Posted on 09/05/2018 3:14:03 PM PDT by Kaslin
Not all forays into politics are equal. Two companies in the news in the past few days highlight this lesson. The Silent Majority has spoken. This is the story of In-n-Out versus Nike.
Let’s start with In-n-Out Burgers. Liberals decided to call for a national boycott because In-n-Out committed the “sin” of donating to the GOP. How idiotic is the idea of boycotting a company for making a political donation? Almost every company, even the small businesses you buy from, is run by someone who has a political opinion.
Having that opinion is protected by free speech clause of the U.S. Constitution. It’s what America is all about. It’s what so many millions of young Americans have died for on bloody battlefields all over the world.
Most businesses, or their CEOs give political donations. Again, that is protected by free speech. Again, that is as American as apple pie. Most of us never know who the businesses we buy from donates to. Or care. If I like a product, I’ll buy it. I don’t care who you donate to. But boycotting businesses who give to the GOP is idiotic.
First, the GOP controls the Presidency, Senate, House, a large majority of Governors, Lt. Governors and state legislatures. In short, the GOP dominates America. As a matter of fact, polling proves “conservatives” outnumber “liberals” in 47 out of 50 states.
Yet liberals and the liberal media paint us as either “extreme” “racist” “Nazis” or criminals. Liberals are kidding themselves. Pure delusion. Our views are common sense and mainstream. You’re the radical extreme ones. You’re the ones who are out of touch. Fact- we are “the Silent Majority.”
Secondly, the GOP is pro-business, pro-Capitalism, and as Trump has proven (just like Reagan before him) great for the economy, jobs, small business and the average middle class American worker. So, how can it be a “sin” for a business to donate to the GOP. We are benefiting from GOP policies. So are the majority of our customers. That’s precisely why consumer confidence is the highest in 18 years.
Thirdly, polls prove small business owners are the 2nd most optimistic in modern history. Only Reagan made them happier and that was almost four decades ago. Like it or not, the owner of almost every small business you buy from is a Republican and fan of Trump.
So, you think you’re going to boycott all 28 million small businesses in America? For donating to the party that’s great for the economy, helps our businesses succeed? Good luck.
That could be why the In-n-Out boycott failed so disastrously. No one cares about a political donation.
But now we come to corporation number two. Nike. They just made a disastrous decision. And they will pay for it with a massive sales decline and billions in lost stock value. Nike may have fatally damaged itself this week.
Nike didn’t make a political donation. I couldn’t care less about that. But Nike just made former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick the face of their company. That is a combination of stupid, ignorant, offensive and tragic. Nike just sided with what half of America (and all 63 million Trump voters) thinks is a vile, ungrateful, America-hater. Now that’s bad business.
Nike didn’t make a political donation. I couldn’t care less about that. But Nike just made former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick the face of their company. That is a combination of stupid, ignorant, offensive and tragic. Nike just sided with what half of America (and all 63 million Trump voters) thinks is a vile, ungrateful, America-hater. Now that’s bad business.
Just choked me up.
Why do you subscribe to Fortune?
Thank you for your service.
It was my privilege. Thank you.
They are now having some lines made in Ireland, UK and USA.
I subscribe for two things: 1) their annual Fortune 500 report and 2) the fantastic stories the best writers produce in terms of style and content. Unfortunately those stories are getting rarer and rarer.
So for $10 a year, it’s worth getting the 12 issues to find at least one good story in a 120 page issue. Back in their heyday, they would publish thick 250 page issues and they would publish every two weeks.
Don't think..I will ever own NIKE stock...might short it though.
They have really made a bad choice...in my opinion.
Could careless...hope they swallow their cud....
Depends on the style...and the shoe.
They aren’t good shoes. My college coach would take those of us who wanted good trainers to a store that was specifically for runners. I don’t think they even carried Nike.
I had worn Nike trainers and spikes all through high school. One practice in a good shoe and I’ve never worn them since.
Well marketed junk.
Understand.........
Screw that bastard. He makes me puke. He was a lousy player with big fricken ugly hair. He is all gone!! His IQ is 65. Trump won and today!! Kavanaugh who was great. He will soon stop women and co conspirator murderers from killing GOD’S babies!!
Nike took a gamble that it would make more profit selling ghetto shoes than a short term drop in the stock...take it from someone who worked on the stock exchange and has beat Wall Street many times over personally...they were too stupid to realize that when the mutual funds, insurance companies and other institutional investors see a huge mistake like this one, they will tell their people on the floor to get us out at any price, but just get us out now....and they will never buy the stock again. End of story!
That was the greatest single worst corporate move in the history of mankind. The stock devastation was 4 BILLION dollars? Holy mother of Gawd!!
No more Levi or Nike products in our house.
No I am not going to destroy the ones I already own — they will be used for dirty jobs where there is a chance they might be ruined. A fitting end for them.
But not another nickel to either company.
New Balance has shoes that are made in the US, but they are expensive.
Great post.
Thank you.
I’ve never bought Nike or Levis. They are way to expensive for me. And I refuse to pay for the name
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.