Starbucks' Snark

Author: James O’Toole

Date: October 11, 2013

Title: “Starbucks Releases Petition Calling for End to Debt Ceiling, Shutdown Fights-Oct. 10, 2013”

CNN.com

Starbucks’ Snark?

Last Thursday, Starbucks called for leaders in Washington to resolve the ongoing financial crisis. The Starbucks company came to the conclusion to offer a petition on the subject to customers at its thousands of locations in the United States. Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, announced on the Starbucks website (SBUX, Fortune 500) that Americans “have no platform with which to voice their frustration with Washington and the current stalemate that threatens our nation.” The petition, instead, requests the lawmakers to “reopen” their government to “serve the

people,” and for Americans to “pay our debts on time to avoid another financial crisis” and “pass a bipartisan and comprehensive long-term budget deal by the end of the year.” "Our leaders need to lead, and we need a better solution in Washington, D.C.," Schultz said in a video posted on the Starbucks website. Throughout the past week, Schultz has called in his chief executives to discuss the showdown in Washington. "I don't pretend that both parties are equally to blame for this crisis," he said. "But, I do think they are equally responsible for leading us to a solution." A meeting at the White House followed Starbucks’ call where Wall Street CEOs were warned of serious, weighty, economic consequences if the shutdown and debt limit issues are not resolved.  Although the government shut down seems as though it does not have an effect as much on things that are not government run, that preconception is in fact wrong.  Starbucks, a corporate company, will be influenced greatly by the government shut down if plans do not get resolved within the near future. “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an influential business lobbying group, called legislation to fund the government and raise the debt ceiling "must-pass." In the past, Schultz has successfully provided a positive outlook in traumatic situations. For instance, in 2011, as lawmakers underwent a “fiscal cliff,” Schultz asked his employees in the D.C. area (approximately 120 stores) to write “Come Together” on Starbucks coffee cups when serving them. Throughout the constant interception between the Democrats and Republicans amongst this tough time, it seems as though nobody can really agree upon anything. But, if everyone agreed on what should be done, everyone would be in one political party; democracy would not exist. America would be ruled under one political party with one view on everything. When one party rules every aspect of the government, that is not what a democracy is. Someone needs to pose an opposition and both parties need to be held accountable for getting this country into deep debt, not a single political party. Everyone needs to take responsibility for their actions in this country and need to come to the conclusion with themselves that everyone has contributed to where this country has gotten, not just a single person or a small group of people.