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Having just read Mr. Mackey’s editorial piece published in the WSJ (8/11), “The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare”, consider me a lost customer. As a high level executive in the Maine healthcare arena, a self identified progressive, and one who is intimately involved with the complexities of healthcare delivery, I find Mr. Mackey’s opinions typically obstructive, uninformed, and extremely misleading. The conservative political agenda has not served American’s healthcare needs for decades. Attempts at equalizing inequities in access to healthcare, cost control, quality improvement, and general public health through mandated reform have been scuttled by Republicans, with no real debate or alternatives offered….just more status quo. Its time to serve the interests of the American public, collectively pool our resources, pay for services that are meaningful and produce outcomes, and provide unencumbered universal access to all citizens. Shout socialism until you are blue in the face, but until we embrace these concepts, our healthcare delivery system will continue to produce results that are more 3rd world in origin.
P.S.
Much of your customer base leans liberal/progressive. I doubt expressing views of this nature will help your bottom line. I will make sure to express my opinion of Whole Foods, and Mr. Mackey’s position, every opportunity available to me in my business and social circle.
"Many promoters of health-care reform believe that people have an intrinsic ethical right to health care—to equal access to doctors, medicines and hospitals. While all of us empathize with those who are sick, how can we say that all people have more of an intrinsic right to health care than they have to food or shelter?
"Health care is a service that we all need, but just like food and shelter it is best provided through voluntary and mutually beneficial market exchanges. A careful reading of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution will not reveal any intrinsic right to health care, food or shelter. That's because there isn't any. This "right" has never existed in America."
So it's too bad that some people are sick, but there are people who are hungry and homeless, too -- and it would be insane to expect a minimum standard of living in the richest country in the world! The best way for all of these ills to be dealt with is for people to get the health care, food and shelter they can afford -- and if you can't afford any, then to paraphrase Anatole France you have the Constitutionally protected right to engage in whatever voluntary and mutually beneficial market exchanges that will allow you to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets, steal bread ... and if you're sick, you can voluntarily pay what the mutually beneficial market demands or suffer the consequences. We can't say that people have an intrinsic right to the things that will keep them alive ... there is no intrinsic right to life -- unless you haven't been born yet!
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company/contact...
Here's what I sent in today.
I am writing to inform you that I will no longer be a customer at your store in Arlington, Virginia or any other location. I was appalled to read the ill-informed OpEd piece by the CEO of your company John Mackey about healthcare. His opinion, to the extent it reflects your corporate view of healthcare, suggests to me that he and his company are woefully ignorant, and lack the type of social commitment I believe is necessary from corporate America.
Mr. Mackey is an embarrassment to your company, and as long as he remains part of your management, I will never step foot in another Whole Foods again. There are too many quality, fair priced options, including the local Trader Joe's, for me to waste my money in support of a corporate culture I find distasteful and disgraceful.
Mackey IS the majority shareholder in the company he co-founded.
Well, thanks for the heads up Mr. Mackey. My families weekly grocery bill at Whole Foods is approximately $213.00. (We've become very good at shopping as my neighbors bill is nearly $300 for a family the same size)
There are choices here and we've just made them. Mr. Mackey has made the choice to be an asshole. And we've made the choice that he is free do that but without our money supporting his efforts.
There is apparently precious little ethic troubling Mr. Mackey's methodology. As with many CEOs who've made their fortunes by deceptive 'storefront,' (in both senses) only to arrive at the conclusion that the people who made them their fortunes are now inconveniences to be managed and/or squashed.
The public is regarded as a collection of capricious ATMs, ultimately desiring the strong hand of corporate leaders who know better what we need than we do. After all, haven't they been telling us what's good for us for years?
I'm sure they find it annoying to have to increasingly remind us.
In this recession with money tight, I am SURE his company will suffer for this.
World Headquarters
Whole Foods Market, Inc.
550 Bowie Street
Austin, TX 78703-4644
512.477.4455
512.477.5566 voicemail
512.482.7000 fax
I can't wait until Sprouts moves into the location close to my house. I'll never shop WF again.
there is bleu in Texas too
TrueBleuCA
TrueBleuCA
Hit 'em with a unionization drive!
But REALLY, don't let people tell you that you have to wait for months for health care in Canada, because it's simply not true.
Shouldn't that 'l' be an 'r?'
512.477.5566 voicemail
Tell them what you think. I am no longer a shopper at Whole Foods, Wal Mart(glenn beck supporter), Red Lobster, or Travelocity. All these companies don't care about you, or your health. Let them know how you feel. I did.
quite, utterly gobsmacking. The problem with being a Conservative, is that you run out of things to sell that never belonged to you in the first place...
TRANSLATION: You don't need no stinkin' healthcare ... you just need to make me richer by shopping at my over-priced stores.
Meanwhile, poor people who can't AFFORD plant-based nutrient-dense low-fat foods (among the most expensive items in ANY grocery store) will continue to live on peanut butte and macaroni and cheese. And for dessert? Why, let them eat cake, of course.
Don't shop Whole Foods because it's not convenient, and thought I was missing out. Nice to know I can totally let go of that thought!
Find your local food co-ops to shop at, if they haven't been shoved out of business by Mackey & Co. Luckily, we still have one. Shop the farmer's market and other locally owned food shops. You may well be surprised what you can find. It may take me a bit longer to do the shopping, but I truly enjoy the experience of going to our natural food co-op, the farmers market and local Asian and Hispanic grocery markets. Best of all, my hard earned $'s are supporting locally owned business.
This WF story just convinced me to go down and join the local co-op..
Hope for their sakes that Mackey treats his trolls better than the rest of his serfs.
As for everyone else, good work with those phone calls and message boards, and keep up the pressure. We are clearly being heard.
----
bait and switch here...
why would they wan't "supplemental health-care dollars"?
first, because you ALREADY PROVIDE THAT TO AMERICAN EMPLOYEES... duh?
second, because its like the choice between a ppo or hmo... do you want someone to pick your doctor for you, or if you had extra money would you find your OWN doctor? again, duh?
this guy also ignores the differences between Canada and the UK (maybe someone should send him that link from yesterday?)... and lumps ALL procedures into one huge waiting list.
break it down, what are they waiting for?
breast implants? yup, they're covered... but you'll have to wait a bit for them.
emergency appendix removal? according to him you'd wait... but that's complete bullshit.
oh well, Whole Foods was WAY overpriced anyway... and the selection at Trader Joe's is better.
I'm definitely dropping emails to all my friends about WF though. good riddance to overpriced rubbish.
btw: A reminder about trolls.
http://www.politicsandtechnology.com/2007/07/ma...
"We may add our two cents to conversations from time to time, but the forums are mainly a place for you to chat amongst yourselves about what's important to you."
Unless what's important to you is in conflict with the Republican talking points our founder would like you to blindly accept.
Is Mackey not concerned that this will hurt his business? Maybe he realizes that this is America and we don't *do* pickets with leaflets and signs in front places like Whole Foods, nor do we curtail our shopping if it interferes with us buying what we like.
I stopped shopping at WF more than one year ago when I learned of their terrible labor practices and I finally had enough of their ridiculously inflated prices. Now, with this from him, I mostly regret that for a long time my $ helped to make Mackey a very rich man.
This thread is leading me to believe he and his buddies might be paying us a visit here.
EDIT: I scrolled way back and now see Griffon posted about this. It still bears repeating.
