Whole Foods Fight

New York Times ^ | August 17, 2009

[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.

[pmac]

I dont have a Whole Foods any near our place, but my sister does so I sent a couple of hundred to buy me some stuff.
Got to support this guy.

[9YearLurker]

“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?”

So true!

[Mrs. Don-o]

I wish there were one within 50-100 miles of me (there isn’t.) I’d at least buy something small, like a ginger root or a package of yogurt starter. Wish they did mail order. I’d love to support them.

[muir_redwoods]

Mackey’s ideas are sound and seem well thought out as opposed to the knee-jerk government solution the left supports. He’s a self-described lower-case “L” libertarian and these ideas are a whole lot better than the crap the democrats have come up with and mostly better than what the republicans have as well.

[gloworm]

The last time I was at Whole Foods, I was looking for a special type of cheese. I found it, but I saw so many people with Obama shirts it just grated on me. I put the cheese back and vowed not to go back. Maybe I’ll go back and get that cheese now being I won’t have to see those pesky people anymore.

[Fledermaus]

Actually you are incorrect. They are actually given a small microchip in the lobe of the brain that controls intelligence and directs them to repeat satellite transmitted crap from the DNC.

If we can just isolate the frequency and jam it.....

[Tanniker Smith]

This is why all the tinfoil is made from aluminum these days.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

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.

The meats and poultry at Whole Foods are worth the extra cost over traditional supermarket places like Star Market or Stop and Shop and their counterparts elsewhere. It's free ranging,not pumped up with hormones, and less fatty. It tastes better and is better for you.

[SamAdams76]

I hope that the liberals really do boycott Whole Foods as it would make my shopping experience there that much more pleasurable. But somehow, I can't imagine these limousine liberals trekking over to the Stop & Shop to get their daily dose of belgian endive and smelly French cheese. So I guess I'm going to be still stuck with that miserable, hairy, sandal-wearing crowd every Saturday morning as I fill my cart with Whole Food product.

This "Whole Paycheck" thing is a misnomer if you actually shop there for normal things. The produce and dairy sections are excellent and comparable in price to regular supermarkets - only the food is of much higher quality. Just stay away from the exotic yuppie stuff and keep away from the prepared food section and you should protect your wallet quite nicely. As a general rule, I avoid any product that brags on their labeling that 10% of their profits go to some "save the whale" or "feed starving children in Somalia" project and I do okay.

Also, any label that mentions "global warming" or "carbon credit offset" stays out of my basket as well. And when the cashier patronizingly asks me if I brought my own bags for the groceries to save on paper, I tell them no and then I'm sure to tell the bagger to double-bag my stuff.