Meet Debbie Shank

I believe that if Sam Walton could look upon his “empire” now and see how unbelievably selfish his heirs have become he would be ashamed!  I am actually ashamed to have gone there this afternoon!  Perhaps Wal-Mart has a “right” to sue these people but they have a CHOICE not to sue! Once again the giant continues to treat their employees as disposable! They refuse to pay a living wage and the few benefits that they do offer...conveniently has a loop hole in their favor!  There is only one word to describe this story and Wal-Mart…..PITIFUL!

Why should Wal-Mart pay for anything? As usual,
there are public, taxpayer, subsidies.

The only way to change WalMart is to change yourself.  A dollar spent is a vote that condones their behavior.  If you can choose something else, do it. Look forward to seeing a place on this site where one can donate for Debbie Shank. I just heard on AC360 that her son has died in Iraq and the husband had to divorce her to help with benefits. This should outrage any decent American.

I am completely appalled with Walmart and will not shop there.  They can choose not to follow through with the lawsuit.  Debbie Shank’s money is pennies compare to what the company makes a year or what the CEO makes.  Its complete cold-hearted corporate greed.  Any who supports Walmarts decision against Debbie Shank should be ashamed of him/herself.

3/3/08 on my next dr.visit im having him right me new prescriptions so i can tack all 12 of them to a different pharmicy
and it will hurt i will not shop wamart for at least 1 year.is there
a place i can donate to debbie shank

I read an interesting suggestion on CNN blogs.  Wal mart could present the family with a charitable donation equal to the amount they feel needs to be recouped.  The nightmare Walmart unleashed on this poor woman has ensured I will shop anywhere but Walmart.
Wendy

I just saw the video clip of Debbie Shank and the cold, heartless action by Wal-Mart to recoup their insurance payments from her. This family has been through more hell than most can even imagine, but this monster of a company, whose quarterly profits, I understand, exceed three BILLION dollars, has to get their money back from the family “out of fairness to all”, says their spokesman. I admit to being a past customer of theirs; however, after seeing what they are putting this family through, who also lost a son in the Iraq War, I will NEVER set foot in their store again. I urge EVERYONE who shops there to find alternate source for their purchases; believe me, they are many places, especially online, that desrve your business. The only way to get our voices heard on this nauseating issue is for mass numbers of people to boycott their company. When sales start to fall, maybe then the company will realize that people do not NEED Wal-Mart and hopefully will rethink their business practices. This surely, as least to me, has got to be the lowest act towards a person, a former employee, no less, that I have ever heard about. We can’t let them get away with this.

I am so incensed at Walmart over the Debbie Shanks disgrace, that I will call today to cancel my prescriptions and transfer to Rite Aid.  I’ve spent thousands of dollars over the past two years.  I will offer to hand out posters jist outside their entrance (not on their property-so they can’t do anything about it, if anyone local wants to join me, I can’t do it alone, because Wal-Mart thugs would proable assalt me.  If someone has a video camera if they try any rough stuff, I am sure that CNN would air it every hour. My sense of outrage at this indescribable.

Jack Kmetz
Rehoboth Beach Delaware

"I can’t do it alone, because Wal-Mart thugs would proable assalt me.  If someone has a video camera if they try any rough stuff”

Wow, there’s just nothing else to say.

Just looking at the times of the postings above and the writing, they were mostly posted by the same person.  The same thing happened with the Shanks article a day or two ago.

SO THAT MEANS JOHN IS MARY?

No Joe, it means that whoever did the majority of the posting was not very smart.

Johnston,

When it comes to the HIGHLY EMOTIONAL anti crowd, that is a given!!  They tend to vent their anger at Wal-Mart, instead of the REAL people who screwed the Shanks, the trucking company and their insurance company, and MOST of all, the Shanks inept LAWYERS!!  Where is the outrage for the REAL CULPRITS in this situation?  Guess it’s just easier to blame Wal-Mart!!

...the majority of the posting was not very smart.

Hard to argue with that, Johnston, and a nice piece of belaboring the obvious.

I’d settle for an occasioanl spam clean-up.

The average Wal-Mart shopper lives in the suburbs, is roughly 5-foot-2 and wears a size 14. NYTimes

I would like to contribute money to this family - how do I go about getting an address to send it to.

