed by Wal-Mart (79), Laidlaw (65), Home Depot (45), Dunkin' Donuts (39) and Family Care VNA (also 39). The report counted only parents of plan participants, not the total number of their children. A 2011 update of the report again had Wal-Mart at the top of the list for HUSKY A.

Source: Robin K. Cohen, HUSKY A and B--Enrollment and Employer Data, Connecticut Office of Legislative Research Report 2005-R-0017, January 10, 2005; available online at www.cga.ct.gov/2005/rpt/2005-R-0017.htm. 20011 update: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/rpt/2011-R-0263.htm


Florida
In March 2005 the St. Petersburg Times published a summary of data it obtained from the Department of Children and Families on the employers in the state with the most workers who were enrolled in Medicaid or KidCare Insurance (Florida's version of SCHIP). Leading the Medicaid list was Wal-Mart with 12,300 employees or their dependents enrolled in the program. Wal-Mart also accounted for 1,375 employee children enrolled in Kidcare (second only to Miami-Dade County with 1,518). The other employers with the most Medicaid enrollees were McDonald's (8,100), Publix (7,900), Wendy's (4,100), Winn-Dixie (4,000) and Burger King (3,900). Publix ranked third on the KidCare list with 1,250 and Winn-Dixie ranked fifth (after Broward County Schools) with 379.

The St. Petersburg Times story also took note of the fact that several of the companies with the most employees and dependents enrolled in public health insurance programs were also recipients of substantial amounts of economic development incentives such as tax abatements.

The St. Petersburg Times numbers were significantly higher than comparable data cited in a December 2004 published by the Tallahassee Democrat. That story, also based on data from the Department of Children and Families, reported that the company with the most employees participating in Medicaid was McDonald's, with 1,792 claims filed. The other top private-sector employers on its list were Publix (1,579), Winn-Dixie (1,108), Burger King (830) and Wal-Mart (756). The article noted that the data supplied by the state referred to the number of claims rather than the number of beneficiaries, which it said was likely to be much higher. This might explain the discrepancy.

Sources: Sydney P. Freedberg and Connie Humburg, "Lured Employers Now Tax Medicaid," St. Petersburg Times, March 25, 2005 plus a spreadsheet with additional data provided by the authors to Good Jobs First. Also: Rocky Scott, "50,000 Workers Qualify for Medicaid: Some Say Companies Taking Advantage," Tallahassee Democrat, December 19, 2004, p.1 According to a private communication with the author, the headline was incorrect and should have referred to 50,000 employers.

Georgia
In February 2004, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the contents of an internal memo prepared by the Department of Community Health in 2002 that contained a list of the employers whose workers had the most dependents enrolled in the state's PeachCare for Kids health insurance program for low-income working families. At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, whose employees in Georgia had 10,261 children in PeachCare. Far behind in second place was Publix with 734, followed by Shaw Industries (669), Mohawk Industries (657) and Cagle's Keystone Foods (463).

Source: Andy Miller, "Wal-Mart Stands Out on Rolls of PeachCare," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 27, 2004, p.1B.

Iowa
In March 2005, the Associated Press bureau in Des Moines reported that it had obtained a list of the Iowa employers with the largest number of workers participating in Medicaid. The list, prepared by the state Department of Human Services, listed Wal-Mart first with 845 employees. It was followed by Tyson Fresh Meats (388), Casey's General Stores (371), Hy-Vee Inc. (361) and Access Direct Telemarketing (217).

Source: Ryan Foley, "IA Medicaid Employers," Associated Press, March 4, 2005 and "Top Ten Employers with Workers on Medicaid," Associated Press, March 4, 2005.

Maine
In June 2005 the Institute for Local Self-Reliance obtained data from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services on companies with workers enrolled in Medicaid and other public assistance programs (data on dependents was not available). At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, with 751 workers receiving benefits. It was followed by supermarket chain Hannaford with 527 and LL Bean with 170.

In November 2005 the Lewiston Sun Journal obtained information from the state Department of Health and Human Services on those employers with the largest number of workers on MaineCare (the state's version of Medicaid), food stamps and TANF (temporary assistance to needy families). At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, with 1,100 employees in one or more of the programs, followed by the supermarket chain Hannaford Bros. (662), L.L. Bean (362) and Shaw's Supermarkets (257).

Sources: Press release issued June 28, 2005 by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance; available online at http://www.newrules.org/retail/news_slug.php?slugid=311 and Kathryn Skelton, "Working, On Welfare: Thousands in Maine Have Jobs, But Get Assistance," Lewiston Sun Journal, November 14, 2005.

