Whole Foods C.E.O. infuriates liberal customers by condemning universal health care

Why not have both? Why not for those who wish to have private health care pay for it, and what they pay for they’ll receive. And for those who want government-subsidized health care, let them get that and receive the services that the government is willing to pay for those services? Why does it have to be either/or. Why can’t it be both/and?

As a customer, I am glad that Whole Foods now has competitors. If Mr. Mackey wants to be a strict free-marketer, then he can deal with the consequences of me no longer buy his product. As a stock holder, I am livid that Mr. Mackey drags Whole Foods in the middle of a fight to advance his personal neo-conservative agenda. I will be selling my stock because the Whole Foods may not be able to financially survive sticking a fork in the eye of its customers. I will be shopping elsewhere, because I would rather give my money to a business that has a conscience.

As a CEO, this clown likes Ayn Rand because she says he should get whatever he wants.

Since, like most of these people, his view of the world is classically narcisitic and infantile, that’s good enough for him.

Whole Foods survives on the stupidity of the rich. It’s quality/price/performance ratio is pathetic.

Mr Mackey can keep his idiot opinions to himself.

It’s quite disappointing that they care more for the quality of life of animals that end up on their butcher blocks, than they do for the quality of life of the people in their stores. Guess I’ll be shopping with the competition (and probably saving money, too).

Of course there is no “right” to health care.

What there is, though, is something called the Common Good. When someone gets laid off from her job at Whole Foods and loses her health insurance, the price is paid for by her, but also by society in general through higher insurance costs due to the rise in emergency room visits by the uninsured.

Universal health care needs to happen not because it is a right, but because as a society we together believe that everyone should have access to at least a minimum level of medical assistance when they need it. It’s a moral issue.

As for Whole Foods, I’ve been a loyal customer because I thought they stood for things I believed in. Apparently I was mistaken: I will no longer step one foot inside Mr. Mackey’s stores.

What puzzles me is the disconnect people ignore every day between their spending and their politics. The overwhelming majority of both conservatives and liberals are angry with runaway corporate power, paying for corporate subsidies and more. Yet, to save a few bucks a week (if they don’t count their time and gas money) they’ll drive past their neighbors’ local businesses to give their money to the same corporate chains that then use the profits to further corrupt the system, take more subsidies…

I bookmarked an article that makes some nice points on this for anyone interested: http://freesmallbusinessresource.com/benefits-of-doing-business-locally/

Whole Foods has always been a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Upon moving into New York City about 10 years ago, they put almost all the organic, natural, health food stores out of business by offering an abundance of organic food at relatively low prices. As soon as the other stores were forced to close, WF’s prices went up and the amount of fresh, organic food plummeted. Their purveyors complain that WF builds up their business, causing them to increase their production capability, and then WF announces that they will only pay a much lower price for the product. It almost does not matter if the purveyor agrees to the low price, because WF will often knock-off the product and sell it under its own 365 brand. And let’s not forget how Mackey fraudulently used the internet to help lower the share price of Wild Oats so he could complete a hostile takeover. It is no surprise that he would take the position he has on health-care reform. I will no longer shop at Whole Foods.

My wife and I have been shopping at Whole Foods for some years now. We are also self-employed, and are having difficulty paying health insurance on our own. When the HMO got to be as high as our mortgage, we dropped it and bought catastrophic coverage, which means we now pay our own medical bills. If the sworn enemies of the USA (prisoners at Gitmo) get free health care, on my taxpayer dime, I don’t see anything wrong with hardworking citizens having the same option. I don’t see anyone in Congress complaining about the coverage they receive. I assume Mr. Mackey will also work hard along with his insurance company-owned right wing legislators to repeal Medicare. As long as insurance companies line the pockets of legislators, there will never be reform in this country. It is common knowledge that we are the only industrialized nation without universal health care. So, ALL of those other countries got it wrong? Yes, they have their issues. Filing bankruptcy to pay medical bills isn’t one of them. The American Health Care System shall continue. It’s called “Don’t Get Sick.” Since we no longer intend to put one penny of our hard-earned cash into the pocket of a right wing Palinista who will never know what it is like to struggle to pay health costs, we will never set foot in Whole Foods again.

Wow! Who would have thought that Whole Foods would have a level headed CEO? I will have to start shopping at Whole Foods to show my support for Mr. Mackey. I like his logical approach, i.e., healthcare reform rather then universal healthcare.

Universal healthcare is not a panacea, universal healthcare is Pandora’s box.

I have a funny feeling that youbetcha2012 might just be Mackey himself. This is exactly the kind of message he used to post to kill Wild Oat’s stock price in order to buy it cheap. Even if it’s not him, it may as well be…

I support Whole Foods and plan to increase my shopping there in support of John Mackey’s very well thought out editorial.

Bravo!

He speaks of many truths which are hard for people to hear but he hits the heart of many of our nations problems. I myself have questioned doctors and they all point to our nations problem with weight as being the major culprit in sky rocketing health care cost. It’s no secret that diet and working out prevent many health issues and in the long run keep medical expenses down.

