Glick Report
  • July 1, 2009 12:03 PM EDT by Alexis Glick

    Walmart and the Government: Same Page on Health Care?

    Something VERY strange happened yesterday and I have a feeling there is more to it than meets the eye.

    While I was on the network filling in for Stuart Varney, a letter was released to the press from Walmart, the SEIU (a union representing a million people in this country) and John Podesta. The letter said “we are for an employer mandate which is fair and broad in its coverage. We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress to develop a requirement that is both sensible and equitable.”

    Did you get that? Walmart, which just three years ago, fought with states like Maryland about paying health insurance for its employees... Odd right? The letter released after a meeting with Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff. Hmmm?

    Keep in mind Walmart employees 1.4 million people, making it the largest private employer in the country. The costs for this health care could be enormous. At this time they say they cover health care for 94% of their employees. Clearly a BIG VICTORY for the president! So what would Walmart achieve by doing this? Why would this union sign this letter when so many other union leaders are against the kind of health care reform being discussed?

    Take a look at the interview below. All those questions get answered. Follow this story. This could have major repercussions for health-care reform, generics and where corporate America is willing to side on this issue.

JohnC

Didn't shop there before - will never now! Funny how John Podesta looks like Heinrich Himler and in a new emerging fascist country.

July 2, 2009 at 10:52 am

Bill

Wal-Mart has been leveraged into caving into the Obama line. The onerous odor of unions here stinks of a deal. The unions leave Wal-Mart alone (for a while) and Wal-mart gets to shift it's health insurance burden to the tax payers. The world has gone to pot and the U.S. with it. God help us !!

July 2, 2009 at 10:50 am

Bill

Wal-Mart has been leveraged into caving into the Obama line. The onerous odor of unions here stinks of a deal. The unions leave Wal-Mart alone (for a while) and Wal-mart gets to shift it'e health insurance burden to the tax payers. The world has gone to pot and the U.S. with it. God help us !!

July 2, 2009 at 10:48 am

Dennis Turner

We have universal Health Care NOW! When have you seen uninsured accident victoms left lying on the side of the road after an accident? The current insurance rates and Hospital charges reflect the built in cost of this current coverge. We need to find a way to extract a portion of this cost from those who have this benefit (universal insurance). Hospitals typically treat patients and try to collect fees at a later date. The unpaid portion of this collecion effort is simply passed on to the the insured and those that pay their bills by what ever means they can. We treat the sick and infirm, we choose to bankrupt many that have no insurance or loose coverage but we still treat them. Lets find a way to continue to treat our populous while finding a method to charge everyone. A 1% national sales tax might be a good start. Some may retire early if they had Health and Accident insurance; this would open up jobs at a per unit cost substantially less than the JOBS that the Obama Administration has created (by their own count). I was laid off and chose to retire early. To withdraw funds from an IRA to purchase Health Care you have to pay taxes on a portion of that income while those that have insurance as a benefit receive it tax free. At a minimum the tax law should be modified to drop income taxes on income used to purchase Health Care Insurance. Congress cannot see the whole picture due to the blindness created by the insurance lobby etc.

July 2, 2009 at 8:02 am

Dennis

I guess if Wal-Mart is leaving the reservation then, I will have to stay true to my convictions and shop somewhere else.

July 2, 2009 at 7:27 am

jim crawford

wal mart just lost my busness jim crawford

July 1, 2009 at 8:41 pm

S Mays

I have to laugh when listening to this woman. Alexis I don't know what you are but you are definitely not a journalist. Try an unbiased approach like um.. you know... a real professional. Either way I tried to hear the argument but when she used the advice of Dick Morris, I knew I was listening to a complete fool. For the other two, the woman just sound like a robot spitting out GOP talking points. However, the guy may the only legitimate point. If they did illegally try to derail Obama's campaign and charges were filed then this would make sense.

July 1, 2009 at 4:43 pm

Cliff

Another typical WalMart move to try & manupilate the press and markets in their favor. The ONLY thing WalMart is looking out for is their bottom line. They will align themselves with anyone or anything that will generate market share and profits no matter how achieved or what it takes.

July 1, 2009 at 1:05 pm

BigDog

Wal-Mart is just trying to shift health care costs to someone else to increase the bottom line. They also think that when "public" health care comes about and everyone's taxes go up to support it the only place left with prices low enough to shop with your reduced income will be Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has no social conscience at all, they will support whatever increases profits or market share. They buy 90% from China which will NOT be affected by "Crap and Fade" energy taxes either.

July 1, 2009 at 12:49 pm

about this blog

  • Alexis Glick is an anchor for FOX Business Network. Prior to joining FOX, Glick served as a correspondent for the Today Show and co-anchored the third hour of that program. Before her stint at NBC News, she was the senior trading correspondent for CNBC and reported from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

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