Fact Check: Papa John is a Lying Republicon Asshole

[Grassy Knoll]

[muntrv]

1. ...and his pizza is crap!

[BainsBane]

3. Funny how all of these right-wing chains sell crappy food

Papa John's, Appleby's, Red Lobster. None of it is any good.

[BainsBane]

2. even if it were true

What's wrong with paying fifteen cents more per Pizza so employees can have health insurance? I figure that's part of what I'm paying for when I go to Starbucks since they provide all of their employees health insurance.

[Ineeda]

17. Penny a pound

The Immokalee migrant/farm workers have been trying to get ONE CENT a pound more for picking tomatoes for years. One CENT. Not even health care. Some restaurants and supermarkets are being socially responsible but some have resolutely dug in their heels. The CIW have organized successful boycotts, but some are not as effective and are ongoing. Food slavery, whether growing it, processing it, or serving it, is pervasive. Watch a two-minute youtube here. (Sorry if some consider this off topic, but I believe it's all connected: the poor, who do the work essential to the CEO's success!!! are the victims.)

[Volaris]

20. No kidding. If I want to buy overpriced pizza,

an extra 15 cents isn't going to dissuade me. Even if these greedy assholes charge me an extra quarter (as the price of them having to suffer so greatly under the burden of this Tyrannical Liberal Government....) I'll STILL pay it. it's a fuckin' quarter.

15 cents. reminds me of that line form Fast Food Nation...
"that company would slit your throat for an extra Nickle. It's nothing personal, they just want the extra Nickle."

[humbled_opinion]

30. You know that's interesting

that you point that out, that you are OK with paying a little more for the products so that everyone can benefit. I had a huge debate about this with the teabaggers where I work. Their problem with it is once you give in to the sentiment that its ok for the business to pass its taxes and regulations costs on to the consumers than you must agree logically that all tax increases on business is borne by the consumer, so the burden of paying off the debt will always be borne on the shoulders of the middleclass.

I had a hard time arguing against their logic.

[Incitatus]

33. Not neccesarily.

The market sets the price. Sometimes they can't pass on the cost because the consumer will only pay a certain price for a certain product or service, then the cost must come out of the company's profit.

[humbled_opinion]

36. Yes exactly

which translates into less profit, less jobs, less growth, less expansion and more and more increased costs..... It is a talking point at my job...

[Incitatus]

40. I think it would more likely translate into less bonus $ for executives.

If the executives give themselves millions that would be better spent on expanding the company they are not fulfilling their fiduciary duty to the stockholders (not that it doesn't already happen), but they can't take 100% of the profit for themselves and not expand or the stock would tank. I see the real problem as greed.

[BainsBane]

35. I don't see an equivalence

Firstly, we don't have a choice about whether companies pass on expenses to consumers. They do, whether those expenses are increased taxes, labor, or higher fuel or supply costs. Companies always pass on costs to consumers, and nothing is going to stop that. Moreover, those Tea Baggers currently pay more for health insurance than citizens of any other nation because our system is so inefficient. Obamacare should help that. I personally feel better knowing that my money is going to provide decent benefits to employees rather than simply profit.

As for taxes being borne by the middle class, that is the function of supply side economics and the pattern of shifting the tax burden downward since the 1980s. In voting for supply siders like Bush and Romney, they vote for themselves to shoulder a greater proportion of the tax burden. Obama seeks to change that, albeit in a very limited way, by increasing the share paid by the wealthiest Americans, who now pay low rates, both historically and in comparison to other industrialized nations.

[humbled_opinion]

37. Nothing is going to stop it

Exactly their complaint is that government exacerbates it with higher taxes, reuglations etc, and that there is no return on investment because of the inefficiency of the government run programs versus private sector.

They do agree that Healthcare costs are a serious problem and than go off on diatribes about how Obamacare does nothing to address medical care costs....

