Wal-Mart Occupied - editorial

Wal-Mart was Occupied on Black Friday. I happen to agree with some of Occupy’s positions, especially their opposition to the unholy alliance between big business and government. Government has done much damage to our country as a result of sweetheart deals, favorable contracts, and preferential treatment.

However, I think it is curious that the Occupiers support favoritism for local businesses, but oppose the very same thing for big corporations. Apparently the Occupiers are ok with government picking favorites as long as it is their favorites. Make no mistake, government is picking favorites. Government is deciding which companies deserve support and which ones do not. Government is assuming the power to influence your shopping choices, and it is perfectly willing to punish those businesses it deems unworthy.

Or did you forget about the $500,000 in extortion money Wal-Mart paid to the city a few years ago? Regardless of how much you might agree with those government-favored choices, there is no escaping that such activities are a violation of liberty, capitalism, and limited government. Government has no business interfering with peoples’ private, legal choices. The idea of government doing this ought to offend everyone.

I do like that Occupy is attempting to persuade peoples’ opinions by engaging in protest. Free speech is a powerful way to effect change. Of course, by doing this they are making a tacit admission that their real complaint is not with big business, it is with the shopping decisions of private citizens. You see, businesses can’t force people to shop at their stores. Businesses really have no power at all without people willing to part with their dollars. The power of ideas can influence that.

Occupy is not above criticism, however. I think it improper to enter the premises of a private business pretending to be shoppers and protest the activities of that business. Even worse, Occupy’s rap sheet now exceeds 400 incidents nationwide, including rape, vandalism, assault, and theft. No wonder Wal-Mart removed them. Kinda makes me yearn for the good old days of TEA party protests. Their sole crime was being accused of racism (falsely, it turns out).

I took the time to read some of the literature the Occupiers were handing out. They make some doubtful claims. For instance, one handout proclaims that local businesses are better for the local economy than chain stores. Being naturally skeptical, I decided to check it out. I did something I doubt a single Occupier did, I actually called the Bozeman Wal-Mart. I learned that the Bozeman store buys 12% ($12 million) of its inventory from local suppliers. They obtain local services, like snow removal, landscaping, and building repair, to the tune of over $500,000 per year. They spend thousands on local advertising. Payroll is $10 million. They gave over $220,000 to various charities. Their electric bill is $60,000 per month. Real estate taxes run $27,000 per month. 

All this is locally spent money. This calls to question the oft-stated notion that Big Box stores are bad for communities. But there’s more. There are unseen effects that positively impact the community as well. Out of town shoppers not only spend dollars at these stores, they shop at other local businesses. Consumers, by saving money on their purchases, free up their dollars to spend elsewhere. 

You might think I’m cheerleading for big business, but I’m actually cheerleading for free enterprise, the free and legal choices consumers make when unencumbered by the oppression of government. Of course as a local business owner I would prefer everyone buy their insurance from me. But I refuse to invoke the heavy hand of government to force people into choosing me. I am a true capitalist for better or worse. I offer the best product I can and leave it to consumers to decide what to do with their own money. 

That is the only edge any business is entitled to.