Natural Food Fight: Whole Foods and Health Care

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.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• health care
• reform
• medicine
• insurance
• john mackey
• whole foods
• protests
• ufcw
• unions
• medical care
• free markets
• reason.tv

[787Bisurdaddy]

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.

[787Bisurdaddy]

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.

[gr8wellness]

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[MedicalStorage]

As long as the people are free to come up with healthcare strategies,

then it's all a pass.  The minute the Fed forces something on us,

then it's all a fail.

[beyondorganicfoods]

trybeyondorganic [dot] com - A brand new company you can be a part of selling organic food.

[je25ff]

More layabouts complaining that they aren't getting something for free.

[Charlesperalo]

I'm gonna own a company one day with employees and this is gonna be our model.

[crystalcalia]

Personal responsibility people. That's what its about. The company you work for is not your babysitter. The government is not your parent. Your life is up to you. If you don't agree with a companies policy, vote with your feet and go elsewhere. Don't whine like spoiled children wanting another cookie and expect any sympathy. Grow up.

[xxdiogenescynicxx]

@hyetalian1 Hand outs??? what the hell are you talking about you know nothing about me or where I work. If it were up to you, you would go back to feudalism or child slave labor, retard!

[hyetalian1]

Love how that black bitch tried to call the CEO racist in the beginning...This has NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE HAHAHAHAHA FAIL...of course this is what I would expect from union workers....

[hyetalian1]

@xxdiogenescynicxx The union is the largest most corrupt business there is, if only they did not control your handouts you would be able to see this. But I understand, why would you want to bite the hand that feeds you...wipes your ass.... and slaps you in the face with its dick.