The pro-WF trolls on this thread, whomever they may be and whatever their motivations, seem not to realize that their nonsense only firms our resolve. Kinda amusing, don't you think?
This is, btw, true for most troll comments.
If anyone wants to find local farmers and ranchers, go to www.eatwild.com This is a site to hook you up with local home-grown vegetables and meats.
I believe in eating my veggies, too. But they will no longer be from Whole Foods. Period.
These idiots on the right seriously need to take a civics course before they spout all of these misplaced labels.
It's quite a shame, considering the high-quality natural medicine brands (Gaia, New Chapter) that they carry that REALLY can prevent major health problems. All well though, they can all be bought elsewhere (or online).
Yee Gods! Have you ever even been in a Whole Foods market? I went in one store once, just enough to know they were complete crooks, surprised I left without the employees holding me up wearing bandana and six guns. Same as my mistake of once going into a Walmart, glad to get out alive. Both companies are so rigged against the customers, it is as blatant as their vile advertising.
All he proves with his piece is that he believes that greed is good, greed is God. That's right, out right, unrestrained thievery called capitalism is God sanctioned and he worships at that alter.
There are so many points that I disagree with Mr. Mackey, but the above statement takes the cake. How about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - do you think that the wealthiest nation on the planet could at least insure food, healthcare and shelter for all of it's citizens? Maybe it's time for Mr. Mackey to get out from his gated community and walk among the masses. BTW, in the words of our fearless leader, "have you seen the price of arugula lately"? It's a whole lot cheaper at Trader Joe's.
http://publius.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/a...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bank_of_the...
Enough said, hon? Have a nice day.
Here near Mark Kirk country I have see WF open up stores in rich neighborhoods while on the comment boards I have seen pleas for a store closer to the WI border, less wealthy neighborhoods in NE IL, etc. For all his personal responsibility bullshit, Mackey has made zero effort to make his store available in less affluent communities. He was able to rely on the desperate (like I was) to drive.
I always found WF to be a joyless place, full of people trying to outrun death. There is never the vibe of shoppers feeling happy they can afford food and planning meals to share and enjoy. Mackey is bad, evil man and I will Nev-Air shop for my family there again.
This just in: Depression Era started a year ago.
40 years ago: Woodstock Nation was formed.
Tomorrow's news today: Rip Van Winkle turns over in his sleep.
WF CEO says socialized medicine = bad; the damn trial lawyers are making malpractice insurance rates high, which makes health care exorbitantly priced. Compare the 400+ percent increase in health insurance profits from 2000 - 2008.
Oh, and don't forget it's those damn boomers who got hosed by Zombie Reagan/Bubble Greenspan tax increase in the '80s who are the cause of all that "entitlement" spending in social (in)security and medicare. Forgot that every administration since has been spending that vast tax increase instead of funding the "entitlement" programs mentioned.
F-ing jerk.
And why isn't the 800 pound military spending zombie being discussed as "socialized war" and a source of funding for medical services in Amerikka?
To extend WF CEO stupid:
socialized medicine = bad ($100 million annual cost)
global war on drugs and (some) terror = good ($1.3 trillion? annual cost)
socialized banking and insurance industry bailout = good ($23 trillion and counting)
And please, someone enlighten me on all the fiscal responsibility noise, as if the sheep can't be taxed more for services.
If it's so bad in Amerikka that a pittance of $100 million/year is a dealbreaker, why NOT raise the funding with a frigging tax - just like FICA, social security, etc.
Oh, I remember, they'd raise the funds and then divert to the war department.
Scoundrels, all of them.
And off thread, why the global chirp of crickets (including this site!) about the shocking (!) testimony from Sibel Edmonds last week in the Ohio case with Jean Schmidt about the FBI wiretaps? It's got everything - bisexual female hooking by a married w/children US representative; Dennis (the Hutt) Hastert accepting $600k bribe from Turkish "interests"; Valerie Plame's CIA front company outed to same targets of wiretapping by traitor Marc Grossman in 2001; bin Laden on US payroll at least until September 11 building demolition on WTC.
Wow, just wow. Look - another missing caucasian college student - over there...
We like our healthcare and shudder at what your country is devolving into.......
Remember, on 9/11 we were the first to open our airspace and take you in. We are that good friend who tells you the truth even if you don't want to hear it.
Nor do I understand how the concept of creating HSA's - they smack (at least to me) of paternalistic, controlled "savings accounts" operated by the company. Since we certainly know a history of companies who, with other benefit plans, have robbed retirement funds or reneged on other benefits, what trust can someone have in the stability of anything invested on your behalf by a bureaucratic company whose profit margin and CEO salaries always trump their contractual commitment to their employees?
What smells here is the obvious: the conservative plan to help Americans is to assert more control over their lives, continue to support insurance companies and limit liability when companies fail to meet their obligations. For all of the howling from wingnuts about bureaucracy in government, it wasn't the government that lost millions of American's retirement funds.
I think a better plan would be to start out by billing the Republican National Committee $1 trillion for deliberately and intentionally misleading the American people into a war and then promising that we'd be paid back by the invaded country. Since that has never materialized, all of these people screaming for responsible government should be aiming their rage at the GOP, who willingly took American taxpayers on a joy ride. That money could be used to seed a national health care plan.
shop in 'Whole-foods' again.
My boycott starts today-
The people that buy into his political claptrap shop at Piggly-Wiggly.
Anyone who wishes to boycott the most progressive grocery store chain in the history of the universe because of a few potentially inflammatory SUGGESTIONS on the part of its CEO needs to dig a little deeper into how incredibly beneficiary WFM has been to the ENTIRE PLANET as its core mission. JM WAS NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF HIS COMPANY OR ITS EMPLOYEES, of whom, I am one. Anyone who wants to stop supporting the company because of his statements, because of HIS beliefs needs to examine every facet of their lifestyle -- where they buy their gas, their cosmetics, their auto insurance, their furniture and see if the companies that are providing those goods and services have performed A FRACTION of the public and global good WFM has. Our Team Members contribute portions of our GROCERY STORE WAGE paychecks towards microcredit programs in third world countries. We donate our paid time off hours to fellow team members who have suffered calamities in their lives that drain their own paid time off. We as a company have the absolute good of mankind, locally and globally at the core of our every deed. And you want to boycott us because of a mission statement? Of an OP ED piece? This IS America, you can exercise your right to shop elsewhere. But it's also the same America where someone as visionary as John Mackey can and should feel free to express himself, after careful pragmatic rumination, on a plight that affects his stakeholders, his customers. If you want to listen to the opinions of POLITICIANS who are beholden to either side of the issue, literally, financially, fine. If you want to listen to a man who has built a multi-billion dollar corporation with his and others' bare hands, with the welfare of every single one of his employees, vendors and guests as a singular driver of his business model, that'd be good too. If you really read the piece, it's not black or white or red or blue. It just makes sense. Maybe only to him it makes sense. But it's an argument and it's bold and it's out there now, so DEAL WITH IT.
And eat local. And eat organic. And eat fish. That's the only healthcare advice I will ever give anyone.
- t
I'm no longer a WF shopper. Your business practices, as much or even more than Mackey's suicidal editorial ended that.
End o' story.
BOYCOTT WHOLE FOODS
"While I have a forum to voice my views, you need to provide your workers with better healthcare. The high deductible plan is worthless unless someone is hit with a catastrophic illness. You state that it is a good plan because it encourages people to spend their healthcare dollars more responsibly. It is an irresponsible plan because it discourages regular check ups and encourages people to wait until they have a severe illness."
