Howard Schultz’s campaign to persuade fellow CEOs not to make any political donations until there’s an “acceptable” plan to reduce the national debt has gained a few more adherents.  For the moment, Schultz’s idea remains a “voluntary” boycott of political donations among like minded CEOs, but don’t be surprised to see Schultz try and extend this boycott beyond CEOs. 

As I wrote in this space previously, Mr. Schultz has the right to promote such policies, but he has no right to keep me or anyone else from donating to any political candidate we choose.

Mr. Schultz is trying to use voluntary ”moral suasion” to bring others around to his point of view, but I can’t help but think that the real objective is something else.

I note, for instance, that the two biggest donors among the CEOs who’ve signed up for Schultz’ boycott plan – J. Crew CEO Millard Drexler and Whole Foods Co-CEO Walter Robb– like Mr. Schultz, have given generously to President Obama and Hillary Clinton in the past. 

J. Crew’s Millard Drexner, for instance, is a heavy hitter among Democrats. A brief search of the Federal Election Commission records of individual donors shows that he’s given over $15,000 to the Democratic National Committee. Other stalwart liberals he’s donated heavily to include Al Franken, Jeff Bingaman, Chuck Schumer, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton.

Whole Foods’ Walter Robb is an ideological match for Drexner. He’s a big contributor to Tom Harkin, Christie Vilsack, Tom Vilsack, Harry Reid, Democratic Senatorial Committee, Chris Dodd, and Barack Obama.

Two other CEOs who’ve donated less, lean heavily Democratic. Zipcar CEO  Scott Griffith, for instance, has donated to Massachusetts Democrat Michael Capuano. AOL CEO Tim Armstrong has one Republican–Mitt Romney–on his list, but has also given to John Kerry and Chuck Schumer.

J.C. Penney CEO Myron Ullman, the sole “Republican only” donor on the list, gave John McCain a modest contribution in 2008, and George W. Bush a modest contribution in 2003.

I also note that in his public statements so far, Mr. Schultz has merely stated that we need a long term plan to reduce the national debt. He’s carefully avoided the particulars of his solution. Does he, for instance, have specific federal expenditures he wants to eliminate? Or, does he want to increase taxes?

So what’s really going on here?

Frankly, I don’t mind if Howard Schultz and these five CEOs stop giving political donations to the politicians that they’ve supported in the past.  I don’t see a tea party friendly name on the list of any of these folks, and I doubt I ever will.

The cynic in me says Schultz’ campaign is merely a stalking horse for proposing tax increases.  We’ll be watching for future announcements from Mr. Schultz to see if my cynicism is justified.

Michael Patrick Leahy is the editor of the Voices of the Tea Party e-book series and co-founder of Top Conservatives on Twitter and the Nationwide Tea Party Coalition. His new  e-book, I, Light Bulb: A Death Row Testimonial, was published earlier this week. His new book, Covenant of Liberty: The Ideological Origins of the Tea Party Movement, will be published by Broadside Books in spring, 2012. He can be reached on Twitter at @michaelpleahy .

I like Howard Schultz, the billionaire who created the Starbucks chain from scratch.

I like Starbucks stores, and will occasionally spend some of my hard earned money on the over priced coffee and baked goods sold there. It’s an indulgence, I know, but I like the community atmosphere in the stores.

I used to buy Starbucks Coffee at our local grocery store, but I’ve switched recently. I got tired of paying $10 for eleven ounces of quality coffee when about $4 of that price was simply for the brand.  I’ve found another brand for $6 and, to my taste buds, it’s just as good as Starbucks.

Now Mr. Schultz has decided to offer the country two pieces of political advice.

1. He’s asking everyone to forego their Constitutional rights to free speech by boycotting donations to all Congressional and Presidential candidates until our national debt issue is properly resolved.

2. He’s asking his fellow employers to start hiring new employees, not because the company needs them, but because the country needs fewer unemployed.

This sort of business “voluntarism” was popularized by Herbert Hoover back in the 1920s and early 1930s. Its likelihood of success is as limited today as it was back then.

What Mr. Hoover forgot then, and what Mr. Schultz forgets now, is that our country’s political and economic system is based on the idea of individual liberty. Efforts to limit that liberty–whether undertaken through ”persuasion” of the sort advocated by Hoover and Schultz–or through the heavy hand of government regulations–are entirely contrary to our tradition. 

Mr. Schultz is certainly welcome to exercise his right to free speech and express any political or economic ideas he wishes. But please, Mr.Schultz, don’t try to coerce me or any other American to refrain from exercising our rights to contribute to any political candidate that strikes our fancy simply because you think it’s a good idea.

This surplus of public policy advice from billionaires lately could inspire another Voices of the Tea Party e-book. I would title it “Top Ten Bad Public Policy Ideas from America’s Billionaires.” In addition to offerings from Mr. Buffet and Mr. Schultz, we could add thoughts from billionaires on opposite ends of the spectrum–George Soros and Donald Trump.

Just as Mr. Buffet would be well advised to stick to what he knows best–buying family businesses faced with high inheritance taxes at bargain prices–Mr. Schultz would be well advised to stick to what he knows best–selling coffee.

As a customer, I have a suggestion for him. If he lowers his prices, I’ll buy more Starbucks Coffee. Now, that’s what I call economic stimulus!

Michael Patrick Leahy is the editor of the Voices of the Tea Party e-book series and co-founder of Top Conservatives on Twitter and the Nationwide Tea Party Coalition. His new  e-book, I, Light Bulb: A Death Row Testimonial, was published earlier this week. His new book, Covenant of Liberty: The Ideological Origins of the Tea Party Movement, will be published by Broadside Books in spring, 2012. He can be reached on Twitter at @michaelpleahy .