Can Wal-Mart Save the Economy?

This 'press release' from Wal-Mart Watch is so full of economic illiteracy and socialist agitprop it's disturbing. The two universities mentioned in the study are UMass Amherst and U.C. Berkeley, hardly bastions of free markets, or even freedom.

"Recent Study Shows Company Can Afford To Help Its Employees Live Better ..."
Is that how people should/can be paid, by how much the employer can 'afford?' And it's amusing to think that the folks at Wal-Mart Watch understand Wal-Mart's finances better than they do.

"Wal-Mart is well positioned to stimulate the weakened economy ... by raising its minimum wage to $10 per hour ..."
This is the best response to that nonsense.

"'Wal-Mart’s stock price, revenue and profits are rising ... but its employees are not sharing in the benefits, says David Nassar ..."
Of course not, corporations are not communes (yet), they are created by and for the investors. Can the folks at Wal-Mart Watch really not understand this?

"... the company should invest in helping its nearly 1.4 million employees across the country ..."
Wow, that's a new and unique definition of 'invest.' If it really was an investment, couldn't Wal-Mart or any corporation simply send its profits through the roof by paying its employees more and more?

Wal-Mart Should Stimulate Economy by Raising Wages for Its Employees: "Recent Study Shows Company Can Afford To Help Its Employees Live Better

A recent study shows that Wal-Mart is well positioned to stimulate the weakened economy and help its employees live better - by raising its minimum wage to $10 per hour - with little financial impact on most shoppers.

“Wal-Mart’s stock price, revenue and profits are rising as it benefits from the weakened economy, but its employees are not sharing in the benefits,” says David Nassar, Wal-Mart Watch Executive Director. “Instead of solely focusing its efforts to persuade shoppers to spend their tax rebate checks at Wal-Mart, the company should invest in helping its nearly 1.4 million employees across the country - many who live well below the federal poverty level - by paying a better wage and helping them live better during these tough economic times,” he adds. “Just a small increase could make a big difference for many of Wal-Mart’s employees.”"