The Campaign to Starve the Beast

[Lorien]

Campaign to Starve the Beast (STB)

After reading a number of threads here over the past two days I’m seeing that many of us have had similar ideas on how to go about taking back our country. For starters, we must indeed “rage against the machine” :http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1319066&mesg_id=1319066

But behind the voting machines is the lapdog media and our corporate owned government which pulls it’s strings. How do we “fight” against them? They don’t care if we march on city hall or in front of their stations, brandishing our slogans and signs. They may care a bit more about our letter writing campaigns, but even General Mills give us a big “fuck off” when we threatened them with a boycott over their support of the Sinclair broadcasting group’s intentions to air “Stolen honor”. No, this is the time to take action by not buying any of it any more.

And I mean NOT BUYING ANY OF IT.

Profits are the motivation behind most of BushCo’s misdeeds, corporate profits are what keep the lapdog press barking out pro-BushCo propaganda 24/7. The only way to defang the corporate beasts is to cut into their profits, and redirect our funds elsewhere. Here are some ideas from a number of DUers on how to do just that:

* We buy only the necessities for ourselves and put the money saved to use by paying off all credit cards (MBNA is a MAJOR GOP contributor, as are most banks) those without debt could consider worthwhile progressive charities. Saving is more important than ever, since social security will likely disappear.

* We boycott holiday spending, or only buy used/ antique goods as gifts. Handmade gifts or those created by progressive artists and craftsmen are another option, as are donations to charities in loved one’s names.

* As for necessities; we buy food from local farmers and grocers, and identify progressive companies for the rest. (A source from thread:(on edit-I can't find the thread listing repug and progressive owned businesses. Please link if you can find it)) we buy secondhand clothing from thrift shops or retailers that contribute heavily to progressive causes and candidates. We enlist the aid of celebrities in making secondhand “chic”. We identify the least corrupt petrol companies, we by generic drugs instead of name brands, we shop Costco instead of Sam’s club, etc. We need to know where to buy as much as we need to know where NOT to buy.

* We cancel our cable TV. Yes, this one is tough for some. Consider Netflix instead, or just spend more time on the internet! They’re cheaper and they don’t promote the kind of single minded propaganda you see on television. Besides, most TV series can be rented from Netflix or Blockbuster, commercial free.
On edit: from Liberalmuse:
* Check out dvd's and books from the library instead of purchasing them.

* Boycott many of the large corporate 'entities' that are now dictating national policy and profiteering from war.

* TV is poison. Turn it off. It is an idiot box that will fuck up your mind and priorities in life so that you forget what really matters.

* Start an online purchase and barter/trade system or start online co-ops of sorts that offer us an alternative to giving our money to the corporate slave-masters.

* Recycle everything you can. You will be shocked and disgusted at how much waste you create and it will make you more conscious of your consumer choices.

LM

* We share this idea and our resources with EVERY other Kerry voter we know.

I have always tried to do these things, but found it difficult in the past. Tonight when I went to the grocery, it was easy. I want my country back, so every choice I made was a critical one. I won’t have fresh fruits and veggies until the weekend, when the farmers market opens. I can wait. This time it’s too important to do the right thing. I know I’ll pay for it all personally, because I work for a large corporation. I don’t care if I lose everything; we’ll lose more if we do nothing!!

There are many threads relating to this issue. Can we gather all these resources together into one thread for everyone to bookmark?

Let’s hear your ideas for “starving the Beast” everyone!

[blm]

1. Thank you for this very well crafted plan, Jen.

I'm halfway there already. The rest of the way will be easy.

Hopefully, more Costcos will open around the country.

[Lorien]

3. Please add links and ideas

as you think of them. Thanks!

[blm]

9. When telemarketers call I say we won't make any financial moves till Bush

is out of office.

It's usually MBNA reps or Disneyworld who calls.

[Carolinian]

140. What is MBNA? Thanks.

[Lorien]

149. A major credit card company

Visa, MasterCard and others are often issued through the MBNA corporation.

[Straight Shooter]

154. MasterCard Bank of North America

I think it is :shrug:

[itzamirakul]

24. SEVEN THINGS TO DO RIGHT NOW

I am new to this forum so I haven't figured out the link method yet. Also, I am not having any luck pasting onto this form so I am typing out the link for these ideas.

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

[Lorien]

29. D'oh! got a "not found" message

what was the subject line, and what forum/ page is it on?

[itzamirakul]

35. General Discussion: Help and Support

On the Help and Support board It was reposted for me by Dr. Fate with a link to the original since I do not have enough posts to qualify for initiating a thread.#2599411 "Seven Ways To Win" I copied exactly the link that he provided. It works on his post. I don't know why it doesn't work here.

The original post is under Latest Breaking News: NYT: The Democrats: A stunned Party Looks to Internal Debate Ahead. In this thread it is titled HOW TO WIN NEXT TIME.

I tried again to copy and paste the post but to no avail.

[itzamirakul]

40. This Forum Page 5

Seven Ways To Win

[Lorien]

43. FOUND IT!

Originally posted by Dr. Fate:
his post is from "Itzamiracal" a fantasitic new DUer who wanted this to have it's own thread. I happen to like it very much.


1. Develop small "Think Tanks" among your friends
and neighbors and come up with concrete ideas and buzzwords
to use for the Democratic Agenda. Share those ideas
continuously with the Party Headquarters. It is apparent that
they need the help.

2. Write at least one letter a week (daily would be even
better) to newspapers and especially to "friendly"
columnists expressing your concerns and topics that you would
like to seem them cover in future columns.

3. Refute publicly the continued harangues of personalities
such as Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity, etc.

4. Know the background and agenda of the Party leaders: I
thought McAuliffe and Beth Cahill and Joe Lockhart and their
ilk had the backbones of shrimp.

5. Communicate with each other as much as possible to share
ideas and ideologies so that we are on the same playing field
as much as possible or so that we can each know what is
important to the other.

6. Openly and publicly DEFINE what the Republicans mean by
such terms as "Family Values" and "Moral
Values." Come up with terms that define Democratic
Values", i.e. "Human Values."

7. Introduce yourself to your local City Councilpersons and
Democratic Leaders and let them know that you are interested
in politics at a grass roots level. Find out how certain
jobs, as election supervisors are doled out.

[Zorra]

244. Consider using Working Assets. Website:

http://www.workingassets.com/

http://www.workingassets.com/recipients.cfm

[belle]

326. The thing about Working Assets...

And I *do* have a credit card through them;

but, they (at least the credit card line) are owned in turn by...MBNA. that's who the payment checks go out to, anyway.

i imagine there wasn't any other option. it seriously annoys, though. perhaps George Soros would care to try and buy in?

and the left-wing contributions amount to *ten cents* per purchase.

The long-distance phone program goes more directly to the cause, i *think.* anyway, signed up for that too. every so often MCI attempts to sway me back to the fold. it's bad enough i need them for local calls. i may eventually switch to the cell phone.

as per cable; I phoned with the intent to cancel, or at least suspend. when i told the operator why (it was Nov. 3), she offered me a no-strings reduction of forty bucks per month, which i took, since i still want to see the Daily Show. sooner or later i'll probably bite the bullet and cancel altogether, though.

unfortunately, i can't see myself living "off the grid" to the extent that some people are talking about here, and long-term i don't think it's much of a solution, honestly; that's what the right-wing survivalists do. but, more power to those of you who can do it. i 'll read with interest.

[itzamirakul]

136. About the "MANDATE"-Something we can do NOW! It's a START!.

On the ACTIVIST/EVENTS board there is a huge list of click through email addresses for nearly every major news outlet in America including the top "journalists" (dare I even call them by this respected title?) I sent emails to Wolf Blitzer, CNN News, ABC, CBS, Ted Koppel, Al Franken, Randi Rhodes and more that I cannot remember right now.

I simply put "NO MANDATE" in the subject line.
Then I composed a short message:

To:_______________:
George Bush received 58 million votes. John Kerry received 56 million votes. This does not constitute a MANDATE for George Bush.

A proud liberal Democrat,
(My real name)

I copied the message and pasted it onto about ten different media email forms changing only the name of the person or program that I was contacting.

We have to start SOMEWHERE and as much as I enjoy posting and sharing my outrage with other like thinkers, only by taking some DIRECT ACTION will we let the media know that we are not going to take this lying down. Take just a few minutes from posting here and send a couple of emails. Just go to ACTIVISTS/EVENTS and get the click-through email forms. They need to know that we are not dead in the water and floating belly-up.

It is apparent that we have NO LEADERSHIP in the Democratic Party at this time. I have not been contacted by any of the fundraisers that filled my mailbox daily for the past six months, since Tuesday. Are they off vacationing or what? So, without leadership, we have to grab old of the rudder of this ship will sink faster than a stone.

Please and Thanks...

And thanks, Jen, for starting this thread and this idea. What do you think about going to Yahoo and starting a "closed group" for this topic? We have so many good ideas being expressed that maybe a place where the different ideas could be expanded upon would be helpful. That would help everyone become more organized and focused on the jobs they are willing to take on. That way, people who have things to barter or sell could list their information or websites. Another section could be concerned with "DO IT NOW" suggestions, etc.

[Lost Creek]

129. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE look here

INFORMATION FROM - fundrace.org



80433 ZIP CODE BUY (Conifer, CO)

Attorney - Vance Andrus - $2000 Kerry $2000 Edwards
Physician - Paul Radford - $1000 Kerry
Parkins & Blankenship - Suzanne Blankenship - $575 Clark
Acupuncturist - Linda Radford (Mountain Valley Integrative Medical) - $500 Kerry
Neuropsychologist - Robert Kooken - $250 DNC
Physician - Rachel Gaffney - $250 Kerry
Denver Scores - Jack Sparks - $250 DNC $250 Kerry
Page 1 Solutions - Dan Goldstein - $200 Kerry



80433 ZIP CODE BOYCOTT (Conifer, CO)

Ms. Mary Cheney - $1000 Bush
Contractor - Rolling Plains Construction - Kathleen M Taraba - $400 RNC
Professor Metro ST. - Kelly Weist - $250 Bush



This info is from fundrace dot org. I am putting the data in a Excel.

