Walmart Minimum Wage Follies Update: DC City Council Votes to Cut Off Nose to Spite Face

citizensrepublic.wordpress.com

The DC City Council has voted in favor of a "living wage" measure that would apply only to "big box" retailers like Walmart and increase the city's minimum wage rate just for them by more than 50 percent. Yesterday, Walmart warned the council that if they passed the specially hiked minimum wage that the company would refuse to build three of the six stores they were planning on and might pull out the city altogether.

Now take a moment to contemplate the irony of this statement reported in the Washington Post today from Rev. Graylan Hagler, the senior pastor of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ and a leader of pro-living-wage group Respect DC:

"If you allow a bully to bully you, it's never going to end."

Say what? Evidently, in the Newspeak used by the good reverend, a "bully" is someone who refuses to hand over their lunch money when being pommelled by a gang of thugs.

Soon, Rev. Hagler will no doubt be declaiming: War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, Coercion is Liberty, Oppression is Freedom, Profit is Loss, Unemployment is Work, and so forth.

Prominent living wage supporter Council member Vincent Orange, still suffering from a severe case of grandiloquence and logorrhea, asserted in the Post:

"The question here is a living wage; it's not whether Wal-Mart comes or stays," said council member Vincent B. Orange (D-At Large), a lead backer of the legislation, who added that the city did not need to kowtow to threats. "We're at a point where we don't need retailers. Retailers need us."

It's hard not to conclude that council member Orange is channeling Atlas Shrugged's Wesley Mouch. Look soon for the city council to further restrict businesses in the District by passing the Equalization of Opportunity Act.

Perhaps the ongoing corruption investigation will end up sparing the city further stupidities from council member Orange.

If DC's Mayor Vincent Gray can muster the courage to veto this economically ignorant legislation, there is still some hope that the residents can enjoy the jobs, convenience, and affordable shopping that Walmart would bring to some of the poorest city neighborhoods. If mayor fails to veto the measure, Orange and his cohorts will soon find out who needs whom.

Comments

[Brian]

You're supposed to pretend that the state isn't violent about anything, ever. Then, it all makes sense. Someone has to protect us from those who might not obey. That's how it works.

[Sevo]

And some people are tired of hearing that taxes are collected at the point of a gun.
They're just *tired* of hearing that!

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Just curious, are you an anarchist or minarchist? If the second, how would you collect revenues to fund the limited government functions you'd allow? Wouldn't it at some point have to be 'at the point of a gun?' If so, how useful is this term to helping us persuade others to a more limited government?

[Fluffy]

One idea Rand floated was the idea of a transactions tax:

Basically a stamp tax for contracts and sales receipts. If you paid the tax, you would have access to the courts to resolve any dispute arising from your contract or sale transaction. If you didn't pay the tax, you wouldn't.

This would be a truly voluntary tax, but you'd have a greater and greater incentive to pay it, the richer you were and the larger your transactions were.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

That is interesting, but I don't see how it could cover something like defense.

[sgs]

Think harder.

[Scarecrow Repair]

I had a similar idea, but it would have been a voluntary property tax where you declare any value you want. Not only do you have no judicial access for that property without having paid the tax, if you do pay it, your recovery is limited to your self-valuation.

I like the voluntary transaction tax idea, except for the massive numbers of stamps sold and the opportunity for forgery. Also might want some minimumvalue, below which every transaction is covered regardless, so selling bubblegum doesn't require a stamp.

[Rasilio]

Well, there are some things that government is uniquely qualified to do, like run the CDC, national weather service, etc. Find a way to bill for those services.

Make courts self sufficient in that the courts costs must also be resolved by the case. One Easy way is punitive damages go to government coffers and not to the plaintif.

Fire and police protection would be a direct fee for service model.

Corporations, copyright holders, and the like have to pay for their government granted protections when they are renewed. You don't want to pay the fee, that's fine no one is forcing you but you loose the legal protections.

All of those should be able to easily pay for the level of government that would exist in a Minarchy with the exception of the military.

