Though it is a companies option to use the advertising dollars it has available in any way it sees fit, it should be noted that reducing the exposure to a smaller audience is not exactly a brilliant business decision. As recent news reports have shown, some companies have chosen to pull ads from the Glenn Beck program on Fox News. Of the companies that so chose, GEICO is one. Considering that the Glenn Beck show beats other shows on all networks in ratings and viewer ship, that is a large audience for your advertising dollars.
The stated reasons from the instigator of this, thecolorofchange.org, is that Mr. Beck made a reference to president Obama being racist which was a statement relating to President Obama’s rapid jump into the Professor Gates and Cambridge police issue. It took six months to choose a dog and moments to jump in to defend Professor Gates without knowing all the details. The Color of Change does not like what Mr. Beck says, though evidence shows his facts to be rather accurate. This organization was co-founded by Van Jones a felon and self avowed communist who is currently in the Obama administration as the “Green Jobs Czar”.
The companies such as GEICO were pressured through “intimidation” tactics, much like what ACORN and SEIU are using against health care reform opponents. GEICO succumbed to the race baiting of the Van Jones organization with close ties to the Obama administration. A White House effort to quiet opposition voices? Maybe.
Regardless of the reasons, the First Amendment of the Constitution provides for freedom of speech. As a seventeen year customer of GEICO I have now pulled my insurance business from them since they appear willing to let a radical group dictate how they will operate their business.
Since GEICO increased the policy rate, it seemed even more advantageous to shop for other insurance and having found another company, I realized a significant savings over the GEICO rate.
What has become of our nation when communists, felons, weather underground terrorists and others sit in close proximity to the President and can use intimidation tactics to stop freedom of speech and shut down opposition. We must ask, do we really want this as a nation and do we want our corporations pushed by radical political organizations to conduct business only in ways those radicals approve of.
Kevin Roberts
Radicalconservative's Blog 