I will work on Colorado ZIP CODES. Hope people will join in.
We can make our own "Progressive Pages."



The format that I am using is:
ZIP code - City,State - Business - Name of Donator - Donations.

[Clobbersaurus]

138. We absolutely SHOULD do that...

Is there a "Progressive Pages" that exist? We need a comprehensive list of the good and bad companies and we progressives should start treating it as the fundies treat the BIBLE.

So let's do it... Let's compile this. Let's raise funds and print it. This needs to happen... the only way to throw a wrench in the "machine"

[Lorien]

145. Please make sure that Fudge stripped cookay's has this info

I think her post is #136-or somewhere around there.

[jdj]

199. they live in a loosely organized mafia, so we should

"keep it in the family" as well.

[sherilocks]

231. That is one good website

I did a search of my local zipcodes and then one with the first three digits, plus two zeroes and got a lot more. I almost had my driveway resurfaced by a repug donator. Forget that.

[juajen]

281. Maybe we should think this through

What if someone donated in another state to prevent repercussions in their home state that is red. I'm thinking of an example here that has been listed. I actually know one of those donors and know that they do not live in Colorado.

Edited: To delete what I wrote previously, which could have bit me.

[Digit]

340. Where is a master list...the one with proctor & gamble, etc on it?

[jdj]

198. Tighwad Gazette is the greatest resource in the world

Tightwad gazette three is available from amazon.com, the author, Amy Daczyn does the most minute mathematical calculations to show how much money you can save by buying in bulk, off-brand,close-outs, yardsale,etc. (she doesn't do coupons, either)

the third book is a compilation of all her newsletters since she no longer publishes. She has info on insurance, mortgages etc.

There is a book out there on dumpster diving too, which isn't illegal in most places, I don't remember the title, but Daczyn mentions this in her book.


I find Suze Orman on CNBC to be a great help with learning about money, as I was taught zip about it growing up, I have gotten all my education about finances from her, and from Daczyn.

[kayell]

241. I like TWG too, (and have all 3) but use common-sense on some

of her and her submitters ideas. There are a few suggestions in there that aren't exactly...um.. safe. Mostly food safety issues. Just don't unplug your brain when you open the book. If you're not sure about something like that, call your county cooperative extension service.

Some of the best frugal advice comes from people of some what dubious politics, but there is useful stuff to be mined there.

I've learned a lot from those people about cutting back, although my purposes are very different.

[serryjw]

415. YARDSALES!

i bought a year old 19" TV/VCR combo for $50 & a BIG rotating plate microwave for $10!
Buying bulk is a great idea IF you have a family. I am single have no room for all that food and it would take a year to eat it.I have ONE closet in my apartment....that's what happens when you live in aDowntown area (DENVER) of a major city.

[ailsagirl]

363. Go to Media Matters for America

The man who runs this website, David Brock, was formerly a right-winger who wrote poisonous articles against anyone who wasn't conservative. He finally had his fill and has since defected to our side. I trust him implicitly-- he's on Al Franken's show every week and he gives a summary of the lies that are coming out of mainstream media.

His website, http://www.mediamatters.org, is a rich resource for those seeking the truth. You can look up stories by people ("journalists," anchors, etc), shows (e.g., 60 Minutes) of by publisher/outlet/network. And you can find out who's honest and who lies.

A very important resource.

Brock has written two books: "Blinded by the Right," and "The Republican Noise Machine," both receiving good reviews.

Also, I found a great website that has lots of good bumper stickers:
http://www.stickergiant.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT

Under Social/Political/Media Bias, I found lots of good ones. There are also categories "Revolutionary" and "Truth Hurts," not to mention "Religious Comments." I ended up buying seven stickers because there were so many I liked.

It all helps.

[proud_Kucitizen]

400. My son is working on a website

for similar purposes but it is not finished yet and he is not an expert on creating websites so if anyone would like to help him with this we would appreciate it. He would like to get enough people to go on strike on inauguration day but that may be too soon unless he gets his website up real soon. Also, wants to get people to strike until certain conditions like Universal Healthcare become realities.

Anyway it's one idea that I hope fits into this thread. The name of his website is Strike4Democracy you can go and look at what he has so far and ideas will be appreciated.

[SammyWinstonJack]

51. I'm going tomorrow to get a membership at Costco

Have been meaning to do this for sometime now. No time like the present. They will get my money from now on.

[Lorien]

120. Their Kirkland label is good, but they also carry a lot of GOP

products. Opt for a Costco strudel over a General Mills box of breakfast bars, a DVD by Dreamworks instead of one by Mel Gibson's Icon Productions. There are many choices within our choices to be made now.

[swhisper]

275. The next four years, I will make Christmas presents, not buy

[Zorra]

334. Kick

[cassiepriam]

348. We should target one company at a time?

Pick out one, a big one. And focus on that
to get the point across??

[Zorra]

406. DU's New Economic Activism Forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

[xray s]

2. here's a few

Don't vacation in a "red state". Instead of going to Florida or Arizona for vacation, go to California.

If you subscribe to a newspaper that endorsed W, cancel it. Get your news on Google News.

[Lorien]

4. Isn't Google repug owned?

how about Salon.com? Or the Guardian?

AOL is repug owned. What's a good alternative?

[gauguin57]

123. Wait ... Time Warner contributes more to the Dems than to the Repugs.

And AOL is part of that. That's according to followyourmoney.com. But then boycottbush.net says that Time Warner gave all this money to the Repugs. Oy! What's a person to do?

[Lorien]

128. Investigate. We need people like

Arianna Huffington, Paul Krugman, and others on this. What is the address for that "Open Secrets" web site? I think they list political contributions there.

[evilqueen]

176. OpenSecrets.org

OpenSecrets.org

[Lorien]

181. Thanks evilqueen!

:hi:

[OnionPatch]

65. Better go to NORTHERN California

Down here in the south, except for LA and Hollywood, it's pretty right-wing.

[NuttyFluffers]

78. please do, we need your $$ in SF Bay Area!

and use yahoo instead of google. yahoo is pretty friendly, the people who work there have to be pretty progressive to survive that shockingly yellow and purple buidling decor (it is pretty inside, i'll give it that -- just very yellow and purple).

[Lorien]

83. What about Dogpile-does anyone know

who is behind that search engine? It works pretty well.

[gorbal]

417. But Google is a Major Contributer to Dems

I just read that Google is a mjor contributer to the Dems

[Catt03]

102. Good idea

Don't vacation in the RED states. However we can fly over them but not go spend out money in them

We could arrange for British Air of Air France to give Blue State discount packages for the next 4 years. We can go to Europe instead.

[evilqueen]

177. Better check the airlines

Lots of them give more funds to the republicans than the democrats. In fact, I couldn't find one that gave more to Dems.

[Zorra]

321. I think

American Airlines is in the top 25 Bu$h or republican donors

[kc.ink]

5. YOU GO GIRL ! This is something that everyone on the local level

can do and eventually it will have an impact.
You mean I have been dressing "chic" and now will be a fashion statement?

:toast:

Let's get on it ya all. . . . .. .

[darkstar]

6. Good stuff!

Luv the thread title too.

[PretzelWarrior]

7. yes. I want off the consumer treadmill for awhile. I hate it.

just say no to the excess....and send them a message.

What would be really funny is when telemarketers call you tell them you aren't interested and SPECIFICALLY you aren't interested because you are part of a citizen group aiming to bring corporate control to its knees in this country and won't they join you?

same when the dudes come selling the paper or whatnot. tell them WHY you aren't wasting your hard-earned coin and ask them to join you.

then fire away at news media with you spare money for postage stating what is going on.

[Lorien]

10. I too wanted off the consumer treadmill for some time

I simply have too much stuff! I want to donate as much as I can to charity, because fewer and fewer people will have the basics in the future. I use to "recreation shop" with my friends, but I have no interest in it now. I don't watch much TV, so I don't feel insecure about what I own. In the end, shopping just makes us feel empty and stressed. So does losing our country. Two birds with one stone for me.

[itzamirakul]

30. Overpopulated with "Stuff!"

I am another one who has accumulated far too much stuff over the years and really do not need to add anything else. I can willingly do without a lot of things. Also, let's not forget that a lot of people either sew or know someone who does so clothing should not be a problem.I like the idea of buying vintage (second hand clothing). It's time to put our money where are mouths are.

Personally, I would like to target one media personality at a time. I would like to see Rush Limbaugh's sponsors on their knees for want of customers. I would like to boycott them into sucking drugs along with him. He is one media personality that should be driven off the airwaves with his racist, divisive rantings. I dislike Limbaugh so much that I even dislike his dog (and I am an animal lover). More than anyone else, I hold him to blame for the divisiveness in America.

[Lorien]

32. We did all right with the Sinclair boycott

but efforts to get group actions going on DU in the past have often not succeeded. Maybe now things will change-because THEY MUST!

[itzamirakul]

44. MOVE-ON.org was very good at group actions

I have no idea what they are doing now. Up until Wednesday, I got daily notifications from them and when we needed a campaign to get something going like targeting Sinclair, they would send out a page with click through, ready-made emails to go directly to the source.

Perhaps we need to try to tie up with them on this Starve the Beast Campaign. It will give them something to continue to do.

Or perhaps there is someone on this board who knows how to set up such a page that we could just go to and click through to the targeted company.

It's funny, I am used to getting emails everyday asking for money from McAuliffe and Beth Cahill.. I haven't heard one single word from either of them or any of the other democratic offices since Tuesday.

[Lorien]

92. Oh, I know what you mean about those e-mails

I had 51 in my box on election day! I think I've had 7 since then...

Yes, I think it would be worth contacting MoveOn, M. Moore, Arianna Huffington, Progressive Majority, and anyone else who might be on our side. I knnow a lot of people will say "but you'll be hurting the little guy (the employees of the corporate Beast)". BushCo will hurt them far more if they stay in power. Besides, we'll be directing the flow of money to companies that respect the worker. It's a win for us all, in the end.