For the Military it would be 2 part, a small offensive force that we rent out to the rest of the world (including the UN) as Mercenaries, and a larger defensive part that would be primarily Part time national Guardsmen, the results any tehcnological research that the Military conducted or paid for would remain with the military and be licensed for funds and we would also sell (never give, always sell) arms and equipment to anyone with the cash to pay for them. If all of that was not enough to field a sufficiently large and well equipped to defend ourselves and our people overseas then we could resort to lotteries to fund the military and if absolutely necessary a small head tax.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Thank God these brave activists have saved the people of DC from jobs, tax revenue, cheap food and consumer goods! Bless them!

[CatoTheElder]

At last! A libertarian who understands the new socialist paradigm.

Sure, old school socialists -- the Marx and Engels variety -- thought that socialism would result in proletarian prosperity. Obviously, history plainly demonstrates that prosperity is not attainable under a socialist order. However, the new school understands that proletarian poverty is a feature rather than a bug in socialism. Prosperity is environmentally unsustainable, and must be prevented. This new school insight is the future of socialism.

[PapayaSF]

Plus, the newly prosperous might be less inclined to vote for socialism. Better that they remain poor and reliable voters.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I wouldn't count on that. In 2008 for example, Obama won the 200,000 and above income group.

[Irish]

The Democrats are essentially the party of the super poor and the super rich. The two groups who are capable of using their clout to get free stuff from the government vote Democrat. I'm sure this is just a coincidence.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I'm not denying the super poor get free stuff, but I think you're vastly overestimating their 'clout.'

[Irish]

Not really. They have a lot of clout in elections because, despite not having much power in their day to day lives, people want to help them. The guilt of being better off than those who are living in poverty is a major driving force behind the voting patterns of wealthier liberals.

If someone said 'I want to get rid of food stamps' he would be unelectable in today's political environment. That seems like clout to me.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

There are many industries that survive off of taking government money and 'administering' it in the name of the poor. These have clout and push to get services for the poor, the poor themselves have very little.

[Irish]

Even those industries are only able to do that out of the altruistic desires of the American people. The working poor have an unbelievable amount of power as a nebulous group that people want to 'help,' although you are right that a lot of what supposedly goes to help the poor is just a payoff to cronies.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I would say then that the clout resides in "the altruistic desires of the American people" not the poor.

Look at how the minimum income Friedman suggested got no play. It's the social workers, etc., who make sure the poor get the 'services' that they provide...

[sgs]

"I would say then that the clout resides in "the altruistic desires of the American people" not the poor."

And you'd be wrong, as often "the poor" as a group vote to enrich themselves while ignoring the negative consequences.

There's nothing altruistic about that.

[Raston Bot]

You mean govt employees? Of course he did.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

What percent of people who make over 200,000 are government employees?

[AlexInCT]

Most senators and congressmen seem to fal in that category, most sooner than later.

[Suthenboy]

Future?

[PH2050]

I worked for Wal-Mart when I was younger.

I was paid $8.50/hr as part of the daytime grocery instock crew.

I feel like I got over on Wal-Mart. They paid me to do a job a trained monkey could probably do. It was a ridiculously easy job. How the fuck can people demand $12/hr for that type of work?!

[sarcasmic]

there is still some hope that the residents can enjoy the jobs, convenience, and affordable shopping that Walmart would bring to some of the poorest city neighborhoods.

But, but, but Walmart is bad for the poor! It sells cheap Chinese crap! Who needs cheap Chinese crap? And they sell cheap prepackaged food! That's why poor people are fat! Cheap food! We don't need Walmart! We need Whole Foods, Bed Bath and Beyond, and other sellers of quality goods! That's how to help the poor!

[Almanian!]

Plus - they kill small business! All those DC small businesses that will be killed - who speaks for them?

[Invisible Finger]

Orange, Gray...Sounds like Harvey Keitel will be showing up and shooting someone pretty soon.

[rts]

Yeah, that's easy for your to say, you're Mr. White. You have a cool-sounding name. Alright look, if it's no big deal to be Mr. Pink, you wanna trade?