I first saw this on ‘Countdown w/ Keith Olbermann’ and it really ticked me off.  That company makes over a billion dollars a year from it’s customers, and they won’t let this poor, unfortunate woman keep the money she rightfully deserves.  Not that, but the courts are screwing her, too.  That’s disgusting and very wrong.  I am never shopping at a Wal Mart again.  They’re not only the Worst Persons In The World, they are most sorry excuses for human beings ever!

The insurance company, the lawyers, the trucking company and the driver of the truck are at fault, without a doubt. However, they are not suing a brain damaged woman who lost her son in Iraq for every penny she has. Wal Mart has spent many years carefully cultivating a bad reputation, therefore this comes as no surprise to me. What I do find suprising is how many of us keep going back to Wal Mart to spend our hard earned cash financing the Chinese economy. For me, this is the wake up call. Zai Jian, Wal Mart !!

Boba;

[The insurance company, the lawyers, the trucking company and the driver of the truck are at fault, without a doubt.]

If you understand that, why do you choose to defend their NOT PAYING what they OWE Mrs. Shank and want walmart to foot the bill for them, instead?  That makes NO SENSE whatsoever.  Why shouldn’t they be the ones to pay what they owe?  It puzzles me that you choose to defend the people who are at fault, and YOU even admit that they are at fault, WHY?  Why do you choose to blame the people who ARE NOT at fault?

It’s little wonder this country is going downhill.

"The insurance company, the lawyers, the trucking company and the driver of the truck are at fault, without a doubt. However, they are not suing a brain damaged woman who lost her son in Iraq for every penny she has.”

Their insurance company is the one who should have paid for the health care costs in the first place not Walmarts which would have prevented this whole situation.  The lawyer took over half her settlement; about $100,000 more than what Walmart is trying to get back.  The trucking company and the trucker are the ones that cause her brain damage.  So how is Walmart worse then them again?

Speaking of insurance companies,this might be of interest ,in this vein of conversation:Executive Vice President of Wal-Mart’s U.S. Stores, Eduardo Castro-Wright has now also been named to the board of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Wal-Mart has consistently come under fire for its life insurance policies, namely a “dead peasant” policy where the company stands to profit when low-level employees die. Since Castro-Wright surely can’t be taking this new position for the employees’ benefit, what could he possibly be doing with his time on the MetLife board?

MetLife names 2 to board [Associated Press via Boston Globe]

Insurer MetLife Inc. on Wednesday said it named the CEO of Wal-Mart Stores USA and the CEO of Tupelo Capital Management to its board of directors, effective Monday.
more stories like this

Eduardo Castro-Wright, 53, is the president and chief executive of the U.S. division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer.

Earlier:
Wal-Mart’s ‘Dead Peasant’ Insurance Suit Gets New Life [Find Law, 6/13/2006]
“Dead Peasants” at Wal-Mart [Daily Kos, 4/4/2005]
The Trouble with Wal-Mart: An interview with Liza Featherstone [Stay Free]

Anyway, this woman’s husband was working 80 hours a week. I think he had a weak heart. One day, he was exhausted from working because he was understaffed, but he had to help a customer carry a TV to her car, and when he did, he had a heart attack and dropped dead. So, this is already a really sad story, but then his wife found out that Wal-Mart had an insurance claim on him. They were actually collecting money from his death.

Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Thursday, February 28, 2008

ddrb,

Almost all corporation’s boards, have people on them from other companies, not related to the corporation itself!!  This is neither ‘new’ or ‘unusual’!!

Question:  If a company recieves money from say, taking a person off the welfare rolls, does that money belong to the employee’s family?  Those so-called “dead peasant” insurance policies, were neither bought by the employees families or paid for by the employees family, nor were they ever told that they would COLLECT on those policies, so, how are they entitled to them?

“Anyway, this woman’s husband was working 80 hours a week.”

Also, was this woman’s husband working 80 hours a week at Wal-Mart or did he have a second job?  If it was 80 hours at Wal-Mart, I thought everyone here has claimed Wal-Mart doesn’t ALLOW people to work overtime, especially 40 hours OT!!