Maybe our own forum or website. I don't know a thing about hosting or designing such things. maybe someone else has some thoughts on that?

[Cinletharwi]

96. I use EHostPros for hosting my site

EHostPros.com

I host my site http://clearwithin.com with them, they are stable and offer great site/domain service and hosting prices.

I use the same forum script that DU uses, it's the best though pricey.

I don't know much about site design though, I am learning-as-I-go with mine.

[Carolinian]

142. I like your idea of one target at a time. DU en masse!

[ilovenicepeople]

221. it's time to Bask in Your Own Inopulence

[liberalmuse]

8. I wholeheartedly agree!

* Check out dvd's and books from the library instead of purchasing them.

* Boycott many of the large corporate 'entities' that are now dictating national policy and profiteering from war.

* TV is poison. Turn it off. It is an idiot box that will fuck up your mind and priorities in life so that you forget what really matters.

* Start an online purchase and barter/trade system or start online co-ops of sorts that offer us an alternative to giving our money to the corporate slave-masters.

* Recycle everything you can. You will be shocked and disgusted at how much waste you create and it will make you more conscious of your consumer choices.

PS--I like the title of this thread too. Starve The Beast. STB. Great name for the movement!

[Lorien]

12. Yes! I added this to the top post

suggestions too good to be overlooked-THANKS!

:toast:

[bettyellen]

11. Thread about Repug supporting Businesses-Let's call an Xmas Boycott !!!

http://search.netscape.com/ns/boomframe.jsp?query=democratic+underground&page=1&offset=0&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3De906ea26d1706673%26clickedItemRank%3D1%26userQuery%3Ddemocratic%2Bunderground%26clickedItemURN%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.democraticunderground.com%252F%26invocationType%3D-%26fromPage%3DAppleTop%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.democraticunderground.com%2F

You are right, how do we move this to a folder or activism or whatever so we can pull these together. I want to start an Xmas Repug Boycott Email w/ alternative progressive business choices so we can also help those who help our cause- striking while it's hot- the bigggest shoppping season of the year. We can get press on this just before the inaugration, they do a million boring stories on Xmas reatil sales, we can get off to a strong start and give the press a new angle.
Where can we go with this?
Skinner help us. pls.

[bettyellen]

13. another thread to pull togetner....

http://search.netscape.com/ns/boomframe.jsp?query=democratic+underground&page=1&offset=0&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3De906ea26d1706673%26clickedItemRank%3D1%26userQuery%3Ddemocratic%2Bunderground%26clickedItemURN%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.democraticunderground.com%252F%26invocationType%3D-%26fromPage%3DAppleTop%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.democraticunderground.com%2F

[itzamirakul]

49. It really hearts my heart to say it...

...especially considering the fact that we accepted Kerry and worked our collective tails off to get him elected, but somewhere deep inside
I just keep thinking Skull and Bones frat brothers...Skull and Bones setup...planned over 20 years ago...Ok, conspiracy theory...but it certainly is a coincidence...

[Is It Fascism Yet]

391. something...

yeah, there is something very suspicious in how kerry conceeded so soon! It was like, "oh, sorry we tried to beat you, no, my bad, sorry, you can have it." That isn't what Kerry said, but it was what the whole picture said. After telling us that he would make sure every vote was counted. After raising donations to a legal fund to fight the expected cheating. Something is up. I wrote to Senator Kerry and asked him if they threatened his kids. It's the only thing I can think of. It's how the Bush dynasty operates, Dad knows alot from the CIA, they blackmail people, and if not, sometimes kill people. So, what did they do to Kerry and Terry McAuliffe? It was ludicris not to contest such a fraudulent election. I have heard theories that Kerry has sicced his lawyers on it, and when they get proof, will challange it then. But those are just rumors. Meanwhile, the evidence of fraud is quickly being destroyed. Oh, doublethink, I am starting to believe I am all done with the democrats, after a lifetime of devotion. They really aren't liberal enough for me most of the time, I mean, Dean was, but a lot of dems seem very repub-lite lately. And I get tired of the dems not standing up for decriminalization of marijuana and not standing up for our second ammendment rights, first ammendment rights, and various other civil liberties. Actually, I get tired of them never standing up for anything for us. Quietly all the democrats of the congress and the senate watched Shrub steal 2000, and never challenged the Florida electors, never challenged the Shrub. And now the entire democratic hiarchy has so quickly and quietly accepted another fraudulent election. Oh, let's not make a fuss. Terry McAuliffe wrote to me and asked me to make a donation toward working to elect a candidate in 2008, and I wrote back, "Terry, my homie, are you fucking crazy? There is no way you can capitulate so easily on 2004 and think I am going to start worrying with you about 2008. Win this one!"

[bettyellen]

67. SOMEBODY EXPLAIN HOW I SHARE A THREAD, CAUSE IT AINT WORKING!!

[Lorien]

91. Your links are connecting through Netscape

anyone computer savvy enough to figure this one out?

[bettyellen]

150. so what can i do?? Anyone?

[Lorien]

95. Maybe take this section out of your links:

search.netscape.com/ns/boomframe.jps?query=

Then leave the rest? :shrug:

[bettyellen]

151. thanks .... i will try

[Lorien]

14. Link took me to the main DU page

Could you try to post it again? Thanks!

IdaBriggs started a holiday boycott thread, but I forgot to bookmark it. D'oh!

[bettyellen]

262. sorry, here you go...

i am piecing this together and want to try to do an email for xmas kickoff.
i agree w/ your post, it has to become a habit, but i just think it's a great time to start, because if you ever spend big, it's during the holidays. i think it would be great to get some press for this too, while the iron is hot. they do stories on retail spending all the time in december,


i hope these all work... let me know if there's a problem. i keep posying your starve the beast and have had to repost it.. i keep going to it and kicking it back up. i can't help it!!

pls let me know how it's going and i'll try to do the same!
best
b


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=106&topic_id=12216

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2587076

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2632140

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2623019

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=106&topic_id=12424

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=106&topic_id=12355

[jdj]

201. shepherd's guide is a national christian yellow pages.

http://www.shepherdsguide.com

you can cross reference the business owner with opensecrets.org if you want to make sure they are a repuke, and newsmeat.com (or .org) is another great resource for campaign $

go to local christian businesses in you area and ask for a regional copy:

Copies are distributed FREE throughout the year to Christian consumersthrough many highly visited outlets in the following ways: Churches
Christian Bookstores
Christian Coffehouses
Christian-Owned Businesses
Christian Conventions, Concerts & Special Events
Christian Schools
Advertisers Businesses

[Comadreja]

369. Christian Owned?

If you mean Evangelical, these are the lovable folks that voted in lockstep for WarChimp. I "never" shop at any Xtian business.

[Lorien]

15. Another related thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2599948&mesg_id=2599948

find 'em and paste 'em here please!

[Zorra]

279. Related thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2629592#2631594

[mhr]

16. Kick!

eom

[KingChicken]

17. I agree to reducing consumption to starve them out, but also

we need to leech their resources, I work for some right-wingers, I plan to leech every penny I have coming and then some. I don't want to be outright malicious but when it comes to hardcore right-wingnuts that rather send my ass to Iraq, I’m willing to make some moral sacrifices. I say we get inside and undermine them from within.

[Lorien]

19. Could you elaborate on that?

[NuttyFluffers]

82. an example of what he might be thinking...

work for wal-mart as a student part-time job for 'christmas money' (as if you are gonna spend money for christmas this time!), work real slow -- i mean real slow!, only eat from 'blue businesses' nearby or bring a lunch from home, take home a paycheck and spend not a dime of it back in wal-mart, if they fire you for being an 'inefficient employee' go on workers compensation for the time you were there.

that's what i think they are getting at.

[Lorien]

84. Oh, I already do that

I work for a huge corporation (that owns a lot of media) as a contract artist. They pay, but I don't buy!

[Lorien]

18. From Hypnotoad:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1321244&mesg_id=1321244

[slor]

20. Great idea! n/t

[Lorien]

21. Related thread from candy331:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1315573

[Lorien]

22. A good one from Zorra

on boycotts and smoking:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2594046

[GSL]

23. I canceled my cable 3 months ago

and I watch almost no TV now. Don't miss it a bit, its actually a hell of a lot healthier. Netflix is the answer...

[Lorien]

26. I know what you mean

I canceled standard cable two years ago, when thing first got really tight. Much better. I cut basic ("free channel reception") cable several days ago. Even better! TV makes you feel as if your life just isn't "enough", that you aren't attaractive enough, rich enough, cool, enough...aand then there's the unending propaganda. Yes, a lot healthier without it!

Netflix just got cheaper and faster, too. :-)

[colonel odis]

99. do you know who owns netflix?

[cmf]

141. Netflix chief officers are Dem, support them please!

Also, since WalMart is trying to put them out of business, it makes even more sense to support them!

Dillon, Tom
3/2/2004 $2,000.00
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Netflix/Chief Operations Officer -
JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT INC



Hastings, Reed
5/17/2004 $5,000.00
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Netflix Inc./CEO -
CARE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Hastings, Reed
3/24/2003 $2,000.00
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Netflix/executive -
DEAN FOR AMERICA

Hastings, Reed
6/29/2004 $2,000.00
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Netflix/CEO -
SOLIDARITY PAC



HASTINGS, REED
2/20/2004 $2,000.00
SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060
NETFLIX -
FRIENDS OF BARBARA BOXER

HASTINGS, REED
2/20/2004 $2,000.00
SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060
NETFLIX -
FRIENDS OF BARBARA BOXER


McCarthy, Barry
9/4/2003 $2,000.00
Los Gatos, CA 95030
netflix/cfo -
DEAN FOR AMERICA



Sarandos, Theodore A
2/25/2003 $1,000.00
Rancho Palos Verde, CA 90275
Netflix/Executive -
DEAN FOR AMERICA

[Lorien]

183. Excellent! Thank you!

I just canceled my basic cable two days ago. Tonight I signed up with Netflix instead; $10 a month cheaper than basic cable!