[Sevo]

"It's not easy be..."
Aw, the hell with it.

[Bill Dalasio]

The residents of DC can only hope...

[Bobarian]

The residents of DC are Tim Roth; gut shot and bleeding out on the loading ramp. The city council is Mr. Blue; cutting off Wal-Mart's ear and talking into it.

[Loki]

Sounds like Harvey Keitel will be showing up and shooting someone pretty soon.

We can only hope.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

"We're at a point where we don't need retailers. Retailers need us."

Then apply your "living wage" law to all retailers.

[Almanian!]

They also don't need no steeenkeeeen badges...

[anon]

"We're at a point where we don't need retailers. Retailers need us."

I disagree.

[Kaptious Kristen]

No hat tip. *harumph*

Cancel my subscription!

[Sevo]

I, for one, welcome such tips!

[Restoras]

Just the tip? It's never just the tip...

[AlexInCT]

Buy low, sell high. You never go broke making a profit.

Wherever you go, there you are.

Those are good tips.

[Doctor Whom]

Retailers need us.

All of the DC license plates in Virginia parking lots suggest otherwise.

[Doctor Whom]

On second thought, let's enact a penaltax to force retailers into DC.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Look, you and your racist "objective facts and observations" can take a hike.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE!!1!1!

[Invisible Finger]

I really don't have a problem with politicians committing economic suicide, it's the other people they ruin at the same time that bothers me. But if they mostly ruin the people who voted for them in the first place, then I really don't have a problem with that either.

[JWatts]

But if they mostly ruin the people who voted for them in the first place, then I really don't have a problem with that either.

Yes, but then they ask for more Federal tax money to help their poor constituents.

So,
1) Get elected by promising to help the multitude of poor at the expense of the taxpayers.
2) Keep the poor in a state of poverty.
3) Repeat.

[Invisible Finger]

Like others have said here, they love poor people so much they want more of them.

[The Late P Brooks]

I find the idea of a howling mob of starving peasants bursting into the DC Council chambers and dragging them out to the guillotine appealing.

Fantastical, but appealing.

[anon]

Hah! Nice use of the word fantastical there. Not being sarcastic.

[Killazontherun]

Yes. That fits well into what I wrote below. The black community needs a French Revolution of its own to purge the Christo-Socialist influence out of it once and for all.

[Gladstone]

The black community needs a French Revolution of its own to purge the Christo-Socialist influence out of it once and for all

Yes because the Jacobins were so laissez faire on economics.

[sarcasmic]

What are you talking about? By forcing Walmart to pay a living wage, the DC Council is helping them! Helping them!

[JWatts]

The peasants would need to be armed.

Adam Kokesh and libertarian activists expected to provoke a police response when heposted a video of himself apparently loading a shotgun on Freedom Plaza in violation of D.C. law on the Fourth of July, but it arrived on his doorstep with an overwhelming boom Tuesday night.

A U.S. Park Police SWAT team and other officers knocked on the door of his single-family home on a quiet Herndon cul-de-sac, then kicked the door in and tossed a flash grenade into the foyer as police helicopters whirled overhead, his roommates said.

Problem solved, compliments of a freaking U.S. Park Police SWAT team! Because we now live in a society that demands that Park Rangers have SWAT teams to protect us from a private citizen who videotapes himself loading a shotgun.

[Tonio]

Yeah, I was wondering about that. Apparently Park Police have been absorbed into DHS, as have most other federal LEOs.

My only guess is that by sending Park Police (as opposed to BATF, or whoever) that they hoped to make it seem less jack-booty to the public.

Anyone else have any insight into this?

[Loki]

Anyone else have any insight into this?

FYTW. That pretty much applies to anything the government does at this point.

And if the Department of Education can have a SWAT team, why not the fucking Park Police?

[The Late P Brooks]

"If you allow a bully to bully you, it's never going to end."

Fucking discount retailers and their cheap Chinese crap, dragging people into their stores and forcing them to buy stuff!

[anon]

Worse, making them buy stuff they might actually want. The fucking horror!

