Whole Foods CEO says Obama healthcare law is 'more like fascism'

The Hill ^ | 01/16/2013 | Elise Viebeck

[SeekAndFind]

The CEO of Whole Foods Market said President Obama's healthcare law is more like "fascism" than "socialism," a parallel he drew in 2009, to some backlash.

John Mackey made the remark in an interview Wednesday with NPR.

"Technically speaking, it's more like fascism," Mackey said of the Affordable Care Act. "Socialism is where the government owns the means of production. In fascism, the government doesn't own the means of production, but they do control it, and that's what's happening with our healthcare programs and these reforms."

The term "fascism" was first used to describe the right-wing regime of Italian leader Benito Mussolini, and was later applied to the Nazis and the authoritarian leadership of Francisco Franco in Spain.

Mackey made headlines in 2009 for a Wall Street Journal op-ed that compared healthcare reform to socialism.

[Mr. Jeeves]

You know, Romney really didn’t have to say anything at the debates - just show up with a posterboard with those three pictures on it and smile meaningfully at Obama. It would have been so easy to win, had that been his actual mission. :)

[DesertRhino]

The clientele probably did vote Obama. They were in shock when the owner came out hard against Obamacare. And that guy has a reputation for treating his employees very well.
Proving that no amount of classic good treatment of employees matters to the emerging dictatorship.

[Carry_Okie]

Earth to Mackey: Fascism IS a form of socialism. Go find a mirror. That’s you.

[KarlInOhio]

The term "fascism" was first used to describe the right-wing regime of Italian leader Benito Mussolini, and was later applied to the Nazis and the authoritarian leadership of Francisco Franco in Spain.

Right-wing? Odd, considering that Mussolini came from the Italian socialist party and was even the editor of their newspaper Avanti! (Forward! hmm, who used the slogan "forward" in the recent campaign?). He split from the socialist party over whether Italy should be neutral in WW I or should attack to reclaim land from Austria-Hungary, not over basic ideology or economics.

[uncommonsense]

"The term "fascism" was first used to describe the right-wing regime of Italian leader Benito Mussolini, and was later applied to the Nazis and the authoritarian leadership of Francisco Franco in Spain"

This statement shows a complete failure of our education system and conservative discourse. Fascism IS NOT "RIGHT WING", it is LEFT WING. The left side of the political spectrum is complete central government ownership and control through unelected officials. The extreme right side of the spectrum is anarchy - no government laws or control. Fascism is just slightly to the right of communism, but way to the left of a constitutional republic, which is the best form of representative government that recognizes and protects unalienable individual rights. A constitutional republic does not allow "the tyranny of the masses" to exist (i.e. Democracy - being able to vote into existence laws that infringe on the unalienable rights of the minority).

[MWestMom]

This is extremely interesting coming from the CEO of Whole Foods. In most of the Whole Foods in my area, this market is sort of like a major Democrat/left wing gathering spot. The employees seem rather far left as well. It’s too bad the views of the CEO don’t filter down to the employees and customers of Whole Foods.

---

Same here. I may have to rethink my shopping strategy if that’s how their CEO thinks. Would be fun to invade the store as conservatives anyway, humming patriotic tunes, watching the liberals scatter out of my way waving their fingers at me in the sign of the evil eye. Delicious fun!

[norton]

If the era of modern pubic relations began in the late fifties or early sixties you could be right. I got that "Socialism left - Fascism right" illustration in high school and later got in trouble for suggesting that they close the circle by joining the two ends.

As another response noted, Goldberg did a great job of illustrating commonalities between Hitler, Roosevelt, Stalin, and Benito,
sadly, he wrote his book pre Obama.

[waredbird]

I agree. If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, it’s a duck. Call a spade a spade. Whoops. PC slip there.

[HomeAtLast]

right-wing regime of Italian leader Benito Mussolini

LOL. Mussolini was a socialist through and through. Fascism is just socialism with a little less pixie dust about "equality."

[alphadoggie]

Good for him. Guess I’m going to have to stop in and buy some kale chips or something.

[alphadoggie]

Good for him. Guess I’m going to have to stop in and buy some kale chips or something.

[hattend]

But then, “El Douche” is no Il Duce.

[The Sons of Liberty]

Whole Foods in my area is frequented by old hippies and I have no doubt that the management are staunch 0bamunists.

[Varda]

The upper managment at Whole Foods is conservative. Their clientele are looney lefties. Most don't know.

[bicyclerepair]

I love WF. Wish I could afford to buy food though.

[SLB]

Love pulling into the WF parking lot in my Yukon with NRA sticker in the window along with Vietnam Veteran decal and parking beside a Prius with an “O” bumper sticker. What is best is to park between them and the store so they can’t find their car.

WF is supposed to be a great place to work as management actually cares about the employees.

[HereInTheHeartland]

I will have to go there again

[Varda]

It’s expensive because they cater to people who believe in “organic” eating. That’s not me so I don’t go.

[JohnBovenmyer]

Obama = Il Dunce