If I had a billion dollars: learning from the Koch Brothers

Another day, something else to boycott. On Saturday, August 24, #BoycotJimmyJohns was trending on Twitter. Apparently, its owner or CEO had killed an elephant (presumably on vacation, unless ivory is his side hustle) and posed with his dead victim for a picture celebrating his triumph.

The next day, #BoycottOliveGarden was trending. This time, its owner or CEO is a Donald Trump supporter and major donor. Twitter, of course, erupted in Olive Garden jokes, as it’s the Nickelback of chain restaurants.

I find big game hunting repulsive, and I wouldn’t support Trump. But here’s what I’m guessing: both targets of rage have f-you money. I doubt that they’re any longer dependent on profits from their companies to sustain their nefarious deeds. So, if you’ve enjoyed the food from either restaurant and no longer wish to go, the ones you’re boycotting are the owners/managers and employees of your local franchises. They’re the ones who have a vested interest in keeping you as a customer; the man at the top is already set. I don’t know if either is a billionaire, but they’re rich enough.

Speaking of billionaires, one of the more famous ones passed away last week: David Koch of Koch Industries. Philanthropist (credited on PBS’s Nova by name), anti-war civil libertarian, criminal justice reformer, and activist: he was the 1980 vice-Presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party. More notably, however, he with his brother Charles were major financiers of libertarian…