(Note: A version of this post originally appeared at PinkoMag.com.
Whole Foods CEO John Mackey has struck a nerve with his op-ed for the Wall Street Journal trashing President Obama's healthcare proposals. In his op-ed, Mackey writes that "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 move us much closer to a government takeover of our health-care system."
Well.
Whole Foods was already a big, big problem, especially on labor issues, where Mackey has been a leading opponent of the Employee Free Choice Act and compared unionization to "herpes." But on health care he's just lying. His op-ed propagates several lies and half-truths about the health care plan:
That argument ignores countless realities of our society, from pollution to food/drink additives to a (still) severe lack of access to healthy, affordable food for many Americans. It's odd that the lifestyle Mackey espouses and his Whole Foods brand embodies -- organic, natural, healthy, sustainable -- is repeatedly undercut by the political platform he embraces: antagonism towards environmental regulation; a failure to confront the dominance of mass-scale factory farming and agriculture; and an unwillingness to confront urban poverty, where the problem of "food access" is the worst.
Mackey argues vigorously against the "health care as a human right" or moral case for health care, which I imagine puts him at odds with 80% of his customers.
Some people today have argued that what's really galling is how dramatically Mackey's op-ed betrayed and antagonized his own customers. That he doesn't understand his brand, and he's swatting at a hornets nest by being so vocal against health care. DailyKos had a useful piece; the great blog Fair Food Fight is all over this.
I also saw several posts that went into more detail about whether or not Whole Foods is bad for workers, and how the health care proposals Mackey is espousing are bad for the employees he claims to be taking good care of. That is up for debate; I've seen arguments for both sides of the issue, and I'll try to do a followup that goes into more detail this week.
To me, it's pretty basic: Mackey is working to oppose things I believe in, so I should stop giving him money. That's not easy: I spend a lot of money on food. I also spend a lot of money at Whole Foods. Being inside Whole Foods comforts me, and I'm susceptible to the (false) idea that just by shopping there, whatever I buy, I'll be healthier. I'm that guy. I could eat the their prepared chicken salad and those slabs of pizza all day. I worship those free sample prosciutto slices.
But now that Mackey has confirmed for me that my money is going to support deregulation of the insurance industry, lies about the current health care proposal, and a crusade to lecture people who can't access or can't afford healthy food, I'm just not going to go there. I'll have to take my Nation tote bag somewhere else, and then binge eat someone else's prepared flank steak instead.
The bottom line for me, reading Mackey's op-ed, is that by shopping at Whole Foods I'm supporting by proxy a donation to the RNC and to health-scare front groups like Patients First. I don't give money to anyone who injects misleading right-wing talking points into the public debate, so I won't be giving money to Whole Foods.
Two quick updates:
First, it's been pointed out that Mackey is a Libertarian. I have a lot of angry comments that I'm calling him a Republican when that's not his affiliation, and the only campaign contributions I found for him are to Libertarian candidates. My point, though, is that with his op-ed, Mackey is injecting in a high-profile way some of the very same half-truths and scare tactics that the R.N.C., leading Republicans and anti-reform lobbyists are using to mislead the public about health care reform.
Additionally, Mackey's "solution" hews very closely to the Republican health care plan presented in early August. His take varies, but the central tenant of deregulation is common to both his and Republican platforms. I don't think we should be deregulating the insurance industry or health care.
So whatever his affiliation at present, his role in this debate is parroting and advancing the current Republican lines of attack.
Second, I wanted to provide some links and resources:
Here is the Facebook group urging a boycott. There are over 10,000 members so far.
Here is a petition via Care2.com.
Here is a roundup of media coverage and information on boycott actions at local Whole Foods.
Here is some interesting perspective from Matthew Yglesias on the efficacy of a boycott.
Finally, you can call or write Whole Foods Corporate Offices at:
601 North Lamar St. Suite 300
Austin, TX 78703
512-477-4455
512-477-1069 Fax
Check Whole Foods website for more addresses: http://www.wholefoods.com/company/locations/body/offices.html
Follow Ben Wyskida on Twitter: www.twitter.com/wyskida
Dave Murphy: So You Want Health Care Reform? Boycotting Whole Foods Won't Help
A boycott of Whole Foods won't make a difference on health care, and it might actually hurt something progressives care about -- organic and natural farmers.
Whole Foods is in a whole lot of trouble
Whole Foods Boycott is Destined to be Fruitless: In Corporate ...
I just realized something though, in reading this article and that is that shopping at Whole Foods became chic (like those big giant expensive sunglasses and SUV's). Sometimes if you believe in something, you have to let go. I am a true believer in that if a company's ideals go against my ideals, I have to cut ties (now that may mean I will have to start making my own clothes and growiing my own food), but I think this is an integrity issue. Yes I believe in free speech. It's just that now that I know what the belief system is, I'm not down.
Instead of labeling Mr. Mackey, wouldn't it be more informative to tell us why you disagree with him?