Whole Food too me is like a high price designer food store that over 75% of it's products contain some form of sugar. So much for being diabetic and thinking the health food store is suppose to be your life saver. Don't mention if you have high blood pressure about 90% of the products contain salt. It's a death trap to some no different then a regular market.
The CEO say you basically don't need any health insurance you just need to eat what they sell healthier food. While I don't disagree we all should be more responsible for what goes into your mouths. He not being responsible to the many older adults that has enriched him, by specializing in more food for people that have health issues and run to their saver... Whole Foods the health food store.
I think personally he don't care about the masses the working class who going to be against any reform that potentially interfere with his bottom line. There it is I got if off my chest.
We are a fearful nation....allowing other to conjure the buggy man in your conscious. We don't read research alternate sources of information. We have become a nation of follower. I don't blame some it takes work and many are lazzzzzzy.
"Anyone who wants to stop supporting the company because of his statements, because of HIS beliefs needs to examine every facet of their lifestyle -- where they buy their gas, their cosmetics, their auto insurance, their furniture and see if the companies that are providing those goods and services have performed A FRACTION of the public and global good WFM has."
And that is exactly what people should do. They should look at where the CEO and Board of directors send their big bucks (rightward) instead of where regular staff members send their hard-earned cash. There is no way that collectively your contributions make up a fraction of what the big guys contribute -- and they know it. Staff may be a good bunch, but are you allowed talk at work about bringing in a union without worrying about your job? Bet not.
I do look at all the products I buy, and to the extent the information is available, I spend my money with progressive, or at least more progressive companies. Example - Costco (progressive) versus Sam's Club/Walmart (not). When I find out that some product or place I like to shop, spends more of their capital against my interests than not (most do give to both sides in some proportion), I stop buying -- sometimes sadly.
I'm all for eating healthier but it doesn't gaurantee you won't end up crippled or dead in the meantime from denying meds when you are sick. Who's willing to take that chance? Most Ra patients with moderate to severe disease activity are already at this level when they first know something is wrong and they will tell you "Quality of life is better then Quantity" so they opt for the meds because you'll never convince them, mostly because it has never been proven, that eating an apple will get rid of their debilitating pain. They surely didn't eat their way to this disease. Doctor's can't even get an autoimmune diagnosis correct half the time and even that may take 5 to 10 years.
Everyone against health reform is flying off the handle and jumping the gun as usual. We don't even have all the facts yet and everyone is in an uproar because god forbid they might have to help their neighbor or a child to get the medical care he or she needs and can't afford. You're already paying for all the uninsured everytime they don't pay an ER bill or get chronically ill and get state or govt aid. Can't wait till it is you or your kid sick and you need help. I bet you'll be screamng from the rooftops how unfair the world is after you blow thru your savings and retirement and lose your insurance and file for bankruptcy due to medical bills, and now have preexhisting conditions because the cost of care is astronomical. Get real people, helping your fellow Americans will only protect you and your loved ones in the long run. It's why it's called insurance.
What's the problem, conservatives? We are just offering "The ObamaCare Alternative to Whole Foods".
The Scary New Black Man is Not Going to Kill Our Grandmothers
There has been a wee-bit of "reaction" concerning health care reform and what it means for the average American. According to reports from every major network, some folks at town hall meetings, all over the US are having what appear to be public nervous breakdowns as they confront their local representatives. So, is this "debate" really about health care at all, or are there some other sociological and psychological factors at work?
Perhaps white, conservative Americans are afraid. Truly afraid, yes, but over health care reform… no.
Pssst- we have a black president (the first one ever) and white conservatives are, maybe for the first time, feeling like they are no longer controlling the overall public discourse. Perhaps it’s a normal reaction, when any group feels like it is loosing control, to go a little loopy.
Guns at political meetings, cries about Socialism and government mandated euthanasia—these are just examples of collective hysteria by a group who has indeed lost some control over legislation. What those who are screaming the loudest have failed to realize is that it’s not as bad as it seems for them. We, as a nation will—as we always have, find political and cultural homeostasis and grow healthier as a Society.
Also? Just because healthcare is made available to everyone, it doesn't mean private healthcare goes away. You can still buy it. The thing is with socialised medicine is that MORE people can now be covered whereas they had no access before.
Tell Whole Foods what you think:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/
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I've been saying this for ever, Food has nothing at all to do with you health, at all. I'm glad this genius has the guts to say so.
If you eat McDonalds you have the same right to good health as a person who eats all organic veggies.
Kudos.
Boycott is the answer, but I strongly suggest that people call their local stores as well as Whole Food HQ to tell them why. This creates political pressure on the Corporate Leadership and creates a destabilization of the organization from the ground up.
In each case, I apologized to the custome service rep for the impact it would have on employees. I also stated that my valuable dollars could not support and organization with this as a core value.
In each case, the stores had no idea about the op-ed piece and were very polite and inquisitive about where THEY could learn more.
Mackey declared war on his customers and his words will soon be rattling his emplyees across the nation.
Keep the pressure on!
I hope they stop now
---
yeah... that'd NEVER happen here!
like, for instance, an insurance company telling you they won't cover your therapy or whatever... or calling something like a hip replacement "experimental" (yes, at one time they did)... then raising your rates every year.
nah... we aren't rationed here at all!
/snark
No additional editorial context, just the salient portions with the link to more of the article for the interested. I'd be most curious to hear if those distributing the editorial would be viewed as abettor or agitator: i.e. would they be allowed or run out of the parking lot by the local managers?
Unfortunately, I guess that would put those protesters on the "terra" list, since PATRIOT now considers protesters to be "low level terrorists."
How close? This is what socialism looks like: http://tinyurl.com/p47dfc
Anti-union, anti-health care, anti-worker. What more is there to say?
Thank you Davimarconi, for showing us all the way!
You are an intellectual giant, sir.
Just look in the mirror.
Today Whole Foods is a slick overpriced racket. Vegetarian items are relegated to one small section while the rest of the store is filled with "gourmet" items and imported crap.
The store is filled with neo-yuppies and diamond studded soccer moms wheeling their crying kids around in strollers they use like bulldozers.
The parking lots that used to be filled with bicycles and VW bugs are crowded with Hummers and Escalades. Not surprising that the CEO is a neocon.
For those of you who want to buy organic, healthy and nutritious food, check out your local farmers market, or perhaps even start a garden. This are not easy things to do, but you will be supporting local agriculture (keeping money in the local economy) and learn something about where your food comes from. The current Ponzi scheme system of life we have perfected in the United States and exported to the rest of the planet is not sustainable, and I for one, have decided to opt out of it as much as a person can. I think that is ultimately the only thing we can do. If one person does it, he (or she) is called an eccentric or some kind of anarchist hippie trying to destroy corporate system. If everyone does it, Whole Foods (at the top of a very long list of companies that suck) go belly up. I can't do anything about the John Mackey's the world. But I don't have to give them my money.
Pete Deer
Well I just got back from a Whole Foods and they had an unbelievable sale on fresh apples. They were half price of any other store within 100 miles and they were organic and pesticide free. They sell Fair Trade coffee that helps the farmers in third world countries.
