by David Safier
We've got a new Whole Foods in town — Grand Opening yesterday. The market is a favorite of the yuppie and health-conscious crowd. If you're a health conscious yuppie who thinks food is better if you pay more for it, Whole Foods is definitely your kind of store.
Just realize, though, Whole Foods founder John Mackey may not share your world view. He said in an NPR interview yesterday that the Affordable Care Act is fascism. This, apparently, is a correction of an earlier statement where he said it's socialism. Single payer would be socialism because it's government run. The current form of "Obamacare" is fascism because it's the government controlling the means of production.Thanks for the clarification, John.
Mackey is a healthy foods guy, a vegan who even avoids oils, and so he likes what Michelle Obama is doing to promote better eating habits, but beyond that, he wants government to keep its hands off of damn near everything. His answer to the mandates in the new health care law is that he's going to have to cut people's hours so they don't qualify for health care or stick employees with the extra cost by cutting their salary or benefits.
The guy has a right to his opinion, and everyone has the right to shop at his markets. But I think I'll stick with Sprouts and Trader Joes, which carry similar goods. I'm sure those two aren't perfect employers, but I can't stomach the idea of supporting someone like Mackey.
This is why I shop at Sunflower ( now Sprouts) instead of Whole Paycheck. The added benefit of spending a lot less money is merely gravy.
Mackey’s statements may prove to be bad timing for the opening of a new Whole Foods store in Tucson.
Thanks for bringing this to public attention, David. I might otherwise not have known and unknowingly supported this guy Mackey. Uggh!
And he said that the increased costs for Obamacare would NOT come from increased prices, but from the labor pool. You’re a heck of a boss, John Mackey.
If Costco can provide employees with benefits, why does Whole Foods find it objectionable? Well, I find them and their attitude towards employees objectionable and, thank you, I’ll spend my $$$ elsewhere! If the CEO “regrets” comparing Obamacare to “Fascism” 2013, I find him objectionable and deplore his attitude toward his employees welfare! Frankly, I am just plain sick and tired of the entitled elitism of some company heads – it’s downright UnAmerican!
Do you find John Mackey’s company to be scorn worthy because he accurately describes Obamacare (otherwise known as Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) or because he doesn’t accurately describes it?
Given the fact that PPACA exempts part time workers from certain regulatory mandates should we scorn the people that wrote the law and not the people who have to cope with it?
“Whole Foods CEO John Mackey Says He Regrets Comparing Obamacare To ‘Fascism'” 2013
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/17/whole-foods-fascism_n_2496603.html
“The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare” 2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204251404574342170072865070.html