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Whole Foods Fight
New York Times ^ | August 17, 2009

Posted on 08/17/2009 2:44:02 PM PDT by reaganaut1

Of all the sideshows to the Great 2009 Health Care Debate, the Whole Foods boycott may take the prize as the most unexpected.

Last Wednesday, John Mackey, the chief executive of Whole Foods, took to the pages of The Wall Street Journal to opine that “we clearly need health care reform,” but arguing against the solutions being put forward by the administration: “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.”

Mackey went on to offer eight ideas for reforms, including these four:

Remove the legal obstacles that slow the creation of high-deductible health insurance plans and health savings accounts (HSAs).

Repeal all state laws which prevent insurance companies from competing across state lines.

Enact tort reform to end the ruinous lawsuits that force doctors to pay insurance costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

Revise tax forms to make it easier for individuals to make a voluntary, tax-deductible donation to help the millions of people who have no insurance and aren’t covered by Medicare, Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Reaction from pro-reform Whole Foods shoppers was swift and vociferous. As Brian Beutler noted the next day at TPM DC, Whole Food’s “Web site has been fielding angry comments all afternoon, and has had to set up an online forum where customers can vent their frustrations, and, oh, call for a boycott!”

“Here’s a thought,” added Beutler. “If you own a major supermarket chain that caters to a great deal of liberal-minded people with money, don’t rail against the evils of health care reform in The Wall Street Journal.

(Excerpt) Read more at opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: healthcare; liberals; wholefoods
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Mackey's suggestions make sense to me, although I would not count on liberals donating lots of their own money to fund health care for the uninsured.
1 posted on 08/17/2009 2:44:02 PM PDT by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

I shopped at Whole Foods today for the first time in ages.

Give this guy some support for having the courage to talk common sense. No wonder his company makes money.


2 posted on 08/17/2009 2:47:51 PM PDT by Jedidah ("Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana)
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To: reaganaut1

More proof this issue has nothing to do with “lowering the cost of health care”. How can anyone who shops at Whole Foods complain about the cost of ANYTHING?


3 posted on 08/17/2009 2:48:27 PM PDT by VisualizeSmallerGovernment
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To: reaganaut1

I would like to support the guy, but a store that charges $13 for a lb of sliced turkey should be avoided. Its not called Whole Check for nothing.


4 posted on 08/17/2009 2:49:11 PM PDT by samadams2000 (Someone important make......The Call!)
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To: reaganaut1

Here’s a thought, Buttler. Cram it down your pie-hole.


5 posted on 08/17/2009 2:49:37 PM PDT by Rastus
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To: reaganaut1

When the Dixie Chicks bit the hand that fed them, the NYT was all up in arms about conservative country fans being too hard on them. That they had a right to speak their minds without fear or alienating their fans.

Turn the situation around and they tell the conservative he should shut up rather than alienate his customers.

Notice they didn’t take time to discuss his ideas. Do they have merit?


6 posted on 08/17/2009 2:50:04 PM PDT by Brookhaven (Film everything and put it on YouTube.)
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To: reaganaut1

Unreal. Mackey wasn’t partisan, strident or in any way unfair or bombastic. He offered a reasonable, rational alternative to the ridiculous Democratic healthcare plan. This shows how Stalinist and intolerant the Democratic party has become. They can’t even deal with substantive opposition even as they dishonestly claim their only problem is with the boisterous townhall protesters, not with intelligent and considered opposition. These boycott threats put the lie to that claim.

Oh, and I’ll be INCREASING my business at Whole Foods.


7 posted on 08/17/2009 2:50:18 PM PDT by MissesBush
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To: reaganaut1

I have done the majority of our grocery shopping at Whole Foods for 20 years.

Great products

Great service


8 posted on 08/17/2009 2:52:25 PM PDT by trumandogz (The Democrats are driving us to Socialism at 100 MPH -The GOP is driving us to Socialism at 97.5 MPH)
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To: VisualizeSmallerGovernment
How can anyone who shops at Whole Foods complain about the cost of ANYTHING?

All of the times that I've shopped at Whole Paycheck(tm) recently, I was using OPM to purchase meal preps for parties that I cooked for.

It's not so bad shopping there when it's someone else's (customer's) plastic that gets the charge. ;)

/johnny

9 posted on 08/17/2009 2:56:13 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (God Bless us all, each, and every one.)
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To: reaganaut1
I read his suggestions, and they made great sense, which is why the left is vilifying him.

/johnny

10 posted on 08/17/2009 2:59:07 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (God Bless us all, each, and every one.)
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To: samadams2000

Yeah, but the cheese, selection and produce are something, I must say. They have aged steaks, which is almost unheard of anymore. Celery tastes like celery. Even for this codger, it’s...

Now I am hungry. Just the thought of those tarts. (as in real bakery tarts....)


11 posted on 08/17/2009 2:59:18 PM PDT by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Fili et Spiritus Sancti.)
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To: reaganaut1
They opened a new store near me a couple of years ago. Out of curiosity I went to check it out. The store stank, and everything was over priced. I wound up buying a sack of cat food and left. The cat wouldn't eat the stuff. never again will I go to Hippie Foods.
12 posted on 08/17/2009 2:59:55 PM PDT by BigCinBigD ('Evil white devil since 1960')
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To: trumandogz
I have done the majority of our grocery shopping at Whole Foods for 20 years.

Great products

Great service

Same here. Just got back in fact.

13 posted on 08/17/2009 3:01:43 PM PDT by FTJM
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To: reaganaut1
Photobucket
14 posted on 08/17/2009 3:05:17 PM PDT by Huskrrrr
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To: reaganaut1

Aw, I was expecting a story about people slinging organic produce at each other.


15 posted on 08/17/2009 3:08:23 PM PDT by Julia H. (Be heard or be herded.)
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To: Jedidah

Im going too, and telling them why!


16 posted on 08/17/2009 3:09:40 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs earn the title of "man's best friend", Muslims hate dogs,,add that up.)
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To: reaganaut1
the bums that are complaining don't have any money anyway so if they stop shopping at Whole Foods, thats more stuff for the rest of us that work for a living. If you are careful you can get great deals there. If you just go thru the rows and grab stuff that looks good be prepared to shell out. The one here in Sherman Oaks make the best sandwich's anywhere for a good price
17 posted on 08/17/2009 3:11:02 PM PDT by sfvgto (Washington D.C. is a great place to live...........if you are a cockroach)
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To: reaganaut1

It’s because liberals only think in slogans, chants and sound bites. They can’t handle anything more in-depth.


18 posted on 08/17/2009 3:12:13 PM PDT by Tanniker Smith (Obi-Wan Palin: Strike her down and she shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.)
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To: reaganaut1

... and catch-phrases. Forgot the catchphrases.


19 posted on 08/17/2009 3:12:49 PM PDT by Tanniker Smith (Obi-Wan Palin: Strike her down and she shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.)
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To: reaganaut1

I call it “Whole Paychecks” since it’s so expensive. But I’ll be shopping there once in while just to give them my support.


20 posted on 08/17/2009 3:33:23 PM PDT by LiberConservative (OneBigAssMistakeAmerica)
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