It appears that Whole Foods CEO John Mackey is getting quite the response from granola shoppers around the country after his op-ed in the WSJ appeared earlier this week. His article highlighted eight reforms that we should consider before hopping on board with Obamacare. The reforms offer free-market solutions to the health care problem without increasing the national deficit. Many shoppers are outraged that Mackey would voice a conservative message contrary to the typical “Whole Foods shopper” and promise to boycott the market. I imagine Mackey was well aware of the tension and repercussions that would follow his statements but choose to speak anyway. Here again we are offered an example of a public figure stepping out and choosing principle over public favor. While I myself am more of Fresh Market kind-of-girl, tonight’s dinner will be courtesy of Whole Foods.
Love that Whole Foods!
Mackey has long been an advocate for HSAs and has been vocal for years having given a keynote address at the State Policy Network’s annual gathering in Austin, Tx in 2005.
It is interesting that though he has had consumer driven healthcare options for his employees for nearly a decade that has both driven down their costs AND provided portable cash for his employees that potential customers would target him for HELPING his employees. Too funny!