[naterator]

You don't even need to look at tax code. Just consider the fact that many people who work for places like Walmart also get Food Stamps and Medicaid. Many US corporations would not be be profitable (or at least structured the same way) were it not for the government footing the bill at some point along the chain.

[TDL]

"many people who work for places like Walmart also get Food Stamps and Medicaid."

How does this benefit Walmart? If Walmart did hire those people would they magically not need government assistance? This has to be one of silliest criticisms of Walmart around. Food stamps, Medicaid, and other government assistance program are not subsidies to employers.

[redblacktree]

Sure they are, in an indirect way. This doesn't mean that I want to eliminate food aid and medical care for poorer folks, but it does mean that Wal*Mart doesn't have to pay these folks enough to live on. Perhaps if we can raise the federal minimum wage, we'll be able to cut back some of these programs and get the companies benefiting from these employees' work to compensate them fairly for it.

[adventured]

A few serious questions.

What's your theory on why those employees are not being compensated fairly for their labor? What is preventing them from taking other higher paying jobs that better reward their talents? If their labor is being significantly undervalued, it implies they should be able to seek better employment.

What is fair compensation for those jobs? What decides that? Who decides that?

[TDL]

"Sure they are, in an indirect way."

I completely disagree. I will link to a post by economist Bryan Caplan since he is more articulate & smarter than I am.

http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2014/02/how_welfare_hur....