, Columnist
Honey, Pick Up Some Milk From the GOP Store
Or maybe some bread from the Democratic one? Imagine a world with polarized shopping.
Milk tastes the same in red states and blue.
Photographer: Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesAs some companies have pulled away their discounts for National Rifle Association members, in response to pressure from anti-gun groups, the question arises where such decisions might end. As a kind of thought experiment, I’d like to consider how an economy might work if buying decisions were made on a consistently ideological basis.
Imagine a “right-wing” supermarket chain and a “left-wing” alternative. The right-wing chain could offer discounts for NRA members and send money to the Republican Party. The left-wing version might have a commercial relationship with Planned Parenthood, sell more vegan products and take special care to promote women up through the ranks.