Protest the Bush Administration on Inauguration Day

[emmagrant01]

Gacked from sabrinagb. Pass it on!

Not One Damn Dime Day - Jan 20, 2005

Since our religious leaders will not speak out against the war in Iraq, since our political leaders don't have the moral courage to oppose it, since Bush is wasting 40 MILLION dollars on his inauguration party...while the soldiers have inadequate armor and too few of them to create or maintain peace in Iraq... Inauguration Day, Thursday, January 20th, 2005 is "Not One Damn Dime Day" in America. On "Not One Damn Dime Day" those who oppose what is happening in our name in Iraq can speak up with a 24-hour national boycott of all forms of consumer spending. During "Not One! Damn Dime Day" please don't spend money. Not one damn dime for gasoline. Not one damn dime for necessities or for impulse purchases. Not one damn dime for nothing for 24 hours. On "Not One Damn Dime Day," please boycott Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target...

Please don't go to the mall or the local convenience store. Please don't buy any fast food (or any groceries at all for that matter). For 24 hours, please do what you can to shut the retail economy down.

The object is simple. Remind the people in power that the war in Iraq is immoral and illegal; that they are responsible for starting it and that it is their responsibility to stop it. "Not One Damn Dime Day" is to remind them, too, that they work for the people of the United States of America, not for the international corporations and K Street lobbyists who represent the corporations and funnel cash into American politics. "Not One Damn Dime Day" is about supporting the troops. The politicians put the troops in harm's way. Now 1,200 brave young Americans and (some estimate) 100,000 Iraqis have died. The politicians owe our troops a plan - a way to come home.

There's no rally to attend. No marching to do. No left or right wing agenda to rant about. On "Not One Damn Dime Day" you take action by doing nothing. You open your mouth by keeping your wallet closed. For 24 hours, nothing gets spent, not one damn dime, to remind our religious leaders and our politicians of their moral responsibility to end the war in Iraq and give America back to the people.

Please share this email with as many people as possible.

---

On a separate-but-related note, I recently saw a list of companies who had contributed to the Bush campaign, but I lost it. I was planning to boycott those companies this year. Can anyone direct me to it?

Comments

[helens78]

One quick thing about the list and boycotting: I know there are many companies who donated to both parties. MS donated to both Bush and Kerry.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Heh. Guess they weren't willing to bet on either side, huh?

[helens78]

Yeah. :P Personally, I'm hugely irked by companies donating to political campaigns at all. Yuck! *sighs*

[helens78]

I absolutely swear I am not trying to cause trouble *grin* but I'm curious how far you're willing to take the boycotting thing. For example, all of the wireless phone services they list except for T-Mobile donated more to Bush than Kerry -- would you really switch phone providers to send a message?

Then there's grocery stores -- if I were boycotting the grocery stores that donated more to Bush than to Kerry, I honestly don't know where I would buy food. Seriously, the only blue-or-black listings on the grocery stores page in my area is Costco, which is an hour's drive away from where I live... and I don't drive, so it's probably two hours away by bus. Four hours round trip to get groceries... at a place I have to buy in bulk... and need to pay yearly membership fees for... all by bus. By contrast, there is a grocery store literally 100 feet from my doorstep... but it went red.

What if the companies had gone red but you had no choice about using their products? If your office supplied only WinXP machines but MS had gone red, would you insist on a new OS for your computers?

What's the threshhold? Is 50/50 OK, but 51% Republican/49% Democrat not?

What if the company donated product to the Republican, but money to the Democrat? And therefore, the listed donation amount would be retail for the product (but maybe worth half that or less -- retail for Office is what, $400+, but "at cost" is $50), but they actually did donate more in cash to the other candidate?

Boycotting is just such a fascinating economic tactic that I'm curious where the mental lines are drawn, especially if it's really important to you. :)

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Good points, and I actually have thought about this! My idea was to try as hard as I can to not buy products from business that really gave a LOT of money to Republican campaigns, and none to Democratic campaigns. In some cases, it would be a bit of a hardship to do so, c.f. your grocery store example above. And in other cases, I have reasons for wanting to support certain business that have nothing to do with politics (because I like their partner-benefits programs, or because they're environmentally friendly, or because I have family members who work there, etc.)

