Are we ready to starve the beast?

[DoctorMyEyes]

Yesterday after finally getting myself uncurled from a fetal position and out from under the pile of blankets and various pets I took another look at the electoral college map and again compared it to the "welfare state" map. (The states that receive MORE than they pay in federal taxes) My blood boiled!

The correlations aren't exact - but they're "close enough for government work".

So, I sent a very terse e-mail off to my representative saying that if the rat bastards must dismantle America, (and it appears they must) the very least they could do is not use MY FUCKING DIME to do it. No more goddamned PORK for the red states!





Are you with me, here? Will you write your congressional reps and senators, too?

Also - I've read a few threads regarding red state boycotts, general boycotts, and just plain "buy nothing!" I'm in a position (luckily) that I can happily do the "Buy Nothing!" boycott. No tourism for red states, and no purchases anywhere of anything except basic necessities. I'm also fortunate enough to be in the position where I already own MORE than I need or even want. If we're going to do this boycott thing perhaps we could set up some kind of DU "swap meet" or barter system to exchange goods and services with each other. Like a DU ebay without cash? And speaking of ebay - I'm not buying anything there either.

I'm holding pat and bitching about the pork!

[sniffa]

1. evidence of projection

from those who cry about weLfare queens.

i'm easiLy in position to buy nothing. :P

[bushisanidiot]

2. I was planning on taking the kids to Disney World next year, but now

i'm wondering if we should visit Canada. I'm in Illinois and i want to take the kids somewhere fun that we can drive to in a day and spend a few days there. my son loves Canada, so i guess we can go there.

[Midlodemocrat]

5. I think we should take one day during this Christmas

...shopping season to purchase NOTHING. Not heat, hot water, groceries, electricity, anything. See if 50,00,000 people doing that makes them stand up and take notice. Anybody in? It needs to be a coordinated effort to really make a stand.

[Cobalt Violet]

20. I would be up for that.

I would be up for doing it the whole season.

[Midlodemocrat]

22. That is TOO extreme LOL.

But I am thinking one general strike day...literally purchase no electricity, heat, hot water, nothing, nada, zip. What kind of an impact do you think we could have? Similar to the buy nothing day in the UK, but for a very, very different reason.

[prodigal_green]

35. Already organized--and it is international

http://www.adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/

[ever_green]

41. I'm in!

I'll participate that day and buy nothing but necessities every other day.

[hermetic]

7. Absolutely!

Canada is beautiful. Screw Florida.

[Ladybast]

10. That's a great idea--spend money ONLY in blue states!

Since the Diebold debacle at the polls, I've been thinking of how to resist. My first idea has been a general income tax revolt. If 55 million voters (plus one out of 30 who "voted" for Bush courtesy of Diebold) simply refuse to participate in the April 15th process, the IRS can't possibly handle it. I was imagining we could set up something like a "Shadow Treasury", holding our dollars for better, wiser expenditure purposes later on.

I doubt many would be willing to risk this, however. But deciding that you will not travel to Red states and spend your dollars there--now THAT will work. Goodbye, Florida economy--receipts at Disney World down 50%, for example. Business at Disneyland in California??
Booming. Let the Repub slavey media explain that away.

Skiing in Utah? Woops, business down 50%. Skiing at Mammoth in California? and Vermont? Happily booming, much larger with the Red state boycott.

I decided to do this with my Internet purchases also--not ordering from companies in Red states--unless I KNOW that the business owner is liberal.

And the biggest hit we can make is DON'T BUY DELL COMPUTERS anymore. Michael Dell, in Texas, is one of Bush's biggest contributors. Steven Jobs of Apple is very liberal, Apple computers are virus-immune.

This is one way to shift the wealth despite Repub fatcats.

[TabulaRasa]

27. I'm in!!!!

Let's starve these fuckers. Boycott every Bushie you know. I want to see every fascist, gun-toting, inbred redneck groveling in the streets before we let up ... Great Depression style. We clearly have the brains. What'll they do without us? Pray to God for the next hundred years to help them figure out how to use a lightbulb? Eat their bibles? Just the thought of kids in Iraq being maimed, terrorist attacks on Kerry supporting cities, poor black kids in the inner cities losing what little they have, because of these jackasses and their stupidity, has me absolutely livid. I feel an incredible lust for revenge. Umm, yeah, I think I've reached the anger phase. And to be honest, I'm not sure I want to move on.

