Before really getting into this topic, I recommend that you read the editorial in question.

While Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods, starts off on the right foot with a couple of suggestions to trim costs in company health care plans, the whole thing really takes a nose dive at the end when he starts trashing the “socialized medicine” of the UK and Canada.

First of all, the “Obamacare” plan that he is trying to cast aspersions on is closer to that of Japan than it is to that of Canada or the UK. Secondly, most citizens of Canada and the UK will be happy to tell you that the only thing that they wait for is non-essential care, and even then if you are concerned all you have to do is say so and they will either allay your concerns or try to get you in earlier.

All arguments with Mackey’s libertarian views aside, the backlash against Whole Foods has been huge. Mackey has really gone too far with the Whole Foods liberal fan base this time. We’ve talked about Whole Foods’ union-busting tactics before on this blog, but this editorial takes things to a new level. Mackey’s assertion that health care, food and shelter are not basic human rights have got the blogosphere all a-twitter, and many Whole Foods shoppers are using the word “boycott”. This article over at MSNBC details the backlash against Whole Foods.

This isn’t the first time that Mackey has gotten into hot water over his views. As anonymous poster “rahodeb”, his wife’s name spelled backwards, he trashed his competition on various internet blogs and forums until his identity was revealed.

Tags: mackey healthcare, mackey obamacare, mackey op-ed piece, mackey Wall Street Journal, whole foods health care

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