WALMART'S SHAME

Walmart is a major international corporation. Walmart is also a major internnational disgrace. Disgrace as regards what it pays its employees. A cheapo.

 

This article is motivated by the announcement this week that a Canton, Ohio area Walmart was having a food drive. Employees were asked to bring in canned goods and other foodstuffs for fellow employees who could not afford to provide for themselves a Thanksgiving meal.

 

The question arose in my mind as to why Walmart did not just give food to the employees in need. Why impose on poorly paid employees.

 

Business Week recently reported that Walmart does not pay a living wage. The article suggested that it was not an inability to pay. It was an unwillingness to do so.

 

A May Congressional Report claimed most Walmart employees earn $10 an hour. It further stated that a high percentage of Walmart employees subsist on public assistance. Things like food stamps, housing, health care, and other welfare/entitlement type programs. Millions of dollars from tax dollars to help Walmart emplyees get along.

 

An example of the preceding is a single Wisconsin Walmart store. Last year, the employees received $900,00 in public assistance. Almost $1 million of taxpayer monies.

 

It was recently reported on behalf of Walmart that its average full time employee earns $12.87 an hour. A nonprofit speaking on behalf of the employees said the amount was wrong. The average salary was between $8 and $10 an hour. In either event, nothing.

 

I read of a 13 year Walmart employee who was earning $12.40 an hour. Note this was after 13 years of loyal employment.

 

Less than 50 per cent of Walmart employees earn more than $25,000 a year. The federal poverty level for a family of 4 is $23,500.

 

By this time, the point I have been trying to make is clear. Walmart does not pay its employees enough salary dollars. In many instances, Walmart is providing a sub standard existence to its employees.

 

Lets examine why Walmart has the ability/capacity to do more. To do the right thing.

 

Walmart is the world's second largest public corporation. It is also the biggest private employer.  Over 2 million employees world wide.

 

Walmart is the largest grocery retailer in the United States. In 2009, 51 per cent of its $258 billion in sales came from its grocery business.

 

Walmart is the most profitable retailer in the United States. Its net profit last year was $15.7 billion.

 

Walmart has 85,000 stores located in 15 countries operating under 55 different names.

 

Walmart's cheapness probably comes from its founder. Sam Walton started Walmart in 1962. His last name brings to mind the TV series of many years ago called The Walton Family. Those Waltons were poor. Never the less, they helped everyone. Even going without themselves where necessary. The Walmart Walton was rich. He did not believe in helping anyone, except himself and his corporation.

 

Under Walton, Walmart gave few if any dollars to charities. Walton's position was that the corporation was not in the charity business. Regardless of its success. Fair is fair, however. Since Walton's death in 1992, Walmart has begun donating some monies to various charities. Last year for the first time Walmart's benevolence exceeded $1 billion in the United states. At the same time, Walmart donated an additional $82 million internationally.

 

Let me stay with Walton's reluctantance to contribute to philanthropic causes for a moment. The reasoning behind his cheapness in this regard was that he considered his contribution to society was that he operated the business efficiently. As a result of which he was able to sell goods cheaper. Such made it possible for Walmart's customers to have a better way of life since he had lowered their cost of living.

 

The food drive described at the Walmart store is a disgrace. It is evidence of the one per cent attitude in this country. All for me and nothing for you. It reflects gall and arrogance. It calls for strong disapproval and condemnation.

 

GET YOUR FINGER OUT OF MY ASS!

America.....home of the brave.....land of the free. Many freedoms guaranteed. One is freedom from abuses of police power.

 

A year ago, I wrote a column titled Abuse of Power. It had to do with a 3 year old boy who had recently been toilet trained. He had to go. He pulled his pants down in his grandmother's driveway and peed.

 

The boy and his mother lived with the grandmother who owned the home.

 

A police officer observed the event. He issued the mother a ticket for her son's peeing in public. The fine was $2,500.

 

The national media picked up the event and the next day the community's Chief of Police showed up at the grandmother's home and withdrew the charge.

 

The story a clear example of abuse of police power.

 

Now comes David Eckert's story. Abusive, stupid, gross, dehumanizing. The title of this article represents a small portion of the dilemma Eckert found himself in. The abuse described in the title occurred not one time, but twice. And included other even worse abuses.

 

You may find it difficult to believe what I am about to share with you. Not in the United States, you will say. Yes, it did happen in the United States.

 

The place is Deming, New Mexico. The date January 2, 2013.

 

Eckert was leaving a Walmart parking lot. He rolled through the stop sign for vehicles leaving the parking lot. A police detective saw the incident. He went over to a police car and told the officer. He also told the officer he thought the driver was a methane user.