They had F 9/11. Outfoxed, and Super size me all on their home page. I clicked on "documentaries", and they featured The hunting of the President, Bush family fortunes, unprecedented, and several other anti-* titles. Not a Freeper title in sight!

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

187. I just KNEW they had to be Dem!

Never in my life had I heard of a company lowering its prices for already-existing customers....until Netflix went from $22/mo to $18/mo!

[George_S]

382. I just subscribed to netflix again.

Cool info.

[GSL]

193. Seriously, enough people cancelling cable would make an impact

it would be a great demonstration... like quitting smoking to make a point. You win both ways.

[info being]

25. I've been living that way for 3 years.

The thing to note is, nobody seems to notice and it sure doesn't feel like a revolution.

[Lorien]

27. I have for four, but it will take several million of us

for them to really feel it. Pass it on! ;-)

[Lone_Wolf]

28. Bartering can be effective.

Also perhaps an underground "currency?"

[Lorien]

31. I like that idea

man, would that piss them off! At least we would know that we were dealing with the right people when the currency was offered. Any historians have thoughts on this?

[Lone_Wolf]

33. Also...

perhaps we could just start using Canadian money?

[Zorra]

109. There are several types of seasonal "Barter Faires" in the Pacific NW.

They really, really rock - some really amazing folks involved with this for many years.

They might have some great ideas.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

307. Earn extra money in non-tax reporting types of jobs

where there is no transaction record, no proof of income, and no tax to report to the IRS. If you need a little extra cash, try to find crafts to make and things to sell at swap meets, for example, where it's an all-cash system. Also, make sure you take each and every tax deduction possible when you file on your reported income. We don't need any more tax money going to pay welfare in Red States or to finance Bush's holy wars. For those will a great deal of energy and initiative, you could start your own neighborhood non-profit co-op, pooling money to buy goods at wholesale prices and avoiding retail establishments, where your purchase money goes to pay taxes to the government on their revenues.

[lildreamer316]

392. Umm..yeah...been doing that for years....

....stripping. Love it. Find it empowering. 'Course, guess that doesn't really give me a right to vote, does it? (By some ppls reckoning, anyway)Because of my guilt about not giving back, I had a second, min. wage job for years, but found that too stressful to keep up. I've already cashed in my taxes, though...had to go on Medicaid to have my son. Oh, well; what goes around comes around!

[unkachuck]

34. count me in...

....from here on in, Grandma and I are going to justify EVERY penny in terms of it's political effect....

[Lorien]

36. Oh lord, here's a thread from Q

the Beast (corporations) counted the votes:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2600696

Starve 'em! Start NOW!

[kilaana]

37. Boycott Fox advertisers

If nothing else, we should be boycotting all advertisers on Fox "News". The right wing propoganda spewing out of that network has done a lot to change the mindset of people in our country. I live in a red state, and it's frightening how many people here feel that Fox is the only place to go for real news. They stare at their TV's and absorb everything that Fox tells them, like dutiful little brainwashed drones.

A boycott against Fox's advertisers would unlikely bring them down, but it would at least send a message like we did to Sinclair.

[Lorien]

45. Yes indeed

we need someone with an iron clad stomach to listen to them and post their sponsor's names daily. I think it would require a "stickie" type post at the top of the forum.

[Lorien]

38. Impeachdubya's "Boycott red America" thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1319853&mesg_id=1319853

[bling bling]

39. Nominated for homepage. I nominate for a sticky too. I hate

when important threads like this only stick around for a day or two and then get lost. If we have a permanent thread listing what to buy/where to shop etc. I really would use it as a resource.

I admit I am a spender. I buy impusively. If I have money I buy stuff.

But that was the old bling bling. I am now seeing the light. I will still spend my money but I'm going to be conscious about it. I will intentionally buy from local progressive and especially minority-owned private businesses and not anywhere else.

Goodbye Republican owned businesses. Believe me, you'll miss me more than I'll miss you.

[Lorien]

41. Thank you, bling bling!

I was an impulsive spender when I had a six figure income. Thanks to Dubya, I no longer have that income, but I don't miss shopping. It's somehow freeing to have less stuff!

There was a list of liberal and conservative companies on the boards recently. I'm still looking for it!

:hi:

[itzamirakul]

52. I Nominated it for HomePage Also

This is a vital topic and needs to be kept alive and growing. But somewhere we have to begin an actual activity while we continue to brainstorm.

Someone else has suggested a dedicated forum for this topic. I fully agree with that idea.

[Zorra]

277. Me, too. n/t

[chookie]

42. I'm in

The only thing they love more than "Jesus" is money. (Please note that I do not refer to Rabbi Jesus Christ of Nazareth, but the comic book superhero the fundamentalist wackos have created loosely based on him.)

I'm already a lot of the stuff already.

Some shops are obviously progressive and conscious, and they will get my money.

However, as a digital artist I have to soon find a printer to work with -- and I DO NOT want to hand money to some right wing wacko. I haven't lived here long (Pittsburgh), and unfortunately have no inside info as to who I can use as a service provider. Sure wish there was an "Emily's List" for political affiliation of businesses.....

[Lorien]

46. Call your local Dem HQ

when I'm looking for a progressive service provider, that's what I do. They go through their lists and call me back later in the day with a name. Hopefully, your democratic headquarters can be as helpful!

[chookie]

69. Thanks Jen!!

I know there MUST be folks like that who have been helping the campaign -- and I want to put my dollars into their pocket.

[ktowntennesseedem]

104. LOL! Love the "comic-book" description -- how true!

Reminded me of a former seminary professor (I went to a very progressive seminary) who lamented the fundamentalists preference for images of Jesus that she described as "Surfer-Jesus." Long-flowing hair, tall, tanned and buff, looking like he just stepped out of the gym on his way to catch some narly waves. That's not the Christ I follow.

[Abelman]

47. We need to

do everything we can to get this to everybody, and keep it somewhere easy to find. Otherwise, it will sink into archive-hell.

[Lorien]

48. Normally one can nominate topics for the home page

but I don't see that function on my screen tonight.

Thanks Abelman!

[unkachuck]

50. how about a dedicated Forum? n/t

[ms.smiler]

53. I very much agree that we need to starve the beast.

What may be a slight inconvenience or loss on a personal basis, collectively, causes great revenue loss to corporations.

I've withdrawn my savings from the bank, and I wish I owned stock just so I could sell and get out of the stock market.

[Lorien]

54. I wish I had listen to Mike Ruppert two years ago

he advised everyone to buy gold because of what BushCo would do to the economy. Gold has gone through the roof since then!

I think you're spot on about selling our stocks. But where's the safest place to put our money these days? can we get into Euros?

[ms.smiler]

58. Actually, silver has been undervalued and might be a better buy.

In my opinion, our money is safest in our own hands. Hundreds of billions of foreign money has moved out of US markets over the past few years. How much longer will they accept our fiat currency? I've been considering Euros and will have to research that option.

The "Perfect Financial Storm" has been developing. The actions we're considering have the additional effect of being self protective.

[Lorien]

75. Please let us know what your research yealds

I do think that financial storm will be hitting sooner than most imagine.

[Lorien]

55. Let's not forget pet foods

Friskies, Alpo, Iams and others are join to megacorps. I like small brands from health food stores. Halo and Artemis make GREAT products: www.halopets.com and www.artemiscompany.com

[Greylyn58]

71. This Is Another Great Company For Pet Food

I have been buying from them over the internet for about 6 mos and they have a good product. They make both dog and cat food.

http://www.blackwoodpetfood.com/navigation.htm

Check out their web site.

[wickerwoman]

227. Does anyone know any good websites for making your own pet food?

I'm in China so Friskies and Whiskas are literally the only two brands available. I think they're both largely garbage though. Has anyone had success cooking/making their own cat food?

[Lorien]

243. There's a program called B.A.R.F.

(believe it or not) that you can Google;they advocate a lot of raw meat and veggies. There are also several pre-made mixes to add to your own meats that are on the market (Google European natural holistic pet food).

[Lorien]

245. Here's one link:

http://www.touchmoon.com/dotters/raw/index.shtml

[wickerwoman]

271. Thanks. I started a thread on this in the meeting room.

Here's the link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=111

The problem is I'm suspicious of vegetarian cat food and anything that hasn't been vet approved ever since I saw the Animal Cops episode where the woman was feeding them natural food and all the cats went blind.

It's also difficult for me to buy supplements (I'd have to have them shipped from the U.S.).

Thanks for your help though.

[Lorien]

318. It's not vegetarian

the primary ingredient is meat. Cats are obligate carivores; they can't survive on a vegetarian diet.

[sherilocks]

299. Thanks for thie blackwood website

I just ordered a case of canned dog food and kibble catfood. Solves the pet food problem. But the cats will have to wait for Blackwood to come out with canned catfood. The dog food, even with shipping, didn't cost anymore than Iams.

[Lorien]

342. Just be aware of second rate ingredients

any "meals"; chicken meal, fish meal, etc. are not human grade foods. Corn is also just a filler and isn't digestible for your dog or cat. Foods like Wellness, Innova, Artemis, Halo (spot's stew), California Natural and several others contain only human grade meat and other ingredients.

A good book on the subject: "Dr. Pitcairn's complete guide to Natural health for dogs and cats" by Richard H. Pitcairn DVM.

[Zorra]

56. Been starving the Beast as best I can since 2000.

Left the country after *it* was selected by the SCOTUS. I am a vegetarian (but I eat fresh fish often because I get it for free) and live very simply. I have no phone, use solar panels for my electricity, buy local produce and almost no corporate products ever (I live 100 miles from the nearest McDonalds and over 200 from the nearest Wal-mart) drive an old car that gets 35 miles per gallon, and use less than 10 gallons of gasoline per month (I ride my bike a lot), regulate my water usage (I use about 100 - 150 gallons of water per month) do not use banks or credit cards, have not watched TV for about 14 years, (and almost never watched it in my life), and buy used clothing as needed. And my internet is basically a freebie.

