George Wenschhof
Schultz wrote that it had been the company's policy to follow local laws. In states with so-called "open carry" laws, customers were permitted to bring firearms into stores.
But that policy inadvertently thrust Starbucks into the debate over "open carry" and recent events have prompted the company to shift course. Pro-gun advocates staged a "Starbucks Appreciation Day" last month to commend the company for its position on "open carry." Schultz wrote that those advocates "disingenuously" portrayed the company as a "champion of 'open carry.'"
"To be clear: we do not want these events in our stores," Schultz wrote. "Some anti-gun activists have also played a role in ratcheting up the rhetoric and friction, including soliciting and confronting our customers and partners. For these reasons, today we are respectfully requesting that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas—even in states where “open carry” is permitted—unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel."
Schultz clarified that he is not imposing an "outright ban," saying that he wants to "give responsible gun owners the chance to respect our request." He also said that enforcing such a ban "would potentially require our partners to confront armed customers." TPM.com has more here.
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Obama To Ask Business for Help in Avoiding Government Shutdown - President Obama on Wednesday will seek to enlist the business community’s help as he tries to pressure Republicans in Congress to vote to keep the government open and raise the federal debt ceiling, even as the odds of a confrontation that could harm the economy rise.
In a meeting with the Business Roundtable, a trade group representing America’s big businesses, Obama will warn executives that another fight over government spending and the debt limit could harm businesses and consumers, a White House official said in a statement previewing the speech.
“The President will ask the business community to help send the message to Congress that a default would be disastrous for our economy and for businesses across the country,” the official said. “Many reasonable Republicans have said it would be reckless and irresponsible to use the threat of default as a bargaining chip, but some of the extreme members of the Republican Party continue to threaten the full faith and credit of the United States government.” The Washington Post has more here.
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House Conservatives Propose Obamacare Replacement Bill - Conservatives representing nearly three-quarters of the House Republican conference on Wednesday unveiled their proposed replacement for President Obama’s healthcare law, delivering on a long-delayed GOP promise.
The bill from the Republican Study Committee would fully repeal the 2010 law and replace it with an expansion of health savings accounts, medical liability reform and the elimination of restrictions on purchasing insurance across state lines.
Authors of the proposal said they would push for a vote on the House floor, although they acknowledged the bill stands no chance of passage with Obama in the White House and Democrats controlling the Senate. TheHill.com has more here.
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“There’s one question I’ve gotten quite often in the past few months,” the Democrat wrote in an email. “I’ve heard it online, while I’m traveling around the state, from the media and in my Fort Worth neighborhood: What’s next? On October 3rd, I’ll be answering that question.”
Davis catapulted into the national spotlight this summer after leading a lengthy filibuster in Austin that temporarily derailed a restrictive Texas abortion bill. She is considered the top Democratic option for taking on Republican Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in next year’s governor’s race. Politico.com has more here.
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