[Tonio]

You're forgetting about "false consciousness". The proles lack agency, and are easily manipulated by evil capitalists; thus they need Top Men to decide what their real needs are.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Not to be technical, but I think false consciousness was the idea that proles don't realize they have shared class interests, not that they lack agency.

[Irish]

They don't realize they have shared class interests because the vile capitalists use religion, racism, and other 'opiates of the masses' to create friction among low income groups.

It still is the belief that they lack agency and are just chess pieces that are moved around by the will of the rich.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I think there's a difference between poor people not seeing that they have a common interest and acting in common because of religious, racial and other differences and the idea that poor people lack agency when making employment or consumer decisions. The first is what I understand 'false consciousness' to refer to (and it's bunk imo; the Marxist simply declares that a bunch of things they don't care for 'shouldn't matter' and then get upset if someone allows it to matter).

[Tonio]

Being technically right is the best sort of right, BC. 😛

[Killazontherun]

Now take a moment to contemplate the irony of this statement reported in the Washington Post today from Rev. Graylan Hagler, the senior pastor of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ and a leader of pro-living-wage group Respect DC:

"If you allow a bully to bully you, it's never going to end."

You know what the black community could use more of? Atheism.

[Bill Dalasio]

Yeah, but you never find Shriek on threads like this denouncing the "CHRISTFAGSSS!!!"

[Suthenboy]

Heh, you can bet he reads them. He is a bald-faced lying idiot and is delusional, but he has a simian sense of self-preservation that keeps him clear of articles like this.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Or better ministers - ones that worry less about rendering unto Caesar and more about rendering unto God.

[DesigNate]

They would rather render unto themselves and fuck God for wanting all "their" money.

[Invisible Finger]

Black minister wants a bigger chunk of the checks on the 1st and 15th, if WalMart opens his cut of those checks will be smaller.

No bigger bully than a minister, trying to sic God on someone.

[Killazontherun]

Normally, that would be my first suggestion, but they are way beyond where a Weberian Puritan can help them now.

[The Late P Brooks]

we don't need retailers. Retailers need us.

"Ignorance is Strength. We are INVINCIBLE, Comrades!"

[Aresen]

"we don't need retailers. Retailers need us."

I am willing to bet that Vincent Orange has been one of those whingeing about inner cities being "underserved" by big retailers.

[creech]

Suppose the Mayor did veto the measure? If you're WalMart do you then think, "Great, let's now build those six stores" or "FY, we won't invest a dime because the next mayor may not be so smart." Intellectual property is easy to move and may be worth taking a chance on a locality reforming itself, but infrastructure, not so much. Many of these little socialist fiefdoms have soiled their bed permanently.

[Restoras]

Walmart is big enough to absorb that loss if it chooses. Wouldn't like to, but it can.

On the other hand, once they are in, no one would want them to leave - so they might have a stronger hand.

[UnCivilServant]

WalMart got big enough to be able to absorb it by not making foolish business decisions like going into municipalities out to stick it to them.

[Episiarch]

The projection from these fucks is unbelievable. They are the bullies, so of course they accuse those they bully of what they're doing. It is never-ending projection with these fucking scum.

[CatoTheElder]

^THIS

It fucking never ends, does it?

[anon]

Using the past 6000 years as evidence?

No.

[sarcasmic]

We're three steps out of the cave with a bunch of shiny toys.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

That, sirrah, is insulting!

/Zoog

[Aresen]

Using the past 6000 years as evidence?

I think you mean 6017 years.

;P

[Bill Dalasio]

Just out of curiosity, could the state of Virginia put a toll on the bridges connecting Washington DC to them? I'm assuming coming into Virginia, not going out.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Virginia benefits greatly already from DC's political retardation. Why would they screw with that by penalizing people who want to shop and dine here?

[Tonio]

Short answer: Yes.

But that's unneccessary. They'll make it up in retail sales taxes paid by DC residents and the taxes paid by the stores. Also, such a toll would drive (!) DC residents to Maryland, thus depriving VA of sales tax, etc.

