![\"truthout\"](\"http:\/\/inthesetimes.com\/images\/working\/cache\/picture-489-250x179.jpg\")
Many supporters of progressive healthcare reform were shocked recently to read an Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal by John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, which slammed government funded healthcare. Liberal activists who form a substantial chunk of the Whole Foods clientele responded with anger, overwhelming the company’s online comments page. Mackey titled his piece, “The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare,” referring to the President’s reform efforts by the epithet popular with angry town-hall-going conservatives. In it, he emphasized individual responsibility, suggesting that “making wise life-style choices” such as healthy eating could cure most diseases (presumably through foods bought from his grocery store). Mackey mocked the idea that everyone has an “intrinsic right to healthcare,” but then suggested that people could make voluntary contributions to pay for the healthcare needs of the uninsured. Despite the recession, Whole Foods Corporation, sometimes referred to cheekily as Whole Paycheck, recorded sales of nearly $2 billion last quarter. It has faced criticism from progressives before, because of Mackey’s anti-union policies and his lobbying efforts against the Employee Free Choice Act. Now, a call for a Whole Foods boycott that appears to have its origins in an opinion piece by Russell Mokhiber, has taken cyberspace by storm. Tens of thousands have joined a Boycott Whole Foods Facebook page. Whole Foods, in an effort to stem the calls, has apologized to it’s customers via email saying that their CEO’s op-ed “offended some of our customers and some of our team members as well.” <\/p>\n
GUEST: Russell Mokhiber, editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter. He is also founder of singlepayeraction.org<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n Read Mokhiber’s article here: http:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/view\/2009\/08\/13-0<\/a><\/p>\n