The Empire Strikes Back

A statement from Wal-Mart:

Critics haven't offered any solutions for working families

More than 100 million Americans shop at Wal-Mart every week, and they're tuning out groups like Wal-Mart Watch, Wake-Up Wal-Mart and their union benefactors.

Working families haven't heard a single idea from these groups -- no solutions, no vision, just criticism. But what they're hearing from Wal-Mart are solutions to the challenges facing working families.

In recent days, we've learned from Global Insights, one of the world's most respected economic research, analysis and forecasting companies, that Wal-Mart saves the average American household more than $2,300 per year.

We've announced environmental initiatives that will reduce greenhouse gases at our current facilities by 20 percent within seven years. And early indications are that our new health benefits will cover an additional 100,000 Wal-Mart associates and family members.

Have the negative attacks of the "no-idea critics" saved working families any hard-earned money? Have the negative attacks created a single job? Have the negative attacks reduced greenhouse gases? Have the negative attacks helped any families get health insurance?

Without a single idea, the critics are just talking to the critics. And the American people aren't taking them seriously. We at Wal-Mart pledge to continue talking with our associates, our customers and communities all across America about how we can offer solutions to the challenges we all face together.