Back in August, just a few months after donating $5000 to Democrat Maria Cantwell, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz called for a moratorium on political donations until Congress got it's act together and dealt with the nation's fiscal dilemma.
"We today pledge to withhold any further campaign contributions to the President and all members of Congress until a fair, bipartisan deal is reached that sets our nation on stronger long-term fiscal footing."
Schultz didn't specify who "we" was. Apparently it wasn't Starbucks employees or board of directors.
Starbucks board members Mellody Hobson and Sheryl Sandberg have since donated to Steny Hoyer, Nancy Pelosi, and Krsten Gillibrand. The company's director of international development contributed $2000 to President Obama's campaign.
I suspect a significant reason for Democratic support from Starbucks is the fact that they have always paid above minimum wage and provided health insurance and other benefits for employees. Liberal efforts to increase the minimum wage and mandate health insurance only strengthens their competitive position.
So savor that with your morning latte.
Ironically, barring future action, Congress has inadvertently solved our long-term budget problems via stalemate. Bush tax cuts are set to expire at the end of next year, at the same time the "triggered" $1.2 trillion in non-entitlement spending cuts commence. The war in Iraq is drawing to a close, and the one in Afghanistan is scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2014. Add it all up, and the nation is on a glide path to being fiscally sound, assuming Congress continues to do absolutely nothing. Funny how that worked out.