THIS COMMENT IS IN REGARDS TO A NEWS STORY THAT I JUST HEARD ABOUT ON CNN.COM

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/03/24/kaye.walmart.lawsuit.cnn?iref=videosearch

First off, for anyone who watches this video and isn’t completely pissed off with Wal-Mart, you have no right being a human being.

This is outragous, and have decided that I am no longer going to support Wal-Mart until I hear that Wal-Mart just walks away and let the Shanks live on in peace.

For anyone who cares, I am posting this all over the internet.  WAL-MART, YOU ARE NOT GOD, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TAKE THIS MONEY FROM THIS FAMILY.  SHE HAD HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH YOU GUYS AND YOU GUYS PAID UP. 

SCREW THE EFFIN’ RULES—THIS FAMILY NEEDS HELP.

WAL-MART… GO #UCK YOURSELF!

It’s amazing to me how much outcry there is against Walmart on this, yet if all you people gave 10 to 15 bucks you could have raised the $470,000 by now.  There have been over a hundered that have posted on here between the 30 stories on it with many many more on the CNN site and the MSNBC site, but people would rather complain about Walmart than actually do something themselves.

Dave: How do you KNOW that these people haven’t donated? As a matter of fact,many of us here donated earlier,late last year to the Shank family,and I plan to do so again. Maybe concerned persons could contribute a portion of the upcoming “stimulus checks” that some of us will be receiving in May.....IMHO,that would be a small,personal attempt at cosmic justice. Rather than spend it at WalMart,GIVE it(or a portion)to an unfortunate former W/M associate and her family.

Predatory Capitalism is close to killing itself. When the people get tired of being bled, the response will leave the internet and look for the Johnstons and Walmarts of the world in the streets.

Where can donations be made to the Shank Family?

Tomorrow all of my pharmaceutical business will leave Walmarts coffers and the “emotional -anti” I am will never add another penny to Walmart.  God, the twisted souls who defend this poor little job killing machine called Walmart!

As the lawyer on CNN show indicated, Wal-Mart did not “have” to sue Debbie Shank.  She has not and will never recover from her catastrophic accident - she has not defrauded the employee health plan that she paid into.  She and her family have lost so much, personally & financially. 
She now needs expensive 24-hour health care.  Will Wal-Mart take even that away from her? 
Surely Wal-Mart’s corporate and legal brains could be put to more socially ethical purposes than the harassment of this poor woman and her family. 
What shamefully bad advertising for Wal-Mart & what pitiful corporate greed. 
What happened to their corporate conscience?
We all know that a tiny fraction of their advertising budget would much more than suffice.
“There but for the grace of God.......”

...there have been over a hundered that have posted on here between the 30 stories on it with many many more on the CNN site and the MSNBC site...

Whoever said all these new names were real people, anyway??

I know what you mean, Dave...as I mentioned to one of these folks, earlier, put-up, or.........

Carol;

[As the lawyer on CNN show indicated, Wal-Mart did not “have” to sue Debbie Shank.]

Did this lawyer volunteer her services to the Shanks, to ‘collect’ the money, ‘the right way’, ‘from the right people’ by using the LAW the lawyer has sworn to uphold?  Wonder why that lawyer chose to ‘blast’ Wal-Mart, instead of trying to get the Shanks, their ‘rightful’ settlement amount?  Think for a minute, even if walmart were to drop their suit to recover, with the care Mrs. Shanks needs, how long would that $417,000.00 last?  Why not go after the ‘real’ people responsible and get her a ‘real’ settlement that will HELP?  She could end up OWNING GEM trucking.

Can someone tell me, why the Shanks filed their medical claims with their healthcare insurance, rather than their Auto Insurance?  After all, it was an ‘auto accident’, wasn’t it?

Who are you posers with randomized initials anyway, are you real.

The fact is that the trucking company’s insurance should have paid all of the medical bills.  Those bills never should have been submitted to the lady’s health insurance and should have been included in any settlement that her family agreed to.  It sounds bad that Wal-Mart sued her, but if they made an exception for one person, they would have everyone wanting an exception made for them.  As to the life insurance policies on employees, they are mentioned in the papers every new employee receives and the employee is asked to fill out beneficiary information.  Some for some reason don’t do it.  I know because I work there.

