Wal-Mart Bribes: Just Business as Usual

For Wal-Mart, there were 90 cases of bribery in Asia during one year alone, and 145 instances in Mexico over three years, because they say "these are difficult places to do business". (It's tough finding people to work for $1 a hour these days. Just ask Alice in Wonderland Walton.)

In the New York Times article "Bribes Without Jail Time" we learn that many big American corporations like Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, Johnson & Johnson, Halliburton, Siemens and Morgan Stanley were involved in bribery. It's business as usual.

But it's against the law, yet no one ever goes to jail.

It’s axiomatic that people, not corporations, commit crimes. But "real people" in corporations (company executives) are protected from criminal and civil prosecution because of "corporate limited liability". The company usually just ends up paying a small fine. The corporate big wigs can't be personally sued. Besides, they have access to a mountain of cash can hire the best army of shysters defense lawyers that money can buy.

Just like most members in Congress, the large corporate bosses are above the law. CEOs make decisions every day that sometime maims or kills people for profits. But when a kid gets caught with a joint, they goes to prison, while pedophiles and murderers get early releases and pardons. Does that make any sense?

The case for Wal-Mart should be a poster child for "individual liability" and "personal responsibility"...like the Republicans are always preaching when arguing against food stamps. The Republicans call food stamps, TANF, and jobless benefits for the poor and unemployed "redistributing the wealth".

I call subsidies for big profitable tobacco and oil companies "redistributing the wealth". I call $650 billion every year given to the defense industry "redistributing the wealth". I call two un-funded wars I didn't agree with "redistributing the wealth". I call lower tax rates for billionaires "redistributing the wealth". I call $174,000-a-year salaries and gold-plated healthcare plans for members of congress "redistributing the wealth". I call outsourcing jobs for cheaper labor "redistributing the wealth". I call domestic minimum and low wages "redistributing the wealth". I call raising prices on basic consumer necessities to pay CEOs multi-million-dollar annual salaries "redistributing the wealth".

Mitt Romney's line of "politicians who end up spreading poverty in the name of spreading the wealth" is bull. He was one of those who created poverty for working Americans.

Tax evasion is "redistributing the wealth", and bribery is also "redistributing the wealth".

New York Times: "Once upon a time, the world vied primarily for the attention (and dollars) of American consumers. Just a decade ago, they were responsible for nearly a quarter of the world’s economy. Now, however, Americans are on their way to being displaced by upwardly mobile consumers from much poorer countries." Thanks Wal-Mart!