Recently, Whole Foods' CEO John Mackey wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal saying that we needed the more conservative style of health care reform. My quotes here are from the version he sent into the WSJ and posted on his blog.
"While we clearly need health care reform, the last thing our country needs is a massive new health care entitlement that will create hundreds of billions of dollars of new unfunded deficits and moves us much closer to a complete governmental takeover of our health care system. Instead, we should be trying to achieve reforms by moving in the exact opposite direction-toward less governmental control and more individual empowerment."
"While all of us can empathize with those who are sick, how can we say that all people have any more of an intrinsic right to health care than they have an intrinsic right to food, clothing, owning their own homes, a car or a personal computer?"
I personally disagree with him. But that's not what matters. What matters is, being the CEO of Whole Foods he is representing his company when saying this. And I don't think this is what Whole Foods stands for. And I am sure this is not what its customers stand for. So, I think we should all boycott Whole Foods, or write letters to the editor of the Wall Street Journal, or protest outside of our local Whole Foods until John Mackey apologizes for using the power of his company to influence others.
Also, Whole Foods is a monopoly. It drives local companies out of business and charges insane rates for foods that you could get from local health food stores for much less. Imagine, with Whole Foods gone, our local economy would be so much better off. So, really, you don't have to stop protesting when he apologizes.
M