[cheezus]

30. I'll be crossing the river to shop in Minnesota

they don't have sales tax on clothing like we do

[colonel odis]

38. i'd think long and hard about refusing to pay taxes.

they'll screw you 50 different ways and do it for years to come.

and if you die before they're finished, they'll screw your parents or your children. hey, my heart's with you. i just know people who have considered themselves tax resistors and wound up in a world of shit.

if you want to withhold money from people, i'd do it to the credit card companies. if everyone held back from citibank one month, they'd have a serious shortfall.

personally, i pay my bill off every month so they don't make a penny in interest charges from me. and the businesses where i use it still have to cough up the 3-5% fee to the credit card co.

just my two cents.

[YellowArmBand]

39. Agreed, the problem is organizing...

..a focused method to redirect taxes as a group and in massive amounts. Not that difficult really and I think we will end up there sooner rather than later.

www.yellowarmband.com

[jrthin]

16. Take them skiing in a Blue State. nt

[bushisanidiot]

19. None of us are skiers. But thanks for the thought. :)

hmm..

[Cobalt Violet]

21. Killington Vt.

Great sky place , great blue state

[TexasBushwhacker]

3. Be careful knocking the "takers" too quickly

Some of these states get "more than their share" only because of low population density. In that case, they really aren't getting that much anyway. Other states, like Mississippi, Arkansas and West Virginia, are getting "more than their share" mainly because they have millions of people with very low incomes. I don't have a problem with them getting more Federal dollars if they spend them in the right way, namely for education and anything to help the poor over the long term.

[BOSSHOG]

8. The ignorant poor in the red states voted to

send federal dollars to Iraq. The only "education" they want comes from the pulpit. They are happy being poor and ignorant and unwashed. Just as long as nonwhites and nonheterosexuals do not get to enjoy constitutional liberties, that is by god fine with them.

[itzamirakul]

18. Welfare from the Pulpit

Don't worry about the ignorant and the poor not being well-taken care of in the red states. Now they will not have to go to government offices for their monthly checks and food stamps. Their ministers will pass out those goodies through Bush's Faith-based Initiatives.

[DoctorMyEyes]

9. That was all well and good till last Tuesday

I've never minded my tax dollars being redistributed to support living in a civilized society and said so in the letter written to my rep.

I know it's not so simple a thing, and a lot of those dollars are used for military, education, etc. But a LOT of it is used for stupid ass pork projects, too.

Here is a quote from my e-mail:

I don't give a rat's ass about a $100,000 study of the causes of sediment buildup at the Santa Cruz dam or a $10 renovation of the "Palace of the Governors" in Santa Fe and I can't think of single Delawarean who would!

And to tell you the truth - for the quality of education that's being received in states like Alabama and Mississippi - that's a fucking waste of money too!

Screw the agricultural subsidies. Mississippi just got 15 million for " a pumping system to drain water from cotton cropland in the Mississippi Delta. The money is a down payment on the Yazoo Pumps Project, which eventually will cost $181 million. Environmentalists say the Corps of Engineers project will destroy 200,000 acres of valuable wetlands in order to grow more cotton, a federally subsidized crop whose prices already are falling because of overproduction."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-01-23-pork-usat_x.htm

(Please excuse the liberal use of profanity. I'm hoping it lessens in the next week or two. I'm still SO mad!)

[TomClash]

13. Screw them if they vote for Bush . . .

[Cobalt Violet]

24. Strave the Red States!

Fuck them. They'll all be ok. They can pray their way out of it.

[Fiendish Thingy]

31. Remember that many Red States have sizable minority

populations, black, hispanic, native american. Many have liberal college towns. I'm in favor of economic action (boycotts, travel plans, etc.) But don't think we should shoot ourselves in the foot. Remember, some Red Presidential states have Blue legistlatures, Governor's, and House members...
Having said that, I haven't knowingly purchased Florida Orange Juice since the 2000 election. If it says "Florida" on the Label, it stays on the shelf.

[LibDemAlways]

4. I like the idea of a DU e-bay

or swap meet. Also would like to know any DUers or their Dem friends and family who own businesses. I live in So Cal, but my husband works in Seattle. He's been to God-Bush-and-Cheney's sub shop several times. We ought to support each other as much as possible.

[DoctorMyEyes]

17. I agree!

I'm on the east coast and don't own a business, but I'm all for us getting together here and figuring out how to most effectively spend our dollars.

Personally I plan to limit myself to the basics - food, electicity, gas, car insurance and god forgive me comcast...cause the cable connection IS a neccessity.

I won't need another stitch of clothing, pair of shoes, piece of plastic, stick of furniture, electronic gizmo, or useless doodad for the next four years.

[TexasBushwhacker]

26. You can also FREECYCLE

It's DA BOMB!