What about all the other people you purchase goods and services from? Have you checked out their views on everything? You may be giving money to someone who is even farther right than John Mackey. Good God people, do your homework!!! Shoveling money at the opposition isn't the right thing to do. When faced with a choice, take the Chinese product over the American one, at least you know for certain that the person who made it supports and participates in a nationalized healthcare plan where everyone has equal access.
Do you know that Whole Foods gives loans to local farmers? Do you know that they support a number of charities and 5% of their net annual net profits go to charities (not the RNC).
This whole healthcare debate is fueled by soundbites and people not willing to do any research. This incident is no different. If we are to make all of our purchasing decisions based on political persuasions - we are all doomed.
The guy, for some time, has been known as a libertarian and big fan of Ann Rand's work. Despite the company's liberal image, they've been strongly anti-union. He was also investigated for possible securities fraud by planting information about his company on the Internet in the middle of a buyout of another company.
Just look him up on Wikipedia and do a little bit of Google searching. The total picture of Whole Foods is rather mixed when you do some digging.
I don't shop at WF or TJs for this reason - they are both anti-union.
This is another area where Obama went off the cliff - the EFCA has been tabled for the time being as the corporations worked hard to get Congress to ignore it.
Just like there's no right to abortion.
Other than farmer's markets, which often sell wholesale produce picked by oppressed laborers, no producer or retailer in the food chain is without sin. Kroger, for example, underemploys staff and underpays them to boot . . .
Does Mackey know Liberals shop at Whole Foods?
Conservatvies shop at Walmart.
I guess I'll drive the extra mile to Trader Joe's.
I've argued this elsewhere. First we need nationalized healthcare for all and then we need to work to improve the diets of all Americans.
I know where he's coming with, with this new spin or push with this...
Let me see if I can find the link.
The truth is that the ruling class doesn't want us having more disposable income. It could actually start throwing lower and lower middle people into the ranks of the middle class, and they don't want anything like that to happen.
I think they also see single payer as a slippery slope - give the proles health care and the next thing you know, they'll be asking for single payer college, single payer day care, and a living wage!!
It's too empowering to the working class. They are not going to have single payer in this country in my lifetime. :(
now...forget it.
spread the word
The people who lose money because they were hit with a civil suit are lucky we don't try half of them for murder. How many people died because that Ford model blew up with the full knowledge of Ford's executives? How many of those execs went prison for it or were even tried? OH zero. Tort Reform is a red herring if there ever was one.+
Do you have a Trader Joes nearby? Give them a try. Honest, healthy food at reasonable prices.
And most Americans would have no idea what the word "pejorative" means. So sad.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/ns/msnbc_tv...
I really do not need anymore ammunition.
Please put out a spoiler next time.
"Don't link if you can't handle another reason why we are fucked"
Wow, he dissected her. Yeah, honey, you are definitely not that smart.
Yeah, I'd say that, regardless of the answer to that question, they're probably living pretty comfortably.
President of the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine, Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D., shared some of the latest medical research on diet and nutrition.
http://www.pcrm.org/
Barnard unabashedly advocates a vegan lifestyle. He said an entirely plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease and many common forms of cancer, as well as dramatically improve diabetes and increase longevity. On average vegans live about a decade longer than meat-eaters, though diet may account for only two of those ten years, he noted. It is also the most effective way to control weight, Barnard said, pointing out that when people start eating a vegan diet they burn calories at an accelerated rate for about three hours after meals.
Barnard revealed how certain foods trigger the release of natural opiates in the brain, causing a physical addiction that can be difficult to break. For instance, casein, a protein found in milk, breaks down into smaller molecules called casomorphins during digestion. These morphine-like compounds attach to the same receptors that heroin attaches to in the brain, he said. Barnard believes this may explain why so many people are seemingly addicted to diary products, especially cheese. In addition, Barnard lists sugar, chocolate and meat among the most addictive foods.
Barnard also commented on the study that shows a reduced-calorie diet may slow aging and contribute to longevity, as well as talked about the controversy surrounding the safety of soy protein, and the ethical issues involved in animal testing. "We ought to be studying human diseases in human patients," Barnard said.
No matter how you slice it, even fibrous veggies and fruits are nothing but sugar, and many folks can't even handle this stuff in terms of their insulin regulation.
I do, however, buy into the calorie reduction theory improving longevity, but low carb eating does that quite nicely by regulating your appetite better than any vegan/veggie diet, since it's the vegetation that causes the insulin swings, ramping up cravings and increasing appetite.
Controlling insulin is the key.
I do understand your liking a low carb diet. It seems to boost energy levels, doesn't it?
It might be slower because of the "glycemic" value, but the bottom line is that your body treats it the same way once it leaves the gut. And it's still sugar. I don't think anything above about 70 grams a day of carbs is a good thing.
Really, if people would just get into ketosis and stay there, it's a natural appetite suppressant and they would get rid of not only their weight problems, but a whole host of other issues.
I do heart low carb! :-)
Who seem to have no fat cells...
Taubes in "Good Calories Bad Calories" documented that 70 grams a day is really about the upper limit, and it translated to xx pounds per year of carbs (sugar), which is where chronic diseases start kicking in. (sorry, can't recall the actual number but you can do the math).
So I wouldn't know how to handle teens or kids. It would be a kick to have a baby knowing what I know now and feed it only meat, fat, and water (after breastfeeding) and watch her/his growth mentally and physically.
The good news here, as to my sons, is they are pretty healthy eaters. Back when I had some control, the kitchen was usually well stocked with healthy choices. But never a strict low carb diet (20 Grams or less/day).
Everyday I work, I deal with the complications of chronic disease.
You could always adopt.
It took about 9 months to be able to run 5 miles on low carb. NINE MONTHS. With a diet of carbage, it probably would have taken 9 WEEKS.
That is how long it took my body to get "fat adapted," or whatever the term is. Run on body fat primarily and not carbs. It was a bear to work through, but I did.
Not sure I want to adopt but I love OPK - Other People's Kids! I spoil my niece and my best friends teenage daughter. They get more gift cards to the Gap and Forever 21 than they know what to do with. (that forever 21 store is a hoot)
check this place out:
http://forum.zeroinginonhealth.com/index.php
Have a great evening! Will look forward to "seeing you" around Americablog. ;-)
You go honey!
Marathons and half-marathons!!!!
The most I have run is 12 miles.
More of a walker/hiker these days.
We have a couple of Whole Foods here and I used to love to shop there. No more. Organic and health food always conjurs up the vision of hippies, groupies and the summer of love in my head for some reason. I guess I just assumed the company would have liberal views... but we all know what happens when we assume.
There are plenty of other markets that offer organic foods and healthy alternatives. Ultimately there is no need for Whole Foods and their pricey goods anyway.
My boycott of Whole Food begins today.
TrueBleuCA
Too much of our food comes from slave labor as it is.
In fact, when our midwife's scale was broken when our second daughter was born in 1985, we bundled her up and took her to be weighed in one of the produce scales at our beloved WF. True story.
It was all downhill from there. I suspect when Mr. Mackey started rolling in dough thanks to all of us intelligent customers who understood the value of clean food, he became a conservative Republican ... wanting to keep it ALL for himself.
Local organic farmers here HATE Whole Foods. Their buying policies suck.
I haven't shopped at Whole Paycheck for years. We grow what we can, buy other stuff at local farmer's markets, and buy quality produce at local grocery stores when it's available.
I just wish Trader Joe's would move into our market!
Amazing how the rich have a problem with health care reform.
