The role of government as a check on corporate interests is a centerpiece in the long-running philosophical battle between Democrats and Republicans. In an overly simplistic analysis, Republicans criticize Democrats for putting too many regulations on businesses and Democrats criticize Republicans for the opposite.
Generally, government regulations should be a floor; they are rules that are needed to stop the worst impulses of some businesses to put profits and other corporate interests ahead of the safety of their workers and the welfare of the planet, for example.
Sometimes, however, that floor falls too low, even for business interests.
We are in one of those times, as the Trump administration continues to weaken environmental and other regulations and Congress, often paralyzed by disagreement between the Republican-controlled Senate and Democratic House, too often sits on the sidelines.
Take the growing concerns about e-cigarettes, for example. Earlier this month, responding to six deaths linked to vaping, President Donald Trump pledged that his administration would take steps to stop the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, which are thought to encourage young Americans to take up vaping, and worse, smoking. In 2018, 27 percent of high school students reporting using tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. That’s a significant increase from nearly 20 percent the previous year. E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco products by teens, and their use is increasing.
The president offered no specifics at the time and the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t publicized any steps to limit e-cigarettes sales since.
On Friday, Walmart, the country’s largest retailer, said it would stop selling e-cigarettes when its current inventory runs out. It has previously stopped selling flavored e-cigarettes. Rite Aid announced it would stop selling e-cigarettes, and pull them from store shelves in April.
Walmart and the Rite Aid and Walgreens pharmacy chains also raised their tobacco purchase age to 21. Maine raised its tobacco purchase age to 21 last year; 18 other states and Washington, D.C. and Guam have also done so.
CVS stopped selling all tobacco products in 2014.
“Ending the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at CVS Pharmacy is simply the right thing to do for the good of our customers and our company,” the company said in a statement. “The sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose — helping people on their path to better health.”
After a mass shooting at one of its stores in El Paso, Texas, in August, Walmart said it would stop selling some types of ammunition. It also asked customers to not openly carry guns in its stores. The company had previously stopped selling assault-style weapons in 2015 and raised its firearm purchase age to 21 after the Parkland shooting.
After the Florida school shooting, Dick’s Sporting Goods weathered boycott threats when it announced it would stop selling assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines and raised its gun purchase age to 21.
Earlier this month, 145 business leaders signed a letter urging the Senate to pass gun control legislation.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues its push to weaken fuel economy standards and to stop California from setting standards that exceed federal requirements. Four automakers — Ford, VW, Honda and BMW — agreed to continue to meet California’s standards, which Maine and many other states follow.
Bloomberg columnist Sarah Halzack wrote in a recent piece that Walmart CEO Doug McMillon “is a leader who is trying to make prudent business decisions in reaction to a changing political and cultural environment.”
“That his latest acts are being perceived as noteworthy says more about inertia in Washington than it says about activism at Walmart,” she continued.
Halzack’s point is well taken. Walmart and other companies aren’t suddenly woke — to the dangers of guns, vaping or inaction on climate change. They remain corporate entities concerned about their bottom lines and that means meeting customer demands and expectations.
Increasingly, those expectations aren’t being met by Congress or the president, so companies are taking matters into their own hands. This should be applauded. But, it doesn’t mean that, when our government functions again, regulators shouldn’t return to their role of protecting our health, environment and economic stability, especially when doing so doesn’t necessarily burnish corporate images.