Follow the money

By Richard Barry

First Read wonders if the Republican Party should still be considered the party of big business.

Donald Trump vs. Macy's. The battle over the Ex-Im bank. Conservatives decrying the same-sex marriage ruling, immigration reform and normalization of relations with Cuba. A lot of stories in the past week have demonstrated how the Republican Party just isn't a reliably comfortable home for big business anymore. A big part of that has to do with the fast-changing landscape on social issues. Big brands raced to find catchy ways to embrace the same-sex marriage decision last week even as the 2016 Republican candidates denounced it. As we've seen with the spectacularly quick race of businesses like Macy's and now professional golf organizations away from Donald Trump, companies had no interest in being associated with anti-Latino statements. 

The point, they admit, is that this is all about the money.

Businesses have decided that they don't want to offend customers and they don't want to be boycotted. That's a cynical way to look at, we know. But it also shows just how influential groups like Latinos and the LGBT community have become - not just politically, but when it comes to purchasing power as well.

Capitalism is indeed a very complicated thing and sometimes it actually works in the interests of good rather than evil, as long as an offer is made that can't be refused.