I am not a fan of Wal-Mart because they force their suppliers to export jobs to produce cheaper items for sale in their stores. I once heard an expert on retail say Wal-Mart will switch suppliers if they can get an item for a penny cheaper. That has created an atmosphere of boosting China’s economy at a cost of American jobs. Seems like I was told they used to have a Made-in-America area but it got smaller and smaller until it disappeared. I say I was told because the only reason I go into the Morris store is to visit my optometrist.

With that stated, I want readers to understand the latest news from Bentonville, Arkansas. Supposedly, raising starting pay to $11.00 is because of the tax cut — it isn’t! This was planned in 2014 when they raised it to $9.00, then to $10.00, and now to $11.00. They had already planned to spend that $400 million with the 2014 planning session. Those much touted bonuses will be a one-time event costing them $300 million.

At the same time they are firing 3,400 managers so they can be replaced by cheaper people. They are also closing sixty-three Sam’s Clubs putting over 9,000 people out of work. The financial expert didn’t know how much the manager firings would save but the Sam’s Club’s closing could save over $300 million in savings. Coincidence? I doubt it.

Wal-Mart’s tax savings are expected to be over $2.2 billion each year. Where will the difference ($1.8 billion) go? It will go to the stockholders which the Walton Family is the biggest share holder block. How much of it will go to Trump’s re-election campaign and into those Koch organizations? We may never know?