Massachusetts
In 2004, the legislature included in the 2005 budget a requirement that the state compile a list of employers with workers or their dependents participating in public healthcare programs. The requirement applied to employers with 50 or more employees using programs such as MassHealth and the Uncompensated Care Pool (UCP). On February 1, 2005 the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy issued the first report required by the law. The report identified 138 employers that met the 50-employee threshhold. At the top of the list was Dunkin' Donuts, with 1,923 employees participating in UCP and 982 participants in MassHealth. Others at the top of the list were Stop & Shop (1,352 & 788), Wal-Mart (1,258 & 823), McDonald's (1,125 & 600) and UNICCO Service Corp. (743 & 339).

In February 2006 the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy issued its second report, saying that changes in methodology meant that the new numbers were not compatible with those from the previous year. This time Wal-Mart was at the top of the list, with a total of 2,866 MassHealth members and UCP users. It was followed by Stop & Shop (2,737), McDonald's (2,162) and UNICCO (1,728).

In February 2007 the third report was issued. Wal-Mart was at the top of the list when counting the total number of MassHealth members (employees and dependents) and UCP users. Its total was 6,070. Second was Stop & Shop with 5,785.

In May 2008 the fourth report was issued. Wal-Mart again was first with 5,021 employees and Stop & Shop was again second with 3,868.

Sources: The reports and spreadsheets can be found here.

Missouri
In October 2009 the state Department of Social Services finally fulfilled a requirement contained in a law passed in 2007 by publishing a list of the companies with the most employees (and their dependents) participating in the state's Medicaid program, known as MO HealthNet (MHN). At the top of the list is Wal-Mart, which was found to have 1,555 employees enrolled in MHN and another 3,040 employees with dependents enrolled in MHN.

Source: Missouri Department of Social Services, MO HealthNet Employer Match Report: First Quarter 2009, October 21, 2009; online at http://dss.mo.gov/mhd/general/pdf/emp-match.pdf

Montana
In June 2005 the Great Falls Tribune examined records for the state's CHIP program and found that the private employer with the largest number of workers with dependents receiving the health insurance was Wal-Mart. Its 193 employees using CHIP represented about 4 percent of the company's workforce in the state. Other companies high on the list were McDonald's, Pizza Hut, NAPA Auto Parts and Subway.

Source: Mike Dennison, "State Insurance for Kids Going to Employees You Might Not Expect," Great Falls Tribune, June 26, 2005, p.16A.

Nebraska
In October 2005 the Nebraska Health and Human Services System reported that an estimated 9,369 workers and an unknown number of their dependents were receiving benefits through the state's Medicaid program. Leading the list was Wal-Mart with 654 workers and Tyson with 548.

Source: Paul Hammel, "Thousands with Jobs are on Medicaid Rolls," Omaha World-Herald, October 19, 2005.

New Hampshire
In May 2005 the Associated Press reported that it had obtained a report from the state Department of Health and Human Servic es on those employers in New Hampshire with the most workers (or their dependents) enrolled in Medicaid or the Healthy Kids Silver program. The employer at the top of the list in both categories was Wal-Mart, which had 487 of its 8,500 workers in the state getting subsidized coverage. Also high on the list were the state government, Dunkin' Donuts, the supermarket chain Shaw's, Concord Hospital, nursing-home operator Genesis and the U.S. Postal Service.

Source: Norma Love, "State, Retail Workers High on List of Needing Health-care Subsidy," Associated Press, May 12, 2005.

New Jersey
In August 2005 New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) issued a report that for the first time disclosed which employers have the largest number of workers or dependents participating in the state's SCHIP program known as NJ FamilyCare. NJPP, which had to pay to get the state to reprogram the database of FamilyCare participants to retrieve the information, found there were about 50 employers that accounted for 100 or more program participants. The employer with the most was Wal-Mart, with a total of 589 adults and children. It was followed by Home Dept (335), the supermarket chain Pathmark (329) and Target (302).