So no, I'm not going to be uber-picky about this. In most cases, it will be a matter of choosing one company over another when both are equally convenient and have similar products or services. I'll go to Lowes instead of Home Depot, and I'll stop eating at McDonalds (which I should do for health reasons anyway) and I'll avoid shopping at Target (*sniffs*) and K-Mart (won't be difficult). And so on.

[helens78]

In most cases, it will be a matter of choosing one company over another when both are equally convenient and have similar products or services.

Big thumbs-up! :) Consumer choice does drive the marketplace, and a lot of times you really do find good substitutes even for the places you don't want to give up easily (I would so cling to Target...). I'm all for rewarding companies that make choices we agree with, whether those choices are the selection they carry, their prices, who they support politically, or any other number of things, like all the reasons you mentioned.

The thing that fascinated me was seeing all those restaurants in the red pile. Admittedly, it does seem sometimes like Democrats want to ban things that they consider unhealthy, so I can see why restaurants would consider Republicans the "safer" party... but wow! On the other hand, if you end up avoiding chain restaurants, you may find yourself at much, much better individual places... one of the best Italian restaurants out here is a little hole-in-the-wall place in a strip mall, go figure.

[blucola.livejournal.com]

I work in a bookstore. What about small businesses that depend on the sales of each and every day? Dry cleaners, Chinese restaurants, ect.. Why should these small business owners be punished for something of which they have no control?

[lauramcewan.livejournal.com]

At the same time, I'll toss out something that was mentioned back when they tried the "no gas" days. Even if purchases aren't made on the 20th, folks will buy on the 19th or the 21st to make up for what they didn't do on the 20th. I'm not so sure this will really have any true effect, but I'm no economist, either.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

I guess I always think of the people in Alabama who boycotted the public bus system back in the 60s. They walked for miles to get to work and back, or found other transportation. It wasn't the bus drivers' fault; they were simply enforcing the rules, yet their jobs were at risk because of the boycott.

And one day isn't really going to do anything more than send a message, and I think that's the point. I'm planning to boycott the big companies that donated to Bush for a year, which I hope will send an even bigger message if enough people do it. I still won't eat Dominos pizza after years of boycotting them for their early 90s contributions to "Operation Rescue"!

[blucola.livejournal.com]

*nods* And I still boycott Fruit of the Loom for closing down the factory where my husband worked. They bought it, promised no one would lose jobs and within a year pink-slipped everyone. That still rankles, 10 years later.

[sabrinagb.livejournal.com]

I, too, have been boycotting places for awhile (including Dominos Pizza). Sometimes I think it hardly makes a difference, but I do know that it makes me feel better about at least trying to do something/send a message.

I do feel bad for the smaller stores that will/may suffer on one day or no or limited sales, but since people will continue to buy what they need (either before or after the boycott day), it should not really impact them.

[lauramcewan.livejournal.com]

I understand the boycotting; I boycott Nestle for their dangerous babymilk marketing practices in third-world countries, and boycotting Nestle is HARD! They have so many other brand names attached to them, Stouffer's, L'Oreal, Carnation.

But I worked for Domino's in the early 90's and I'm not recalling anything about Operation Rescue; enlighten me, please!

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

According to , they still give lots of money to anti-choice organizations. But according to this article (http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art24917.asp), the man in question no longer owns the company. This page (http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/3199/dominos.html) seems to verify that. (http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/X0404_Dominos_Pizza.html)

[lauramcewan.livejournal.com]

ah, yes, mr. monaghan. I never knew this!

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Sorry about the f'd up formatting there! :-P

I'm surprised you didn't know that! There was even a line about it in the movie Reality Bites.

Love your "tag" line, btw!

[lauramcewan.livejournal.com]

I've seen that film once, but I apparently didn't pay attention. *G*

And I love your icon! ;D

[mizbean.livejournal.com]

Is this the link you're looking for? Choose the Blue. It's actually the opposite, but it has info on the Bush-donor companies.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Thanks! OMG, STARBUCKS contributed 84% to Democratic campaigns, and only 5% to Republicans. Guess the rest of that money went to third party candidates. *is relieved she won't have to give up Starbucks this year*

[mizbean.livejournal.com]

Notices that your icon says latte sipping. Starbuck's should know their core demographic, shouldn't they? I'm just happy I don't have to give up Costco (or Banana Republic).