As far as Obama seeking to change the fairness of the burden of taxation, they argue with me stating that the rich are not altruistic and in fact the majority are nothing more than greedy capitalists and any increase in taxes that results in a net loss to their income will be made up by moving money, investing outside the U.S. etc. I have asked for proof of that assertion and they told me to look at the Luxury yacht tax of 1990 which was lifted in 1992 because it almost single handedly closed down the U.S. boat building business as the rich bought their yachts cheaper overseas.

[BainsBane]

39. My understanding

is that much of the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy went overseas. A recent international study shows that there is $21 trillion parked offshore away from taxing authorities and not invested in national economies.

Seems to me your coworkers buy into a lot of right wing propaganda. I suggest you do some research on Google and Google Scholar if you want to respond to them.

[aaaaaa5a]

4. I will never buy a papa johns pizza again. I swear! nt

[Grins]

31. Nor Chic-fil-a, nor Waffle House,...

...nor Aetna, not Glaxo, nor BP, nor Wal-Mart, nor Palermo's Pizza, nor...the list goes on.....

[davidpdx]

41. Geez at that rate we are going to need a full list

Because it's hard to keep track of.

[Kalidurga]

5. On this one we didn't even need the fact checker.

Most of us know it's part time work and many of the restaurants are franchises and that what's his name is a big fat liar.

[BlueCaliDem]

6. I had Papa John's pizza ONCE and I've never had it again.

Instead, I'll buy from a local pizzeria that offers superior pizza to fast-food pizza. Helps the small and local business, too!

[RebelOne]

28. Same here.

I think even supermarket frozen pizzas were much better.

[BlueCaliDem]

46. They actually are! I'm partial to the California Pizza Kitchen - YUM!

I've also read that the owner of Little Caesar's Pizza gave a lot to the Democrats and offer benefits to both their full-time and part-time employees, and with their $5 dollar Hot 'n' Ready pizzas, they're the place to get our take-out. Oh, and I love their chicken wings.

[Grassy Knoll]

7. What I don't get.....

Why would any business claim either party at the risk of loosing 1/2 your profit?
Answer: CONS don't think, They talk crap and take down 1/2 the country with them
till they are less than 1/3 of USA support.

[msongs]

8. papa John's to employees - "our profits are more important than your health" nt

[Cha]

13. Arrogant dipshit.. hates Obama..so he acts out on the

Last edited Mon Nov 12, 2012, 11:52 PM - Edit history (1)

national stage. Cutting off potential profits to rub his employees nose in it.

What do you think?.. Do you sense BACKFIRE?!

[humbled_opinion]

38. LOL

If this is really true than he is a terrrible businessman... I think it's a little more nuanced than your post...

[DeSwiss]

9. Papa John's profits in other countries.....

...with universal healthcare. Is he saying American workers just aren't worth it?

- K&R

[cui bono]

10. I don't think that's the same thing. Their health care is paid for by the government, not employers.

[DeSwiss]

14. And the governments tax the businesses.

Same thing.

[cui bono]

15. Our government taxes our businesses too, but not for health care.

People in countries with true universal health care are taxed much higher than we are and that goes towards health care as well as the other usual things.

The fact that we are given health care by our employers is one of the big problems with our system. Businesses in any country can't afford to pay for everyone's health care in the entire country, so it's not a tax on business that pays for their health care.

[adieu]

24. It's interesting to see how the history of this came into being

It all occurred during the '30s as businesses rebounded. The government suggested that businesses offer health care as a perk to entice workers, because the GOP didn't want government supported healthcare. FDR made it possible for businesses to offer health care as a compromise.

[DeSwiss]

29. I understand this.

My point is that this fact hasn't kept him from seeking out, and then setting up pizza parlors in foreign countries and making a profit in those countries where they DO provide their citizens with universal care. How it is funded is superfluous to this point.

The point is that the governments mandate it and if he wants to have pizza parlors in those countries, then he'll pay whatever tax the governments there require. And damn well like it.