Source: Mary E. Forsberg, ATTENTION SHOPPERS: You Pay the Health Insurance Bills for Some of New Jersey's Largest Employers, New Jersey Policy Perspective, August 2005; available online at http://www.njpp.org/rpt_familycare.html

Ohio
In September 2009 the United Food and Commercial Workers announced that it had received data from the state Department of Job and Family Services showing that 15,000 Wal-Mart workers in Ohio were receiving health benefits through Medicaid. In July 2008 Policy Matters Ohio published an updated report on the employers with the largest number of workers participating in the Medicaid, food stamps and Ohio Works First (cash assistance) programs. The report, based on data from the Department of Job and Family Services, showed the following. For Medicaid, Wal-Mart was first with 13,141 employees, followed by McDonald's (11,446), Yum! Brands (6,596) and Wendy's (5,620). For food stamps, McDonald's was first with 9,316, followed by Wal-Mart (8,565), Yum! Brands (5,286) and Wendy's (4,623). McDonald's also led the list with regard to cash assistance with 874 employees. It was followed by Yum! Brands (500), Wendy's (450) and Wal-Mart (305). The same four companies were at the top of the list when the Department of Job and Family Services released its own report in February 2006 in response to requests from Policy Matters Ohio and others.

Sources: Laura Bischoff, "Employees of Big Companies Fill Ohio's Medicaid, Food Stamp Rolls, Report Says," Dayton Daily News, September 29, 2009; online at http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-news/employees-of-big-companies-fill-ohios-medicaid-food-stamp-rolls-report-says-323224.html. Policy Matters Ohio, Public Benefits Subsidize Major Ohio Employers: A 2008 Update, July 31, 2008; online at http://www.policymattersohio.org/pdf/PublicBenefits2008_0731.pdf. See also: Julie Carr Smyth, "Ohio Workers Depend on Public Benefits," Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 25, 2006. See also the Policy Matters Ohio initial analysis of the 2006 data at: http://www.policymattersohio.org/pdf/public_benefits_2006_03.pdf

Pennsylvania
In March 2006 the Philadelphia Inquirer published a report on data it obtained from the Department of Public Welfare on the percentage of workers enrolled in Medicaid at the ten largest employers in the state. Wal-Mart was at the top of the list, with 15.8 percent of its workforce (7,577 individuals) enrolled. Giant Food Stores was second with 11.8 percent (2,244 workers).

Source: Amy Worden, "Many Wal-Mart Workers Use Medicaid," Philadelphia Inquirer, March 2, 2006.

Rhode Island
In March 2007 the Providence Journal reported that the Department of Human Services had completed a report, requested by the state legislature, showing which employers in Rhode Island had 250 or more employees or their dependents participating in public healthcare programs such at RIte Care, RIte Share or Medicaid. The report found nine such employers. Not including temp agencies, the companies with the largest number of total beneficiaries (employees and dependents) were Citizens Financial Group (610) and Wal-Mart (500).

Sources: Felice J. Freyer, "Some Workers Getting Health Care Through Medicaid," Providence Journal, March 30, 2007. The Dept. of Human Services report can be found at http://www.ritecare.ri.gov/documents/reports_publications/pub%20health%20ben%20final%20report%20030507.pdf A January 2008 update can be found at: http://www.ritecare.ri.gov/documents/reports_publications/pub%20health%20ben%20report%202008%20pdf.pdf

Tennessee
In January 2005, state officials released the results of a survey, undertaken at the request of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, of which companies had employees who were enrolled in TennCare, the state's health plan for the poor, uninsured and disabled. Ranking first was Wal-Mart, with 9,617 employees on TennCare, nearly 25 percent of the company's entire workforce in the state. Trailing Wal-Mart among the top five were four temp agencies: Randstad Staffing Services USA (6,389), Adecco USA Inc. (4,205), Staffmark East LLC (3,818) and Real Time Staffing Services (3,783). The survey found that the top 20 employers of TennCare recipients accounted for more than 68,000 participants in the program, or about six percent of total enrollment.

Sources: John Commins, Dave Flessner and Ashley M. Heher, "On the Job and on TennCare," Chattanooga Times Free Press, January 20, 2005, p.A1. Also: Rebecca Ferrar, "Big Companies Have a Large Number of Workers in Program," Knoxville News-Sentinel, January 30, 2005, p.C1.

Texas
The Center for Public Policy Priorities, a non-partisan research center based in Austin, has obtained data on the 20 employers in the state with the largest number of employees whose dependents participate in the Children's Health Insurance Program. (Employer data for Medicaid are not available.) The data for February 2005 show Wal-Mart at the top of the list, with 2,333 employee families in CHIP, with an estimated 4,363 individual children enrolled. Many of the other employers on the list are school districts (led by Houston with 712 families). The University of Texas System ranked third with 475 families. Among the other private-sector employers on the list are the department-store chain Dillard's (sixth with 284 families) and McDonald's (13th with 238 families). The full list for both March 2004 and February 2005 is here.

