Starbucks Sends Fiscal Cliff 'Message' To Lawmakers

Would you like some fiscal cliff to go with your morning cup of Starbucks? Now that the holidays are over, Starbucks is spreading a new message: avoid the fiscal cliff, lawmakers. 

Reuters reports that Starbucks cups in the Washington metro area will bear the message "come together," written on cups by baristas from Wednesday to Friday. And the man behind the message? CEO Howard Schultz, surprisingly. Schulze and other prominent businessmen have endorsed the Campaign to Fix the Debt, a "well-funded nonpartisan group that is leaning on lawmakers to put the United States' financial house in order." "'We're paying attention, we're greatly disappointed in what's going on and we deserve better,'" Schultz told Reuters in a phone interview. 

Schultz also expressed on the company blog that Starbucks has never asked its baristas to write something specific on cups before — but it's a small gesture he hopes will make a difference. "Rather than be bystanders, we have an opportunity — and I believe a responsibility — to use our company's scale for good by sending a respectful and optimistic message to our elected officials to come together and reach common ground on this important issue ... These words express the optimism that's core to the holiday season, to our country's heritage, and to our Starbucks Mission," he wrote. However, Politico also notes that House Representatives aren't required to be in Washington right now — so we can only hope President Obama and John Boehner will stop by a Starbucks this week.