Reagan's "Welfare Queen" FOUND!

[davidthegnome]

21. What is the solution then?

Should we, or can we even... legally force Wal-Mart to pay more? Can we legally force them to offer more hours, better benefits? Can we force the people at the top to start giving a a damn about those on the bottom?

I live in a relatively small town where jobs are scarce. A lot of people here should qualify for federal assistance but don't get it because they're too proud to apply. Maine's work ethic has always been strong - and Aroostook County tends to be quite conservative. This doesn't mean that people don't get aid on occasion, they do, but the local community casts them out and looks down on them for it. I can't begin to count how many times I've heard cruel and ignorant words directed at those (very few among us) who receive aid. If they don't "look" poor enough, it's assumed that they aren't and shouldn't be getting it. If they don't have a very obvious, very visible disability, they are considered to be bums, parasites, whatever.

Yeah, Wal-Mart sucks and may very well meet the definition of "Welfare Queen". If we cancel out federal aid that goes to their employees, then our only option would appear to be hoping that the company does the right thing and starts taking care of their workers. That isn't going to happen. The idea of trickle down, the very notion that the rich give a damn about the poor, is, generally speaking (there are exceptions) a load of bull shit.

I understand the resentment directed at Wal-Mart, I understand the anger and the disgust. I just hope it's directed at the company's corporate types and not at the average worker. Because I go to school with a lot of those workers, a lot of them have children, a lot of them couldn't survive without federal and state aid. Nonetheless, they're trying to improve, they're working and going to school, I think that if our society can afford to give them that chance that we should.

I really hope this isn't going to become a case of blaming the victim.