Is accusing him of agreeing with the RNC and Mr. Bush the best response you can muster?
If you want to disagree with Mr. Mackey's message, that's great. But attacking him, and his company, seems a lot closer to intolerance than enlightened discourse or good journalism.
Senate Speech 10 October 2002, by Hillary Clinton.
"I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration you're not patriotic. We should stand up and say, "We are Americans and we have a right to debate and disagree with any administration!"
I'm an American and I have a right to debate and disagree with any administration just like Senator Clinton!
So for Russel Mokhiber, an attorney who is very angry and mad because a CEO doesn't agree with him is very childish in my opinion. And not every employee in Whole Foods agrees with him either. Not only is he is against people that disagree with him, but also embellishing the true facts as well.
The reason to shop at WF vs. another chain is simple; improving personal health by purchasing and eating higher quality and "cleaner" foods. All off the other stuff is a bunch of extraneous junk marketed to champagne liberals. To think otherwise is simply a self-indulgent delusion, typical of post-hippie boomers. Feel free to file it with recycling bins, Lexus SUV hybrids, and bottled water. Additionally, just because a food is organic doesn't necessarily equate to healthy and nutritious. A donut is still a donut even when it's organic and locally sourced. You are just avoiding things like corn syrup.
Additionally, Mackey is a professed Libertarian and his views strongly represent that. Just because Republicans have co-opted some Libertarian concepts does not mean he is an obstructionist Republican. Whether or not you agree with his political views is your problem. He has his views. He believes in small government. You do not. Apparently, dissenting opinions have been disallowed now that Obama is here.
Frankly, there ARE serious problems with Obama's plan. It does little to address spiraling costs created by insurance, pharmaceuticals and litigation. WIthout reforms to address costs, a national healthcare plan will bankrupt the government. Though his solutions are debatable, Mackey raises valid points. The simple issue of Americans spending the most on healthcare and getting less should be at the forefront.
I actually WORK at WF, and while I DO NOT AGREE one single bit with the article Mackey put out(he invalidated himself immediately by calling this reform socialism), I will tell you all that we actually do have our health care paid in full(If you have over 800 service hours with the company) which is a blessing. But for those who are planning to boycott, please remember that it is not Mackey you are hurting, it is us, the little people. The ones who make your latte in the morning, the ones who pack up your chicken salad in the afternoon, those are the ones you will be hurting. And most of my friends are on the same page, they believe in Health Care REFORM! In fact, we were just speaking of it today. At my store, I was, and still AM, the Obama lady. I campaigned for Obama with everything in me, so this Op-Ed piece from Mackey was sort of a giant slap in the face to me. I guess I am guilty of being ignorant and assuming(yup, I know what happens when we assume...)that the CEO of the company and myself held the same political views, because, in this case, health care for every American should be a right NOT a privilege. He cares about the Earth, so he must care about every American. Well, it made sense in my head, anyways. ...
I can't say I'll never shop there again (since I already have significant dietary restrictions), but I will only shop there for those items that I cannot find anywhere else... and those items are very few.
Finally... both on health care reform and the employee free choice act! How wrong can one unenlightened CEO be? Pretty damned wrong, apparently.
The CEO of Whole Foods is an example of "I've got mine, why don't you go ahead and die and decrease the surplus population?" thinking.
I recently wrote a blog article about this and irradiation. While I don't support the views of the CEO of WHole Foods, I support their efforts to change the corporate model of food.....pushing local food and strong food labeling. Republican or not, he has a point. Healthy Care is being taken care of half assed. The bid for health care was won by the prescription drug companies and lost by health insurance companies. Is it that progressive, not really. Lets move to the next debate.
Read more at : www.TheYippie.com
"Let Food Sell THy Medicine" http://www.theyippie.com/TheYippie.com_/The_Yippie/Entries/2009/7/25_“Let_Food_Sell_Thy_Medicine”.htmll
This is a great chance to rethink the growth industry that is "whole foods." Ditto Trader Whoever He Is. Yes, that guy who is ripping off the grape growers and pickers. "Natural" and "organic" are being co-opted. I say keep it local, including your own local growers, your smaller food stores, your money. Find out where your food comes from. Do you like hearing that your "energy bar" comes from an uninspected food processing plant in China? Forget about conglomerates. They are robbers. The locals need your business.
Second, Whole Foods is a grocery store people. A grocery store. Refusing to shop at a Grocery store will do nothing to change minds or to push people with political power towards health reform. While the liberals get angry at Whole Foods, the Democrats in Congress and the White House are busy removing the public option from health care reform. So whats your response now? Pretty lame, blame a conservative while liberals have majorities in Congress and the White House. And I bet all of you "liberal tea partiers" shop at stores that sell clothes and shoes from third world factories; buy kitchen products made in China; drive cars built in Mexico and Canada; but someone you have superior views.