By Jenny Lee
See the hometown garden shop,
owned by local mom and pop.
Experts in the local shrubs,
aphids, molds and compost grubs.
They weren't what you'd consider wealthy
But the living made was healthy.
Then one day a Wal-Mart Store
Decided to move in next door
Selling diapers, screws and dishes
Everything a person wishes.
Including grass and garden seeds,
as well as stuff to poison weeds.
Rakes and shovels trowels and hoes,
tools for everything that grows.
Offering the lowest prices,
High school dropout help suffices.
Interest in the shop starts waning.
Their higher prices spark complaining.
Folks still stop in for advice.
But Wal-Mart's got the lowest price.
Soon old "Mom and Pop" must close it.
They can't compete and Wal-Mart knows it.
They sell off plants for half their cost.
Another local business lost.
When the shop closes its door
expert garden store know more,
Wal-Mart's lower prices rise.
Predatory scheme surprise.
Evolution's grim direction.
Darwin's natural selection.
I thought that this poem was quite appropiate, not only because its about economics, but also because of the new super Wal-Mart going up in Jefferson. Wal-Mart, a very well known monopoly, often puts local businesses out. BUT small towns like say Jefferson, see a Wal-Mart as a source of profit for their city overall. A super Wal-Mart is going to attract a lot of people to Jefferson. Those people are more likely to eat there after their shopping, or shop else where in Jefferson providing extra revenue. Wal-Mart also provides very low prices. Many families are able to shop at Wal-Mart and buy things that may have been too expensive elsewhere. It all basically boils down to the one point: Is a monopoly (Wal-Mart as an example), necessarily always a bad thing for an economy??? Just a little food for thought! :-)