Long answer: Depends on who owns the bridge. I believe VA territory ends at the shore of the Potomac. But there is nothing to keep them from putting toll booths just inside VA so there is no chance to avoid them after crossing the bridge; this would have the same net effect as tolls on the bridges. However, as noted above it's in VA's interest to make the journey to shop in Virginia as easy as possible.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I think if you allow for a minimum wage law at all then these 'living wage' campaigns actually make sense. If the idea behind a minimum wage is that working people should have some floor to their pay that allows them a certain financial income then it makes sense that in the big cities or college towns where these living wage campaigns gain traction they would want a higher one, because it's much more expensive to live in these places.

But here's the thing: why don't these people ask why it is so prohibitively expensive in these places in the first place? Some of it can be chalked up to higher income residents and tourists spending money in these cities, but a great deal of it has to do with the burdensome city taxes and regulations.

So what you get are cities cranking up taxes that crank up the prices of everything making it impossible for a person of modest means to live there, and then feeling bad about it and instead of ratcheting them down, throwing a living wage Band-Aid on it. Sheesh.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

A better, shorter reply to those campaigners would be "fuck off, slaver".

[Bo Cara Esq.]

However true that's unlikely helpful in changing minds, since they see Wal-Mart as the "slaver."

My response to supporters is to say "oh, so you're helping poor people by barring access to the cheaper groceries, medicine, etc., Wal-Mart sells and forcing them to buy from Trader Joe's (or whatever the DC equivalent is)."

[JWatts]

You are ignoring the part where the DC area minimum wage is $8.50, but they are specifically targeting Walmart with a special $12.50 rate.

The bill is crafted in such a way that the only company that will have to pay the rate is Walmart. This proposal is a thinly disguised bill of attainder.

[Irish]

You are ignoring the part where the DC area minimum wage is $8.50, but they are specifically targeting Walmart with a special $12.50 rate.

When I see things like this I always have the same question. How the fuck is this not a violation of equal protection under the law?

[Tonio]

Awwww...you still think they believe in rule of law. That's so last millienum.

[Suthenboy]

It is.

What they really should do is pass a law making the 'living wage' retroactive.

[Tonio]

Oh, you are a clever one, aren't you?

[#]

It is, but they word the bill in a way that doesn't mention Wal Mart. They just put in qualifications that only Wal Mart would fit into.

I believe this one is anyone with over x sq ft in the store and whoes parent company does over y dollars per year in slaes. And it just happens to only effect wal mart.

[Irish]

That's still unequal protection. You don't have to mention an individual by name for it to be unequal protection under the law. If you apply rules that only apply to black people, like the grandfather rules for voting in the Jim Crow south, it is still unequal protection even though you didn't say any individual black person can't vote.

By the same token, forcing big box stores to pay higher wages is unequal protection even though they didn't name any store.

[#]

I'm not disagreeing with you in principle; I'm just saying that is how it has been historically justified as being ok.

Also, as a catch there is an exemption in the bill for unionized employers so a few other ocmpanies in DC where the other qualifications would apply get to be exempt.

It is completely BS.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I thought it applied to any 'big box' company?

[Tonio]

Why, yes, it does. But how many of those are there in DC? I think the answer is zero (honestly don't know, but see my 1:19, below).

So it's a clever and lawyerly way of passing a bill of attainder by pretending that a class has more than one member and passing laws aimed at classes instead of individuals.

[Irish]

Even if it did apply to non-Walmart big box stores, there is still no legal justification behind targeting a specific class of retailer.

[#]

There are a few other stores, but there is also en exemption for unionized employers. I've seen Macy's as also a company that it would apply to, but I think Macy's already pays its employees more as they are a higher end retailer than wal mart.

[datcv]

There is a Target and Best Buy in Columbia Heights.

[Invisible Finger]

I thought it applied to any 'big box' company?

Why are you thinking? The law is what the law IS.

And the law only applies to stores that aren't open yet.

[Tonio]

FOS isn't about changing the mind of the person at whom it's directed, it's about ending a conversation.