The saddest part is that the country is being jacked by the insurance industry. The insurance industry has had a 400% increase in profits since 2000, and the average insurance company CEO made 11.9 mil in 2007. Insurance companies have reduced the amount of their income they pay out in claims significantly since the year 2000. Their lobbyists and front groups like the Lewin group are working feverishly to convince the public that "government run" health care is a disaster and to scare people into thinking that their lives are at risk. The only thing at risk is outrageous profit for the health insurance industry. They have recruited the dumb and dumber to shout down reform. Ironically most of those morons have no problem with socialism when it comes to getting their medicare and social security checks.
This is a well oiled propaganda machine run by the insurance industry, paid for by the premiums of americans like you and me who's rates have skyrocketed and benefits have plummeted so that politicians and executives can collect more cash.
PITIFUL
Whole Paycheck
...update: i see Ksue beat me to the comment! :)
still, it bears repeating.
Please tell me that Trader Joe's isn't also run by a right-wing *sshole too--it isn't, is it?
When I think of the southeast, I think of Piggly Wiggly!
A grocery I grew up with. What a name!
you can leave him comments.
I think everyone needs to tweet the hell out of this. Whole Foods monitors twitter very closely.
"Recent scientific and medical evidence shows that a diet consisting of foods that are plant-based, nutrient dense and low-fat will help prevent and often reverse most degenerative diseases ..."
In other words, screw health care reform, just shop at Whole Foods. This was nothing more than a free ad in the WSJ for a corporate interest... sad.
Mr. Mackey says “we are all responsible for our own lives and our own health. We should take that responsibility very seriously and use our freedom to make wise lifestyle choices that will protect our health.”
Today I am heeding Mr Mackey’s advice, taking some responsibility, and making the choice to no longer be a Whole Foods customer.
Consumer pressure can do a lot. It's been apparent for some time that Whole Foods is libertarian in philosophy--they do NOT support the local food chain the way they should.
I for one will join any group holding signs out there this afternoon. This is what we must do to make health reform happen. I guarantee you we can create headlines with a change of position from Mr Mackey in 24 hours if we make a public showing--and remember, WF parking lots are not public property. You need to be on the sidewalk.
What are you like 12? Are you for real?
Hilarious.
You also, haven't learned blogger or email etiquette yet or you are too lazy to actually capitalize the first word of a sentence or proper names instead of typing in capitals. Does your keyboard ever get too much drool in it from your mouth-breathing over it? After these many years, you should know that you are yelling and not speaking in a normal voice when typing. Since you are a drive-by, troll, I don't know why I'm wasting my time but perhaps, you will learn something from this post. Good luck.
ps By the way, we should be so lucky to be pure socialists.
You're not using any of the words that really get under a left wing idiot's skin.
I'd give you a few of them, but I'm sure you'd rather learn them for yourself, being a self-reliant he-man type!
However, good job at finally realizing you can spell out the fuck word on these boards, and I'm proud of you for taking (marginal) control of your caps lock!
You might not care for Mackey's proposals, but he does something that NONE of the teabag crowd would dream of: He actually provides some alternative ideas.
Best you can do is name-calling. Sorry.
http://www.politicsandtechnology.com/2007/07/ma...
Thank you CEO for helping me save money.
TRADER JOE'S: you are my 1st love. Sorry I cheated a few times. I will only shop with for my vegetarian food.
buh bye whole foods!
But, all is well because a 2nd Trader Joe's is opening near Santa Monica ("West LA").
Yeah! I have 2 locations to shop at Trader Joe's.
Take that Hackey Mackey!
:-)
You republicans should just secede, because honestly, you're barbarians. The vast majority of the world hates you. Most anti-american sentiment? It's really anti-republican sentiment. If you were to ask people outside America who they were more scared of, Al Quaeda or the Republican party, most would say the republicans.
You're heartless, self-centered, selfish little monsters. The whole lot of you. Keep acting like petulant bastards, see how far that gets you.
I wish I could give you 10 Likes.
It's funny how the tables turn so quickly in American politics. First we had crazies, aka, Code Pink and the like screaming at Bush and calling him a Nazi all the while the media didn't bother to report on it. Then conservatives hijacked their Nazi strategy and all of a sudden liberals and the media are outraged over the word. They're shocked! So hypocritical. Look in the mirror. You're part of the problem.
This blog should be called the anti-america blog. Especially with Canadians flapping their mouths off as if they even have a say in the matter. You guys have national healthcare because you have less people than we have in the entire state of California. Try implementing your system with 330 million plus and see how successful it is.
Fact is, the majority of Americans do not want more government involved in our lives. Fact is, we're tired of our leaders.. and you will see the results in 2010.
Here we go again with the "anti-America" stuff. Talk about knee-jerk reactions. Instead of dealing with the policy criticisms (lots of them here if you read all the comments) you label those you disagree with as anti-American. Who are you to define what it is to be American? By definition there is no definition, no litmus test. We all love this country, we just want to make it better. Fact is, most Americans do want health-care reform, including single payer, once they understand what it means. (Medicare for all.)
Your insulting Canadians is a perfect example of the ugly American the rest of us don't want to be affiliated with. Canadians are very relevant to this discussion because they're our very nice neighbors with a very nice health-care policy we could learn from. (Some of us have.)
The whole point of insurance is to pool risks and thus spread them out. The larger the pool, the better it works. Single-payer puts the entire population in the same insurance pool and reduces the need for customized billing systems for each company, reducing the overhead for doctors and hospitals.
We pay more for health care than any other developed country and get worse results. We have excellent emergency care, overall, which is forced to handle the many people without health-care coverage. Waiting lines in ERs would be reduced if the poor were getting preventive care from regular doctors instead of waiting until things become critical and having to rely on emergency services.
Boycott Whole Foods!
It was very satisfying to do so, though with 300+ comments already it may not be seen. But let's think of creative ways to get the story out there.
Again for those of you who have email lists you want to share with, here is the link:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240529702...
I must say that I will miss WF's toasted almond torte.
'Walk the talk,' but not past the bank.
Oh John Mckay, you think you are jesus.
I just sent them this comment:
Please let your CEO know that I've read his editorial against health care reform in the Wall Street Journal and covered at AmericaBlog at http://www.americablog.com/2009/08/whole-foods-....
Based on his radical views, I have decided that my family can no longer shop at Whole Foods since the company is not willing to be a good corporate citizen and support the president's health care reform.
We live just two blocks from the West LA store on National and shopped there about once a week. We will exclude Whole Foods and shop at Trader Joe's, other markets, and local farmer's markets.
anyone out there thinking about boycotting whole foods after Mackey's oped? email me please, emily.friedman@abc.com. #boycottwholefoods
Here is the Organic Industry Structure 2009. Who owns what; you may be surprised.
http://www.msu.edu/~howardp/organicindustry.html
he's a libertarian, need I say more?
once mackey got dollar signs in his eyes, he began to let loose with the occasional screed.
now he seems to do it almost on a daily basis.
get gets all angry when people question his "genius". his "genius" ended the day he hired ex walmart execs to be on WF's board of directors.
his original purpose for his store has been so corrupted, it doesn't even resemble anything like it's original concept.
people have fallen hook line and sinker for his line of BS.
you want real food? go to the farmers market.
whole foods is a suckers market and mackey knows it.
http://imgur.com/7eikp.jpg
you sound like rush limbaugh calling the ACLU 'commies' until they defended him on his drug charges.
