What will Obamacare do to my pizza habit?
August 7, 2012 4 Comments
I love Papa John’s pizza. I rarely eat it, though, as my wife finds the sauce to sweet. On the rare occasions she’s not around for dinner, though, David and I know it’s Papa John’s time. Alas, maybe I should stop because the CEO and founder is giving lots of money to Mitt Romney. And it’s fair to say that’s money towards causes I don’t believe in. Anyway, Papa John himself has let us know that due to the socialistic, totalitarian costs of Obamacare, I may see the cost of a large pizza go up $.14. The death knell of freedom and capitalism as we know it. Yglesias:
Stipulating for a moment that this is true, doesn’t it seem like a rather small price to pay? Papa John’s website is currently offering to deliver me a large pepperoni pizza for $14.08 and Schnatter is warning me that the problem with Obamacare is … a one-time price increase of less than 1 percent! That seems eminently reasonable. What’s more, it’s well within the range of the kind of price swings Papa John’s is going to have to expect just based on the vagaries of the weather, which impacts the price of ingredients, and the ups and downs of the oil market. There’s just nothing there. I can believe that the Obamacare provision requiring prominent calorie labeling on menus would hurt Papa John’s by encouraging people to order smaller pizzas or fewer toppings, but the idea that they’re getting hammered by a one-time 14 cent per-pie increase in labor costs is silly. NowSchnatter personally stands to lose money as a result of the progressive tax increases that will help pay for the law. He’s probably mad about that, but he shouldn’t attribute his personal problems to his business.
Yep. Personally, I think it is plenty worth it to pay $.14 or so a pizza so that millions more Americans get health insurance. And, yes, I will still keep eating Papa John’s when Kim is not home for dinner.
About Steve Greene
As a former New Yorker I can objectively say that Papa John’s is unmitigated crap. With that said, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to consume a product whose CEO gives money to causes you disagree with (even when it’s Mitt Romney). It’s also not unreasonable to not consume a product whose corporate position you are fundamentally opposed.
The single greatest failure of our democracy is the extension of an individual right to free speech to corporations. CEOs are free to announce their position on any issue they wish; corporations are artificial creations of government, given special protections of limited liability, and are solely responsible to earn profit for their shareholders. As such, corporations that claim a right to establish an official corporate position should have their special status dissolved and be subject to the same potential liabilities an individual would by exercising their right to free speech.
No, no, no, worst post ever! Off the top of my head, in or near Cary, there’s Amante, Mellow Mushroom and Anna’s in downtown Apex. And if you want to go to Raleigh, go to Lilly’s at Five Points. Papa John’s should never make it into your rotation.
Hey, now pizza snobs. I know that Papa John’s is not great pizza, but I really enjoy the sweet sauce and I like it when I get the chance. Truth is, it’s a rare pizza I don’t like. I know good pizza. In Cary, I think both Brooklyn Boys and NY Pizza are fantastic. Michelangelos has the best pizza you’ll ever get out of a conveyor belt oven. In Raleigh, That’s Amore was terrific. Their closing was pretty much the worst thing to happen to me in 2012. Vic’s in Moore Square is fantastic. I get why people like Lily’s, but it’s not NY style and although very good, I think it’s a bit over-rated. Mellow Mushroom is good, but I’ll definitely take the others I mentioned in Cary.
My wife prefers NY style, I’m all over the map. Yes, I like Michelangelo’s. Haven’t had the others; thanks for the recommendations.