In August, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey argued in the pages of the Wall Street Journal that the solution to America’s health care crisis was to be found in “less government control and more individual empowerment.”
His own company’s unique health care plan, Mackey wrote, covers 90 percent of employees, costs less than health insurance plans, aned provides a “very high degree of worker satisfaction.”
But for the sin of not supporting a government take over of health care, labor unions and left-wing activists called for a boycott of Whole Foods, claiming that Mackey’s solutions were unworkable and his employees were unhappy.
Reason.tv talked to protesters, Mackey, and employees about “the Whole Foods alternative to ObamaCare.”
Produced by Michael C. Moynihan and Dan Hayes. Edited by Dan Hayes. Approximately 5 minutes. (Full disclosure: Mackey has contributed to Reason Foundation, the nonprofit that publishes this website.)
Related video: John Mackey’s Conscious Capitalism: The Whole Foods CEO on health care, veganism, and free markets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYcFCyZC8Sc
Go to http://reason.tv for downloadable versions of these and other videos.
Duration : 0:4:28
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25 comments ↓
@shannonsurreal The …
@shannonsurreal The countries that do have “free” health care usually pay for most costs through taxes. Then, there are countries like Germany who have government/tax funds for health care and people pay a little share each month for an insurance of their choice. At least for Germany I can say that everyone is covered. It’s the law. I don’t know the details, but only people who make a certain amount per year have to get private insurance.
i love whole foods …
i love whole foods but why the does everything gotta be so over priced.. -_-
Unions suck!, …
Unions suck!, especially this one complaining about Whole Foods. I have their health insurance option and use my school insurance instead.
Now Whole Foods is …
Now Whole Foods is punishing its employees who are older and heavier by giving extra discounts to younger and more attractive employees!
Haha look at the …
Haha look at the stupid cow’s faces at 4:17-4:23… are you proud of yourself now women?
google “define: …
google “define: Libertarian” I think it begs to differ
@Christoppher1994 …
@Christoppher1994 wrong. Google history of Libertarianism, it started with the elite who were basically fed up that the everyday people had rights same as them, so they became wealthy anarchists of a sort, and have been trying to overthrow the Constitution every since, and prefer “self-governance” which of course is Law of the Jungle (might is right). Libertarians are against voting and consider it “mob rule” . Libertarianism is a throwback to feudalism.
Correct if Im worng …
Correct if Im worng but dosen’t the rest of the world have free health care and It dosen’t help a majority of people ? and Who is going to pay for the health care us? taxes? don’t call me stupid I just want to know.
libertarianism is …
libertarianism is FORMED off of the idea of the U.S. constitution. Progressives which is what you are) hate the constitution
I love Whole Foods! …
I love Whole Foods!
Of course…The 99 cent store is cheaper.
Part of the reason …
Part of the reason I shop at Whole Foods, besides liking the product, is because of Mackey’s vocal stand for freedom and free markets. Keep up the good work, guys. Great food, very competitive prices, better selection than anywhere else I’ve seen, and a great health care plan that exceeds most I’ve had access to while working as an employee.
A&P? A friend of …
A&P? A friend of mine started working there and apparently it’s union run and you have to wait a while before you get health care.
I don’t know what ” …
I don’t know what “your industry” is. I guess I didn’t make that clear enough in my last comment.
Furthermore, government enforces EVERYTHING with violence. If you don’t pay taxes, you go to jail. If you don’t go to jail, then send armed men to your house.
Finally, prohibition results in violence because it creates a black market for the prohibited products. Duh.
This is leftist …
This is leftist garbage.The hippies are mad because, Mackey’s not a Communist. Liberalism is a mental disorder. The Afro-Leninist’s destruction of America is coming to an end. I hope Obama’s policy fails.
So do you rely on …
So do you rely on an ability to enforce contracts in “your industry” in a court of law? If yes, then you rely on limited government .
If you don’t rely on an ability for court-enforcement of contracts in “your industry”, then your recourse for enforcement of such agreements is violence (i.e. like the drug gangs). Government prohibition of drugs results in violence because business transactions between parties in the illicit drug industry are NOT enforceable in courts of law.
MY industry? I …
MY industry? I have no idea what you’re talking about.
You say drug gangs are what happens with no government. Except drug gangs cannot be profitable without government prohibiting aforementioned drugs. Fail.
Your industry still …
Your industry still had the ability to enforce contracts in a court of law, right? Then your industry relied on limited government to enforce the law.
If you want to see what happens with NO government, then all you have to do is look at the drug gangs – violence is used to enforce agreements and killing your competitor is OK.
Of course unions …
Of course unions want universal health care. They have promised their members lavish retirement health care benefits and now they want to pass that tab onto the US taxpayer.
that guy with the …
that guy with the goatee is a moron…
suck a dick, …
suck a dick, hippies.
The guy in the …
The guy in the yellow shirt and glasses is wrong. I just started working for a huge grocery store (who shall remain nameless) and I don’t even get health insurance until I have worked there for TWO years. This was the UNIONS decision. I don’t see how that is better than whole foods plan.
Mackey’s a stud!
Mackey’s a stud!
Simon91956 Statist …
Simon91956 Statist -WE THE PEOPLE for the Constitutional right to vote.
Libertarian- elitists against the United STATES Constitution, and calls voting “mob rule”
idolwick LOL “Full …
idolwick LOL “Full disclosure : Mackey has contributed to Reason Foundation , the nonprofit that publishes this website” is written on the sidebar of THIS video
Yankhadenough
…
Yankhadenough
Please link your information for full disclosure.