House of Eratosthenes

Here we go again, generosity from an unexpected source. Or to put it more accurately, a source we were instructed to believe was a modern-day Ebenezer Scrooge…and darn it, those inconvenient facts keep getting in the way.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. increased its U.S. charitable giving 10 percent last year to $272.9 million, the world’s largest retailer said Tuesday, likely defending its position as the country’s largest corporate donor of cash.

The rate of growth was lower than a year earlier, when Hurricane Katrina relief helped push the annual rise to 19 percent, but it was ahead of Wal-Mart’s 7 percent rise in net profit last year. The company’s profit for the fiscal year that ended Jan. 31 was $12.2 billion.

Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart released its annual donation numbers a few days after publicizing its annual bonuses to hourly store workers as it seeks to counter union-led critics by defending its record as a corporate citizen.

Wal-Mart said most of its U.S. giving was in cash, about $250 million, vs. $22.9 million of in-kind donations.

We’ve discussed this before, here and here.

I thought the quote at the bottom of the story was ironic and absolutely priceless. Isn’t this just the very definition of a Scrooge?

Critic isn’t swayed
Union-backed critic WakeUpWalMart.com said the increase in giving did nothing to dampen their claims that Wal-Mart exploits its workers.

“Charity is always good, but what is not good is Wal-Mart forcing poorly paid and uninsured workers to depend on charity,” WakeUpWalMart.com spokesman Chris Kofinis said.

Wal-Mart has repeatedly denied those claims, defending its wages as competitive and its health coverage as affordable.

Bah! Humbug!

When the facts are on your side, pound the facts; if they aren’t, pound the table.

Union-backed critic, eh?

I wonder how much of this Anti-Walmart cr*p is funded by unions.

As far as I can tell, the biggest beef about Wal-Mart is that they don’t pay benefits to their workerbee employees. (They actually do pay benefits once you get past the cashier/stocker level). They come in to town, and “close down all the mom & pop” retail stores (which… payed benefits???? Not!) and the people who worked there now have to work at Wal-Mart, which is supposedly like being at the leftist’s envisionment of Gitmo.

And, as “proof” of their malfeasance, they — *gasp* — actually inform their emloyees about government programs and other charities that will help them if they can’t get by!

Because, see, when they worked for the Mom & Pop stores, or didn’t have jobs at all — and didn’t get paid much or get paid benefits — the Mom and Pop stores apparently didn’t tell them about the government programs — which makes them morally superior… er somethin’.

I dunno. I have a rough time following the logic. Because it’s not logic, it’s religion. Which is why believers are unshaken when presented with the facts.
- philmon | 03/28/2007 @ 10:52

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On Generous People IIWednesday, March 28th, 2007

On Generous People II
Wednesday, March 28th, 2007