Rick Farnsworth in 2008

Mr. Farnsworth is not running for any office that I'm aware of, but I would vote for him if he did. Who is he? The owner of a Cardinal Thriftway grocery store in Aberdeen, Idaho.

You should be aware that some people claim Rick Farnsworth fired four of his employees this past Monday for attending an illegal immigration rally. But Mr. Farnsworth has a different perspective on the matter. He also has the correct perspective.

The Cardinal Thriftway has a company policy that if you are scheduled for work and you don't show up, don't call in, and don't find a replacement, you have resigned. This is a just policy that does not discriminate on racial, ethnic, gender-based, or ideological grounds. Wait, check that, it does discriminate on ideological grounds. If you do not believe in an ideology that allows you to respect your employer's authority, you probably cannot work at the Cardinal Thriftway.

Mr. Farnsworth's own words:

"They have not been fired. Nobody has been fired. Our store policy says -- and I don't care who you -- that you have come to work if you're scheduled for that day. And if you're not scheduled then you have to call in and tell us why, and then you have to get someone to replace you."

Mr. Farnsworth even went out to the rally and offered a compromise to his former employees. If they would return to the store, clock in and clock out, (presumably to satisfy some minute part of the company policy), he would not accept their resignations.

"I said, 'Good Lord guys, why didn't you just call me and let me know what was going on. We could have re-scheduled and we wouldn't have had this problem.' Well it's supposed to be a shock to let everyone know how much you need us. I said, 'We know we need you, why do you think you have keys to our store." (emphasis added)

On Tuesday, about 60 people showed up at the Cardinal Thriftway to protest the resignations tendered by the employees. Mr. Farnsworth did not cave.

In fact, although two of the positions were managerial, Mr. Farnsworth has already filled in some of the vacancies. Isn't having eager workers great?