 

The uniformed police officer in the car pulled Eckert over. Asked for his driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance. So far the stop was normal. However, instead of asking for these items through the window while Eckert was seated in the car, the police officer first had him get out.

 

The police officer described the standing Eckert as having an erect posture, kept his legs together, and clenched his buttocks.

 

The police officer decided Eckert was carrying drugs in his ass.

 

He called for Leo. Leo is a police dog purportedly trained to sniff out drugs. Leo was brought to the scene. It is claimed in the Police Department paperwork that Leo reacted when he smelled the driver's seat. No drugs were discovered in the car.

 

Eckert was arrested. Allegedly for carrying drugs in his anus.

 

There was no video of any portion of the event. Additionally, Leo's reliability is in question. He had made three errors in previous arrests where no drugs were actually found. He had not been re-certified as required by law.

 

A prosecutor obtained a search warrant from a Judge. The warrant permitted a search of Eckert "...to include but not limited to his anal cavity."

 

The police took Eckert to a local hospital to have his "anus" searched for drugs. The doctor at the hospital refused to do it. He thought the police were crazy and the procedure unethical.

 

Deming is small town America. One hospital apparently. Eckert was taken by the police to a hospital in an adjoining community. The doctors in this community apparently saw nothing wrong and proceeded to initiate the search. 

 

Thus far the only person who has shown sense is the doctor in the first hospital who said in effect get out of here.

 

Now begins the abuse scenario.

 

Eckert's stomach was first x-rayed. No drugs discovered. A doctor then digitally examined Eckert's anus. The polite way of saying he stuck his finger up Eckert's ass. No drugs discovered again. He then performed a second digital exam. No drugs again.

 

The police were directing the event.

 

The next procedure decided upon was that Eckert be given an enema. This was done in  the presence of hospital staff and the police. The doctor and police watched Eckert defecate. His stool was examined. No drugs.

 

The police were not satisfied. Eckert was given two more enemas. Defecation again in front of the doctor and police. Each time no drugs were found.

 

Eckert's stomach was again x-rayed. No drugs.

 

It gets worse.

 

At this point Eckert was given a colonoscopy. Many of us have had one to check for cancer and other bowel problems. Per the procedure, Eckert was sedated, a tube and camera went up his rectum, into his colon and large intestine. No drugs seen or discovered.

 

All of the above procedures which took place in the second hospital are substantiated by the hospital records. The anal probing in the hospital took in excess of twelve hours.

 

Besides the abuse involved, there are two technical items that come into play. First, a search warrant must be executed in the county it is granted. This one was not. The second hospital was in an adjoining county. The second is that the search warrant set forth that it expired at 10 pm. The colonoscopy was performed at 1 am.

 

Abuse can take many forms. The doctor in the second hospital who did the probing, etc. sent Eckert a bill for $6,000.

 

A person does not have to be a Supreme Court Judge or have any legal background to know something was wrong here.

 

Eckert has filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking damages. He sued the Police Department, the police officer, the prosecutor, the second hospital, and the doctors and staff at the second hospital who participated.

 

He has an excellent lawsuit. It has the propensity for a big dollar award. This type conduct will not and should not be tolerated in the United States. The United States is not a banana republic. The activity here smells of actions which occur in totalitarian countries.

 

Police abuses do occur. I sense with increasing frequency. The reason why is that the American people have permitted their legislators and courts to eat away at basic rights over the years. Especially since 9/11. Police feel empowered to do what they want. They expect the courts to back them up, which they generally do. Search warrants are a problem. They are signed by Judges who do not pay as much attention to the contents of a supporting affidavit as they should or did in the past.

 

Eckert's case and other similar abuses represent an erosion of basic American liberties. People must recognize that abuses are happening. And, where possible, express their disagreement and disgust with such conduct.

 

Otherwise what happened to Eckert could happen to you. Do not think it could not.

 

THE DOOLITTLE RAID

Today, a step back in history.

 

I am 78. I have found that many younger than me do not have an awareness of history. They know neither names nor places. I  assumed one learned history in school. I am beginning to think it is not taught with the same attention to detail as in the past. On the other hand, perhaps it is the individual himself who may not care to know or remember.

 

It bothers me. One reason is because we learn from history. History does repeat itself. Another reason is because historical fact on occasion can impress one with a sense of pride..... Look what my country did!

 

I share with you the Doolittle Raid.

 

It was early 1942. Pearl Harbor had occurred on December 7, 1941. The American people were despondent. The Japanese started World War II with a bang and were experiencing continued success. We were getting our asses kicked. Guam, Wake Island, Singapore and Hong Kong had fallen. The Philippines were close to being lost. American soldiers were making a valiant stand at Corregidor. They shortly would lose. Survivors would then participate in the Bataan Death March following which they would spend four years as Japanese prisoners of war.

