Washington Examiner Reports: Should businesses take public stances on political and social issues? The public is split: 48% think businesses should, while 52% think they should not, according to a Gallup poll released this week.

The poll shows a divide, but the true divide here is between Democrats and everyone else. The poll found that 75% of Democrats think businesses should take public stances on political and social issues. Meanwhile, just 40% of independents and 18% of Republicans felt the same way. When businesses that do speak out on social issues tend to lean left, it's no wonder why.

No matter what the polling says, though, businesses should not wade into these issues. They should stick to providing good products and services to the public, not offering half-baked political takes. But the polling should tell companies all they need to know about this topic; taking political and social positions in public divides the people.

The primary goal of a business is to turn a profit. So what is the purpose of alienating potential customers by amplifying political stances? It will not change the minds of the people angered by the ads. They may instead choose to get a similar product or service elsewhere.