As of tomorrow March 30th I will NEVER spend another penny at any business that is affiliated with Walmart.  What a bunch of loosers.  I will be removing my prescriptions also.  There are plenty of places to shop.  Walmart just wants you to think they are the ONLY place to go.  I worked for Walmart for over 11 years and I left because of this horrific type of behavior.  I can guarantee to each and every one of you that EVERY NEGATIVE thing you hear about Walmart is entirely true.  I know everything that goes on behind the scenes.  I’m ashamed to have EVER been an employee.  Hours are spent during the day by managers, district managers, regional managers etc...all the way up to president finding ways to screw every employee out of hours, money, firing people for NO other reason, than to lower payroll because their bonus checks won’t be big enough.  SHAME ON EVERYONE who had a part in this awful situation.

And just to let “Dave” know, I did do something.  I have already sent my donation to help this family.  In the time you took to write YOUR comment, you could have sent a donation yourself.  Maybe you did, just like me.  I’m not a person to judge you.  Just as you shouldn’t judge the people here on this site that want their opinion to be heard.

Why shouldn’t Wal-Mart Insurance recoup money when she was awarded a settlement from the company at fault.  She had HEALTH insurance which covered her medical expenses.  To my knowledge, she did not have disability insurance, which it seems like everyone is trying to make health insurance, they are totally different.

I guess most of you think it is ok to take the money reserved for all other Wal-Mart associates and their medical needs because this ‘special’ case.  Wal-Mart is not taking the money and sticking this into their pockets.  The money goes back to the associates making medical claims! 

Why doesn’t every outraged person by this story donate some money to her instead of saying bad Wal-Mart.  I guess it just goes to show the thought process in this country; if something happens to you and there is someone involved that has money, then by god they better pay up.  I agree this is a tragic situation, but it should not be solved by taking money from other Wal-Mart associates.  The only thing I would recommend Wal-Mart do is start a donation fund that anyone can contribute to at all stores around the country.

This case is a classic example of how big business has no compassion for people nor can big business exercise common sense and decency when it comes to money.  Big business has no connection to the people like the Ma and Pa shops did.  The lack of humanity in this country is going to be this country’s downfall.  People, be careful with anything you do with any business, because one little word in a mountain of paperwork could forever change your life and make it a nightmare.  These big businesses have rigged everything to work against the American people.  There is a fund set up at Bank of America for Debra Shank, I’m going to contribute.  I still have a heart and a brain to do the right thing.  The Wal Mart family who is worth billions probably have no idea about this case because they too are so far removed from those of us who make this country function.

This is a sad story.  I’ve been reading entry after entry. Some can still find reason to defend WalMart in all this. Yes they have the right to recoup the money - but should they. The answer is obvious. The answer that is not so obvious is what we (the American consumer) should do about this blatant disregard of humanity. Many people have been saying they will never shop at walmart again. I don’t believe this is the correct approach. That is exactly what we should do - shop there. See, “to shop” does not does not indicate an actual purchase.  You can’t just hang around a store and do nothing, you would be loitering. But you can shop for as long as you like. And to make it more plausable you are actually shopping, it is best to buy something. Imagine if enough people got together - each one taking up a place in the parking lot - each one walking through each and every aisle shopping, looking at every product and moving on (something that could easily take hours) - then end the shopping trip by purchasing a pack of gum. Imagine the sharp decrease in sales if every customer spends 1 or 2 hours shopping and actually spends 30 cents. We in essence take WalMart’s money away from them with a choice that is possibly unfair but is perfectly in our legal right.

Here is an excerpt from the Nation magazine,2005:------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"One item in the Walton Family Foundation’s most recent IRS filing shows how uninterested this family is in true social responsibility: a measly $6,000 to something called the Wal-Mart Associates in Need Fund. Contrast that with the millions the family spends promoting right-wing causes, and it becomes painfully clear that the Waltons value conservative ideology far more than they value the human beings who have made them the richest family on earth. Told about these figures, Kathleen MacDonald, a Wal-Mart candy department clerk in Aiken, South Carolina, responded bluntly, “All I have to say about that is, it doesn’t surprise me. Like Bush, they don’t have a clue what working families go through.” MacDonald would like to see The Simple Life do a show about working at Wal-Mart. “I could see Paris Hilton on a register at Christmastime, or stocking shelves,” she says. Or perhaps Alice Walton as a greeter, on her feet all day, thanking us for shopping at Wal-Mart.” ---------------------------------

I think we as citizens and Americans should protest or boycott Walmart, even if it is for one day.