I take issue with Obama’s plan that it does not promote rewards for healthy living.

Why can’t it be both?
– who is going to pay for the government one? The person who is getting the private plan will end up paying for someone else. This is the problem.
Why u think that i should subsidize someone’s health care who owns an iPhone but does not buy a health insurance by choice?
I work hard and I don’t want to pay for someone who partied or gulped booze when I was studying hard.
Does this answer your question?

As a CEO, this clown likes Ayn Rand because she says he should get whatever he wants.
—He is a successful CEO of a profitable company. If your are criticizing him then it is likely that you are a supporter of a public plan which means that you can’t even run your household.

Whole Foods survives on the stupidity of the rich. It’s quality/price/performance ratio is pathetic.

– Rich people are not stupid. It takes hard work and you have to be smart to be rich. If you made some choices and you are waiting for government hand out then my friend you made some stupid choices.

Mr Mackey can keep his idiot opinions to himself.
–And you can get a second job and buy your own health insurance.

It’s quite disappointing that they care more for the quality of life of animals that end up on their butcher blocks, than they do for the quality of life of the people in their stores.

–he is paying 100% of their premium and also gives them 1800/year in savings account. What are you complaining about? Stop complaining and improve your quality of life, stop expecting from other people.

Guess I’ll be shopping with the competition (and probably saving money, too).

–Yup save some money and buy your self a good health insurance. Government is their to help you pursue happiness, not to provide you with happiness.

How many developed countries do NOT provide universal care?

Maybe we should downgrade USA to be a developing country.

This is really disgraceful for USA.

– a reader from a developing country with universal care

Thanks for the compliment and I though for sure I would be receiving insults.

I have shopped @ Whole Foods for some time and will now increase my shopping there. I work in the health care industry and I agree with this CEO in that we have far too many folks in this country who believe “the government” (working people) should pay for the health care of 1) those who can work and don’t, 2) those who can afford coverage but remain uninsured 3)those who are not US citizens, and 4) for those who have chosen to live unhealthy lifestyles and develop medical conditions that cost huge sums of money to treat. The Medicare system was designed to assist those people who, due to age or disability, can no longer provide coverage for themselves through working and earning a living. The VA health care system rewards those who have stepped up to take the ultimate risk on behalf of all Americans. However, the burgeoning Medicaid rolls are another matter entirely. Until recent budget cuts, the Medicaid program in my state provided everything from diapers to Ensure nutritional supplements at no cost to the recipients. It may be a particularly foreign and painful truth to some folks in this country, but products and services cost money to produce and sell. And that includes health care. Yes, the health care system does need change – just not the kind of change President Obama appears to seek. Printing more paper money and taking from the “rich” producers in this country will most assuredly not produce a vibrant economy or compassionate assistance to those who are in true need. And as quoted by the Whole Foods CEO, at some point there will not be enough “rich” people’s money to provide for all the unemployed, uninsured people the the “rich” people can no longer afford to hire and pay and provide group insurance coverage to.

My wife and I have been shopping regularly at Whole Foods in Las Vegas for over 10 years. We sincerely thank the business CEO for providing his view of the health care issues facing the US. Since Mr. Mackey’s views appear to be a direct contradiction to the healthy living ideals that we have until now believed that their stores promote, my wife and I will be taking our business to another store.

We do not intend to continue to support a hypocritical business that believes more in lining their own pockets and shortchanging their employees health plans than in promoting the health and welfare of their customers and employees.

Perhaps Mr Mackey is not a very good reader, or thinker. While he is right that the Declaration of Indepenence and the Constitution do not mention healthcare, food or shelter, they also fail to mention capitalism, so should we do away with that as well? The Constitution is not designed to give the people any rights whatsoever. It spells out the roll of government, and the bill of rights is to insure some things that the goverment, under any circumstances, cannot mess with.

In the Declaration it states “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The keyword being among. We have certain unalienable rights, among them, not limited to, but as an example, the right to life, liberty, etc. Perhaps one cannot enjoy the unalienable right to life, or the pusuit of happiness with out food, shelter, and adequate healthcare. Who is Mr. Mackey to decide that I do not have these as unalienable rights anymore than I am to decide that he should not enjoy the fruits of capitalism just because it is not specifically found in the founding documents?

If WF charges too much or alienates their customers through shady business practices then a competitor will come in and steal their market away thanks to the free market. No such luck if the government does that.

when the constitution talks about rights, it means the federal government cannot GRANT rights, you are born with them.

previously in europe, governments granted your rights, by inference meaning they could take them away. the founders of our constitution said no, we are BORN with these rights, they are not yours to give or take away.

with respect to what the government can DO, it clearly states in the constitution that the only powers the federal government has is exactly what is stated and no more. all other powers are delegated to the states and the people.

there’s nothing in the constitution that states they can buy private companies, bail out private companies, create a private bank to print fiat currency, provide health care, etc.

people forget we have states. why have states if the feds do everything? it was never meant to be this way. the federal government was meant to operate as a framework with limited powers within which the states could operate, not like a king with unlimited powers that can do anything it wants.

