Point & Counter Point

And now another debate with a dimwit on, Wal-Mart

Me: Ok so now, you are for the closing of Wal-mart, you are a big "boycott wal-mart" guy. Why?

Lib: Because they are shipping jobs overseas and only care about making money. I think they are exploiting the poor an-

Me: Ok, stop, stop, stop. Exploiting the poor? How by offering them jobs? Giving people jobs is exploiting them? Well i guess if it is televised porn, then yes that would be exploitation of people but uh, this, this is a job at an American cooperation. A goods store.

Lib: Well i mean, they give them low salaries, and

Me: Compared to what? Compared to an executive CEO? Of course they have lower salaries.

Lib: Yeah but like they are super low and their benefits are terrible and again all they do is exploit the poor.

Me: Alright let me get this straight, they exploit the poor, by offering them jobs, they provide in select stores, FREE over the counter and prescription drugs-

Lib: Oh well that is just to look better in the-

Me: Oh of course, how could i not see through that. So they offer free medicine, even though it's all just a scam, but they pay their cashiers less then the CEO at AIG, and we should shut them down, because...? why?

Lib: Because, *deep breath* ah holy lord i've been through this, they are tricking poor people, they scam people, and ship jobs overseas.

Me: Right, so, ok so we should shut them down, the millions of people who work there, regardless of pay, no job, for them, would be better than having a job, do i have that about right?

Lib: Well it's not just that they have a job, it is that it doesn't pay them well or it ships their job to China.

Me: Do you know why they ship there jobs over to China?

Lib: Because it's easier for them and they can make more money yes, that's all they care about.

Me: Alright now, i have noticed you have avoided the topic of Wal-Mart's prices.

Lib: Well they are irrelevant, lots of places have cheap prices-

Me: Have you been to a place, other than dollar stores or good will stores, where there are cheaper prices?

Lib: Well, not really but that-

Me: Is exactly where your argument starts to fall apart. Wal-Mart sends some one over to China, where oh by the way they can maybe be paid, $40.00 an hour instead of $10.00 here, and they then, by saving that money, are able to give out lower prices. They then open up in poorer neighborhoods and offer cheap goods to poorer people. Notice a lot of black people shop at Wal-Marts. Why do you suppose that is?

Lib: 'Cuz it's cheaper but-

Me: And if we make them keep jobs here, they won't save as much, and then they will lay off more people, and raise costs, because it is more expensive to operate here so they need more money to stay in business and give people jobs. And then to make money they raise costs which how did you put it, oh yeah exploits the poor who cannot afford the higher prices which is why they shop at Wal-Mart to begin with.

Lib: But Wal-Mart should still increase its wages.

Me: Alright my friend let me read you this post from the blog 'Cafe Hayek' is is blogged by an Econ professor at George Mason University:

"Shopping at Wal-Mart yesterday, I asked the cashier if she liked her job. Yes, she said, smiling. How long had she been at Wal-Mart? Three months. Where had she worked before? Safeway, the grocery store. Why did she come to Wal-Mart? The pay was better. Really, I asked? How, yes. How were the benefits at Wal-Mart compared to Safeway? Not as good. But she needed the money, she told me. She had a young daughter."

Hmmm. She moved to Wal-Mart because, what was that? "The pay was better."

Case closed. This has been another point and counter point, debate with a dimwit. The key is to tell them what they are saying. Often times it doesn't make sense, but they think it does, so just repeat it to them and they will process it and then back track and run for the hills. Oh and sarcasm works even better.