Shame on you Walmart and the courts for allowing this.

Linda: How about upping the ante,and have all the employees walk off the job the day of the boycott,too?

Listen All I live in Mexico and often follow what goes on with walmart. I must say I do shop at walmart, I know walmart is not a sweet peach, and I know they have a way to do business BUT here is the BUT… I dont want everyday low prices if I am going to rip off a woman that has no way to defend herself.. 
what do you mean by you did not see the fine print on the health care program that states that walmart can take her money that she gets from a claim.... what kind of sick F#&#xks; are you owners of walmart… what 90 billion on sales a year not enough..... we need to go after defenseless women to get our money..
if that is the way you do business my values do not shares your way you do business I rather go somewhere else and get my groceries and other articles… SHAME ON YOU walmart.... I wonder if Mr. Sam Walton had this in mind to make a buck.

Lets keep this going people!! I have never bought into to whole “wal -mart” is the devil and a job killer but they have contributed to our disposable lifestyle and I believe the cheapening of the us dollar!  I never join these kind of things, but I think what they did was just plain sad.  That money would not last forever but it would get her the help that she need for quite a few years.  Lets no let this die.  lets pass it along to friends and family and really try to hurt them!!

Sean: Great post! Here’s an idea. What’s the next major holiday? Mother’s Day,right? BIG DAY for WalMart-well,Debbie Shank is a mother who lost her son in Iraq-How about everyone who is offended by this situation shop elsewhere this Mother’s Day in honor of Debbie, her deceased son, and other mothers who may be in similar situations?

ddrb, why don’t you host a “Give back the Money to Debbie Shank” Day at your house next to the Walmart.  Have somone stand in your driveway displaying a poster for the invite.  Offer free hotdogs and soda to everyone who gives a $1 to the Debbie Shank fund instead of spending it at Walmart.  It’s a great way to do your part.

After just watching the story of Debbie Shank I have only one thing to say to you Wal Mart.

HOW DARE YOU!

For several years I have threatend to boycott Wal mart, today I am making good on that promise.

I am not advocating for anyone else do the same, each one of you has the free will to do whats right for you based on your own personal ethics and integrity.

I think this is the saddest story that I have heard.  I pray for the shark family.  I can not believe that Wal-Mart would even pursue this.  I use to think their was still compassion on this earth.  What kind of image is Wal-mart creating for itself now.  A woman suffering from life long injuries, and the loss of a son and they want to take away her survival.

I am absolutely disappointed in Walmart as a company and business leader in our local communities.  In the area that I live in, there is supermarket named “price chopper” and there moto is Price Chopper People, caring more than a store. Maybe Walmart she take some advice from them. I know that I will boycott Walmart, because I would rather pay more for my items some where else, than give my hard earned money to WALMART!

mary: Thanks for the tip-perhaps you could do the same,maybe folks could gather donations also at their houses of worship,and local rotary clubs and United Way organizations,too!I am waiting for some input from the pulpits-if there ever was a morality tale,IMHO,this one qualifies.

BTW: This could be a project for schools all over the country (and the world)to get involved in-remember when Oprah had people start collecting pennies?Remember,WalMart sells a lot of school supplies.........

I think you should write a blog about how Wal-Mart should be ashamed of itself for what it is doing to Debbie Shank.  I mean, come on!  After posting quarter profits of 90 billion (YES, billion with a “b"), suing a disabled woman to recoup health plan medical expenses is not exactly the way to go.  Even if Wal-Mart legally does have the right to do so, they ought to be ashamed of themselves for doing so.  A company which vehemently despises unions, offers health care at prices unaffordable to most associates, and deletes employee overtime hours does not have the best track record.  I know that after this lawsuit fiasco, I’m definitely not shopping there anymore!