Newsflash! Republicans and Conservatives are just as likely to be "good" as you are. We have different opinions on what will most likely achieve the most "good" though.
Until liberals can, at the very least, operate under the assumption that Conservatives care about people as much as they do, there can be no healthy debate about policy and ways to better our country.
And I think it's hard to say conservatives "care about people as much" as liberals when they are so often shouting in offense and in protest, rather than in support of their fellow citizens who are different. They shout hateful nasty things at gays, hateful nasty things at women who choose abortion, hateful nasty things at minorities. And I think it would be disingenuous to say you believed that was because they cared so much about the fate of the people they protest so angrily. No, I think conservatives care about their "own" people; people who look like them, act like them, and have their "values". And liberals care about everyone, including the people that are different from them or less fortunate.
But let's not focus on the upper 1% right now, many of whom already donate a significant portion of their income to non-profit organizations and charities. How about the rest of us who aren't dirt poor, but have worked so hard our entire lives to get to where we are and are maybe doing ok right now or maybe not. What you're saying is that we all need to pay for those who are less fortunate or just too lazy, too incompetent, or too greedy to take the actions necessary to pay for their own health care. That's just not right.
Don't go telling me about Joe Schmoe who's just down on his luck and needs a hand up, but the evil system has done all these horrible things to him and made him a victim. My father works with homeless people and addicts all day long every day and he can tell you, or I'll tell you for him, those people are where they are in life because they chose to be there. Furthermore, there are MANY systems in place already to help people like that get back on their feet, but most of them will choose not to get help. My tax dollars shouldn't be forcibly taken from me and given to them. If I were rich, I'd donate to charity, too, but I'm not.
Who do you believe qualifies that is currently in Congress?
I know that my mother, a conservative, cares about people. I know that many conservatives do. I am pretty certain that conservative politicians and leaders do not, however, based on their rhetoric and voting records. And while each side has its fringe element, the right-wing fringe seems to be on the whole much more hate-filled and violence-prone than the left-wing fringe, whoever that might be. (There's barely any left in American, truth be told.)
I don't claim either side.
I think it's a bit extreme to start boycotting Whole Foods because of a honest disagreement on public policy, right?
"While we clearly need health-care reform"
He just doesn't believe in YOUR idea of health care reform.
Health care reform as is currently being discussed may or may not be a good idea. I haven't educated myself thoroughly on the matter.
And yes, if people stopped eating complete garbage all the freaking time, they would in fact, avoid a huge amount of disease and sickness.
I'd be thrilled if the entire GOP membership started shopping at Whole Foods. It might open up their minds a bit to rub shoulders with the liberal/progressive majority and discover they're not the evil beings Sarah Palin and other twits would have you believe. I bet you actually do know some liberals and don't realize it! You can't tell by just looking you know...
He never graduated college and stared whole foods from nothing. He has used his free market mentality to grow a socially responsible business. Although I disagree with him on this issue, I can confidently say there should be more CEOs like him. Read about John Mackey before you judge!
The guy is a grocer. He has demonstrated no expertise in economics or any other area relevant to the debate. Not too long ago he was caught sockpupetting on discussion boards on his own damn stock. Not only stupid, it could get you in big SEC trouble - and rightly so.
His piece was just an unthinking regurgitation of GOP talking points in a rag whose editorial page was discredited even before Murdoch bought them.
He clearly made no effort to understand healthcare before judging the Obama plan so why should we have to 'read up on him' before pointing this out.
That is classic agenda denial, you don't bring facts to the debate, just attack the standing of the other party to voice their opinion.
As it happens I did know that the guy had been exposed as a deceptive liar before this editorial.
Boycott Whole Foods!
Health-care should be de-coupled from employers and be the minimum standard all citizens and guest workers are entitled to. We are (for a little longer, anyway) the richest country in the world; why can't health care be a priority instead of corporate welfare and wars to cram "democracy" down the throats of Muslims, to name a couple of budget areas that could provide capital for expanding Medicare to the whole population.
Musing Lew
Honestly, I have no problem with many of his suggestions. I think the only thing he's missing is a requirement barring insurance companies from retroactively reviewing insurance underwriting when people file claims, and their rampant practice of denying care in the case of spurious pre-existing condition arguments, and denying needed care for the sake of profit.
The CEO is not against healthcare reform, he is against making healthcare a government entity. Have you ever been to the DMV? Do you really want that same bureaucratic process invading our health care system?
"While we clearly need health-care reform, 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"
And GOD FORBID he actually encourages people to eat healthy!! Do you know what percentage of Americans are overweight or diabetic? It would be HORRIBLE if they put down their McDonald's and actually picked up an apple.
The "standard of living" argument is a decent one, but why does the government have to support an entire industry? The money would be much better spent adding programs to help people get educated, get jobs, and get their own insurance that they can choose!
Everyone in this country wants everything just handed to them. They think they deserve everything, and they want it for free. We are a great nation, but we need to trim some fat (both off the people and off the government), own up to our own actions and stop relying on everyone else for our own livelihood.
Advocating single-payer health care is not asking for everything to be handed to us. Those of us who work hard for a living are just tired of getting shafted while the system is increasingly perverted to serve the needs of the wealthy class while the rest of us scramble to stay in the whatchamacallit class -- what's the one where you're just barely getting by and you're one crisis away from total disaster?? Oh yeah, the middle class.
I have no complaints about my local DMV or Post Office. They are polite, efficient and helpful. That was true in the last city I lived in, and the one before that, and the one before that. Before that, I lived in Japan, which had government-paid health insurance coverage as well as private plans. Not all doctors took national health insurance patients, but most did. The system worked pretty well. Not perfect, but we can tweak it to our satisfaction.
I see no problem with the government making such a fantastic option that it will put the insurance companies out of business. If they had given us a fantastic option as well instead of letting people die for their profit, making record profits in the middle of a recession, they wouldn't be in this mess. People should not be getting rich off of the illness of others. It's not a "for profit" game, in my eyes.
Anyway, we have dozens of examples of countries where they have the very system progressives want, public healthcare, and they beat our system in BOTH quality of care, as well as cost. In Holland, for example, where I lived and enjoyed the system, they pay 7% of their income in taxes to healthcare. In return, EVERYBODY gets 100% coverage for EVERYTHING. Everything. Contrast that with our "fabulous" private system: I am currently paying nearly 20% of my income to insurance premiums. In return, I get to pay 20% of any medical bills I incur, IF the insurance company decides they want to cover me for something. We have one of the worst systems in the world, and you are defending it? At the current rate, they say in 10 years we will be paying 50% of our incomes to healthcare! And currently 70% of bankruptcies are due to medical events. Hmm...Wonder which system is better? The "socialist" system, or the private system?
Therein is the problem. There are more people making far less than $30,000 a year than there are those making over even $50,000.
Costs for preventive care would likely go down if more people had access to affordable health care coverage and don't have to pay an arm, leg, and possibly their lives for it. If they can't afford it they will lforego it until worse problems evolve and emergency or urgent care is required. By that time, treatment is much more expensive since there are more serious issues involved.
Also, I'm sorry your insurance company sucks, go find another one.
Bound for the lake of fire!
Freedom of choice between plans where the insurance companies have a strangle hold on doctors' medical decisions is an illusory freedom. Freedom to go to any health-care practitioner and get appropriate treatment, now you're talking.