Who wants to spend 2 weeks organizing a garage sale, and spend a weekend running it, only to get a couple hundred bucks and still end up giving or throwing away a ton of stuff. With Freecycling, you OFFER what you have that you want to get rid of and if you need something you post a WANT. Everyone gives and receives on a personal basis. I've given away furniture and recieved a perfectly good sewing machine. It's a great way to declutter. Check it out:

http://www.freecycle.org/

[catzies]

29. I support the Freecycle idea too. Everyone should check it out.

That, and I will indeed "starve the beast," with the exception of boycotting Florida. My folks are there and I just can't stay away.

But I'm reaffirming my anti-consumer commitment.

[Hog lover]

42. Thanks for this info.

I have signed up in my town. Didn't know this existed.

[BOSSHOG]

6. I live in a Red State and I'm onboard with your idea 100%

Ignorant white trash who got their marching orders from the pulpit decided the election, the future of our country.

Lets us also strive to take away the tax exempt status from Churches who choose to ignore our founding fathers wish that church and state be separate entities.

[DoctorMyEyes]

12. Excellent!

I'd love to take on the churches - they need to pay up or shut up!

I'm glad you're on board too. If you red state DUers and progressives can "buck up" for a while I know I'll do my best to make sure you get what you need individually.

(Do you need an under cabinet microwave oven/exhaust fan?) :evilgrin:

[BOSSHOG]

14. The offer is greatly appreciated

but unlike most of our fellow Mississipians, we are self sufficient, educated and despite the local humanity, quite happy. I've made a minor nuisance of myself recently, but I think its time to ratchet up the rhetoric. There is a baptist church on every highway junction around here. If they want to dictate my politics, they'll have to deal with me.

[itzamirakul]

11. I'M WITH YOU!

I am one of those who posts and suggests boycotts and the use of the same tactics that were used in combating Sinclair Broadcasting.

I thank you for the post and the vital welfare information because the media knowingly and willingly paints welfare with a "black face" as though only urban blacks are the recipients of government support when government reports show clearly that far more whites than blacks receive welfare. Yet radio blasters like Limbaugh feed this racist idea to their listeners and make them think that black Americans are getting something for nothing on their dime.

RACISM is the glue that holds the Republican Party together. It is not ANY of the issues that they throw up as smokescreens: i.e. gay marriage, abortion, war in Iraq, Homeland Security. There are many whites in the middle of America who would willingly sacrifice their sons to this war in Iraq AND take a cut in pay if only America would return to the halcyon days of the pre-civil rights 1950s and it is only until the Democrats REALIZE, and CONFRONT the Republicans with this absolute reality that we will be able to come back as a stronger, unified party.

I have stopped watching ALL of the major media newscasts and I tend to listen to Air America Radio (www.airamericaradio.com) I am writing and phoning every network to let them know that I disapprove of their one-sided reporting of the news.

Let's go further. Let's turn this into a major campaign!

[TomClash]

15. A great post

I was just thinking about these red state subsidies this morning. I live in NYC, which largely protects itself and pays more out in taxes than it receives in federal revenue. So why am I an American subsidizing these people?

[Cobalt Violet]

25. Same thoughts here!

Starve the red states. They deserve it.

[prodigal_green]

36. We're a donor city in a donor state

Florida got its hurricaine relief immediately. We're still waiting on 9/11 funding because Pataki is an ass.

[Midlodemocrat]

23. Take it one step further

...and only do business with people who supported Kerry. Check out fundrace.org, or tray.com. You can search by zip and it gives you address/employer.

[Cassandra]

28. Gives new meaning to the term...

"Starve the Beast". :evilgrin:

[merliecurlie]

33. businesses for Kerry

we would need to post some identification on ourselves and stores

[CAcyclist]

45. my business logo has a peace symbol in it

[bettyellen]

37. thank you !

[merliecurlie]

32. strike

I like your idea - the country would come to a halt - bare necessities could include gas, however. Blue people in red states need to move - I like the barter system, too. I can't afford it but we can't afford not to do this.

[hermetic]

34. All the Blue people from the Red states

should move to Minnesota or Wisconsin. It is pretty up here and there is a lot of open space. Then we can force out or retool the Reds here, take back the governor's office and secede from the union if need be. Strength in numbers!

[raising2moredems]

40. Already boycotting by state

And will call my broker Monday to sell my JPM (ended up with it when a former employer "merged", I was outsourced THEN the outsourced canned us all). As I see companies and products, I'll put them on my list. I've got the kids doing it also. Wal-Mart is really serf-mart when you get down to it. Now, speaking of faith based, religious welfare to go along with corporate welfare since they have to feed both heads of the beast - we need some undercover work. Like when they end up refusing to feed someone if they don't want to hear the "sermon". An idiot I worked with (she got axed thankfully) made the statement "if they're hungry enough, they'll listen". I keep hoping she ends up with an non-christian doctor when she is in intense pain and has to listen to the non-christian spiel before she is treated. So keep the boycott ideas coming BUT the best thing is to avoid credit card debt and if you can, limit your use of credit cards. And if you can keep your income under the federal tax threshhold (and still live somewhere besides the street and afford food), go for it. I'm scheming this..