It costs me about $350 - $500 a month in living expenses.

Starve the Beast - Do Not Recognize The Unelected Government - Resist the occupation.

[Lorien]

77. Are you content?

(outside of our political problems, that is)?

My Grandparents were Mennonites (like Amish with cars) who lived in an Amish community. They lived much as you do, and they grew their own food on top of it all. They never wanted "stuff"; they're beliefs, like those of the Amish, helped them to be content with very little. My Grandmother always said "how can anyone be bored in this life when there is so much beauty in nature"? She was a lifelong Dem who felt that we should always tread lightly upon the earth. She passed away in 2000. I'm glad she never lived to see Dubya elected; it would have broken her heart!

[Zorra]

108. Other than my absolute rage and disgust at having my democracy stolen

I am way, way happier than I have ever been in my entire life and it has been getting progressively better.

All I really want and need right now is to get my country back from the fascists who are destroying it in every way. If I did not have to worry about crazy, greedy, murderous, intolerant, meglomaniacal republinazis destroying my environment and oppressing the people of the world, maybe I could make the world a better place to live instead of just struggling to prevent these fools from destroying it.

[stepnw1f]

274. It's Amazing How Wholesome Life Is Without

materialistic garbage. Starve 'em. I'm in and so is my significant other.

[sandnsea]

57. It's also socially responsible

Buying all that crap just means more resources used and more junk to go into the landfill when it breaks. I rarely buy new and have always preferred local produce. But next year, I'm putting in my own freedom garden.

[sr_pacifica]

59. Excellent post.

I have to say, I'm so w/o disposable income that I do many of these things already---except for the credit card deal, which I am in the process of resolving. I'll go through a DMP and they'll get paid off, but less than they would have!

We need to be vigilant and pay attention to where our money goes.

[NuttyFluffers]

86. ;) get a gov't loan and pay off your credit cards

supposedly the rates are real cheap there... :evilgrin: i'm sure there's plenty of ways to have the gov't to give you a loan that you can then use to pay of the CCs, the gov't literally throws money all over the place.

[Cinletharwi]

60. LIKE-MINDED THREAD

I started a little like-minded ramble over here Wed : http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2589912

BTW - VoteWithYourDollar.org is available, just to throw an idea out there.

I think there are enough pissed-off people who now realize we have no representation in government anymore, to punish them. 55 Million people refusing to cooperate and purchase the goods and services of harmful Corporations would destroy ANY Corporation's bottom-line.

If this turned into a popular movement, they would have to listen.

VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLAR! It's the only Democratic vote they care about.

[Lorien]

70. THANK YOU!

I've been trying to round up as many of these "like-minded threads" as possible. Thanks so much for the www.VoteWithYourDollar.com link-excellent stuff there!

A lot of people had the same idea at the same time after the election. Hopefully we can gather all these ideas togther as part of something that really WILL become a popular movement. I think the people are listening this time around.

:hi:

[Cinletharwi]

73. That URL should be available for purchase - the DOT ORG url that is

Yeah, I noticed a lot of similar threads coming up. It seems now that the few dollars we have to spend, the decision of where and how to spend it, is now the only power and voice we have left in this country. It's all they care about.

It's clear that Corporate America is the source of this mess we're in, ultimately. They own the media (making us stupid), our politicians (making them beholden for political survival), and our government (making it tyrannical).

They are moving us toward fascism (getting ever closer), so I think our only recourse is to starve the ones which threaten the health of our society.

[yardwork]

61. Especially good idea to tell marketers why we're not buying!

I like the idea of responding to telemarketers by saying, "I'm not spending money on things like that until Bush is out of office."

We can say the same thing to our friends and relatives when we bring up the idea of scaled-back Christmases and why we don't shop at big boxes or have cable anymore.

We need to tell everyone what we're doing and start a movement!

[Lorien]

80. Great point

if they get enough of the same responses, it should wake them up a bit!

Remember that Smirk's first response to 9/11 was to tell everyone to go shopping. That's their priority; maintaining us as consumers, not citizens. Not consuming is the most subversive thing one can do in BushCo's Amerikka!

[Nobody]

103. "Not consuming is the most subversive thing you can do..."

Great point. I have been called unAmerican many times because of my refusal to get a credit card. I don't believe in them. There will never ever be a credit card driving me into debt.

And I've never had a problem staying at hotels. I also own a home. (bought before the housing boom when I made 9 dollars an hour)

The toughest thing for me is to get off the Xmas treadmill. I have a huge family and they all love the season of greed. I hate it.

I think that of the items on your original list, Xmas spending will make the biggest impact. Stores whine for years about how Xmas spending is down (as they're raking in larger profits).

[lastliberalintexas]

135. Make a donation for Christmas

To a liberal/progressive cause, of course. Most charities will provide you with a small card that says something like "A donation has been made in your name that will greatly benefit the poor of our area" and you can give the card as a gift. Your local food bank can always use the money! But be sure it's not something run by the fundies, like the Salvation Army. If you do anything with the SA, do their Angel Tree- that way the gifts (which are usually necessities) go directly to the families in need instead of into the SA's coffers.

It doesn't have to be to a charity, though. WWF, the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, the ACLU, NARAL, Dean's DFA, and even the Dem Party (if you wish) would also be very good choices.

And if that just won't work for you, then buy them gufts from thrift stores or local artists you know are progressive. And even though I can't remember the name, there is also a women's group sellling beautiful handmade baskets from the women of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Some of the proceeds help the women in that are and the rest go to a children's fund.

Just think outside the box, and you can still find great gifts for the season- gifts that still help starve the beast!!

on edit- How could I have forgotten DU? Of course it would be great to make a donation to DU, too. Maybe we can get Skinner to print up those thank you cards!

[Zorra]

301. kick

[demigoddess]

423. you can always donate to a cause you like and give them a card

that says so. Tell them you are trying to follow the example of Jesus

[NuttyFluffers]

88. maybe rephrase 'bush' with 'reactionaries;?

or 'crazy cultists'?

because after 4 years i can assure you there'll still be problems with the reactionaries and crazy cultists.

[yowzayowzayowza]

62. Trying to get Mrs Yowz to buy into this...

As shes quite the reader, got any good book suggestions?

[Lorien]

72. Yes!

The National Bestseller "Your money or your life-Transforming your relationship with money and acieving financial Independence" by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. It's about living with less and getting more out of life-and it really does a good job of getting people excited about the process.

Another good one is titled "Affuenza", but I don't have the author's name. It was also a series on PBS.

[yowzayowzayowza]

87. Cool. Thx!!!

Time fer a trip to Half Price Books.

[PretzelWarrior]

63. funny story about a telemarketer calling me tonight.

he said can I talk to CUrtis? I said yes who's calling? He said he was a representative for whatever. I don't even remember. I said, "You're a telemarketer? Well, I'm not going to buy anything from you. YOU wanna know why? Because I am working with an ever growing group of people in this country to boycott buying extras. We need to send a message to the corporate fascists that control the media--we will not be satisfied with their compliant news. We will not contribute to this corrupt society that idly sits by and lets a guy like Bush gain power."

there was a pause...he said..."okay...have a good night"

I hung up and then busted out laughing.

LOL. I wasn't mean to him but I bet he's still trying to sort out that answer. I believe he had an Indian accent too. No kidding.

[Lorien]

76. Lol!

poor bloke was probably in Bombay when he called. I don't think they give them a scipt for that scenario! ;-)

[Zorra]

64. Please email all your Dem-Green contacts about boycotting.

Please spread this far and wide beyond DU.

[OnionPatch]

66. I also nominated this

for home page.
Honestly, I believe we have to hit these people in their wallets. It's the only thing they understand. Like I said in another post, we are at the very least, 49% of the population, (I believe we are more...BBV, voter intimidation, etc.) If we use our dollars effectively, I think we can make a big difference.
My sister in law is very wealthy and just told me tonight that everyone in her neighborhood was pro-Kerry and devastated at the results of this election. So we have plenty of spending power on our side, don't let anyone kid you. It's time to use it.
I wish there were some comprehensive website out there that can be one-stop info for consumers on the left. I'm going to start researching the hell out of this and compiling lists and hope there will be somewhere to send my results. I really don't know how to make a website but I will learn if no one else does it!

[pamela]

68. I have an idea...

to help starve the beast. There are certain areas in each state that are Nielson markets. For instance in Maryland, Frederick, Hagerstown and PG county are Nielson markets. Any grassroots efforts, (flyers, etc)should be concentrated in areas where the boycott would show up in the ratings. I don't know if Nielson makes their market areas public, in fact I think they try to keep them confidential. However, if you check on Nielson's website and go to Employment Opportunities-Field Positions, you can tell by the location of the positions where the Nielson families are concentrated.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't still boycott these media outlets individually. This is just a suggestion for how to have maximum impact if anyone is planning to hand out booklets or flyers. The identity of Nielson families is kept extremely confidential but if you promote a boycott in a Nielson market, your chances of reaching a Nielson family are greater than you might think. This scares the shit out of the media, by the way, as one Nielson family turning off your show is represented as thousands of families in the ratings.

[Lorien]

74. Great idea!

I think Columbus, Ohio is also on that list. Maybe we can research this a bit further.

A belated welcome to DU, BTW. :hi:

[girl gone mad]

79. Please don't only check out books from the library!

if you don't have a local small bookstore, you can buy books from "used" book sellers on amazon.com, alibris.com and other online retailers.

Big chains also sell at these online outlets under pseudonyms, but you can usually detect them by the large number of feedbacks they get.

Independent book sellers tend to be liberal and libertarian minded on most social issues (we read a lot). The discount chains and online garage-sellers are making it harder for those of us who make preservation and knowledge of books our life's work to eek out a living. We are not the enemy! We can be an invaluable tool for promoting progressive books and ideas. Libraries are wonderful, but ind. sellers also play an important role. Who else are you going to turn to when the government starts banning books and blocking web sites?


shameless ad: Books make great gifts. If you are ever in need of a rare or out of print book, PM me.

