Last week, I had separate lunches with two women I know, and the conversations in both revolved around anxieties produced by Trump’s coup. Both of my companions focused on the same question: what can an individual do? Both women seemed to think that–because I’m a political policy blogger– I would have an answer, or at the very least, a suggestion.
If only!
I have a big problem–one that’s undoubtedly shared– with helplessness. Tell me there’s a problem to be solved, but I have to climb that mountain to solve it, and I’ll pull on hiking boots and make the attempt. Tell me there’s a problem, but there’s nothing I can do about it, and I’m beside myself.
I wasn’t able to share any brilliant (or even dumb) insights with my luncheon companions, but a recent Substack from Hoosiers4Democracy reminded me that we are not without the ability to mount effective protests. We can and should continue our calls and emails to the elected cowards like Todd Young (and even to the moronic Christian Nationalists like Jim Banks). Posts to social media aren’t really a substitute for action, but even singing to the choir can probably be helpful, so we can continue those. When there is an in-person protest, we absolutely should turn out.
But as H4D reminded readers, economic “messages” are likely to be more effective. (As someone recently posted, money is the. only thing these jerks respect!)
We MUST command the attention of the corporations funding our representatives to make it clear that the policies of this administration are unpopular! We must do this in a way that is immediate, impactful, and sustainable. We are asking you to participate in several upcoming, nationally planned, economic boycott events that will remind our leaders and representatives that we have more power than they think and that they work for us. 70% of the U.S. economy is consumer driven. When money talks, they listen.
First up, join H4D on February 28, 2025 for the national Economic Blackout. This event originated with The People’s Union USA and is being promoted by organizations across the country. Absolutely NO SPENDING for 24 hours beginning at midnight on February 27th. If you must spend on essentials, please try to shop small, local stores and avoid using bank cards and credit cards.
We also ask that you maximize your impact by recruiting 3 friends or family members to participate and to ask them to recruit 3 people to participate, in the hopes of creating a snowball effect.
There is additional information on the Economic Blackout and other upcoming events, available at The People’s Union Economic Blackout.
News of the planned economic action has been spreading. So has debate about its likely efficacy. Nevertheless, if enough people participate, a day of severely diminished economic activity will send a clear message. (The threat of additional boycotts may also stiffen the spines of companies that have decided to “obey in advance” by scrapping their DEI programs and other equity efforts in order to curry favor with our bigoted would-be monarch.)
The genius of the protest on the 28th is that it offers those of us who’ve been feeling helpless a virtually painless way to be heard. It can be daunting to go out in freezing weather to physically protest (although thousands of our fellow Americans have done so). People who must work long hours cannot make personal visits to the offices of Congressmen and Senators. Even calls and emails require some positive effort. But the protest on the 28th requires us to do nothing. It’s a purposeful nothing that requires little in the way of effort or hardship. There are very few purchases that cannot be delayed–or advanced– a day, or better still, reconsidered.
There are more aggressive plans to follow up on the action planned for the 28th with more extensive actions– a number of grassroots groups have come together in a movement called Shutdown 315 to urge Americans to support a nationwide shutdown. Participants would not only stop making purchases from major corporations, but would abstain from social media use and absent themselves from work on March 15th. This is a more ambitious effort, and if successful is likely to have a significant effect.
Participation in planned boycotts of the large companies that have “obeyed in advance” are also planned.
If enough Americans participate in these very peaceful protests, our voices will be heard. They represent a promising initial answer to the anguished question: what can I do?
Tell your friends and family. Spread the word.
Fight back against the coup.
Economic protests will get the oligarch’s attention because of their greed. Believe me, the right-wing has been protesting “woke organizations” for several years.
I published an article for Rivera Sun who collects many resources about protests going on around the US. She’s written numerous books on nonviolent protests:
“Nonviolence News Editor Rivera Sun is a novelist and nonviolence trainer. Her books, The Dandelion Insurrection and The Way Between are read around the world. She served as an advisor to the Nonviolence Now project, is on the Advisory Board of World Beyond War, and has worked with numerous nonviolence organizations. Her essays on nonviolence are syndicated by Peace Voice and have appeared in hundreds of journals.”
http://www.riverasun.com
One small act at a time will grow change. I submit it is also time for the Democrats to start grooming a presidential candidate while all this ire is still fresh so JD Vance cannot be a successor. The governor of Kentucky comes to mind given how Trump has ignored the floods in KY. just sayin.
Agree 100% with Linda Robb on all points.
Thanks for the info. I’m preparing for the Friday protest. I hadn’t heard about the March 15th protest. I’ll let people know.
Print small bulletins:
(Place an ‘X’ center top heading)
>>
Tesla’s are not welcome here. Return to dealer ASAP before value drops for a trade in for a genuine American made car.
<<
Place on Tesla vehicles parked in public places.
WARNING: Do not place on vehicles at Tesla Dealers. They have significantly ramped up security and will prosecute. Dealers have been screaming at stakeholders to hold Elon Musk accountable to no avail.
Following text above, Teslas were the top selling luxury cars in 2023. Market data informs that demographics of Tesla owners dominated by white males earning six figure salaries. Top shareholders of Tesla are corporations whose names you would not readily recognize. Elon Musk has been CEO and top shareholder since 2008.
Placing notice on publicly parked Teslas’ windshield anchored by wiper blade is a non-violent protest. This is not an invitation to damage the vehicle.