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes! They do know their demographic!

[loreleif.livejournal.com]

Not only that, but they give full benefits to domestic partners, and are big on medical benefits for as many partners as possible, plus have a number of environmental projects they work at. Somehow, the Democratic bent doesn't surprise me much. *g*

[liesbyomission.livejournal.com]

Target is a red company? ;_; That makes me so sad! I love Target. How could they?!

[mizbean.livejournal.com]

*clings* I know! I may have to cheat a little there. I do love Tar-jay!

[sciencegeek.livejournal.com]

Is this like the "Buy Nothing Day" in Canada? Ours in in Novemeber or October or something. It's not official, but it's always in the paper and stuff. Except, ours is to protest against materialism, I think.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a cool idea! Maybe it's based on that.

[sciencegeek.livejournal.com]

Maybe.

So, I did some looking...apparently it's a world wide thing, according to this website. Though, I found out about it at university...where everyone is so poor we don't buy much anyway.

I wonder if it's effective.

Here you go...

[ixchelmala.livejournal.com]

WITH Democrats:

* Price Club/Costco donated $225K, of which 99% went to democrats;

* Rite Aid, $517K, 60% to democrats;

* Magla Products (Stanley tools, Mr. Clean), $22K, 100% to democrats;

* Warnaco (undergarments), $55K, 73% to democrats;

* Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, $153K, 99% to democrats;

* Estee Lauder, $448K, 95% to democrats;

* Guess ? Inc., $145K, 98% to democrats;

* Calvin Klein, $78K, 100% to democrats;

* Liz Claiborne, Inc., $34K, 97% to democrats;

* Levi Straus, $26K, 97% to democrats;

* Olan Mills, $175K, 99% to democrats.

* Gallo Winery, $337K, 95% to democrats;

* Southern Wine & Spirits, $213K, 73% to democrats;

* Joseph E. Seagrams & Sons (includes beverage business, plus
considerable media interests), $2M+, 67% democrats.

* Sonic Corporation, $83K, 98% democrat;

* Triarc Companies (Arby's, T.J. Cinnamon's, Pasta Connections), $112K,
96% Democrats;

* Hyatt Corporation, $187K, 80% to democrats;


WITH THE REPUBLICANS.

WalMart, $467K, 97% to republicans;

K-Mart, $524K, 86% to republicans;

Home Depot, $298K, 89% to republicans;

Target, $226K, 70% to republicans;

Circuit City Stores, $261K, 95% to republicans;

3M Co., $281K, 87% to republicans;

Hallmark Cards, $319K, 92% to republicans;

Amway, $391K, 100% republican;

Kohler Co. (plumbing fixtures), $283K, 100% republicans;

B.F. Goodrich (tires), $215K, 97% to republicans;

Proctor & Gamble, $243K, 79% to republicans;

Coors, $174K, 92% to republicans; (also Budweiser - sd)

Brown-Forman Corp. (Southern Comfort, Jack Daniels, Bushmills, Korbel
wines - as well as Lennox China, Dansk, Gorham Silver), $644, 80% to
republicans;

Pilgrim's Pride Corp. (chicken), $366K, 100% republican;

Outback Steakhouse, $641K, 95% republican;

Tricon Global Restaurants (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell), $133K, 87%
republican;

Brinker International (Maggiano's, Brinker Cafe, Chili's, On the Border,
Macaroni Grill, Crazymel's, Corner Baker, EatZis), $242K, 83% republican;

Waffle House, $279K, 100% republican;

McDonald's Corp., $197K, 86% republican;

Darden Restaurants (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Smokey Bones, Bahama
Breeze), $121K, 89% republican;

Mariott International, $323K, 81% to republicans;

Holiday Inns, $38K, 71% to republicans

Re: Here you go...

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Wow! Thanks so much!

Re: Here you go...

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

Aw, nuts, this means no more Amway for me! *snicker*

[hayden-m.livejournal.com]

Of course Proctor and Gamble would give more to republicans. I have been boycotting them for years ever since i did a speech on their testing of animals. Evil people.
Hayden

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Mwhahaha! Remember when all those stories were circulating about the "666" in their logo?