 

American morale was at a low ebb. Japanese confidence high. President Roosevelt sensed it. He called his military team together and said come up with a plan to bomb Japan.

 

The Doolittle Raid was that plan.

 

The Raid is named after its leader, Jimmy Doolittle. A lieutenant colonel at the time. Prior to the War, Doolittle had been a famous civilian aviator and aeronautical engineer.

 

Navy Captain Francis Low was of the opinion that bombers could fly off of a carrier and bomb Japan. It was the only way American bombers at the time could reach Japan.

 

Doolittle was given the task of carrying out such a mission. It was decided the plane to be used was the B-25, a middle class bomber. Eighty volunteers were sought. All they were told was that they were volunteering for an "extremely dangerous mission." They would not learn of their mission till they and their bomber planes were on a carrier and on the way to Japan.

 

Training took only three weeks. Lines were painted on a runway which exactly set forth the length of a carrier. Repeated landings were made till the 80 were proficient in taking off within a very limited space. No bomber had ever flown off a carrier before. The bombers too large and a carrier too small.

 

The USS Hornet was the the designated carrier. The Hornet would carry the planes and men till they were a certain distance from Japan. The planes would then take off and bomb Tokyo and other places. Thereafter, the planes would fly to selected landing sites in China. China was part free and part Japanese occupied at the time.

 

Six hundred miles off the coast of Japan, the Hornet was sighted by a small Japanese patrol boat. The Hornet sunk the boat. However, there was no certainty whether the boat had had time to radio Tokyo of the existence of the Hornet.

 

Doolittle therefore decided that the bombers had to take off immediately. The Hornet was still 170 miles from the designated take off spot. Which meant, the planes would have that much less fuel to get to China.

 

The men were undaunted. Bombing Tokyo was their primary consideration. Not whether they would safely make It to a Chinese landing field.

 

The bombers had been stripped of any extra weight. Stripped literally to the bone. Including guns. Only 2-3 guns were permitted. The rest too heavy. They would cause a plane to would burn too much fuel. In their place were erected broom handles painted black to fool enemy planes. Whereas the B-25 had been configured to carry 646 gallons of fuel, the strip down version permitted the planes to carry 1,141 gallons.

 

Each plane carried only four bombs. Three 500 pound bombs and one incendiary bomb. Weight was the consideration here also. The fewer and lighter the bombs, the less fuel required to carry them to Japan.

 

The object of the mission was more mental than physical. The purpose was to show the enemy that they were not invulnerable to attack. That what happened to the United States at Pearl Harbor could happen to them on their homeland.

 

Normally bomber flights have a fighter plane escort. Not these planes. Where were the fighter planes to come from? Again, too far.

 

The bombers flew wave height to avoid discovery.

 

The 16 bombers reached Japan. Tokyo and surrounding cities were bombed. There was little significant damage. However, the enemy know knew they were vulnerable. With vulnerability came fear.

 

None of the planes had sufficient fuel to reach the Chinese air bases. Fifteen crash landed or the crews bailed out. One plane made it to Russia. Two crews bailed out over Tokyo. Of those who bailed out over Tokyo, two were shot by a firing squad. The remainder imprisoned for the balance of the war. Some died of malnutrition while so imprisoned.

 

Sixty nine escaped capture or death. Many, including Doolittle, made it out of China with the help of the Chinese people.

 

The Chinese were made to pay a dear price for their assistance. It has been reliably reported that 250,000 were killed by the Japanese in an attempt to capture crew members or punish those Chinese who assisted them. The Japanese retaliation included germ warfare.

 

Doolittle was convinced the mission was a failure. He had lost all 16 planes and the damage done to Japan was minimal . He was wrong. He was welcomed home as a conquering hero by Roosevelt and the American people. Roosevelt immediately made him a Brigadier General, jumping him over the Colonel rank. He also awarded Doolittle the Congressional Medal of Honor.

 

Some interesting tidbits.

 

Five crew members were jailed in Japan. One died of starvation. The other four claim they received comfort from the lone copy of a Bible they had. They read it every day.

 

One crew member was killed when he bailed out over China. He was buried by the Rev. John M.Bircher, a Chinese missionary. Bircher is the same Bircher after whom The John Birch Society was named many years later. Bircher also personally assisted Doolittle and his crew and helped them escape China.

 

One crew member was Jacob DeShazer. He returned to China in 1948 and served there as a missionary for thirty years.

 

Each member of the Doolittle Raid were forever considered heroes.

 

Doolittle arranged for a yearly gathering of the survivors. A cognac toast was drunk to those departed. There was a special bottle of cognac provided by Doolittle. It had been bottled the year of his birth. It was intended to be drunk in toast by the last two survivors.