I have questions; my friend in Santa Clara, CA, who was a political activist for over 50 years and has many contacts with information; told me this week that government buildings in her area are being closed which means staff if not working and government work is not getting done. How do we learn in our many separate areas here on the blog if, when and what government buildings might be closing in our areas or are already locked down? How do we know what to expect or what to not expect as the norm? Such as receiving our Social Security checks, medical facilities closing, other businesses not doing business? What is the USPS situation at this time with Trump’s takeover; what do we do to rectify our mailing needs, especially regarding bills (coming in and going out), government and business documents and of course mail-in ballots? Our day-to-day lives are being disrupted and it appears to me we are sliding downhill to nowhere to turn for information, nearing third-world country level.
I am wondering if single day protests are large enough to gain attention, and why on working days?
How about doing a boycott for an entire weekend? Or even a major 3 day weekend when the oligarchs are expecting the masses to be out spending vigorously?
One way to escalate* this mini boycott is to buy merchandise and return it. Dealing with even the normal flow of returns are a drag on businesses.
* Probably not a good first step though.
Sorry, I can’t support that 100%. My daughter, active in her county’s D politics and a strong anti-MAGA, is a single mother of two, both in college. She works days as a cosmetologist and as a server 3 or 4 nights a week. A 100% ban on spending would hurt her. How about no spending at WalMart, Home Depot or on products from companies supporting Trump? In our zeal let’s not hurt the soldiers.
I am with Bill Bailey.
Focus on boycott is big box stores and Amazon including Whole Foods, not small businesses, with one exception, any business outwardly posting Trump and MAGA. There is a service station around the corner aggressively promoting Trump and MAGA at point of sale. Not only am I not doing business with this service station, I am urging neighbors and friends likewise. Also will write national franchise regarding infringement of national brand for political purposes.
Something specific … something immediate … something that involves people into small strategic initiatives with long term consequences to scale.
“Money is the only thing these jerks respect.” Absolutely! There are 2 ways to look at any donations: 1: donate to GET THEM to do something, or 2: donate because they ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING to address the problem. I’d go with the latter. “Dear Senator/Representative M, I’m planning to donate to politicians who make a difference to the country. YOU’RE NOT ONE OF THEM. Have an interesting life.
I highly recommend Jessica Cravens “Chop Wood Carry Water” blog which offers concrete actions for individuals, including scripts (which you can use, modify or ignore) for contacting representatives.
Bill Bailey’s concerns are addressed by the organizers of the February 28 economic blackout – they very specifically advise participants to avoid all national/large regional businesses when you cease spending that day, but to focus on small, local businesses for all your needs, and, importantly, to use only cash. Credit cards fees hurt the small businesses, and enrich the big banks. I plan to eat out 3 meals a day that day, at small diners in my town, paying only cash, and will be visiting several small boutiques/garden centers to spread some more of my cash. You won’t see me in Kroger (although they are among the better corporate citizens in some respects), Albertsons, Target, Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. I have already quit using Amazon entirely. And I have encouraged all my family friends to do the same. Hope all y’all can do this as well.
I am all for boycotting the corporate overlords and I think it’s a great idea to use cash only, but I feel that it would be good to patronize small local businesses on February 28. Most of these operate on razor thin margins and when they go to open on that day, they will be paying their employees, paying for their utilities, and so forth. It will cost them money to be open on that day and it would be good to show that we support them, rather than those corporations who are aligned with those who would destroy our democracy.
“ But the protest on the 28th requires us to do nothing. It’s a purposeful nothing…” BAHAHAHAHA!!! This is the most hilarious plan the left has come up with. I LOVE IT! A purposeful nothing. Y’all absolutely kill me.
If only contacting our elected representatives was that easy…! Just day before yesterday I decided that I could finally tell my elected MAGA-committed congressman to pay attention to Mike Pence – with whom I am finally in agreement on something, namely that Trump and Musk are a threat to our nation and the world. Never would he have listened to me as a non-MAGA voter, but I thought, if I can omit that troublesome detail and ally myself with Pence on this one critical point, perhaps he might pay attention??
So I went to his website, only to discover that messages to him cannot exceed 180 letters and spaces… Less than 1 average sentence. Even his supporters cannot tell this man anything of substance, and there is no clear way to get a message through to him in any other manner, unless I send money. He is isolated from reality, from the Universe, from us. Just like his leaders and bosses. It’s hopeless to even try. So where do we go from there, folks?
Attend your representatives town halls and use your voice! People are showing up at their republican representative town halls and are really angry. We know Trump’s mandates are going to hurt more red states than blue, and he doesn’t realize how many veterans work for federal agencies. The dems should be using sound bites from people like James Carville on FOX who is speaking truth to fight against misinformation.
Please, a lot of you have come up with excuses why you can’t do the buy nothing on the 28th. You are probably also not in the streets at protests. It IS HARD, but we can do hard things. The more we allow excuses to stop us, the less chance we have of overthrowing this administration. People are getting hurt already, just because it’s not people that you know or you, personally, don’t see the damage, it is happening and it’s only going to get worse.
Liz, I’ve already been on the streets protesting. I will definitely be boycotting our corporate overlords. I do, however, believe in nuance and in care for the marginalized in our communities. When we hurt people on the margins, we alienate them. That didn’t work out so well for those of us hoping to save democracy in November 2024.
Great Idea!!
Will definitely participate. Thanks for organizing!
Will definitely participate. Thanks for organizing!