I just did a quick search for store locations for grocery stores which are big in the DC/BALT area and neither Kroger nor Martins nor Food Kitteh seem to have stores within DC. Even the Safeway (Kroger) in the Watergate building has closed.

Anyone know if there's a proper

[Tonio]

Anyone know if there's a proper, regular grocery store anywhere within DC?

[#]

There are some, but most are near the wealthy yuppie areas.

[#]

Giant has a bunch and a few safeways.

[Tonio]

Dude, Giant (Landover) is now Martins. I just looked on the Martins website and couldn't find any stores actually in DC.

Safeway is now Kroger, at least where I live (in VA, well south of DC). Also searched their website before making the 1:19 post and they don't appear to have anything in DC (VA and MD suburbs, yes, for both chains, but not in the District of Columbia).

[#]

They are still called giant and safeway in the dc area. Scroll down to the second drop down area. There are 5 addresses listed in DC.

http://www.giantfood.com/our_s.....search.htm

[#]

But as I said earlier, at least 3 of those are in nice yuppie areas.

[Tonio]

Thanks. I was checking Martins and Kroger websites; hadn't thought to check under the old names.

+1 Odonna Mathews

[datcv]

Whole Foods on 15th? Street and There is at least one or two Harris Teeters, a Trader Joes, and a handful of terrible Safeway Stores.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

"FOS isn't about changing the mind of the person at whom it's directed, it's about ending a conversation."

What good is that?

[Tonio]

Because when you're talking to an irrational actor, or a bad-faith actor, you're wasting your time. The only reason to engage such a person at all is if there are onlookers who might be benefit from the airing of views.

[Tonio]

be

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I see, I guess I don't think that many people I disagree with are irrational and that it's important to try to convince people of a better way to try to make that better way become reality.

[Invisible Finger]

I guess I don't think that many people I disagree with are irrational

That's your ego doing the thinking. You want to argue to make the other person see just how right and smart you are so you fool yourself into believing the other parties want to learn from you.

You flattered your ego with this statement: "I think if you allow for a minimum wage law at all then these 'living wage' campaigns actually make sense."

Why should anyone allow for a logical fallacy? Naturally if you call nonsense sensible, then nonsense is sensible. But it's stupid to do so.

[Tonio]

That is admirable, Bo. Srsly.

[Invisible Finger]

They don't have minds to change.

[Tonio]

[W]hy don't these people ask why it is so prohibitively expensive in these places in the first place?

Because that's too hard for most people; they really like simple answers.

They really like the illusion of control, and the notion of things like supply and demand is really upsetting to them.

Also, as is often noted here, mandated rises in minimum wage are always followed by rises in the prices of all other goods and services. It's almost like there's an invisible, possibly furry, hand at work...

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Good point. The higher mandated wage at the big box stores will be passed on in higher prices that will not impact the better off much but will fall hard on...the very poor living wage supporters say they are helping!

For what it's worth the living wage supporters seem more like na?ve-bleeding heart Sally Struther types than control freaks. They don't realize the control involved and just want to 'do something' for the poor. That they might make it worse for them hardly enters their minds.

[Tonio]

[The] higher mandated wage at the big box stores will be passed on in [the form of] higher prices...

Ding, ding, ding. Folks, we have a winnah!

Except in the magical thinking proggie mindset this never happens.

[SugarFree]

Except in the magical thinking proggie mindset this never happens.

Nope. Because that's their argument when they want to "fix" it with price controls.

[andarm16]

Exactly. They will send people to a white area in a state like VA(Which of course has lower minimum wages), and compare the prices there. When they find out those prices are lower, queue the claims of racism.

[Suthenboy]

I wish their motives were pure.

They are thieves, pure and simple. They see someone with what they perceive as wealth and they immediately begin rationalizing why they deserve it more than the person who has it.

[Tonio]

They see their motives as pure. Really.

That's the problem.

[Invisible Finger]

more like na?ve-bleeding heart Sally Struther types than control freaks.

One requires the other.

So there's basically no reason to discern the two.

[RickC]

At this point I just hope Walmart doesn't puss out if the City Council throws them a small bone, like lower its demand to $10.25 an hour to something similar. I want them to walk away. Let D.C. continue to rot.

