Strand, on your previous points, it's hard to take issue with what you said. But I bet the average mom and pop store owner is not taking home 400 times the pay of his/her rank and file worker, as CEOs of large corporations do. Therein the lack of proportion, and therefore, ubridled greed. It's obscene.
This morning I heard on NPR that the House is considering a bill pushed by the Bush fascists to change the rules governing how overtime pay works. The result if this passes: The workers get screwed again.
Isn't it interesting that whenever a raise of minimum wage, or something of the kind, comes up, the Republicans always insist that it's going to put small businesses out of business? Then they turn around and do everything in their power to help big industry, which often is bent on sending small business to the bankruptcy court. Walmart's shady business practices and deplorable employee treatment are well-documented. If you're in a town where Walmart is your only choice, well, what are you gonna do? But if you have choices, avoid it like the plague.