Dump Despondent. Michelle embraces Wal*Mart

[zeitgeist]

 

Oh No, Not Wal*Mart

Dump Despondent. Michelle embraces Wal*Mart

Freddie Stubbs (1000+ posts)        Thu Jan-20-11 02:10 PM
Original message
Wal-Mart and Michelle Obama team up for healthy foods
 http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef01...

Wal-Mart and First Lady Michelle Obama are trying to change what you put in your mouth.

The retail giant has joined forced with the first lady on a new initiative -- announced Thursday in Washington -- that will slash the unhealthy fats, salts and sugars in the packaged foods that appear under Wal-Mart's Great Value label. Moreover, Wal-Mart vowed to slash prices on fresh fruits and veggies.

Given Wal-Mart's commercial reach, the initiative has the potential to reduce the amount of fats, salts and sugars consumed by Americans each day. And it no doubt will be welcomed by harried parents who rely on Wal-Mart's convenience products to get dinner on the table each night.

It's also a natural next step for Wal-Mart: The company has already made a push into the organics market. According to the New York Times, aides say it is the first time the first lady has thrown her support behind the work of a single company.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2011/01/wal-m...
 

leveymg  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jan-20-11 02:12 PM
Response to Original message
1. This is the third or fourth Wal*Mart ad I've seen on DU today. Enough.
 Edited on Thu Jan-20-11 02:14 PM by leveymg
Michelle is diluting her moral and political capital by this implicit endorsement of Wal*Mart

Of course, she and her White House handlers realize what Wal*Mart symbolizes: China, Inc.; the corporate destruction of Main Street; a giant anti-union shop moving in on the unionized grocery industry.

This is just another step in the disintegration of the Obama Presidency and sell-out of the Right-wing of the Democratic Party to global corporations.

Extremely unappetitizing, no matter the "health-conscious" spin they put on it.
 
 

thumb sucking goodness here kids

leveymg  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jan-20-11 05:45 PM
Response to Reply #16
19. It seems that a lot of Obama boosters have been embarrassed. Repeatedly.
 Look, I'm a loyal Democrat and worked hard and long to get the guy into office. Knocked 4,000 doors before the 2008 elections. I knew I wasn't helping to elect a Kucinich or even Dean.

But, since 01/20/09, it's just been one disappointment after another with him, with little relief. How do you expect progressive Democrats to react to this sort of corporate-sponsored spectacle the First Lady just got herself wrapped up in?

leveymg  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jan-20-11 02:18 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. Maybe. But Michelle and Barack sure will, politically, for the reasons I stated above.
 Edited on Thu Jan-20-11 02:19 PM by leveymg
If I were a union grocery worker or a small town retailer, I'd be screaming bloody murder about this. If Michelle wants to endorse healthier eating, fine, but this is just too transparent. Note the timing of the Wal*Mart (China, Inc.) endorsement with the visit of the Chinese Emperor to the Emperor of America.

CTyankee  (1000+ posts)      Thu Jan-20-11 03:32 PM
Response to Reply #3
6. Often for inner city folks their only choice is WalMart or a neighborhood
 convenience store, because they are "food deserts" where supermarkets don't want to put their stores. The lack of fresh fruits and vegetables contributes a lot to the obesity seen in poorer neighborhoods. I'm glad something is being done...
 

FrenchieCat  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jan-20-11 03:32 PM
Response to Original message
5. Walmart is not disappearing anytime soon. Poor folks will continue to shop
 at Wall Mart, cause that's where they feel they can afford to shop.
To penalize them by stating that Wal-Mart is nothing but evil is
simplifying the issues.

the choices are for Wal-Mart to continue as it has been,
or to offer healthier choices.

Everything else is noise.....

I don't shop at Walmart, but that doesn't mean that I choose to begrudge those
who do, considering that many have no other cheap alternatives.

and of course this classic anchor

Brickbat  (1000+ posts)      Thu Jan-20-11 05:22 PM
Response to Original message
17. I find a lot of odd stuff at the end of the NYT story about this particular issue.
 The company says it will also address the problem of “food deserts” — a dearth of grocery stores selling fresh produce in rural and underserved urban areas like Anacostia — by building more stores. And it will increase charitable contributions for nutrition programs.


That is EXACTLY what this world needs! More Wal-Marts!


Mr. Dach said the company had yet to conquer its reformulation challenges, and described the goals as both aspirational and realistic. “We think it’s a realistic target, but it’s aspirational in the sense that we can’t tell you today how it’s all going to get done,” he said.


So...it's a great idea, and they're pretty sure they're going to do it...but in three years, when they find that not enough people are buying the fresh vegetables, what are they going to do?

Dummies loath Wally World.  Yeah right.  I've seen the WalMart customer pictures,  lots of them look like dummies to me.

[true_blood]

CTyankee  (1000+ posts)      Thu Jan-20-11 03:32 PM
Response to Reply #3
6.The lack of fresh fruits and vegetables contributes a lot to the obesity seen in poorer neighborhoods. I'm glad something is being done...

So isn't the lack of exercise, you DUmbass.
It's not just the food you eat, but exercise should be part of the equation. It's a 50/50 split.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Michelle is diluting her moral and political capital by this implicit endorsement of Wal*Mart

Actually it's explicit.

leveymg  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jan-20-11 02:18 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. Maybe. But Michelle and Barack sure will, politically, for the reasons I stated above.
 Edited on Thu Jan-20-11 02:19 PM by leveymg
If I were a union grocery worker or a small town retailer, I'd be screaming bloody murder about this. If Michelle wants to endorse healthier eating, fine, but this is just too transparent. Note the timing of the Wal*Mart (China, Inc.) endorsement with the visit of the Chinese Emperor to the Emperor of America.

Here is an implicit admission that unions drive up prices and make their host business less competitive.

[Evil_Conservative]

Why do these idiots refer to Walmart as the "cheaper" alternative?  I can get cheaper groceries at Smith's or Albertson's on almost any given week.  The supermarkets usually have better sales and when you add coupons on top of that, we save even more.

Walmart is typically our "quick" run to get a few things if we're out.... like diapers, water, milk, and sometimes (rarely) all of our groceries.

[Reality vs DU]

WMDS=Wal-Mart derangement syndrome. 

I will say I don't like the fact that so much of that shit comes from China,  I prefer not to shop there for that reason. 

[true_blood]

WMDS=Wal-Mart derangement syndrome. 
I will say I don't like the fact that so much of that shit comes from China,  I prefer not to shop there for that reason. 

You said it.
Most, if not all, the items are from China.

[zeitgeist]

You said it.
Most, if not all, the items are from China.

I swear it seems like only yesterday when their claim to fame was American Made.  And Old Sam supported The Clintons. 

Did I just dream all of that?