[Tonio]

No, because if they negotiate then the proggies will scream about how Mall*Wart is "dictating" terms to the politicians, and nothing bothers a politician like being exposed. Also, that establishes the precedent of negotiating with pirates over the amount of tribute and that never ends well.

Yes, I hope they walk away from the deal. Please, DC residents, come spend your dollars in my state.

[Irish]

No matter what laws they pass, the minimum wage is always the same: $0.

Once you realize this fact, it's pretty obvious what the flaw in the very concept of the minimum wage is.

[Emmerson Biggins]

hmmm ... that is a very succinct statement of the problem. I might try it on somebody IRL.

[Aresen]

Now take a moment to contemplate the irony of this statement reported in the Washington Post today from Rev. Graylan Hagler, the senior pastor of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ and a leader of pro-living-wage group Respect DC:

"If you allow a bully to bully you, it's never going to end."

This does not surprise me in the slightest. I have met very few preachers/priests/church ministers who have ANY grasp of economic reality or financial sense whatsoever.

When I worked in a bank, EVERY loan I ever made or saw made to a preacher an administrative headache. Making payment on their loans was not important in their minds.

[Tonio]

^This.

[Suthenboy]

Whenever my grandfather wanted to emphasize the hardness of something he would exclaim "Hell, that is harder than a preacher's dick at a wedding!'

It took me a while to finally understand what he meant.

[Loki]

"We're at a point where we don't need retailers. Retailers need us."

Jesus tit-fucking Christ, this is some weapons grade stupidity. I'm sure anyone who would like to go to a store and buy shit will be surprised to hear this.

[UnCivilServant]

I actually burst out laughing when I first read that quote. It was the only response suited to a local idiot.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

"If you allow a bully to bully you, it's never going to end."

Gee, Reverend, what happened to "turn the other cheek"?

[The Late P Brooks]

WalMart got big enough to be able to absorb it by not making foolish business decisions like going into municipalities out to stick it to them.

Unfortunately, Sam is no longer around to yank on the chain when the new era of geniuses get ideas.

[Invisible Finger]

Yep. It's all about stock price now, and if it takes artificial means to do it they will.

[Raston Bot]

Sounds like a win for Wal*Mart. The city council gave them political cover to back out of the poor hoods.

Even by local DC standards, Orange is economically illiterate.

[Tonio]

Never assume they actually believe what they say. Many of them know better. It's called pandering.

[Billy Boogers]

"If DC's Mayor Vincent Gray can muster the courage to veto this economically ignorant legislation......"

Umm, I think Walmart and any other "Big Box" retailer should take this for the warning it is and git while the gitt'n is good. Even if Vinnie veto's it, you can bet that someday there will a mayor that will be more than happy to sign this into law. Without a grandfathering clause. So why let "the bitch set you up" in Marionberry speak......

[NL_]

Big states like California can be aggressive about retailers because most of their population is hours away from other states, and they have huge markets of consumers. But DC is small and getting into other states for shopping is not terribly difficult. I used to drive from SW DC to NoVa just for regular shopping trips. I also used to drive 45 minutes in the Bay Area to get to the nearest WalMart (two counties over) because even after gas it was cheaper than Safeway. DC is not in a terribly strong position here.

[Gindjurra]

Does it specifically say big box retailer in the legislation, or does it specify employers with more than a certain number of employees?

Would it apply the 50% minimum wage hike to city employees? Elected officials? Is there a formula where, say, the city council members salaries are tied to the minimum wage somehow? Makes you wonder.

[Byron]

If you're a big company, you have to pay your employees more to do the same jobs your competitors pay less for? WTF?!?!

[SFC MAC]

According to Rev. Hagler, Walmart is a "little bitty cracker corporation from Arkansas" and Gray should let D.C. get "pushed around". If Walmart pulls out of the D.C. area entirely and leaves those muthafuckas with even less jobs than they have now, they'll just eat up more taxpayer dollars on welfare.

[SFC MAC]

*shouldn't* that is.