PERSPECTIVE – Economic Boycott

For those of us who did not vote for the tech bros plutocracy, here’s a call to action. Actually, nobody voted for them because they weren’t on the ballot. Billionaires all, but still all they want is more. We’re starting to see the pain and disruption of that. So let’s take action! It’s easy, all we have to do is NOT spend money on certain days at certain megastores. Small, local businesses are exempt from this.

Started by the People’s Union USA, a grassroots, nonpartisan organization that has sprung up in immediate response to the current administration (which now includes those people we never voted for, e.g., Elon Musk) ending DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) policies and encouraging and forcing large corporations to do so along with the federal government. This is not about individuals whether they are attached to the side of the Resolute desk or not. See this link for details about the People’s Union:  https://thepeoplesunionusa.com/faq

What’s dangerous or expensive about DEI? Nothing, although not always is it implemented in an appropriate and effective way. Mostly, it just subtly points out people’s biases and encourages them to rethink their positions. No one is hired for a job they are not qualified for, but DEI helped level the playing field, not by lowering standards, as many seem to think, but by encouraging a more diverse workforce. At any rate, no matter the truth, the Trump/Musk administration took it on as a major challenge: Get rid of DEI (it’s holding back white guys; it wasn’t, of course, but that made it popular among lots of white guys). At some point an in-depth discussion of DEI, what it is and how it can be effectively administered will be appropriate. But right now is not that time.

The Economic Boycotts called for are not just about DEI, nor are they only about Plutocracy, where the rich get richer and the rest of us get poorer. It’s because of the policies the Trump/Musk administration are putting in place. Inflation rose in January to 3%, and it’s anticipated to keep going up. The firing of federal employees continues. Now all those people are jobless. As February nears the end, about 30,000 (+) employees have been fired, many listed as probationary, which doesn’t sound too awful until you understand those categories.  To be probationary you were hired within the past 2 years, but also you may be a long-term employee transferred to another position or department.  Most of these firings are illegal; although the legal implications will take a long time to get sorted out.

The Boycott is also about the rich getting richer. Musk has intentionally gone after the agencies that were protecting consumers against such bad actors. Every time Trump flies to Mar a Lago or anywhere else to play gold it costs us money. In his first 30 days in office, he spent 9 days playing golf at a total cost of $10.7 million of taxpayer money. There are a variety of documentation sources for this, but mostly it comes from the GAO (Government Accounting Office).

Here are the Boycott dates and what should be boycotted.

• February 28: 24-Hour Economic Blackout – No spending for one full day. [No gas, fast food, last-minute errands, except for emergencies.]
• March 7-14: Amazon Blackout – No Amazon purchases, no Whole Foods, no Prime orders. [Amazon has a mixed reputation as an employer; they got rid of DEI, they fight unionizations, and there is frequent burnout from both corporate and on-the-floor staff due to stress.]
• March 21-28: Nestlé Blackout – Boycotting Nestlé-owned brands due to water exploitation, child labor, and corporate greed. [Nestle is one of the most inhumane, unenvironmental, greedy companies in existence today, e.g., child and slave labor, lying about healthiness of some of their products. For more details, see https://www.mashed.com/198834/the-untold-truth-of-nestle/ Here are some of their 2000+ brands: Carnation, Cheerios (with General Mills), DiGiorno pizza, Dreyer’s, Garden of Life, Gerber, Häagen-Dazs, Hot Pockets, Lean Cuisine, Maggi, Nature’s Bounty, Purina (pet food), S.Pellegrino, Stouffer’s found in the U.S.
• March 28: 24-Hour Economic Blackout #2, No spending for one full day.
• April 7-13: Walmart Blackout – Shutting down spending at one of the biggest price-gouging, worker-exploiting corporations.
• April 18: Economic Blackout #3, Another full 24-hour halt to the economy.
• April 21-27: General Mills Blackout. Here are some of their brands: Annie’s, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Chex, Fiber One, Green Giant, Nature Valley, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Progresso, Wheaties, Yoplait

Some of the companies that fell in step with the Trump/Musk administration on cutting DEI include:  Amazon, Chipotle, Disney, Ford, GE, GM, Google, McDonald’s, Meta, PayPal, Pepsi, Target, Walmart.

Some of the companies that are keeping DEI include: Apple, Coca-Cola, COSTCO, Ben & Jerry’s, Delta Airlines, e.l.f. Beauty, Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson.

Some of the organizations supporting and promoting the boycott range from the NAACP to individual churches.

Save your money on February 28, March 28, and April 18 and the other dates by ignoring that particular store for that 24-hour period. I encorage you to participate.