- If his business model can make a profit in those countries then he can damn well do the same thing in the good here.......

[davidpdx]

42. They have Papa John's here in Korea

and health care is mandated for full time employees. I think part-time employees can buy into insurance in their own at about $70 a month.

[Lucinda]

11. Thank you!

[nlkennedy]

12. Wahh

Papa John's pizza is absolutely terrible when compared to other competitors in the market...

The dude has a plastic-y face, and spends way too much time advertising himself on national tv.

He thought he could scare some voters into Romney's corner.. Nice try, grease ball...

[fasttense]

16. Glad to see CNN doing FACTS for a change. n/t

[DebJ]

18. Sheesh CNN is lazy or what? Finding an estimate of corporate owned stores is

easily found on the google:

"Out of 3,500 stores (2,800 domestic and 700 international), 600 are corporate owned, and that benefits the entire brand. “

http://www.qsrmagazine.com/content/papa-john-s

[DebJ]

19. And it takes 20 employees to run one store per this link

http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/papajohnsintlinc/282662-0.html

[lobodons]

21. $10.15 pizza special

Just think of the positive Patriotic publicity Papa could have had if he said Papa John's would be proud to offer his employees health care and that in order to do so they'd offer a new Pizza special af $10.15 instead of the the present pizza special of $10.

[SCVDem]

22. Is there a shortage of pizzarias?

If saving money is important there's always Little Ceasars. Pizza Hut is only ten bucks carryout.

He has to give away 2 million pies cause they are terrible.

I bet his money comes from selling franchises and not making pizzas.

Does anyone think he even eats his own crappy food?

[Armin-A]

27. Eat bad pizza while he is

sipping on his scotch on a yacht, doubt it.

[adieu]

23. And even if it were 100% true,

that's 15¢ on the high side. If you can't corral the additional cost of 15¢ per pizza, you're no business person, and your business model is based on assuming all uncertainties will never go against your bottom line. Drop a pizza? That's more than 15¢ to the rest of the pizzas made that day. Spill some sauce? Someone barfed in the bathroom? Leak in the faucet? All those things will cumulatively add up to more than 15¢ per pizza made that day. And those unforeseen events happen rather frequently.

[AsahinaKimi]

25. Have never tried Papa John's Pizza but I have heard that

Dominos is the worst because their money goes right into the Right wing propaganda machine. My favorite used to be Pizza Hut, but they don't deliver to this area any longer. The local Pizza is very good here in San Francisco, and I intend to support small family style owners with my midnight Pizza cravings. One place here closes at 3am!

[Armin-A]

26. All these people wanting FREE STUFF.... pathetic

If employees want healthcare coverage, they should just get a job.

[pam4water]

32. Fact checking on CNN?

I don't think I've ever seen that on CNN before. Last time I surfed past CNN, sanjay gupta was saying the Obama plan word Bancorp America. I don't guypy deserved the word doctor in front of him name.

[greymattermom]

43. neurosurgeon

He's a neurosurgeon and still licensed to practice, as I understand it. The neurosurgeons I know resent his taking a residency slot and then not practicing. They control the numbers by limiting the residency slots.

[SCVDem]

34. FREE STUFF?!

Like 2 million pizzas?

Such Crap!

[steveqq]

44. Boycott Considerations

It is easy to boycott PJs, but I will still eat pizza. My biz will shift within the pizza industry to a local chain that has better, but more expensive pizza. I am supporting the local pizza workers, but no PJs. Paying a little more, a few cents or a couple of dollars, to get food that is satisfying in every respect is something many are willing to do. Reminds me of the successful living wage votes of recent past; voters want a living wage for the locals even if they they know they will ultimately bear the cost.

[excringency]

45. Payton Manning

I went to Payton Manning's charitable website and left a message. Continuing to be associated with Papa John's through advertising is hurting you image and "brand." His reactionary claims aren't true and you (Manning) should publicly quit. It's not like he doesn't have 20 other commercials running on TV.