To all the outraged posters,

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

If Wal-Mart’s insurance carrier hadn’t asked for the money back, the Shanks would be left in this situation:  They recieved $417,000.00 that was put in a trust fund for her, and according to CNN, there is a little over $200,000.00 left in it!!  Soon, with the care she needs, the fund would wittle down to ZERO!!  Then, what would they do?

Now, because the insurance carrier HAS asked for this money back, the Shanks will be left with this situation:  Thousands of outraged people will send in donations and that fund will grow to where Mrs. Shanks will be taken care of for the rest of her life!!  Just think, if only 1 million people send in only $2.00 each, the Shanks will get $2 million in donations, twice as much as they recieved from their settlement!!

In the end, the Shanks will be glad that Wal-Mart’s insurance carrier asked for their money back and so will the Wal-Mart employees, who will have their insurance fund restored!!

What, is Wal-Mart out in the street with a tin cup in its hand? Cripple this corporate giant!

First of all, Rob in Surfside Beach, SC, no WalMart doesn’t have to PAY for anything, but most people are not asking them to. What people are outraged about is the fact that WalMart is taking the money that was given to them by the courts away. There’s a big difference.
As for RDS’s comments, that is the most backwards, idiotic statement I’ve ever read.
As for anyone who says that this is to protect other WM employees, I highly doubt any WM employees would have a problem with an exception being made for this lady and her family. Guess what? Because of WM’s actions, her medical expenses will soon be paid by EVERY TAX PAYER IN THE US!!!
Yes, Rob and RDS, your precious WalMart is reducing this woman to public assistance for the rest of her life, meaning YOU get to help foot the bill, and so do all WM employees!
WM makes these claims about how they help communities, but so far I haven’t seen them do one helpful thing.

God acts in ways we often don’t understand.  This situation just breaks my heart.  It really is about as twisted as it can get but if we all step up and donate to the Shanks, think about the positive impact we could have on their lives.  They know no more “normal” and right now, I’m sure they see no way out of this.  Thankfully, this story is coming to light, and we are all being given a chance to help.  Our eyes are being opened about WalMart and we are all being given a chance to save a family.  I believe WalMart will be humbled due to this exposure and I also know God will use us to see this family through.  As bad as it seems right now, this could turn out so beautiful for this family if we all just focus on what we can do for them.

I am a Wal-Mart associate and I have signed the petition to ask Wal-Mart to walk away and leave the Shank family alone. I feel it would be the right and honorable thing for Wal-Mart to do.
I do however, do not understand why Mr. Shank and his lawyers would settle for a “modest” sum from the truck company that ultimately should be footing the Shank families bills.  If I had a loved one that I knew was never going to recover and would have to live in a nursing home and require 24 hour around the clock care, I would not settle for a modest sum. I would fight them and make them pay for the rest of my loved ones life.
I also do not understand why the Shank family or the rest of you would expect “health” insurance to pay for all of this. As an associate I know that I can purchase Accident insurance because I know my health insurance would not be responsible for this type of care. I don’t think Wal-Mart is the only company whose health insurance would have a limit of what it is responsible for.
I agree that this family has suffered enough and they should be left alone. But I also think that while you are planning your boy cotts of Wal-Mart, you might want to sign up people to picket the truck company and force them to stand up and do the right thing. I would rather say I work for Wal-Mart than a company that will stand back and let everyone else take the fall and responsibilty for thier negligence. I think the people who run the truck co. are less human than the Wal-Mart people. It wasn’t a Wal-Mart truck that hit her. Lets put the blame where it really belongs.
I wish the very best for the Shank family and I sincerely hope that Wal-Mart, unlike the truck company will do the right and humane thing.

