Crush Liberalism

Wal-Mart to sell cheap drugs, yet MSM still bitching

From Myway:

Wal-Mart announced today that it will start a test program in Florida, where it will sell generic prescription drugs for $4 for a 30-day supply. The test will start tomorrow in 65 Tampa Bay-area stores and is to expand to the whole state by January.

In a statement, CEO Lee Scott says the world’s largest retailer intends to “take the program to as many states as possible next year.”

On average, generic drugs tend to cost between $10 and $30 for a month-long supply.

The world’s biggest retailer said that it will test the program in Florida that will make 291 generic drugs available, which are used to treat a variety of condition from allergies to high-blood pressure. It will also be available to the uninsured.
…
“Each day in our pharmacies we see customers struggle with the cost of prescription drugs,” said Wal-Mart CEO H. Lee Scott, Jr., in a statement. “By cutting the cost of many generics to $4, we are helping to ensure that our customers and associates get the medicines they need at a price they can afford.”

Sounds great, doesn’t it? Oddly enough, the following makes it way into the article:

Union-backed Wake Up Wal-Mart, one of its most vociferous critics, have called upon Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart to offer better health care coverage and higher pay to employees.

Critics contend that the company’s benefits are too stingy, forcing taxpayers to absorb more of the cost as the workers lacking coverage turn to state-funded health care programs.

This past summer, Wal-Mart won a successful fight against a first-of-its-kind state law that would have required the retailer to spend more on employee health care in Maryland. A federal judge ruled in July that it was invalid under federal law. But other states are considering similar legislation aimed at the company. (In other words, other states are also considering similar taxpayer-funded grandstanding and politicking that will, as in Maryland, be shot down from the courts. – Ed.)

Aside from the words “Wal-Mart” and “health”, exactly what does an article about Wal-Mart’s new cheap drugs have to do with union and leftist (pardon the redundancy) critics OR with employee benefits? I mean, Wal-Mart says “We’re gonna offer the entire general public cheap drugs”, and the article focuses on what kind of health coverage Wal-Mart gives to its employees? Nope…no liberal media bias!

September 21, 2006 - Posted by crushliberalism | Uncategorized