Re: [Amc-list] Big three bailout

[Victor the Cleaner <jonathan@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, Dec 13, 2008 at 07:00:04PM -0800, Tom Jennings wrote:
 
> If you ask me, Walmart is one of the most evil businesses in the US. It 
> ruins local businesses. It waves red-white-blue and sells low grade crap 
> made in China. I went to one once, never again. Garbage.

They're actually worse than that.  Not only do they trample local retailers
to death, but they strangle domestic manufacturers.  If you come up with a
new widget (tm) for the retail market, when you approach Walmart to carry
it they'll tell you your price is too high.  They will then tell you that
if you can't bring your price down far enough to satisfy their margin and
lowest-retail-price requirements, they'll just go ahead and source it in
China.  And if you've got IP in the mix that the Chinese manufacturer will
need to violate in order to make the widget (tm), what?, you're gonna sue
Walmart?
 
> Don't forget, 50's American cars were the worst in a lot of ways. All 
> those finned monstrosities with huge engines and no brakes outsold solid 
> values, tradition and do-it-yourself. Brands like Nash and Packard fell 
> by the wayside for gaudy crap.
> 
> There's your AMC content.

Oh... I think your view is a little narrow.  You can't solely blame a market
hungry for big, garish, and inefficient for the demise of more elegant brands
like the ones we favour.  You have to factor in that some of those companies
(Tucker, for example) were just too far ahead of their time, and the market
needed more time to evolve.  It's not a pleasant reality, but it is the
reality.

Jonathan

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