While watching the seventh game of a really good World Series, I just saw a commercial for a Starbucks marketing push called createjobsforusa.org. It goes like this:
Starbucks is teaming up with Opportunity Finance Network® (OFN) which is a group of community lending institutions set up to provide financing to community businesses that need our help. In donating to OFN, 100% of your donation will help create and sustain jobs in underserved communities. To launch this project, the Starbucks Foundation is donating the first $5,000,000. As a thank you for your donation, you’ll get a wristband to wear proudly as a symbol of your support.
Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but if a business needs donations in order to operate and hire people, then it’s not a business, it’s a charity. And if a business financing organization needs donations in order to make loans to businesses, then it’s not doing a very good job of choosing which businesses to lend to.
At least we’ve gotten to the point where everyone is having to acknowledge the fact that jobs come from private businesses and not the government. But it looks like we’re still not totally clear on what private businesses are for, and why they have to be profitable and self-sustaining. Ah, well… baby steps.
Jason, we’d like to invite you to become one of our Authors in Alexandria.
You may mirror your existing posts from here or elsewhere or produce original posts there, on anything you wish, as you desire. For your contributions and participation we will blogroll you with no reciprocation required. See our Guidelines for Authors for full details.
Come contribute your perspectives and opinions to the ongoing conversations there or, even better, start some new – and different – ones of your own. Contact us through the site for full invitations and instructions.
As a thank you for your donation, you’ll get a wristband to wear proudly as a symbol of your support.
THEY HAVE PEOPLE WORKING ALREADY MAKING WRISTBANDS! NOW THAT’S GOOD!
Ha, ha, ha
I’m just being cynical!