Starbucks CEO: Hold back donations to D.C. pols
Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz is brewing up a boycott of contributions to the campaigns of Washington politicians as a way of breaking the ongoing stalemate in D.C. politics.
If money talks, Schultz figures, it's time to shut off the cash in protest of the inaction in the nation's capital.
As CBS News Correspondent Ben Tracy reported on "The Early Show" Monday, Schultz's frustration seems to mirror that of most Americans tired of the lack of productivity from their elected officials.
Special Section: Campaign 2012
A whopping 82 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Congress is doing its job, according to the latest CBS News/New York Times poll -- Congress' worst rating in 40 years.
It began with an e-mail from Schultz to Starbucks employees in which he expressed frustration over "the lack of cooperation and irresponsibility among elected officials as they have put partisan agendas before the people's agenda."
The e-mail struck a nerve.
By the end of the week, support from some 50 other business honchos convinced Schultz to put action behind his words and call for a halt of contributions by individuals and corporations until Washington gets its act together.
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1) Let's curtail capitalist campaign contributions and turn George Soros and the unions loose upon the political landscape before the elections
2) Let's fake an unsustainable uptick in employment based on emotion rather than economics. Our true agenda won't get discovered until after we are assured of four more years of Obamunism.
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But, I am concerned that liberal CEOs will join him and conservative CEOs will not. And, then they'll spend their millions to elect their candidates. What is Howard Schultz doing to see that this doesn't happen?
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Ultimately, we need campaign reform and that includes financing campaigns. Sadly, I don't see it happening in my lifetime.
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Thank you, Mr. schultz, for getting this ball rolling.
For being a non college educated person, you sure sound eloquent. The word incumbent is not one that even people with a university or college degree can accommodate easily in a paragraph, but you use it with such finesse... It sure sounds like the argot of a bleeding congress person, who might just fear $$$ loss due to Mr. Schultz' brilliant proposal. You see, I only heard this man speak once, and it was sufficient to clearly understand the intention of his proposal and his desire to preserve America's best interests. The situation we now face shows that the values that made our nation strong and mighty are failing due to the greed of many and the unscrupulous actions of those succumbing to a game of power. In that struggle to show supremacy of one party over the other, they are debilitating the American Nation, and believe me, they too, will pay the price. If America falls, we all fall... By the way, 2 of us in my family will start drinking Starbucks Coffee. Mr. Schultz certainly knows what he is talking about and is doing something about it! I give him my support 100%. I respect your opinion but invite you to meditate about America's future...Cheers!
As a 5th generation REPUBLICAN, turned INDEPENDENT, I don't even recognize my former party now addicted to KOCH! All the ranting
and raving with no progress is so sad :(
I APPLAUD STARBUCKS!!!!
Finally, my husband put his "SOCIALIST A--" on the line in the Coast Guard for you but I guess you didn't appreciate that either!
Elected officials would face a choice:
- don't do them at all, and face the threat of a challenger who pledges to do them regularly
- do them, but parrott only talking points, which the voters would soon see through and grow weary of
- do them as a chance to connect with voters and really experience give and take.
I think I know which option would prolong your political life. Today these forums are pretty much private messages to supporters. If you make them a standard expectation, accommodate them (libraries hosting them for seniors, etc.), and make them valuable for both official and electorate, we have a chance at lessening the importance of campaign funds.