[Lorien]

81. I collect rare and out of print books

they are the ONLY thing I collect as well, and much gets lended out from my personal library.

I recently picked up four nearly new books from my library bookshop for a friend for Christmas. All were hardcovers, two were titles I knew she really wanted (they came out last year) the total? $3.50!

Then again, I usually spent $17-$65 on the antiquarian books I collect. I think $65 on a book about spiritualism written in 1645 is a pretty good deal!

[girl gone mad]

90. Good deal.

Rare books can be a safer investment than stocks and more profitable than bonds, if you take care of them. And there's little to no environmental contamination, corruption, outsourcing or unfair labor practices involved. Talk to an accountant before deciding to sell all of your stocks and buy books, however. :)

Library sales are good because the money goes back in to the library and stays in your community.

[shugah]

126. rare books are great!

a couple of additional options check out freecycle.org - it is a group organised on local message boards where people can give away (it's all free) items they no longer have use for - anything at all - books, clothes, computers, kind of like an online yard sale, but free.

also, consider making purchases on ebay. i sell on ebay- i've been out of work for over 2 years, and it has been a way to eek out a little bit of cash, so when you buy something there, not only are you not contributing to any big business or corporations (well, except ebay, and i don't know what way they lean politically), you may even be helping some poor unemployed lefty who just trying to stay above water. :-)

another auction site - overstock.com i sell there too, sometimes, and would really like to see them take off - they are the closest thing offering competition to the ebay monopoly of online auctions, and af course, in my heart, i'm always for the little guy over the mega-money making, heartless company. ;-)

[Sparkly]

171. Overstock.com -- Don't they donate to Republicans or advertise on

rightwing radio or something?

Ebay is California, I think...

[in_cog_ni_to]

197. Overstock.com was the ONLY place who sold FahrenHYPE 911.

They are RWers.

[Fiendish Thingy]

273. Yes, Independent booksellers need your support! n/t

[Robeson]

85. I like the barter idea. There's a lot right here on DU that..

...could immediately get involved, just among ourselves. Then, of course, it would spread geometrically.

[Lorien]

89. Some cities have co-ops for that very purpose

maybe we need a "want ads" page somewhere. I have a nice vacuum that I don't use anymore, I would trade it for some good books or fresh produce....

[Robeson]

93. Thats a great idea!

[stevietheman]

94. Boycotting holiday spending alone might do the trick

There's so many corporations (esp. retailers) who count on this spending every year.

We can deny them their Christimas revenues and run a lot of them out of business, as many of them are indeed teetering on collapse as it is.

Let's face two things:
1) Most of the gifts we give and receive each year are either crap or things we would never buy for ourselves. We adults don't need these gifts. Sharing time with family and sharing good food should be quite enough.

2) The jobs provided by these retailers are low-wage crap jobs anyway. We can deplete Bush's employment statistics if we can run just a few of these major retailers out of business. And it will place a lot more focus on the decreasing quality of jobs overall in the Bush economy.

Just my 2cents.

[Hotler]

100. Heads-up folks. This is the seed...

stevietheman, you the man. This is the little nugget of an idea that we as democrats can use to protest. If we can get the word out to Moveon.org and the rest of the groups, we could put a dent in corporate amerikas holiday.

[Beam Me Up]

161. Buy your gifts from LOCAL FAMILY OWNED BUSINESSES

Be creative with your gift purchases. As much as possible, do NOT purchase gifts made/sold by major corporations. Support local crafts people and home makers (home canned fruits and vegetables can make great gifts). Etc.

[Sparkly]

169. Could we get together a list of DUer-recommended shopping sites?

And for those of us who have stuff to sell, promise to donate a percentage to a cause (DU, MoveOn, ACT, WesPac, DFA, whatever)?

Is there some way to do that, or would we just be inviting hassles to our businesses from Freepers?

[Lorien]

182. Fudge Stripped Cookays is working on a "progressive pages"

(liberal yellow pages). If you have any establishments to add from your area, please PM her!

[demigoddess]

424. buy from Goodwill, they put people to work, train them for jobs

I buy a lot from Goodwill and my kids actually prefer I get them stuff there rather than spend full price. And you can find all kinds of things.
Also antique stores in the area if you can chat up the owner and find out if they supported Bush or not

[cire4]

97. You can buy food at Trader Joe's

If you have them in the area. They're usually friendly to progressive causes.

[Blaq Dem]

98. A 'GLOBAL BREAKDOWN'!

I love your idea! As a matter of fact, I've been screaming "Starve the Beast" since Nov. 3 but had too few posts to create a thread in this forum.

These corporate fat cats who support Bush don't understand anything else other than dollars and profits. They don't give a rats ass about people.

The most important factor in this boycott is to get the entire world involved. We need to spread the message on foreign message boards too. After all, putting money into the hands of these corporations is just like putting money into the very expensive military industrial complex that has run amuck.

As I said earlier:

We may not have control of the White House,...
We may not have control of the House of Reps.,...
Nor may we have control of the Senate,...
But we DAMN well have control of how we spend our money!

A GLOBAL boycott would be much more effective as well as therapeutic.
Hey, a simple boycott did in fact bring the racial segragation, didn't it?

BTW, maybe we can get some T-Shirts that says "I ain't buying it!" and "Starve the Beast!"

[Lorien]

114. I think that Gandhi inspired a few effective boycotts

wasn't there one involving salt/ I know that he went to the sea to "make salt", but I believe that he hurt the British with a boycott as well.

[Nobody]

101. I'm fortunate enough to live in an area

where we have two used bookstores owned by liberals.

I haven't bought a new book for over 4 years.

[bear425]

105. Closing my MBNA card as I write this post

I have been meaning to do this for a while, but have been too busy with trying to get Kerry elected. Oh, well. Should have known it would be stolen this time, too. I have been talking with many of the volunteers at the campaign HQ and we also are going to "vote with our dollars" from now on. Thank you for your effort and I will help in any way I can.

[bear425]

106. Jen, here is my letter to MBNA...

Please tell me what you think or make suggestions. Thanks!

To Whom It May Concern:

This letter serves as notification of my order to close the above referenced account. I no longer wish to be affiliated in any way with a corporation that supports George W. Bush as President. I refuse to spend my hard earned dollars in support of the corporate greed that has become our government. Unless, and until, the corporate machine takes a socially responsible route, the concerned citizens of this country will withdraw from contributing to the downfall of this country.

With great concern,

[Lorien]

112. Wow! Excellent!

very to the point. Send as is, I say! :hi:

[GoSolar]

107. Thanks for the excellent ideas.

My husband and I were thinking of setting up a web site to consolidate all of this information. "Start an online purchase and barter/trade system" is an especially good idea we would like to incorporate.

[Zorra]

110. Please do! n/t

[GoSolar]

121. Thanks, Zorra.

We have been thinking about it for some time, well before the election. We have not done anything yet, but hope to get started soon.
We would love to have some help with it, if anyone is interested.

[Zorra]

303. Greenpeople, worlds largest directory of eco-friendly products:

http://www.greenpeople.org/index.htm

Great networking tool.

[fudge stripe cookays]

337. Great link, Zorra.

Thanks!

There are actually health food stores in Montana. Who'd a thunk it?
FSC

[wildflower]

111. A way to make this really effective....

is to let them know we're doing it, with a press release to all news outlets. Especially one issued by a major organization.

People and businesses in the country should all be aware we're doing it, so they realize exactly why they're losing profits.

-wildflower

[Lorien]

113. DEM / REPUG OWNED BUSINESSES:

A very important thread started by Dancingbear-please bookmark!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2587076&mesg_id=2587076

[wiggs]

115. This is the only political power we have now. But

I really hope someone organizes a national, TARGETED, FOCUSED, extensive boycott of companies that gets real attention.

I bet millions and millions of people would be willing to, say, not watch NBC for two months. Not go to WalMart for two months. I fear a more diffused, undefined, soft boycott would not be effective. Sinclair worked because it was focused. I believe in boycotting all the products listed in the various lists floating around, but let's so shorter, intenser boycotts that get more attention and cause more damage. And by the way, since 75% of the rest of the world opposes this regime, let's get them in too.

The WH and RNC need every one of us to be good consumers in this society. 55 million of us being bad consumers would get SERIOUS attention.

Witholding our money from corporations is now one of the few powers we have left. It is an untapped power. We don't have any branch of government. We don't have the media. We don't have the election process either, frighteningly enough. This is it, I believe. And it may be the most powerful tool out there if our side learns to use it well.

It is akin to taking the ball from the game and going home. No game.

How to organize? Since at least half the country (as opposed to half the voters) is angry now, let's do it soon. Since we want half the country (and maybe 75% of the rest of the world) to participate, we need serious organization on a national level. Moveon. ACT. Center for American Progress. These are the guys to can take in money and do something with it.

LET'S GO!! NOW!! IT WILL WORK!!!

[Lorien]

117. I advocate permently walking away from many

corporate/ GOP owned goods and services. I haven't walked into a Wal-Mart in years. I won't buy General Mills products, period. It's like being told that you have diabetes, and if you don't change the way you eat, you'll die. People change their eating habits pretty fast when faced with harsh realities. We're all at that place right now. We need a dedicated forum for these ideas, and we need to get them all out to the major activist organizations NOW.

I've been doing some research, and "starve the beast" is a slogan used by many anti-taxation groups (didn't know that before I posted this thread) We need a catchy, original slogan.

Ideas, everyone?

[lastliberalintexas]

137. My grandmother was *finally* convinced

to stop shopping at Walmart because of this election. She's a solid Dem, but has never really been an activist. She liked them for the convenience, since we have the supersizedmegaconglomerates in our area. But even she has agreed to stop! We can do this!

[Blaq Dem]

178. "Starve the Bitch!"?

