The Affordable Care Act has had its fair share of opposition from CEOs. The latest edition is John Mackey, the founder and CEO of Whole Foods. Recently, he has come out against the ACA, calling it "fascism."
"In fascism, the government doesn't own the means of production, but they do control it -- and that's what's happening with our health care programs and these reforms."
Mackey, a libertarian, compared Obamacare to "socialism" in a Wall Street Journal op-ed he penned in 2009. Obamacare would "move us much closer to a government takeover of our health-care system," he proclaimed.
Although Mackey certainly has the right to state his beliefs, this does not seem like a smart move for his business, which relies heavily on a more liberal customer base. He seemingly didn't learn from Chik-Fil-A's S. Truett Cathy, who's statements on gay marriage created a firestorm that would end with a mea culpa. The lesson: smart businessmen do not alienate customers.
