Starbucks CEO: Don't Donate to Politicians

www.examiner.com...

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has said he will not donate to politicians after the debt ceiling fiasco in Washington, D.C., and he has called on other CEOs to commit to the same policy.

Will the others listen to him? Should they follow his lead?

For the politicians in power now, I think so. However, donating to new candidates with new ideas should definitely be excluded from the ban on donations.

www.examiner.com...

reply to post by ChicagOpinion


The politicians don't care what they think - as long as they can squeeze every last penny out of the taxpayer, thats all that matters.

Howard Schultz and Warren Buffett are finding deaf ears when it comes to their solution to reducing U.S. economic down turn. Their idea of levying further tax on the rich and stay away from political donations is not finding any other business leaders.
www.forexdice.com...

reply to post by ChicagOpinion


This will only work if all of them did it. For all of those that decided not to donate, it would only empower those who will even more.

This man "seems" to have good intentions however.

That is a great source!!

Good for him, how about no one
give their money to starbucks...

Let that douche bag stick to making my coffee.

I will donate to whomever I wish..

reply to post by thetruthisclearnow

Good for him, how about no one give their money to starbucks... Let that douche bag stick to making my coffee. I will donate to whomever I wish..

Unless you are a CEO of a corporation, he wasn't referring to you.

Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, says that Washington, D.C. politicians will not get future campaign donations from him, and he calls on other CEOs of other companies to do the same.

Originally posted by David9176
reply to post by thetruthisclearnow

 

Good for him, how about no one give their money to starbucks... Let that douche bag stick to making my coffee. I will donate to whomever I wish..

Unless you are a CEO of a corporation, he wasn't referring to you.

Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, says that Washington, D.C. politicians will not get future campaign donations from him, and he calls on other CEOs of other companies to do the same.

How the hell do you know if I'm a
CEO or not..

Let this moron stick to making cups of joe..

Lay off your assumptions

He has no say!

Originally posted by ChicagOpinion
www.examiner.com...

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has said he will not donate to politicians after the debt ceiling fiasco in Washington, D.C., and he has called on other CEOs to commit to the same policy.

Will the others listen to him? Should they follow his lead?

For the politicians in power now, I think so. However, donating to new candidates with new ideas should definitely be excluded from the ban on donations.

www.examiner.com...

edit on 17-8-2011 by ChicagOpinion because: (no reason given)

Sounds more to me like a publicity stunt, or maybe he is actually speaking out.

I agree with you about good candidates bringing new ideas to the table...

He should have been more specific, and said "start using your positions of power to bring positive change, instead of using it to serve yourselves."

I already donate to politicians, against my will! I pay my taxes, and they spend 99.9 percent of the time they spend in office running for election on my dime! But, with the current crop of scum in D.C., there is a light at the end of the tunnel, the government is gonna fail, and we'll get to try something else, like maybe, total anarchy!, the way things are going now, how the hell could you tell the difference!!!!!!!!!!

Donation to politicians = bribes. I cannot believe that people don't see this.

Well, i know that people see this. They just refuse to cognize it. Every time you hear about a politician being in someone's pocket, this is what they are talking about.

Ever since SCOTUS ruled that "money = speech", and thus donations are "free speech", we have just gone that much further down the road to hell.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

Ever since SCOTUS ruled that "money = speech", and thus donations are "free speech", we have just gone that much further down the road to hell.

Just wait till the Presidential campaign begins to ramp up...corporate bought ads will be everywhere trashing or supporting political candidates. It already happened in Iowa.

More money was spent on 6 recall elections in the middle of the summer a few weeks ago than any regular statewide election period in Wisconsin.

That will soon be here on a national scale. Millions...possibly over in the billions will be spent...all money that supposedly is needed to "create jobs"...but is instead being used to buy off politicians...which is looked at as an investment. Pay a little and hope to get the dividends on tax breaks.

It's difficult to read the "correct" replies here which basically says $money$ puts people in office and those $money$-providers get the political favors to be had.

How long for a government with such an election policy crumbles to shreds?

It's really sad, but what can be done about it other than banning contributions from big business? It's very disturbing.

reply to post by David9176


Tax breaks AND government contracts/subsidies.

Funny thing is, "tax breaks" is the worst rationale. The concept of getting a break on how much money is stolen from ones pocket seems very medieval.