I’ve been following this thread since it started but refrained from commenting because I wanted first to see everyone’s opinion. I just read Newsweek’s “Seven Falsehoods About Health Care” which made me believe that the Obama health care reform plan has nothing to be scared about. Relax, take a deep breath, and read this article if you haven’t done so: http://www.newsweek.com/id/211981

Organic produce has insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. Whole foods does nothing to dispel this myth fooling the public into buying overpriced food which customers think is chemical free. In many cases organic growers use more pounds per acre of poisons, more tractor passes, fossil fuels and water in growing their commodities. Go ahead and google ‘organic chemicals farming’. I’m not saying conventional produce is better for you, just that the myth of organic is out there.

If you want to know what your eating buy at the farmer’s market and ask the grower what he or she uses to control pests.

Typical fat cat comments. Not the first time this fool has stepped in it.

Boycott? I would if I shopped there. Can’t afford it. It is an elitist rip off experience targeted at only a very small fraction of the population. Savy shoppers won’t set foot there.

Mackey’s expected ignorant and elitist views worth noting? Nah.

You were reading Newsweek! When was the last time Newsweek questioned anything Obama is doing?

The reason people from developing country come to US for quality and advance health care is because we don’t have the universal health care plan. Developing country that have universal plan basically covers flu short or other minor stuff.
Why is that students form developing countries flock to US for medical profession? Answer is simple that they want to get the best education and then practice in the best environment. They don’t want to practice in a government run health care and make same as someone with some other profession that did not require that much hard work.
If US opens it borders and along with third world countries, then where you think people will go? I imagine people will run from the universal care to US.

[...] Whole Foods C.E.O. infuriates liberal customers by condemning universal health care In a Wall Street Journal editorial titled, “The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare,” John Mackey, the [...] [...]

[...]  http://wellness.blogs.time.com/2009/08/14/whole-foods-c-e-o-infuriates-liberal-customers-by-condemni… [...]

Whole Foods Markets’ C.E.O. John Mackey is a loose cannon. This is just another one of his polarizing outbursts–he “shoots from the lip.”

It would have to be a cold day in hell before I would set foot again in a Whole Foods store. Four dollar per pound organic apples? Give me a break! The wealthy shoppers who patronize that retailer are out of touch with the rest of society. People are starving all over the world, and these rich clowns are spending upwards of $1,000 a week on “designer groceries”! Walk down the aisles, and one sees glazed-eyed foodies entranced by the organic produce, the seafood counter and the wine department. Shame, shame.

I’ve been out to Mr. Mackey’s Texas ranch near Johnson City and have always thought him to be a little strange but I have now discovered a new respect for the the man. He has come out and voiced his fear that Obama Care will devastate his business even though in doing so he alienated the liberal nuts that shop at Whole Foods; he may have lost some of ya’ll as customers but he has now gained my business.

If you read the article, you’ll find that Whole Foods pays the entire premium for their full time employees, as well as making a substantial contribution to their health savings accounts. Benefits accruing only to full time employees is very typical, so that’s not a ding, either. His actions sure look like they are intended to promote the lifestyle his business espouses.

“• Remove the legal obstacles that slow the creation of high-deductible health insurance plans and health savings accounts (HSAs). The combination of high-deductible health insurance and HSAs is one solution that could solve many of our health-care problems. For example, Whole Foods Market pays 100% of the premiums for all our team members who work 30 hours or more per week (about 89% of all team members) for our high-deductible health-insurance plan. We also provide up to $1,800 per year in additional health-care dollars through deposits into employees’ Personal Wellness Accounts to spend as they choose on their own health and wellness.

Money not spent in one year rolls over to the next and grows over time. Our team members therefore spend their own health-care dollars until the annual deductible is covered (about $2,500) and the insurance plan kicks in. This creates incentives to spend the first $2,500 more carefully. Our plan’s costs are much lower than typical health insurance, while providing a very high degree of worker satisfaction.”

For those who have them, High Deductible Health Insurance plans are a great way to reduce premiums and copays, without having any other impact on health care. The same care for less cost. What’s not to like?

The Bill of Rights is clear that there a unenumerated rights, privacy being the most commonly cited.

I’m choosing to give him a bit of slack and believe he meant there is no right to free care, which is correct. The right to health care equates to that of free speech, not free beer.

That makes the question of government involvement in health care a Constitutional issue. If we should get to the point where the public option slays its private counterparts (which seems inevitable, except for the high end coverage few people have), doesn’t the rationing we should all anticipate and see elsewhere become government restriction of our right to health care? Again, I think Mackey meant this when he cited the rationing abroad. He spoke poorly on this point.

[...] violate their fiduciary responsibilities by making their organizations more vulnerable to competitors who can offer customers both similar products AND a commitment to similar [...]

[...] reaction from his more liberal customers was swift and well publicized — they began a boycott of Whole Foods, a bastion of the corporate crunchiness. But perhaps more [...]