 

The years have passed. There are now four of these men left. They enjoyed their last reunion last week in Dayton, Ohio. Three could make it. The fourth was too ill to travel. All four are in their nineties.

 

The four decided not to wait till their number was down to two. There might never be two remaining. They opened that special bottle of cognac last week and drank a toast to their Raid brothers departed.

 

Hollywood made several movies surrounding the event. The best from my perspective was Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. The movie starred Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson. Even the movie was a long time ago. Tracy played Doolittle.

 

A true to life story. A moment of great pride in American history. An event every one should know.

 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WORKS TOO HARD///

The U.S. House of Representatives works too hard.

 

A blatant misstatement. A lie. A joke. The American people would be lucky if the House of Representatives merely worked. Not even hard.

 

I was watching television last week and there was a news report that the House of Representatives were going home for several days. The comment further was that the House would not be working more than eight days each month in November or December. They would return sometime during the first week in January.

 

The video accompanying the story showed Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Speaker John Boehner leading some Republican members out of the House.

 

The smile on Cantor's face bothered me. Pompous and disconcerting. Like look at the sweet deal we have and screw you.

 

What disturbed me even further is that shutdown time and the debt ceiling await us again in mid December and early January. The obvious thrust of the story was such did not seem to concern Cantor and Boehner or their followers.

 

My curiosity was tickled. How can these people take so much time off? I dug  a bit. This is the story.

 

Cantor is in charge of the work day schedule. He published the 2014 one on Twitter last week. He also published one the year before for 2013.

 

In 2013, the House worked a total of 124 days. In 2014, they are scheduled to work even less. One hundred thirteen days. This abbreviated working schedule began with the Republicans elected to the House in 2010. That is when they regained the majority.

 

By the way, House members are paid at least $174,000 a year regardless of how many days they work.

 

Cantor claims House members require extensive time off. They need to be back in their home districts. It is necessary for them to keep in touch with the people who pay them. Their constituents.

 

Cantor says a short House work schedule is required ".....to ensure that we never lose touch with the constituents we each represent while completing our work in Washington."

 

Bullshit! How stupid he and his cronies must think the American people are.

 

Keep in mind that Cantor and his buddies are the same House members who gave us the recent government shutdown.

 

The numbers are telling.

 

2013 saw the House working 126 days. The base salary per member is $174,000 a year. Plus all kinds of benefits and perks. However, I am only concerned with direct  salary. One hundred twenty six working days amounts to $1,380 per day. In 2014, the House will work fewer days. It appears they needed two weeks more off. One hundred thirteen working days amounts to $1,540 per day.

 

Lets view the time worked and dollars paid from another perspective.

 

The average American works 2,080 hours per year. Average pay $29,000. $111 dollars per day. A far cry from what House members make. I refuse to use the term earn. A House member makes in effect 13 times the salary of the average American.

 

Tea Party success returned control of the House to the Republicans in 2010. The years since are the poorest production wise in modern times. The 112th House passed 283 bills that went to the President for his consideration. The present 113th House only 46 bills. Prior to the 112th and 113th Houses, the range of bills going to the President per session was 300 plus to 700 plus.

 

I have some observations.

 

If the House wants to work part time, the members should be paid part time. If the 425 members work only one third the year, they should receive one third pay. If House members need more time off, I suggest 20 years to life in a federal maximum security facility.

 

Let's continue with the numbers.

 

The House only works one week on and two off. I believe it shows a contempt for the American people.

 

I have been harping on governmental waste in recent weeks. Brought on by Republican sought cuts in food stamps, Social Security and Medicare. The House's working schedule is a perfect example of government waste and one where a $50 million per year savings could be accomplished.

 

Again, the basic salary of a House member is $174,000 a year. If they only work 126 days a year, they should be paid for 126 days. That would drop their salary to $60,065 per year. An annual savings of $113,935 per member. Multiplying the 425 members by that number evidences a savings of almost $50 million a year. That is, If House members were paid only for days worked. Like everyone else.

 

Perhaps politicians are all cut from the same cloth. Perhaps not. The Senate works significantly more days per year than the House. The Senate is off approximately 70 days a year.

 

You would assume there is much written on the issue. There is not. My research discovered only two articles of any substance. Both excellent. If you are further interested, I suggest you read them.

 

One is Congress Announces It Will Be In Session Fewer Days In 2014. Written by Mike Krumbotz October 31, 2013 for the Yahoo News Sideshow.

 

The other is House To Be In Session Only 126 Days In 2013. Written by Robert Longley December 12, 2012 for About.com/USGovernmentInfo.

 

The House of Representatives is a national disgrace. They must be voted out. It will not be easy. Americans have to get so mad at being fleeced that they will not take it anymore. Otherwise, the status quo will prevail.