Tammy: This may be of interest to you as a WalMart employee,who may just be in dire circumstances some day(God forbid).Are you aware of the WalMart employee in need fund? If not,read on:------------------------------------------------One item in the Walton Family Foundation’s most recent IRS filing shows how uninterested this family is in true social responsibility: a measly $6,000 to something called the Wal-Mart Associates in Need Fund. Contrast that with the millions the family spends promoting right-wing causes, and it becomes painfully clear that the Waltons value conservative ideology far more than they value the human beings who have made them the richest family on earth. Told about these figures, Kathleen MacDonald, a Wal-Mart candy department clerk in Aiken, South Carolina, responded bluntly, “All I have to say about that is, it doesn’t surprise me. Like Bush, they don’t have a clue what working families go through.” MacDonald would like to see The Simple Life do a show about working at Wal-Mart. “I could see Paris Hilton on a register at Christmastime, or stocking shelves,” she says. Or perhaps Alice Walton as a greeter, on her feet all day, thanking us for shopping at Wal-Mart.------------------- The Nation,2005

Hey ddrb in:

Stay away from those leftist rags that just propagate bullsugar!  So the following link which shows all the ‘right wing” causes:

http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/resources/index.asp

Go vote for Hillary the Hypocrite!  While the Wal-Mart has changed for the worse (as has most of Corporate America) since Sam Walton passed, read from a bio book on him:

[True to his father’s teaching, Sam didn’t feel any need to carry around a fat wallet and drive around in flashy cars. He explained his modest life, “I don’t have any desire to buy a small island or a yacht. That’s what gets these other CEO’s into trouble.” Sam Walton simply rejected pride and embraced humility. He did not feel like he needed to try to impress people. He flew first class only one time in his life. Even as a billionaire with a total worth of 28 billion dollars, Sam remained a humble man.]

Sounds like a “right wing wacko” right?  Do you find Mr Waltons Presbytarian conservative midwest beliefs that awful?  Go vote for Obama who tells us to “sacrifice” while he meekly gives to charity unless he is going for a political office.
http://www.kansascity.com/445/story/546518.html

Tammy, don’t buy into the Lib making you feel like you work for the devil.  Wal-Mart should “take one for the team” in an effort to say “we care for our employee,” even though they don’t have to.  The idiot senior managerial team can’t comprehend that the $470K is nothing compared to the loss of revenue that would occur if this story gets traction (which it did).  I will NOT spend a penny at Wal-Mart until they resolve this issue and hope everyone else does the same.

Hey Benito,Before you counsel someone to “take it for the team”,you might wnt to know what priority the “teamowner"places on its players and teammates in need----------------------------------------------------------------------One item in the Walton Family Foundation’s most recent IRS filing shows how uninterested this family is in true social responsibility: a measly $6,000 to something called the Wal-Mart Associates in Need Fund. Contrast that with the millions the family spends promoting right-wing causes, and it becomes painfully clear that the Waltons value conservative ideology far more than they value the human beings who have made them the richest family on earth. Told about these figures, Kathleen MacDonald, a Wal-Mart candy department clerk in Aiken, South Carolina, responded bluntly, “All I have to say about that is, it doesn’t surprise me. Like Bush, they don’t have a clue what working families go through.” MacDonald would like to see The Simple Life do a show about working at Wal-Mart. “I could see Paris Hilton on a register at Christmastime, or stocking shelves,” she says. Or perhaps Alice Walton as a greeter, on her feet all day, thanking us for shopping at Wal-Mart.” ---------------------------------

Bruce,

“As for RDS’s comments, that is the most backwards, idiotic statement I’ve ever read.”

Then, I guess you read it backwards!!  Are you saying the Shanks would be better off if the only got to keep the $417,000.00 and ran out of money in about 3 or 4 years?

Dawn,

“Thankfully, this story is coming to light, and we are all being given a chance to help”

If Blue Cross/Blue Shield hadn’t asked fro subrogation in this case, this story wouldn’t have ‘come to light’ and the poor Shanks would be out of money shortly!!

Tammy,

Nice post, it’s nice to see that there are people out there with ‘clear thinking’ and don’t ony act upon ‘emotion’!!

ddrb,

You keep posting about the “a measly $6,000 to something called the Wal-Mart Associates in Need Fund.”, what is that FUND really for?  Is it for sending flowers to families that are sick or have a death in the family, etc. or is it to fund catastropic situations employees may find themselves faced with?  Please inform us, as to what the criteria of need, this FUND covers!!

I am starting a walmart protest in Rosemead Ca 1827 Walnut Grove Blvd
Rosemead, CA 91770

This Sunday 4/6/08 email me if you are in rtrozera@hotmail.com if I get at least 100 people we will do it. We should also do a fund raiser. I am up to 35 people already. If you care about humans than show it.