Will that work? lol

[wtmusic]

234. General Mills is evil

Their "You Rule School" promised a place where kids never had to do homework, return library books, etc. etc.

Blech.

[Comadreja]

373. It's a Grover Norquist tax concept, I think

[marew]

116. Please read..dividend credit cards

I recently got a citibank dividends credit card. I get 5% back on all gas, grocery store, and drug store purchases and 1% back on everything else. I never carry a balance on a credit card so I am getting paid for using it. I am charging everything I can and will continue to be a financial drain on their corporation.

[Lorien]

118. Kick

more links to other threads needed, plus your thoughts and ideas!

[Zorra]

119. DUers from other countries: Please help us in this effort. Please, use

the ideas and information from this thread and help us to stop the Beast.

We really need your help. Spread the word throughout the world.

Thanks, and thank you for all your support.

[catzies]

122. I'M IN. And ready to spread the word.

Vive La Resistance.

[notundecided]

124. campaign to starve the beast

Bring back the '70s. We demonstrated against that war- why not this
one. How about some civil disobediance. Who's ready to go to jail for
their principles. We raided a shit storm back then and we can do it now.
How about it.

[alittlelark]

381. how 'bout it!!!

yeah.

[ArkDem]

125. Don't forget that most ISP's are republican lovers.

Get rid of your internet connection.

[Lorien]

127. I think "Working for change" will offer an ISP

we'll need to look into that. They already offer phone service.

[catzies]

336. Working Assets offers cell phone service too. I switched from AT&T

n/t

(and this counts as a :kick: )

[Robeson]

130. 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/

[Lorien]

153. Thanks Robeson!

:hi:

[Robeson]

158. Your welcome!

:hi:

[Delphinus]

261. Wonderful sites!

The place I work uses AOL and I get so sick of clicking on and seeing * and his evil minions on the front page. I've bookmarked these two sites and I'm going to look into using them for work.

[ProudDad]

410. I just Checked RedJellyFish

They provide DSL through COVAD. COVAD leases lines from the baby bells which in my case would mean that SBC would still get my money.

That's ok if the profits go to a better place. I'm on Working Assets long distance and local phone service even though SBC gets paid for access. That's the best I can hope for given the monopoly ownership of media delivery systems.


I agree that we should cutting spending whereever we can -- don't buy new unless you have to and then from the least egregious stores. Boycott ALL major corporations at least through Christmas. Buy presents from local craftspeople, 2nd hand, etc. Or donate to progressive causes in your family's name.

I feel that a great long-term goal might be the entire bush administration's resignation. If enough people could be organized to starve the beast, that could be accomplished. Of course, we'd probably have to go pretty deep into the table of succession before reaching anyone sane...

Just another stray thought...remember that the dems and the pukes are the two right-wings of the business party. The real enemy is corporate capitalism. Buy from sole proprietors, partnerships and small companies not from large corporations whenever you can. Someday, the fiction of personhood for corporations must be eliminated.


:nuke: bush

[KT2000]

131. This does NOT hurt US workers either

the funny thing is that by doing this we are not even hurting the US worker in most cases. Manufacturing has been outsourced for so much that we are going to get them at corporate headquarters where the money is piling up.

I am on board - a second-hand Christmas - with pride!

Your post was excellent.

[Lorien]

132. Thank you! Yes, the ultimate goal is to

give power and respect back to US workers by only supporting companies that show them that respect to begin with-and those companies are overwhelmingly progressive.

[Zorra]

133. Kick

[Lorien]

134. An important suggestion from Hedda_Foil:

the fundies have their own phone books listing fellow fundie services and products. We need to do the same!

(from Dancingbear's Dem/Repug business thread-check it out)!

[fudge stripe cookays]

139. Check out DancingBear's thread

He, Sapphocrat and I are putting together a database of local and national boycott and support businesses.

Let us know what you have!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2587076

FSC

[Lorien]

143. Linked in post #113

Would you like suggestions for your list by PM or posted on Dancingbear's thread?

[fudge stripe cookays]

146. PMs are probably better now

since the original thread will be sinking soon and we still don't have search back yet.

BUT

Check EACH state forum for an individual post on where to post stuff "Progressive Pages- Need Your Input."

I'm going to keep checking those threads constantly. That way if I mistakenly delete a PM before I mean to, the information will still be there.

Thanks all!
FSC

[Lorien]

148. Great plan!

we're trying to talk the Administrators here into devoting a forum to this subject. It would be wonderful to have all the information coming in to one place!

[Carolinian]

144. Invert the American Flag as a symbol of the movement.

I read this idea on an earlier post. It's a distress signal.
I plan on putting an inverted flag on the wall in my office, my front porch, my mailbox and if I can find it, a bumpersticker. I want to wear an upside down flag pin on my blouses & coats.

[catbert836]

147. Don't send letters.

[deacon]

152. I can't even bring myself to turn on ANY TV news or visit their web sites

There is nothing there for me (us). I find it reviling to click on one of their web sites.

They have put themselves in position that they are doing nothing but preaching to the choir.

These bums kept those lying SBV's alive on the air for 7 weeks. And the SBV's had no proof of NOTHING!.

So they are done with me.

I agree on the continuing boycotts of Sinclair advertisers. I will continue to do that and glad you mentioned it.

Lot of good ideas here that must be followed through on.

[WINEWOMAN7]

155. Right on!

I'm doing it. Don't forget yard sales and personal sale's ads in the paper. Give the little guy the business.

Dian

[Lone_Wolf]

156. Buy Union made products!

http://www.unionlabel.org/

[Keirsey]

159. dedicated subforum

The mods are looking for a new name for a couple of these subforums.

Why not one dedicated to changing corporate America...either through persuasion (yeah, right) or boycott.

We need a place to consolidate our ideas, and a link that we can give out on other forums and blogs.

[sherilocks]

298. There's a boycott list at the union label website

There were some questions in other boycott threats about dish. Here's the skinny on that.

ECHOSTAR DISH NETWORK
Satellite TV Firm ‘EchoStar’ Added to AFL-CIO National Boycott List (10/25/02)
For over a year New York Local 1108 of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) has been trying to negotiate a first contract for installers employed by the DISH Network, a subsidiary of EchoStar Communications. The company responded by firing a prominent union activist employee and rescinding a pending wage increase for the unit.
CWA has requested that the AFL-CIO place EchoStar on the AFL-CIO National Boycott List.
Last December, EchoStar agreed to settle unfair labor practice charges shortly before the National Labor Relations Board convened a trial over the merits of the union’s case. Under the terms of the out-of-court settlement, the company agreed to back pay for the fired worker and restored the cancelled pay raise for the entire unit. However, according to union negotiators, the company has continued to dodge actual bargaining and "stall progress toward a first contract."
EchoStar provides satellite dish television service to some six million subscribers nationwide. It has requested permission from the Federal Communications Commission to merge with its next largest and only competitor, Hughes Communications which operates a satellite television service through its DirectTV subsidiary. That merger request is still pending.

http://www.unionlabel.org/boycotts/echo_star.asp

[fudge stripe cookays]

338. Yes, but DirectTv is Murdoch.

We canceled it for specifically that reason.

Lots of mines in this minefield that we have to negotiate, huh?
FSC

[AllyCat]

157. Nice job with this Jen!

I love your idea about buying used/antique gifts. One Christmas, my family gave all gifts we could make, find, or buy used. It was amazing how creative we all got.

[Lorien]

165. Thanks AllyCat!

I have a good friend who is somewhat famous and has everything he wants, so it's tough to find him suitable Christmas gifts. Last year I searched for an old edition of "Don Quixote" on Ebay, and got him one. It was a large green leatherbound volume with gilt edges and a guilded illustration carved into the cover, plus it had beautiful illustrations by Gustave Dore throughout. The book was published in 1885, and had quite a few bumps and scapes, but he LOVED it! It was just so different from anything else that he had. The cost? Just $27-less than many new hardbound books!

Buying used doesn't have to be a sacrifice!

[bettyellen]

160. can i kick it? yes i can!

:kick:

[CityZen-X]

162. Stop Paying Your Taxes!!!

give me an alternative that has not been defeated!

[Warren DeMontague]

163. A Few Progressive-Minded Northern California Companies:

Barbara's Bakery
Trader Joe's (with affiliated brands)
Amy's Kitchen
Straus Organic Farm

I'll keep working on this.

http://www.localharvest.org/

[Lorien]

191. Thanks for the link!

I love Trader Joes, but they aren't in many "Red States".

Beware of organics that come from megacorps; Cascadian Farm Organics is owned by General Mills.

[demgrrrll]

252. Trader Joes just opened in St. Louis we shopped there yesterday.

Great food.

[Warren DeMontague]

164. Anyone who hasn't Switched to Working Assets...

Do it NOW. Really.

http://workingassets.com

[Lorien]

167. Plus free Ben and Jerry's for a year!

Now that's a progressive company I can get behind :9

[tlcandie]

166. Started a website to link all of this and more!!!

The main page is done and a partial other page. What I am going to do now is to create a thread on bartering...

Thank you everyone!! :hug: :loveya: You've inspired me beyond anything you could imagine. :+

[Lorien]

168. Wow! I can hardly wait to see it!

please link when you can :loveya:

[tlcandie]

170. I can link to it...

but I first have to warn you.. I'm not a professional web designer and I have to use homestead.com! :+

It's simple, but I believe it will work... let me know what you think.

http://fractal.homestead.com/Main.html

[TalkingDog]

172. only one suggestion

Below is a loosely organize group: Freecycle. They trade and give away stuff...any stuff for free. Google them for a local chapter.

My husband and I have been living the "simple" life since we met. The first telephone he ever owned was after he met me and needed a way to keep in touch. He was 29. We have no debt other than our mortgage and my low interest student loan. We buy our cars used. After we donated our old car to the Kidney Foundation we needed a "new" one. We got one from Salvation Army. We paid cash.

