Why don't you go to Walmart?

"I don't go to Walmart."

Sam looks at me incredulously. "Why don't you go to Walmart?"

"Because Walmart contributes heavily to the destruction of the American manufacturing industry."

"Huh?"

"You know how Walmart always has 'the lowest prices'?"

He eyes me suspiciously.

"Yeah?"

"Well, they do that by forcing American manufacturers to provide them with lower prices that they "can pass along to the consumer," while still maintaining their own profits. The manufacturer is forced to cut costs to the point of profit loss for themselves, thereby then forcing them to look overseas for manufacturing, causing lost jobs and lower wages for Americans. WalMart also forces the manufacturers that stay with them to use non-standard accounting and inventory practices that they develop for their internal systems, causing the small manufacturer additional costs to comply with the behemoth's requests. And, they also fail to provide living wages, employee benefits or equal opportunity.

Oh, and the quality of merchandise is poor."

Long pause.

"I guess we'll have to go to the mall."

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