I am getting Wal-Mart propaganda on my answering machine

[alarimer]

I am on the Do Not Call List too. Wally World wants to put in a gigantic megastore near here and people are really up in arms. the issues mainly have to do with congestion and traffic but some people are concerned about Wal-Marts business practices. Last week there was a telephone "town hall" meeting sponsored by them. Gee how balanced would that be?

So why I am getting the calls if I am on the Do Not call list anyway? Maybe I need to sign up for an "I hate Wal-Mart" list instead.

[Richard Steele]

1. Legal loopholes? Are they framing the calls as "surveys" or "public service announcements"?

Or maybe they just sneer at that law like so many others,
just because they're the almighty Walmart.

(edditid fer spellin)

[alarimer]

2. Some were invitations to that "town-hall" meeting

And the latest one was sort of like a PSA, extolling the virtues of Wal-Mart and what it will do to improve the area: they promised to put up new traffic lights, improve the streets, etc. Not sure if they would actually do it or if they would do it and then bill the city for it. I think it's likely they would get tax breaks, like the city does for other large developments.

[China_cat]

3. Uh huh. Just like in this area.

And then we got soaked for an extra half-cent sales tax increase that went to pay for the traffic lights, the parking lot and the road into the new Wal-Mart (#14)/Sam's complex. Not to mention the landscaping.

I guarantee that you, as a resident of the area, will end up paying for everything they promise.