A lot of the health-care debate in this country is missing the larger issue of questioning the drug and surgery paradigm of medicine. Disease care doesn't promote health, in many cases. For acute care, there's nothing better than Western medicine (of course we know better than anybody how to clean up the aftermath of car accidents and gunshot wounds) but it is a miserable failure at promoting health. For that, nutrient-dense foods, sunshine, exercise, clean water and air, etc., play the major role. Oh, and genes. Genes plus environment influencing their expression. We have the tools to improve the environment for health.
Single Payer health care is the only thing that has been shown to work. Let's do it!
Whole Foods' CEO is entitled to his opinion. And we are entitled to getting out the word to the progressives that shop(ped) there about his opinion and spending our money where we want to. We don't think his ideas are "great ideas", which is why we don't post them.
"A new report has revealed that over 120,000 cancer patients die early every year after being denied drugs that could have increased their life span. The report, Paying for Cancer Care, by the oncologist Prof Karol Sikora, identifies 136,000 British patients a year who could benefit from 10 cancer treatments, which are commonly available across Western Europe, but rarely funded by the NHS." Full article: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/...
2. "A grandad with terminal bowel cancer has been refused a drug on the NHS that could extend his life - despite offering to pay for it himself." Full article: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/0...
3. "Bowel cancer drugs denied NHS funding...It is hard not to be angry and cynical when Nice appears to be making its decisions on the basis of financial expediency rather than clinical efficacy." Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2006/jun/03/c...
I will tell you my recent, firsthand experience with nationalized healthcare. It completely refutes the claim you are making. My aunt in Holland died two months ago of stomach cancer. I went there to be with her at the end, and the Dutch system paid for round-the-clock hospice care in her own home. They paid for 2 medically "unnecessary" and very expensive surgeries (fitting a tube to her liver to bypass a tumor) that extended her life by just 8 WEEKS. Don't tell me about national healthcare. I have lived it. I know that had my aunt been in the U.S., the insurance company would not only have denied the 2 surgeries to extend her last weeks, but our family would be broke from paying hospice care.
Such as:
Health Care Expenditures (percent of GDP) (1)
United States 13.4%
Canada 10.0
Finland 9.1
Sweden 8.6
Germany 8.4
Netherlands 8.4
Norway 7.6
Japan 6.8
United Kingdom 6.6
Denmark 6.5
Premature Death (years of life lost before the age of 64 per 100 people):
United States 5.8 years
Denmark 4.9
Finland 4.8
Canada 4.5
Germany 4.5
United Kingdom 4.4
Norway 4.3
Switzerland 4.1
Netherlands 4.0
Sweden 3.8
Japan 3.3
Death rate of 1-to-4 year olds (per community of 200,000 per year):
United States 101.5
Japan 92.2
Norway 90.2
Denmark 85.1
France 84.9
United Kingdom 82.2
Canada 82.1
Netherlands 80.3
Germany 77.6
Switzerland 72.5
Sweden 64.7
Finland 53.3
Etc., etc. The U.S. is dead last among these nations in everything, and these are the nations with public healthcare.
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-healthcare.htm
You aren't convincing anybody here of anything. Single payer is the way to go.
But they also market woo health care -- "alternative" medicines that don't work, "dietary supplements" that do no good. With other good information pamphlets, I find a lot of chiropractor's ads at Whole Foods. That's annoying.
Much like John Mackey's views on health care reform -- inappropriate woo. Mackey should stick to groceries.
http://wordbloom.wordpress.com/
There is a better way to accomplish the much needed goal of health care reform, but President Obama hasn't chosen the path to get us there. A bankrupt country is much worse for all of us than a bumpy road to health care reform.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19718742/
http://wordbloom.wordpress.com/
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/
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I'll choose something else now, a local store perhaps, given the option.
I'm boycotting Whole Foods 1) because of Mackey's (idiotic as well as suicidal) editorial against healthcare reform and 2) because of their terrible business practices and 3) because of the inflated cost of their products.
For me, there is no other option.
I, too, would like all the facts and learn how this will be paid for, but I also believe something needs to be done.
So this CEO is against limiting availability of health care, of so-called 'rationing.' -- which is NOT going on in France, by the way. My sister lives there and enjoys awesome health care.
Anyhow so Mr. CEO hates anything that smacks of socialism, or one-source provision of resources. Then how does he justify his increasing monopoly on organic produce -- an unregulated industry that will only grow more unregulated, mysterious, and hence duplicitous the fewer and fewer participants? So dude sells pricey good produce, totally overpriced cheese, over priced pasta, bread, etc. and has done his level best to muscle out every small health food competitor in the market. Look on the blogs, like Common Dreams and Alter Net. There are articles about the behemoths of the 'organic' food industry behaving just as badly as any corporate raider. OK, pal, you want to talk about rationing? Your total control of organic and healthy food is rationing.
Physician, heal thyself!
Sarah
Why should we believe the government about their talking points regarding by the government getting more involved in healthcare it will bring down costs. The government runs the post office, Amtrack, medicare, social security...all broke. A key reason this won't work is that the US is going broke. We do not have the resources to implement. Other countries that produce goods and services for and by their own people have a right to provide disease care and "stimulate" the economy by bailouts. We do not produce goods in this country to export. In fact, we don't produce goods even for our own people. In essence their is no money to give more handouts to people. The government's responsibility is not to provide disease care or educate children. As Americans of a Republic (not democracy) we need to take these rights back from the Fed's.
I don't think Mackey is a right wing republican. I believe he is more libertarian, like me. Supporting Ron Paul (vote 12onPaul).
A really good book for all of you to read is Meltdown by Thomas Woods Jr. I would also suggest learning about Austrian Economics. Google Ludwig Von Mises. Also Lew Rockwell Jr.
Capitalism should not be blamed.
http://mises.org/story/3646
The above was not written by anyone that contributes to Common Dreams or Huffington Post. Nor would Thom Hartman, Randi Rhodes or Stephanie Miller agree. If any part of the article resonates with you, please pass it on to the above individuals I named.
Steven. (gay, Jewish, financially poor, live in West Hollywood...and yet doesn't vote liberal democrat. How can that be?)
It is true of course that government involvement in health care can be a two-edged sword. But like anything that matters, the devil is in the details. Free-market, private health care sounds great, theoretically, but as time goes along certain groups gain more power over others (think management vs labor) and government does have a role in maintaining a fair and open playing field. In the case of health care, the insurance companies have a strangle-hold on both doctors and patients. A single-payer system doesn't mean the government owns the hospitals and medical suppliers and drugmakers; it's just one big insurance payment system that cuts out duplication and overhead. It obviously has to be well-designed and well-run with oversight. We have the chance to learn from the many successes in Europe, Japan, and other countries with single-payer systems and adapt to our needs.
As it is, the private insurance companies already stand between you and your doctor and their MO is recission: get rid of any patient who might cost them anything, and only accept the healthy. The point of insurance is to pool risk and share it. The bigger the pool, the more risk is spread around and the less overhead. Listen to the former Cigna executive talk to Bill Moyers; find the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere.
The whole mindset Mackey is coming from here is based on reduction of government for the good of saving our global financial standing. And please - enough with this woe-is-me BS...
"When you go to Whole Foods you are bankrolling the conservative Republican effort to kill health care reform and to label Democratic presidents and Democratic values "socialist." The CEO of Whole Foods thinks you're a socialist. It's time to stop giving him your money."
