Big Companies Fill BadgerCare Rolls

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

As if you didn't need another reason to not shop at Wal-Mart, it turns out the 40% of those enrolled in BadgerCare -- the program for working people whose employers don't provide health care -- are Wal-Mart employees. The total cost to the taxpayers to subsidize "Everyday Low Prices" is $2.7 million per year. And for that we devastate local shopping districts and flood our society with cheap, sweatshop-manufactured crap. And then there's that annoying smiley thingie.

Big Companies Fill BadgerCare Rolls

[shoelace414]

1. Did Sam Walton treat his employees this way?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

2. That's a good question...

I know that he had a policy of never entering a community where there was organized resistance. That point has been made several times during the endless battles fought over Wal-Mart construction.

I don't know about personnel policies in the "old days," and I suspect that with Wal-Mart's attrition, the only people who have been around that long are in management (that is to say, they're going to lie about it).

[ewagner]

3. Just forwarded

this to my wife who works with this program......

a-f-ing-amazing!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

4. I keep telling people...

there's no such thing as a bargain. Assuming that Store A isn't gouging you for a gallon of milk, if Store B is selling it for $0.50 a gallon less, there's something wrong. It means that Store B is screwing its suppliers or not paying its employees a decent wage or receiving massive public subsidies. Things cost what they cost.

[ewagner]

5. I've had some time to reflect

and it occurs to me that we are seeing, here in Wisconsin, a model of the Republican social agenda. That is, simply, those who have the money will get the best health care and those who are impoverished (which will be the majoirty eventually) will be given minimal care by the government. This has been Grover Norquist's plan all along, and now we see it in action in Wisconsin.

I'm completely disgusted....

[RevCheesehead]

6. But we're better than that!

What we need to do is to expose the agenda.

I believe that the majority of Wisconsinites are generous, loving, progressive people, who want everyone to have a fair shot at life. If we can frame things in that context, we'll find more people willing to take a stand for "the right thing" rather than the "selfish" or "corporate greed" which is directing our lives.

And a little bit of shame can go a long way in our state, too. (think of all those plagued with the guilt complex all their lives!)

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

8. Exposing their agenda won't work...

We have to offer OUR AGENDA. Nobody ever switched brands because somebody told them that Brand A was terrible. They switched because they decided the Brand B was better.

We need to get to work on Brand B -- As in BLUE!

[ewagner]

9. Agree

Democrats need to take the initiative away from the Repubs....we're debating whether we want them (the repubs) to hang us with a new rope or an old rope......we need to change the subject and reverse the tables on them.

We're doing it with teh "Hope" project.....(I posted on Friday about that) We need to do it with health care too.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

10. Talking Points?

If you got 'em, I'll write a Letter to the Editor. As a newcomer, I need more background information on WI property taxes.

[TheMightyFavog]

11. Where's Robert M. LaFollete Sr. when you need him?

End of Line.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

14. He's now the Chairman of the DNC

[undeterred]

7. There are many large companies that take good care of their employees

but have a lot of their work done by contractors (clerical or otherwise) who work without benefits. The company cafeteria and the overnight cleaning are outsourced to companies which can do it for the least amount- because they don't offer benefits. These are people who might work at a very successful corporation but have to get their benefits from a state program.

[jef4wi]

12. My Idea

An extra sales tax on Wal-Mart (and any other company that relies on state subsidies for employee healthcare) purchases to cover the costs of the healthcare that they do not provide.

(I know it would never pass, it would just be a great statement to make & get people's attention on the subject)

If Norquist & Co think the best way to get health care is through the employer - they have to support this, or admit that the free market is not the way to provide health care.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

13. Progressives should beat them with this issue...

Corporations don't have the right to expect their own customers to subsidize their operations through state and federal income taxes. Either charge me an extra $0.50 for a Big Mac or (Horrors!) dip into your own after-tax profits. Either way, my tax bill shouldn't be supporting your multi-billion dollar, multi-national business.