If We Come Together, Our Voices Will Be Heard

Read the letter from Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and ceo, to America's business leaders asking them to sign a petition urging our elected leaders to come together for the collective good.

October 10, 2013

Dear Friends,

I am grateful to all of you for the outpouring of support and ideas regarding how we can best solve the current crisis of leadership in which we are now embroiled.

What has become clear to me over these past few days – aside from the continued dysfunction we see from our elected leaders – is the sad and striking realization that the American people have no platform with which to voice their frustration with Washington and the current stalemate that threatens our nation. The fact that the government’s “We the People” initiative website has shut down due to a lack of funding says everything about the irresponsible and untenable situation our political leadership has created across America.

This is one area where we can help put our country back on the right track. Using our collective scale for good, this Friday Starbucks and others will distribute a petition (www.ComeTogetherPetition.com) asking Congress and the White House to:

• First, reopen our government to serve the people
• Second, pay our debts on time to avoid another financial crisis
• Third, pass a bipartisan and comprehensive long-term budget deal by the end of the year.

Starbucks will offer up its thousands of stores across the nation to give the millions of customers who come through our stores every week, and thousands of partners (employees) who serve them, an opportunity to have their voices heard by signing our petition. Please join us in doing what you – and your companies – can to give the American people the voice they currently lack, and are desperately crying out for. And in the process, you can help to restore faith and trust in our government through your civil words and deeds.

Sincerely,

Howard Schultz

Watch Howard speak about this petition and the importance of coming together to make our voices heard:

The come together petition is available in participating Starbucks stores in the US: