Would you like a shot of petition in that latte?

Date: Sunday, October 13, 2013

Title: Starbucks petition takes on government shutdown
News source: USA TODAY
Article date: Published: October 10, 2013
Author of article: Bruce Horovitz

 

Summary: So Starbucks CEO is going to have his customers fill out a petition for the people of the government. It is a way to chastise the government and also make his customers feel empowered. Genius.

 

Issue: The real issue is that the government is shut down. Starbucks’s CEO is trying to do something about it.

 

Argument: the gov’t will listen vs. this is a bunch of hooey/publicity stunt.

 

Supporting evidence:

“The petition asks officials to:

• Reopen the government.
• Pay our national debts on time.
• Pass a long-term budget deal by the end of 2013.”

·         Schultz declined to estimate how many signatures he hopes to gather. "I don't have a goal," he says. "But I assure you, we'll have a lot of signatures."

·         Roughly 20 million customers are expected to visit Starbucks' 11,000-plus U.S. stores in the next three days.

·         Schultz says his goal is not to make Starbucks a national hub to take on cultural issues.

 

Claims:

• "But I assure you, we'll have a lot of signatures." – Shultz

He is supported by the fact that tons of people visit Starbucks. Typically those who walk into Starbucks are of all ages but many of them have strong personalities and opinions and of course they will want to voice them.

• Frustrated with the inability of the federal government to resolve its ongoing budget stalemate, the nation's largest coffee chain will become a de facto headquarters in the next several days for a megapetition that Starbucks vows it will share with Washington officials.

 --- yes, yes, ok. They will “share it”. But how exactly? Is Shultz buddies with them or something? Like what are they just going to fax in the signatures? I’m just really confused on how they are going to get the survey to anyone that actually cares about it.

 

Analysis: This is a good thing, whether or not the petition even gets to the government or does anything if it does it will at least make people feel heard. I think this will take a little anger out of the American public.

 

Relate to economic concepts: The government shut down has been bad. That’s really all there is to say. It’s been bad for the government and it’s been bad for the people of America and if this petition did anything to stop the shut down it could really help America’s economy. And although I highly doubt the petition will do anything it is a very good idea and outlet for people’s frustrations.