Economic blackout
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A grassroots organization is encouraging U.S. residents not to spend any money Friday as an act of “economic resistance” to protest what the group’s founder sees as the malign influence of billionaires, big corporations and both major political parties on the lives of working Americans.
The People’s Union USA calls the 24 hours of spending abstinence set to start at midnight an “economic blackout,” a term that has since been shared and debated on social media. The activist movement said it also plans to promote weeklong consumer boycotts of particular companies, including Walmart and Amazon.
https://apnews.com/article/feb-28-economic-blackout-2025-d6b0bf2d1c989ee3071016e36598d76c
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Most all of us have investments of one sort or another, even if your employer manages it. this is cutting off your nose to spite your face. And that doesn't even take into account how tough retail establishments have it right now.
It's a tantrum, nothing more. Do something that matters.
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Gotta disagree with you on this one on a bunch of levels.
I've avoided shopping at certain establishments for years if I don't like how they run their business. Money talks.
If the stock tanks, so be it. The whole point of a boycott is to give up something, so to expect it to be painless is kind of missing the point.
Supporting small local businesses, I think, is a good thing.
It's not a tantrum. We are why the big guys are big guys. Withdrawing our support will remind them of that.
When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier
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@wtg said in Economic blackout:
Withdrawing our support will remind them of that.
Exactly.
We have very few options for sending a message that we are watching and we don't like what we see. This is one way to do it.
Not doing anything is not a viable option.
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No more Kentucky bourbon for me. I’m drinking Canadian and Tanquerey - which comes from England.
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Looking after tomorrow, I don't think I've seen anyone post about Goods Unite Us (https://www.goodsuniteus.com) - also an app with a quick lookup that shows a percentage of donations from top execs and company... If money is speech and speech has consequences, you know what to do!
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I’m in. I have a couple of doctor appointments Friday, but no plans to buy anything. If something needs buying, it will be from a local, non-chain store.
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Weren't boycotts effective during the civil rights movement?
We are participating. Money will eventually change hands to pay for the colonoscopy I had this morning, but I think that's outside the scope of this effort.
Since we moved to a place with a functional downtown consisting of 100% (I think) local businesses plus a year-round farmer's market, I have made a concerted effort to patronize them. That kind of long-term change in spending behavior seems more likely to drive change, but the one-day event has the advantage of being something you can point to. If businesses can look at their financials and see a visible change on February 28, then a message has been sent. Whether it's a message that will drive action is another story.
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Percentage of donations by top execs and business
Staples 44% Dem 56% Repub
Macy's 65% Dem 35% Repub
Kohls 75% Dem 25% Repub
Home Depot 38% Dem 62% Repub
Amazon 68% Dem 32% Repub
Menards 5% Dem 95% Repub
Lowes 44% Dem 56% Repub
Harbor Freight 100% Dem
Target 52% Dem 48% Repub
Walmart 49% Dem 51% Repub
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Harbor Freight? Who knew?
