From Politico:
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz continued his rhetorical war against Washington gridlock Tuesday during a conference call and webcast castigating the White House and Congress for the nation’s deficit and unemployment rate.
In a conference call that was heavy on angry us-against-Washington rhetoric and deficit and unemployment statistics and light on policy proposals, Schultz reiterated his call for the federal government to immediately work to reduce both the deficit and unemployment.
I participated in the electronic townhall meeting and the above was definitely not what I walked away with. Politico makes it sound Washington (read leadership in both parties.) should be scrambling to see who can play the victim card the fastest because big, bad, Howard Shultz is after them. That isn’t what it was about.
I walked away with the idea that our country is facing some very serious fiscal problems and that those problems can only be solved by people getting back to work. Additionally, the party people in Washington are keeping problems from being solved because they have stonewalled each other. There are many self-described Democrats, Republicans and Independents who are sick and tired of all the bull puckey that the parties are playing and we want something done. NoLabels.org can perhaps best be described as the rising up of the Center.
Schultz further reiterated that some of these problems aren’t all that difficult if leadership will work for the good of the country rather than for their party. He has enlisted the help of other CEOs and prepared a plan for companies to hire at least one person. Additionally, everyday Americans can pledge to send no campaign money until the Washington crew stop the stonewalling. All sorts of good ideas were discussed, some of which included plans to get America working and to get small businesses on a more tractable footing.
According to Schultz in Politico:
“I’m not a politician,” he said. “I’m not an economist. I run a coffee company.”
He continued: “My view of this is the following: I hope the supercommittee really does exceed expectations. My own expectations are not that high. … We have a Congress that is there to do a job. How did we get to a supercommittee? I just don’t understand it.”
Schultz’s foray into Howard Beale-style politics began last month when he circulated a letter asking fellow CEOs not to make political contributions until the White House and Congress “deliver a fiscally disciplined long-term debt and deficit plan to the American people.”
The electronic conference townhall meeting was a well-organized, well-orchestrated event. It has plenty of name recognition without losing the idea of community grassroots. Perhaps it is the struggle for the heart and soul of middle America, that part of America that is just fed up with the polarizing nature of politics these days.
It was an eye opening experience.
I don’t see this working out. Let’s look at a Ezra’s column today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/why-did-the-gop-turn-against-stimulus-ask-a-psychologist/2011/08/25/gIQADugV6J_blog.html
“Both liberals and conservatives followed their parties, even when their parties disagreed with their preferences. So when Democrats were said to favor the stringent welfare reform, for example, liberals went right along. Three scary sentences from the piece: “When reference group information was available, participants gave no weight to objective policy content, and instead assumed the position of their group as their own. This effect was as strong among people who were knowledgeable about welfare as it was among people who were not. Finally, participants persisted in the belief that they had formed their attitude autonomously even in the two group information conditions where they had not.”
If that’s the case I see no hope for a “centrist” movement.
Then again I’m content with gridlock.
But there is an entire ground-swell out there who is very disgusted and sees the gridlock as harmful to the country.
The Centrists are tired of the bull crap. It was rather pleasant to hear. As long as these clowns worry about their extremist base and nothing else, the country IS in jeopardy.
I agree with you that the country IS in jeopardy. Been saying that for awhile.
I just don’t see this ground-swelling going anywhere, fast. It’s just the flavor of the month. But, if it gets people more engaged, more interested and involved. I’m good with that.
Did I here Mr. Shultz say something about Congressmen and Women and Senators being lobbied (paid-off) by Corporations to maintain the satus quo of impasse and chaos in government; so that their CEOs can operate in essence with impunity, as to how they do business disregarding the needs of the country?
If so how does an American get involved in stopping this.
@William
Not sure. There are ways to join up with nolabels.org. I just listened. The jury was out. I was just happy to hear other centrist points of view. I am tired of the extremes.
The Coffee Party rides again!!
I looked for signs of that, Pokie. I don’t think so. Howard Schultz has a little more star power as do the 15 CEOs that signed on with him.
I was never clear about the goals of the coffee party.
@marinm
I would probably have a little more respect for the tea party if they had risen up in 2004 rather than right after Obama got in office.
There’s the difference. This was going full steam ahead, yet no one said anything…until Obama got in office.