By nature, a federal program that might pass wherein you are monetarily penalized for NOT having healthcare (true), relinquish personal bank account access to the government (true), and among other things maintain a nationwide pot of funds for the cause of providing healthcare to the populus, in the truest form of the word, IS socialist. Nothing more, nothing less.
"...monetarily penalized for NOT having healthcare, relinquish personal bank account access to the government..."
Some of us are choosing to spend our limited resources in stores that do not take our hard earned money and use it to deny health care to Americans.
"relinquish personal bank account access to the government" In any event, that doesn't define socialism. it's scary, but not necessary socialism.
"maintain a nationwide pot of funds for the cause of providing healthcare to the populus" It is nice to give back, sure I won't be personaly thanked for it, but feels good to help those in need.
Here's a start: Try reading this thread.
sheesh
Plenty of bloggers and their commenters, including here, have done the work for you. All you gotta do is read.
But learning isn't really your purpose here, is it?
We all should use reason and logic to evaluate the truthfulness of information before we engage in debate...
BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO KILL OLD PEOPLE ;)
Trader Joe's is a good trade off if there's one by anyone not wanting to shop at Whole foods anymore.
quote
------
[posted by]boycottwf
First post: 8/13/2009
Last post: 8/13/2009
Total posts: 5
Mr. Mackey,
I would like to thank you for letting us know your political views. While it was a horrible business move, it was a great courtesy. Now, I know that my dollars spent at whole foods are going to fund your misguided conservative views.
While I have a forum to voice my views, you need to provide your workers with better healthcare. The high deductible plan is worthless unless someone is hit with a catastrophic illness. You state that it is a good plan because it encourages people to spend their healthcare dollars more responsibly. It is an irresponsible plan because it discourages regular check ups and encourages people to wait until they have a severe illness.
It is clear that you workers need to get together collectively and ask for better benefits. Hopefully the UFCW or another Union read your article and will launch an organizing campaign.
You have forgotten that your the nation consists of your customers or should I say, your former customers. I would not be affected at all by healthcare reform, but I have a heart and I want to ensure that all people have access to healthcare whether or not they can afford it like I can.
While I have little control over where my tax dollars are spent, I have complete control over where I purchase my food. I am going to research and find a market that cares about its workers and cares about the health of the nation. I typically spend about $500 a week on groceries and would estimate that at least 40% of that is spent at whole foods. I just checked my bank account and saw that so far this month I have spent over $600 at Whole Foods. Until you publically apologize to the nation and pledge that you will provide better benefits to your employees, I will not spend another dime at your store.
Good Luck trying to sell groceries once you alienate all of your customers.
unquote
---------
That says it all!
SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!! (google it)
http://wordbloom.wordpress.com/
Too many of its provisions would enable the HHS Secretary to arbitrarily establish, or change, 'the rules of the game' at any time with not oversight from anyone. Also H.R. 3200 includes countless revisions of the IRS, Medicare, and Social Security codes. If, per chance, your current insurance coverage does not comply with guidelines imposed by the HHS you will be taxed for having a non-compliant plan. This tax will be imposed in addition to your current premium costs. Also if you change or lose your job you will be taxed for not having coverage. There are good parts and bad parts with H.R. 3200. Unfortunately the bad far out weigh the good.
Rather than trying to do everything for everybody everywhere all in one fell swoop why not address each of the major defects in the current system separately. Why do we have to change all health coverage for everyone just to provide health care for those without coverage through no fault of their own, and who are LEGAL residents or citizens?
Oh naive one...
Um, just read the actual bill!
http://wordbloom.wordpress.com/
Aren't we taught from an early age, not to generalize? ALL countries with socialized medicine....this is getting ridiculous. I am an American living in Sweden, yup, socialized medical system Sweden, where I have never experienced better healthcare in my life. I can't believe how frightened and undereducated, AND absolutely certain people are of the evils of something that CAN work so well.
You are missing out if you don't take the time to learn about this issue rather than listening to the spinmasters on cable TV that feed you this crazy propaganda!
A lot of you seem to have these sob stories about the "horrible" insurance companies and how they're so terrible and we're all going bankrupt because of them, etc. One person who commented on my post claimed he paid %20 of his monthly paycheck on health insurance. Let me tell you my story. I made about $4500 a month in my young 20's, which is a decent wage considering my age, but still a very modest and reasonable one that I think the general middle class in America can identify with. The first month that I qualified for health insurance at that company I paid about $100 out of pocket for an HMO and the privately owned company that I worked for paid the other $100. That very month my motorcycle broke down on the freeway and while I was trying to pull off to the shoulder, I was struck by a car. The combined hospital bills, including multiple surgeries, have cost the insurance company well over $250,000. My out of pocket expenses were between $1500-2000. My premiums never went up and I was never denied coverage.
So, if you're paying 20% every month for health care, you're either way over-covered, you're family is way too big, you're getting ripped off by your insurance company and should start looking elsewhere, you're health is incorrigible, or you just don't make very much money. Whatever the case, it's not my problem. Nothing is for free and if you think I'm going to pay for your health care because for whatever reason you can barely afford it, you've got something else coming.
Having said all that, I don't think our system is by any means perfect. As another commenter pointed out, the biggest flaw of our system is that the foundation is centered on disease control, not prevention. In ancient China the physician was paid so long as the patient remained healthy. If the patient got sick, the physician would no longer be paid until the patient was cured. I'm not saying that's the system we should have, but I want to show the contrast between what we do have and how else it could be done. Anything that focuses on prevention and wellness is not just going to keep people from dying, it's going to help them live happier lives.
Private Health insurance has become very expensive because the laws of supply and demand are too far in favor of the corporation. We regulate many industries where this is a problem. Further federal oversight in Health-Care Insurance would help equal out those laws of supply and demand. If health care is not reformed, I hope you stay healthy and lucky.
Suffering and Dying because of a lack of money is something, we as a society, decided was unacceptable. That's where Medicare and Social Security came from and as they went through the legislative process, these same cries of Socialism went out. But they have benefited so many and reduced so much unnecessary suffering. A better health care system is not tyranny, no matter what the hard right screams. Read the bill: http://wordbloom.wordpress.com/
It's nothing to be afraid of and it is actually quite conservative.
Health Care Bill Trashed?
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As far as Mr. Mackey's vegetables are concerned, he can take his over-priced produce and stick it in his hybrid. I'll go to my local farm stand where I know I'm supporting local growers and not draining my pocket book. I wouldn't shop at Whole Foods if I could afford it.
"We need to work toward making healthy food affordable for everyone and reform health care the right way."
Okay, I'll bite... How would you make "Whole Foods" more affordable? Last time I shopped there it was incredibly expensive versus other stores... In fact, I'd shop there more if they were more affordable.
As far as telling John to "look at his facts" do you have some miracle cure for aging at Whole Foods or some organic plant we can all eat that will stop it? I'm sick to death of people thinking we can eat and exercise ourselves to eternal life... AGING AND SICKNESS EVENTUALLY HAPPENS AND THEN WHAT?!!?
Prevention is fine and dandy but there are plenty of illnesses that occur that have NOTHING to do with diet. NOTHING...
You are lucky people don't get banned for idiot remarks on this site.
Americans to eat healthier. Then our healthcare costs would go down and be cheaper for everyone. Of course, the drug manufacturers would go broke, and no one could get rich off of cancer treatments anymore-oh well. Okay, we know that will never happen. So until this debate is finalized, remember, Jesus will heal anyone. Just ask and believe and you will receive. And if you don't believe, don't ask.