Source: Data obtained by the Center for Public Policy Priorities < www.cppp.org > and provided to Good Jobs First

Utah
In February 2006 the Salt Lake Tribune reported on an analysis it had done of data from the state's department of health concerning workers along the Wasatch Front (Weber, Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties) who were receiving health coverage for themselves or dependents through public programs such as Medicaid, SCHIP or the Primary Care Network. The newspaper said that the employer with the largest number of such workers was Wal-Mart, with 234. It was followed by call-center operator Convergys with 181.

Source: Kirsten Stewart, "Utahns Foot Insurance Bill: Large Companies' Workers Without Health Care Turn to Medicaid," Salt Lake Tribune, February 5, 2006.

Vermont
In April 2005 the Vermont Guardian reported that it had obtained data from the state's Department for Children and Families on families enrolled in Medicaid that had someone employed by a large company or a government agency. The state government itself was said to account for largest number of such employees with 481. Among the private-sector companies with the most workers using Medicaid were Price Chopper (443), McDonald's (290), Hannaford (288) and Wal-Mart (286). Among industry groups, grocery stores accounted for the largest number at 1,036.

Source: Kathryn Casa, "Employees at Vermont's Top Companies Enrolled in Medicaid Health Plans," Vermont Guardian, April 18, 2005. Some of the numbers cited above came from a copy of the data prepared for Casa that was provided to Good Jobs First by the Department for Children and Families.

Washington
In December 2006 the Tacoma News Tribune reported that new numbers from the state showed that Wal-Mart still accounted for the largest number of workers receiving benefits from the state's Medicaid and Basic Health plan. The number for Wal-Mart was 3,194--far ahead of number two McDonald's with 1,932.

In January 2006 the Seattle Times had reported that the number of Wal-Mart employees (or their dependents) in the state receiving taxpayer-subsidized health coverage was more than 3,100--nearly double that of any other company and far more than had previously been reported. The information, which came from two confidential state reports leaked to the Times, showed the numbers both for the Basic Health Plan, a program that is entirely financed by the state, and the state-federal Medicaid program, but it was unclear how much overlap there was. Wal-Mart had 3,180 employees on the Medicaid list and 456 on the Basic Health tally. On the Medicaid list, McDonald's came in second with 1,824 employees receiving benefits, followed by Safeway with 1,539.

Back in February 2003, the state Health Care Authority had given the Associated Press a list of the ten employers whose workers appeared most frequently on the rolls of the Basic Health Plan. At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, with 341 workers participating in the plan. It was followed by Catholic Community Services (265), Del Monte (253), Snokist (218) and Express Personnel (191). In February 2004 the Seattle Times reported that 281 Wal-Mart workers were enrolled in Basic Health as of March 2003.

Sources: Sean Cockerham, "A Ranking Wal-Mart Could Live Without," Tacoma News Tribune, December 1, 2006. Ralph Thomas, "More Than 3,100 Wal-Mart Workers Got State Health Aid," Seattle Times, January 24, 2006; Rebecca Cook (Associated Press writer), "Legislature: Bill Has Employers Pay Share of Health Care," The Columbian (Vancouver, WA), February 28, 2003, p.C2; Andrew Garber, "Enrollments in State's Health Plan Questioned," Seattle Times, February 3, 2004.

West Virginia
In December 2004, the Bureau for Children and Families, acting at the request of the Charleston Sunday Gazette-Mail, released data on the employers of parents of children enrolled in the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Leading the list was Wal-Mart, with 452 workers whose children participated in the plan. This group represented about 4 percent of the company's employees in the state. Next on the list were the tree-cutting company Asplundh (146), McDonald's (100), Respite Care (97) and the U.S. Postal Service (94).

Source: John Heys and Paul Wilson, "Wal-Mart Culture: Wal-Mart Tops State CHIP List," Charleston Sunday Gazette-Mail, December 26, 2004, p.1A.

Wisconsin
In June 2007 the state Department of Health and Family Services posted an updated list of Wisconsin employers with the largest number of employees (or their dependents) participating in BadgerCare, the state's health insurance program for low-income working families. At the top of the list was Wal-Mart, which had 897 employees enrolled, plus an additional 776 dependents. The Department projected the annual cost to the state of those enrollees at $3.7 million. Other employers at the top of the list were McDonald's (248 employees; 149 dependents), the non-profit healthcare provider Aurora (193; 162), and home improvement chain Menard (163; 184). The 116 employers with 15 or more employees on BadgerCare were said to cost the state a total of $23.9 million a year.

In October 2005 Wisconsin Citizen Action published a report estimating that large corporations, led by Wal-Mart, were costing the state $46 million a year because of the participation of their employees in public medical assistance programs.