It really is not hard to live a very simple life, buy clothes at yard sales, from Goodwill or Salvation Army. Buy food from co-ops in bulk. It takes some front end organization, but again, we are debt free. We don't have to work ourselves to death to keep up with anybody. We have a house and 7 acres. Life is very good.

Good Luck.

FREECYCLE
Freecycle is open to individuals who want to "recycle" that special something rather than throw it away. Whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano or an old door. Or maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself! But everything must be free.

The goal of Freecycle is to reduce waste by connecting individuals who are throwing away goods with others who are seeking them. Whether you're looking to discard or acquire an item, Winston-Salem Area Freecycle is the way to do it. Furniture, clothing, appliances, computers, old windows, and all the little things in between.

Freecyclers are a tireless group of optimists who believe they can change the world one gift at a time.

Use common sense in posting. Inappropriate posts will be removed and the offending party will be either warned or banned from posting. Thanks for your co-operation.

This site is a part of Yahoo Groups and the group's ownership is not affiliated in any way with any government or business entity, other than The Freecycle Network, an incorporated nonprofit.

[Lorien]

192. This is just what many on this board have been looking for

Thanks so much for the suggestion. I've got lots of stuff they can have, so I'll do a Google search today!

[Lorien]

219. I joined Freecycle today!

there's over 2,000 members in my city, so I'm looking forward to getting rid of a lot of useful stuff. :-)

[Zorra]

258. Start a co-op in your town! Examples, and greenpeople website:

Welcome to the Community Food Co-op, downtown Bellingham’s natural grocer. What began in 1970 in Fairhaven as a 900-square foot store with fewer than 10 items has grown to a 10,000-member-strong natural grocery store. We encourage you to participate by shopping, joining, and building and supporting a sustainable, vibrant community.

You’ll find organic produce, meat and seafood, wine, an exciting deli, a juice & espresso bar, great housewares and fun stuff, bulk items, natural and organic grocery items, baked goods, dairy, and supplements and wellness products. Enjoy!

The Co-op is once again closely examining several pieces of property on the north side of Bellingham for the second store. These look like promising sites—stay tuned for updates!

http://www.communityfoodcoop.com/

North Coast Store Co-op Arcata, Eureka

http://www.northcoastco-op.com/home.htm

Greenpeople, Worlds largest directory of eco-friendly products

http://www.greenpeople.org/index.htm

[Sparkly]

173. Just say NO to Home Depot, NO to Wal Mart, and NO to others

I said "no" to an online coffee-seller (we love Italian espresso beans), Eurocafe, because when I called them once about an order, they had the WORST Jesus music on the 'hold' before the message beep.

[Cats Against Frist]

174. Hey!!! You came up with the BEST SLOGAN!!!

"I'm Not Buying It."

[Lorien]

184. How about simply "Not buying it"

it has a lot of connotations, and it has a contemporary feel to it. Plus it's about as simple as "got milk"?, and simplicity is effective in any modern campaign.

Hmmm..you may have something there!

[ProudDad]

411. Not Buying It

This is really good on so many levels.



:nuke: bush

[lapauvre]

175. I lost all I wrote, and it was much.

This is the second message, lengthy, I have written in this group tonight and there is no method of editing, beyond a spelling check.


Therefore, my hours of typing were wasted.

I will not waste them in the future, or bother to edit them, or even check spelling. Good luck.

I won't bother to try to get it totally correct in the future as far as english, spelling, grammar or anything else is concerned. I am just too tired to even go on, both physically and emotionally.

But I think I agree with you. Hit them in the pocket book. Don't buy a damned thing for status or because a commercial tells you to do so, or because you think it can keep you in the middle class, because we are a dying breed. I have already died from that class, and am now among the poor.

And, you don't have to watch Lou Dobbs on Cnn to check into it and find out the list of American Corporations outsourcing American Jobs.
You only have to do it once a month, as the Corporations join the fold who have abandoned American workers, and America.

The stock market goes up.... Sounds good. The middle class diminishes. The poor increase, because the stock market going up makes the economy look good, but the middle class is being dealt a death blow. Let me welcome you newcomers to the world of poverty. It is an interesting world. I never knew such an America could be permitted to exist. But here is it, and you can survive it, but there comes a time when you must realize, as I had to, "Hey. I am one of the poor!" Heartbreaking and humiliating as it might be, the fat lady hasn't really sung yet.

I am not even going to check my spelling.

Love you all. Good night.

[GingerSnaps]

179. I know that this is going to sound nuts

Can enough Democrats pull their funds and start up a non for profit health care system that we pay into each month and cut out the corporate owned insurance business that drives this country.

We could set up a small banking system that would be just for democrats and we wouldn't have to use republican owned banks. I use to live in a suburb that was 80% Korean and they had a system like I am talking about. They had a real estate business, stores, etc.

If the media wants to suck up to Bush then let the re thugs support them.

I turned my TV off on Wednesday and I haven't turned it back on since.

We can start co-ops before the holiday and put our money into them instead of Walmart and all of the large stores.

We can get the products at cost and pay our expenses that it costs us to run the co-op and still come out ahead on the amount that we will have to pay for our products and groceries.

[Lorien]

190. the first two suggestions sound like ones

that Working assests may be up to some day (it's a big undertaking).

Yeah, I've only had the TV tuned to the WB-no news there. I cancelled basic cable Nov. third, and subscibed to Dem owned Netflix.

There's a barter site mentioned by another poster on this thread-others have suggested buying used andoverstock items only. You can also give a Netflix subscription for the holidays.

[Cats Against Frist]

280. OMG!!

Isn't that what the Christians did? The Brotherhood of Something newsletter? It worked really well for them, until their CORRUPT religious leaders started siphoning off money to buy extra homes -- but it was a good idea -- I'm in.

[evilqueen]

180. KarmabanQue

http://www.karmabanque.com/

[Lorien]

185. Bookmarked. Excellent find!

I think some people in the economics forum would love to see this too!

[evilqueen]

186. Yeah, it shows corporate vulnerability to boycotts.

Here's a few more links...

http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/
http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.solari.com/
http://whereisthemoney.org/
http://www.coopamerica.org/

[Zorra]

322. Just joined. Great idea, thanks!

[NuttyFluffers]

188. Our first 'Crusade' -- Operation Fed Ex and UPS

read my post about the reasons.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2615925

we boycott until tombstone, got that? until they are dead and gone.

[AllyCat]

372. Used to work for them.

I have recently sold all my stock in UPS. Then watched after the election as the stock rose about $11 a share!! Obviously, they stood to gain big time from this election. I always said I would support "Brown" after I left, but from now on, USPS all the way, baby!

I cannot tell you how many Shrub protests, Kerry rallies, and whatnot organized here in Milwaukee where I would go to work the night before the rally, find announcements for all the Teamsters to join littering the parking lot, and not a single one of them would show up for the event! I was management and would be there!!

Forget 'em. They can rot on the vine.

[Zorra]

393. Yep. We can use the Post Office. We don't need to support Fed Ex/UPS.

This is an easy one.

[Ladyhawk]

189. Kick! nt

[fedsron2us]

194. What are you going to do with all the money you save.

If you keep it in a dollar denominated deposit you may still end up unwittingly feeding the beast. You could also end up losing the value of your savings if the dollar crashes and inflation takes off. The currency is definitely Bush's Achilles Heel. A severe run on the dollar is more likely to kill his second administration stone dead than any other event. It looks like a lot of the people in the international financial markets are determined to sell the currency because they do not think the US can service it debts. The mood is so strong that even the good news of the 370,000 jobs increase in Friday's payroll figures could not stem the slide. You can join the fun by converting at least part of your money into Euro's, gold, silver etc. With luck you will enjoy the sight of Georgy boys war machine falling apart from lack of cash while you make a turn on your investment. It will be fitting karma if those who worship money are destroyed by it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=961346&mesg_id=961346

[Lorien]

195. I've been thinking about that-getting out of the stock market

now would be a very wise move, imo. But how does one re-invest in Euros?

(I'll read your thread-maybe there's an answer there).

[fedsron2us]

196. It does not necessarily have to be Euros

The Canadian dollar is a strong 'commodity' currency (that is backed by a lot of natural assets such as oil and minerals) etc which might serve just as well. I do not like using this board to tout financial advice and I would urge any one thinking of changing investments to seek a second opinion. However, I do know that any money held in dollar deposits is essentially available to the US government and its financial backers to use and abuse at will. This cash is what is being used to fund the war in Iraq. To take this money out of the reach of the regime you have to move it some sort of foreign deposits . One thing is for sure there are some big money players, such as George Soros who are no friends of the current administration. They know the level of US public and private debt is simply unsustainable so the currency has only one way to go and that is down. I expect these private speculators to start the slide in the dollar. At first the Asian central banks will probably try to control the downward spiral by buying the US currency. Sooner or later,however, they are going to realise that they are simply throwing good money after bad. When they head for the door the dollar may well go into melt down.

On edit - Here is another DU thread that discusses the issue and contains some useful links

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=114x12025

Interesting to note that Bill Gross the doyen of the Bond market is betting against the dollar. He is a fiscal conservative rather than a liberal and would normally be sympathetic to a Republican government. It seems he may have given up in despair at Bush's financial mismanagement.

http://www.pimco.com/LeftNav/Late+Breaking+Commentary/IO/2004/IO_Nov_04.htm

[Lorien]

211. Thanks for the links

I'll certainly look into it!

[Lorien]

213. Here's a related thread by Junker:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2621866#2

[capi888]

200. I like What you are Saying

This is my first post to DU!
I like what you are saying, the only thing Corporation understand is loss of revenue.
I also want to remind everyone that CABLE is the main support of these neocons..There are 2 Satellite dealers,
l. Directv which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, Bushies world control partner.
2. DishNetwork- owned by Echostar, Charlie Ergen, self-made corporation that the FCC has blackballed and try to take him down. He fights for his people, will not accept raising their subscription, even cutting Viacom (CBS) off as they demanded huge rate increase. Which ultimately would raise customer subscriptions. