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[nebraska29]

I'm very liberal on a lot of issues, and those of you who have locked horns with me in the past, know this very well. When it comes to free trade and such, I waver quite a bit. Here is a partial e-mail from a liberal group in Lincoln that I received today. On the one hand, I feel total sympathy for the small business owners. On the other hand, I remember that competition against the big boys will make them leaner and stronger. I've even heard that it can make them wealthier if they learn how to create a niche and use it against the big chains.

Media Release
April 1st, 2004

“Local Flavor” Campaign Kicks off in Conjunction With
Starbucks Opening

Lincoln consumers will promote the importance of
supporting Lincoln’s local businesses by passing out
“Local Flavor” coupons near the new Starbucks in
downtown Lincoln on April 2nd, 2004, beginning at 7:15
a.m.  The coupons will encourage coffee consumers to
attend a local coffee house.  Different members of the
“Local Flavor” campaign will pass out the coupons most
hours of the business day and at 12:30 p.m. a formal
statement will be presented to the media.

As reported by National Public Radio, the Institute
for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) found that for every
$100 spent at a local business, $45 stays in the local
economy, but for every $100 spent at a national chain,
only $13 stays local (October 2003).

According to Malcom Miles, one of the organizers of
the Local Flavor campaign, “Support for local
independent businesses is good for our local economy
and our community.  Independent businesses allow for a
diverse and exciting environment and are more likely
to be connected to the community in which they reside.
  Downtown Lincoln should be distinguishable from
downtown Des Moines or downtown Dallas.”

Questions to debate:

1.)Do you think the people who encourage local buying over large, impersonal, corporations are just not with it and out of touch?

2.)Would a "buy locally" campaign in your area influence you where you spend your money??

3.)When you shop at Wal-Mart or Starbucks, do you feel guilty?

[Looms]

After giving it much hard thought and pondering, I came to the conclusion that Starbucks is not evil. It took many calculations and considerations, but in the end I said to myself, " Self, have you ever known Starbucks to put arsenic in someone's coffee? Have you ever been ripped off there? Have they been known to sacrifice small children and large farm animals? Have the owners been known to refer to their employees as 'My little playthings" and keep them chained to walls?"

Same for Walmart.

Seriously though, what is the problem? They are a for-profit company selling products. You don't like the product, you don't buy it. You don't like working there, you are free to work elsewhere. They don't offer benefits, or offer crappy ones, so what? You don't like it, don't take the job. If they start breaking the law, punish them to the full extent of the law. Until then I have no problem with them.

Some things are all about local flavor. I'll take eating Italian food in a small family owned restaurant in NYC over Olive Garden any day. I'm sure many others feel the same way, that's probably why so many places like that are in business and making a profit. Maybe there is a reason why all these places being bought out are NOT?

I, personally could care less about local flavor when I go to buy groceries, or when I want a quick cup of coffee. In fact, I prefer as little human contact as possible, so I can get my groceries quicker and go do something else. A reason why I love those electronic self checkout machines. It boggles the mind how many people expect food shopping to be some sort of bonding experience for the community.

If a place provides the best good for the best price, in my opinion they are a good business, unless they engage in Enron-like behavior.

I have not seen a single reason to dislike either of those two corporations.