The interesting thing I always have trouble understanding about the WMT model is how they achieve the returns they do with over 50% labor turnover every year. Given that labor turnover is so expensive, it seems that it should be to their benefit to try and reduce turnover with slighly better benefits. I wonder why they believe and act otherwise? Costco has very low labor turn over and that is one of the reasons they can pay better wages.

For most membership organizaations like Costco they get their profits from the membership fees and so operate the rest of the organization at essentially break-even -- somethoing WMT can not do.

Ok how about Chevron? Or any other corporation in America? How about it Bushites, are you ready to renounce your benefits in the name of free-booting capitalism?

In reality Wal-Mart is a pretty good employer for people with similar education and experience levels.

Shoot Wal-Mart here pays more for a starting cashier with cheaper benefits than my job (I teach reading in my local school district). I don't get the benefits through my employer, because I would be writing the district a check every month for the balance. And my job requires at least two years of college.

Maybe the state legislature should actually do some research, and see just what people get paid, and how much they pay for their benefits rather than listening to the unions trying to get Wal-Mart unionized.

What in the world are you talking about.

I think you read every other word.

Because people keep getting sick?

Define "sick."

When people bill their medical insurance for routine doctor visits, they're the ones driving up the costs.

You don't expect your auto insurance company to pay for your every-3,000-mile oil change, do you?

Maryland's Demcratic legislators, who claim to be friends of working people, for higher corporate taxes, and for equal protection of the laws, have done just the opposite of what they claim to stand for.

They have acted to reduce employment opportunites for their constituents.

They have acted to raise consumer prices, both at Wal-Mart and at other companies who compete.

They have acted to reduce corporate and sales tax revenues.

And they have passed a discriminatory bill that is the antithesis of treating everyone equally under the law.

When all is daid and done, it will be clear that Maryland's Democrats have done far more to harm the vast majority of their millions of constituents than any good they may have accomplished for a few thousand.

Maryland lawmakers Thursday overrode Gov. Robert Erlich's veto and approved a measure, directed at W

The only answer I can see is to keep government from getting big. Of course, that didn't happen. Like O'Roarke said "The mystery isn't how Washington works, it's how to make it stop."

Because people keep getting sick?

Such a plan would be interesting. I would guess free or near-free primary care, to get any problems ID'd early. And maybe a tax on fatty foods? (I'd written "fat," but that conjured up a "fill in your weight in pounds" line on the 1040.)

Why can't somebody come up with a plan to control the costs?