[Me.]

43. Don't Forget McDonalds & Wendys

They gave big to RNC. Burger King went for the Dems.

[Lorien]

44. Yes. We have a very long thread on this here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2600099&mesg_id=2600099

[bettyellen]

46. other great threads w/ shopping recommendations

bettyellen (341 posts)
Sun Nov-07-04 06:16 PM
Response to Original message

4. here are three good threads, look in + kick 'em good!






Subject: threads on wher to shop/ not shop
Message:
starve the beast:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph ...

progressive pages, there's one in every state forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph ...

both dem and repug alternatives + resources.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph ...


pls vivit all and kick en up there, while you're at it.

pass around the list for xmas!!!

[mondo joe]

47. So who do I write to? Who controls the $????

I'm on board - I just want to know the most effective place to focus my efforts.

[bettyellen]

48. LIST OF GOOD BUSINESSES BAD REPUG BUSINESS + RESOURCES

BAD: mc donalds wendys BURGER KING GOOD
BAD: HOME DEPOT /LOWES
BAD: DIRECT TV (MURDOCH) GOOD: DISH NETWORK



BAD :
Paperless electronic voting machines, Wal-Mart, General Electric, Dell Computers, PepsiCo. , General Mills, Pfizer, ExxonMobile, Amway, Fox News, Circuit City, Pizza Hut, Coors Brewing, Safeway, Home Depot, Wendy’s restaurants, Valero Energy, Outback Steakhouse, Marathon Oil, Pilot Corporation, Diamond-Shamrock, NBC, ChevronTexaco, The Bush administration’s reasons for the war in Iraq, Sam’s Club, Phillip Morris, Sinclair Broadcasting Group, Shamrock Foods, R.J. Reynolds, Lorrilard, CNN, Charles Schwab, Merrill Lynch, PriceWatherhouseCoopers, Wachovia Corp., MBNA corp, AFLAC INC., Ernst & Young, American Bankers Association, Deloitte & Touche, KPMG LLP, UBS Americas, Credit Union National Assn, Clear Channel Communications, Salem Communications, Pappas Telecasting Companies, Cocola Broadcasting Companies, Maxwell House, Budweiser, Hotpoint, AOL Time Warner, Mircrosoft, UPS, Fed-Ex, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Citigroup, Anheuser Busch, Archer Daniel Midland, Schering Plough, American Airlines, Disney, Ford Motors, Alticor Inc., Wyeth, Amoco, Esso, Kraft Foods, GENERAL MILLS (+CASCADIAN FARM),Monsanto, IBM, Taco Bell, KFC, Cable television, DirectTV, Diebold, Sears, Roebuck and Co. JCPENNEY’S
Cracker Barrel restaurant chain (was this really a surprise?)
Bacardi USA
Westar Energy

GOOD: Voluntary Simplicty, Costco, Barnes & Noble, Hard Rock Cafe, Bashas, Hyatt Corporation, Brown and Cole food stores, Chronicle Books, E&J Gallo Winery, Bed, Bath and Beyond, working with Co-Ops, Random House, Citgo, Shell oil, Ligget Vector Group, Dreamworks SKG, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Holiday Shopping Boycotts, Apple Computers, Pixar, Working Assets, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Farmer’s Markets, Used and Antiquarian books, Secondhand Shops, DishNetwork, Netflix, PEPSI Verifiable Voting


the basic framework set up but it's a work in progress.

http://trueblue.hyperboards.com/index.cgi

 Here are 2 Eco Friendly Internet Service Providers (ISP's)

The first one also has DSL service and long distance service. They are:

http://www.redjellyfish.com /

http://www.ecoisp.com/
 

NETFLIX IS GOOD CABLE TV BAD


WWW.VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLAR.COM

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2600099

t fundrace.org,
tray.com. You can search by zip and it gives you address/employer.

http://www.givesomethingback.com/office_supplies.html

[sarahlee]

49. Join CoOp America

http://www.coopamerica.org/

And think about how boycotts against apartheid in South Africa took time, but did create the change.

[sarahlee]

50. Another site to bookmark

http://www.stopwelfare.com/

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

51. for those in this thread interested in corporate boycotting

I bring word of the newly launched Progressive Pages, created thanks to the work of DU'ers Sapphocrat, fudgestripedcookays, and others:

http://www.globalblogs.com/progressivepages/index.html

The DU thread about it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

The site needs your input!