A few weeks ago i was sitting in on a meeting with a state tax auditor. She was explaining why the liquor tax in Texas is "hidden" from the consumer: that tax is not levied on them, it is levied on the vendor. The reason she gave: for the "privilege" of selling booze in the state of Texas. How Mafia does that sound???

The fines for having a consumer facing tax on liquor in Texas are very stiff. That 14% markup is completely hidden from your view. Stupid as hell, to be honest. And indicative of how shady government can be, what with hidden taxes and all.

It's too bad this CEO's idea didn't catch on by week's end. It should have. Maybe he can re-fuel the idea by repeating his quest for what-sounds-like a great idea.

yahoo... so you know the examiner is not the only one running it

Heads of over 100 major companies have joined Starbucks Corp. CEO Howard Schultz in a pledge to boycott political donations until Congress and the president agree on a long-term debt and deficit plan, Schultz announced in a letter Wednesday.

what is interesting is this...

Upward spiral...
and
Upward spiral.... facebook
and
Upward spiral facebook letter

August 15, 2011

Dear Fellow Concerned Americans:

Our country is better than this.

Over the last few weeks and months, our national elected officials from both parties have failed to lead. They have chosen to put partisan and ideological purity over the well-being of the people. They have undermined the full faith and credit of the United States. They have stirred up fears about our economic prospects without doing anything to truly address those fears. They have spent a resource even more precious than the dollar: our collective confidence in each other, in the future, and in our ability to solve problems together.

As leaders in business, we have watched all this unfold, first with frustration and then with dismay. Like so many of our employees and customers, we are gravely concerned about the current situation. Today, with both humility and urgency, we propose to do something about it.

First, we aim to push our elected leaders to face the nation's long-term fiscal challenges with civility, honesty, and a willingness to sacrifice their own re-election. This means not kicking the can anymore. It means reaching a deal on debt, revenue, and spending long before the deadline arrives this fall. It means considering all options, from entitlement programs to taxes.

This is what so many common-sense Americans want. That is why we today pledge to withhold any further campaign contributions to the President and all members of Congress until a fair, bipartisan deal is reached that sets our nation on stronger long-term fiscal footing. And we invite leaders of businesses – indeed, all concerned Americans – to join us in this pledge.

We also believe in leading by positive example. And we believe that while the long-term fiscal challenge is serious, even more painful to millions of Americans today is the immediate crisis of jobs. Tens of millions are unemployed and underemployed. Right now our economy is frozen in a cycle of fear and uncertainty. Companies are afraid to hire. Consumers are afraid to spend. Banks are afraid to lend. Record levels of cash are piling up in corporate treasuries, idling. That cash is not being used to expand operations, train new workers, underwrite new ventures, or spark innovation.

The only way to break this cycle of fear is to break it. The only way to get the country’s economic circulatory system flowing again is to start pumping lifeblood through it. That is why we today issue a second pledge. Our companies are going to hire. We are going to accelerate growth, employment, and investment in jobs.

We do this because we want to set in motion an upward spiral of confidence. We are not waiting for government to create an incentive program or a stimulus. We are not waiting for economic indicators to tell us it’s safe to act. We are hiring more people now. We invite leaders of businesses across the country to join us in this pledge as well – and to bring their stakeholders into the effort. Confidence is contagious. The best thing we can do now is to spread it.

This is a time for citizenship, not partisanship. It is a time for action. We don't pretend that our two pledges are quick fixes. We just believe that in this moment of great uncertainty, the government needs discipline, the people need jobs – and leaders need to lead.

Our country is better than this. Let’s get things moving now.

Respectfully,

Howard Schultz

I include the whole letter in case later own it gets altered or removed and I hope it is left...

Please note include is a secondary every side ignored till you read the letter...

"We will hire and grow....."

It is something I almost overlooked somehow yet it is more important then the pledge not to donate...

Also on other sites...
politcio... aol joins

More than 100 business leaders have signed on to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s pledge to stop making donations to incumbents until Washington gridlock eases, sending a message to lawmakers that they must make real progress in reining in deficit spending.

“As many of our political leaders campaign and vacation, the U.S. economy remains in a cycle of fear and uncertainty,” Schultz wrote in a Wednesday letter addressed to “fellow leaders.” And his initiative, he said, has “triggered a national dialogue and a groundswell of support” since he launched it last week.

Read more: www.politico.com...

If serious he may have realized screw the powers that be, I will make money and other businessmen may have as well


This might be a turning point... just maybe....

Unfortunately someone else put it best..... This will probably mean they will just funnel it through foundations...