Sources: The Department of Health and Family Services list is posted at http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/badgercare/pdfs/employers0307.pdf. See also Stacy Forster, "Who Has Staff using Health Care Safety Net?" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 21, 2007. For coverage of earlier reports, see Stacy Forster, "Big Companies Fill BadgerCare Rolls," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 24, 2005; Anita Weier, "Wal-Mart Workers Need State Health Aid," The Capital Times , November 4, 2004, p.1A; Stacy Forster, "Tab for Uninsured Workers Rises 13%," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 30, 2006.

Quarterly employer reports can be found at http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/badgercareplus/enrollmentdata/enrolldata.htm

Ahem . . . in preparing to feel this news article so as to express it in colorful metaphors and fanciful, superfluous similes, my dear beloved forum members, I sensed that it was very well done. This is going to be difficult, but I will do anything for money . . .

It is bad to die . . . no more blue skies . . . no more apple pie . . . capitalism is dead . . . blown to bits by a shotgun blast . . . guts splattered everywhere . . . in the parking lot of Walmart!
Snap . . . snap . . . snap . . .
You know, the best way to sell an empty box is to pass a law making people buy it!

"Scream!"

Earthquakes! Volcanoes! Mud slides! Tsunamis! Comets! Meteors! Pandemics! Social Communism! Tourists from New York City?

Snap . . . snap . . . snap!

Obamacare! . . . New York City as the world capital of the pharmaceutical industry! . . . Hartford, Connecticut as the world capital of the insurance industry! . . . A serious patriarchal grandfather sitting dignified at the head of the table . . . the table neatly set . . . a behemoth black maid trips as she is carrying out his dinner . . . spilling split pea soup all over his suit and tie . . .

HA!

(Sing along as a song) Meanwhile, the porn industry and the defense industries continue
to flourish, the only high quality products still being made within the United States.
Indeed, Jack and Jill no longer need to go up that hill of free enterprise!
As Jill enters into porn, Jack can join the Marines!

Cheers!

The End

[P3ter_Griffin]

How is that Walmart's fault?

How am I the only one defending Walmart on this forum? Ron Paul, Lew Rockwell, Tom Woods, Jeff Tucker, Bob Murphy--all the intellectual acolytes of the liberty movement--sing the praises of Walmart. Sad.

I guess people here wish they were paying more for their goods. They like having less.

I'm with ya 100%. There is not a company whose business model-- in terms of what they provide for the customer-- I respect or want to emulate more.

[TywinLannister]

any update on this story?

[Todd]

any update on this story?

Yes. I'd like to add that I was in Walmart in my area and spoke with the guy in the sporting goods section. He says they most certainly have not stopped ordering ammunition, but that when it comes in it is gone immediately.

Wish we could find a reputable site to confirm the OP because this is not my experience and until I have that I fail to see the truth that Walmart has discontinued it. But I will add the shortage of ammo is three times worse here than it was in 2008

[shane77m]

Yes. I'd like to add that I was in Walmart in my area and spoke with the guy in the sporting goods section. He says they most certainly have not stopped ordering ammunition, but that when it comes in it is gone immediately.

Wish we could find a reputable site to confirm the OP because this is not my experience and until I have that I fail to see the truth that Walmart has discontinued it. But I will add the shortage of ammo is three times worse here than it was in 2008

My local Wal Mart said basically the same thing. They stock it first thing in the morning but you have to get there early to get it.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Yes. I'd like to add that I was in Walmart in my area and spoke with the guy in the sporting goods section. He says they most certainly have not stopped ordering ammunition, but that when it comes in it is gone immediately.

Wish we could find a reputable site to confirm the OP because this is not my experience and until I have that I fail to see the truth that Walmart has discontinued it. But I will add the shortage of ammo is three times worse here than it was in 2008Do you think it's a marketing/propaganda ploy by Wal-Marx to pickup there lagging sales? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize the amount of money currently flooding into guns & ammo to kick-up profits?


Not to go too far off in a tangent:

maybe WAL⭐MARX was cutoff by the manufacturers of ammo because they had to meet immediate demand orders by the DHS which has now purchased(With YOUR Tax dollars/Debt) 2 BILLION bullets in the past 11 months. To give you the example of usage by the US .>GOV/DOD...

@ the heigth of the Iraq War in 2007, US troops/mercenaries were burning through 4.4 million bullets per month. So it appears the DHS is set to conduct a similar Iraq War at that full scale for 24 Years in the U.S.

OR... they are funneling these weapons of destruction to; terrorists/rebels/insurgents/dictators/pro-US regimes around the planet?

[Pericles]

Hornady says government sales are about 5% of their production.