Howard Schultz questions Inslee’s climate change track record

Howard Schultz is not officially running for president, but he sure talks like he is on the campaign trail.

Instead, he’s been on a book tour over the past few weeks promoting his book From The Ground Up. Schultz said that if he does run, it will be as a centrist independent and any such announcement will be in the next few months. In the meantime, he continues to talk like a candidate.

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“How do you think things are working right now? Do you think they are working pretty well for the American people?” Schultz told Dave Ross on Seattle’s Morning News. “With a government that is so dysfunctional and polarized and can’t get anything done, I don’t think the American people are too satisfied. And they know it can be fixed, but it can’t be fixed under the current system.”

Governor Inslee

Again, Schultz is not officially running for president. He has only made his consideration of a campaign public, while also speaking quite politically. One good example is how he approached Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, who announced his presidential campaign Friday. Inslee’s primary issue that he is building his campaign around is climate change.

I think Governor Inslee has done a nice job as governor as the State of Washington. I think it’s interesting that the one issue he is talking about that is central to our future; the State of Washington, under his leadership, did not pass a carbon tax that he tried to put through twice. I think that is an interesting issue for him to deal with. But I wish him well and I think the issue he is raising is important. I think there are many ways to solve this problem. The first thing is that we have to realize is that science is real, and the Republicans that are rejecting this are wrong. And we need to have a honest conversation about what it is that we need to do. And I think Governor Inslee is correct in saying that time is an enemy. Whether or not he is going to be successful in gaining the nomination on the Democratic side remains to be seen.

That’s not all Schultz found interesting. He also addressed the field of presidential candidates, and touted his success in business.

It’s interesting to me that of all the people running for president on the Democratic side … I’m the only person that has actually done this. I have created a health care system for all of our employees, I’ve created ownership for all of our employees, and created college tuition for all of our employees. I have a track record of solving these complex problems. If I run for president and I am fortunate enough to win, I think the Affordable Care Act that President Obama put through should stay. We need to fix it because premiums have gone up …. the reason that we can’t solve this problem is not because of how complex it is. The reason is the extremes on both sides of the aisle– the Democrats and the Republicans – are unwilling to come together and collaborate and work together on behalf of the American people. This is the same problem we currently have with immigration; the same problem we have with the national debt which is now $22 trillion. That’s why I’m suggesting that if I run for president, I will run as a centrist independent to try to bring the two parties together and do something for the American people that unfortunately has gone on for too long, which is a government that is not working for the people, that is dysfunctional, that is polarized, and in many ways is corrupt.

Howard Schultz vs Donald Trump

Schultz did not just speak to the Democrats running for president. He also commented on President Donald Trump — the Republican candidate for 2020.

He credits the president’s ability to hold an audience’s attention, but he feels a greater factor is that about 40 percent of Americans affiliate as independent. He argues they recognize that Trump lacks respect and moral character to be president, despite his fervent base.

This is not about Donald Trump, this is about the American people. I think we are living in a time right now which is a very fragile time, when so many Americans are being left behind, millions of Americans have lost faith and confidence in the promise of the country. The reason that I’m speaking out is that I believe we can do better. I believe the American people deserve a better class of politicians who are not fighting with each other, but fighting on behalf of the American people. And I know in my heart that this is a time in America where most Americans realize something is wrong and it needs to be fixed.

Donald Trump, in my view, is a symptom of a much bigger problem. But he, in fact, is a problem and the problem he represents is a lack of dignity, a lack of civility, and the American people recognize that.

….We can do better, we can solve our problems with immigration, we can fix our health care system, we can do the kinds of things that once again recognize for the American people that the American dream is alive and well. This is not about going up against Donald Trump. It’s about lifting up the American people.

 

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