I will not shop at walmart any longer. I have been a previous employee who felt that something went wrong with this company a long time ago. I have still shopped there, but after this day, I will go to target or HEB in my area if I have to, or to the local shops. It maybe be a penny or two more exensive on food items, but I will pay it from here forward.

Maybe they give a damn about their employees.

Once again, how can someone donate? Is their a fund set up. I read through the posts and found no mention or how to donate to this.

Pertenecemos a un grupo de Danza Azteca y estamos dipuestos a manifestarnos en la entrada de la tienda WalMart de San Jose Ca a protestar por esta injusticia y a exigir a Walmart que ayude a esta pobre familia , que donen ese dinero al fondo financiero de el esposo , esto nos demuestra la mesquindad de WalMart .

Pertenecemos a un grupo de Danza Azteca y estamos dipuestos a manifestarnos en la entrada de la tienda WalMart de San Jose Ca a protestar por esta injusticia y a exigir a Walmart que ayude a esta pobre familia , que donen ese dinero al fondo financiero de el esposo , esto nos demuestra la mesquindad de WalMart .

Pertenecemos a un grupo de Danza Azteca y estamos dipuestos a manifestarnos en la entrada de la tienda WalMart de San Jose Ca a protestar por esta injusticia y a exigir a Walmart que ayude a esta pobre familia , que donen ese dinero al fondo financiero de el esposo , esto nos demuestra la mesquindad de WalMart .

HOW CAN WE DONATE TO DEBBIE SHANKS?

Obviously, I will NEVER shop at a WalMart again, regardless of what they offer.

I saw the comment about not donating because it could end up in WalMart’s hands.

NONSENSE - a “special needs trust” needs to be established in Debbie’s state.  WalMart couldn’t touch it or the $ it would generate.  If she were in NJ, I’d volunteer to set it up - won’t someone do it?

David Perry Davis, Esq.

I have just learned that Wal Mart has dropped its claims on the settlement of its suit. Wal Mart says that “others have helped us step back” and reverse course. Congratulations to all who put pressure on this retail giant. I was inspired by the letters on this page to enter into an e mail dialogue with the Wal-Mart Corporate Contact Point on its webpage. I must say that the Wal-Mart representatives responded quickly and honestly and cited the corporation’s legal responsibility to recover monies used in cases like this for the further benefit of the rest of its employees. They were polite and so was I, but my theme was corporate greed and my suggestion was that their millionaire execs donate to the Bank of America fund Wal-Mart set up as a way of being both legally responsible while exercising care for those upon whom Wal-Mart fortunes are built.

If you shop at Wal-Mart you are supporting everything they do!

Common Sense(Cents): That is so very ,very true. It is an implied agreement. By underwriting this corporation,it is in essence expressing approval for its practices.We can’t be part of a solution,when we continue to contribute to the problem.

my thoughts are this the problem with wal mart lays in its higher ups they all need to be locked in a room some where and be made to watch the part from the morgan freeman movie lean on me when he and the assistant principal where in the hall way and she told him he was stepping down the necks of the verry ones that did care think of it like this walmart was the principal in the movie just going along stepping down employees necks she let him know it was cruel and not fair now in the movie after he gave some thought to what she had said we as the consumers need to be that assistant in the movie and let walmart know that they cant step down employees or any one else neck for that matter.

but also the trucking compay is mostly to blame.

I was very happy and relieved that Wal-Mart came to their
senses and did the right thing! I am still embarressed and ashamed that the company I work for would have even contemplated acting in such a repulsive manner.
Speaking of repulsive, this brings me to Mr. Graham. I would like to know how Mr. Murice Graham can sleep at night. He is their attorney and he took over half of this woman’s settlement. The money Wal-Mart was after would have gone back into the associates health insurance fund.....which by the way, I am not aware of any associate that wanted it back.The money Mr. Graham took went directly to his own wallet.
What Mr. Graham did does not excuse what Wal-Mart did, it just means that Wal-Mart was third in line,behind the truck company and Mr. Graham to abuse and kick this family while they were down.
Hope he enjoys spending her money!!!!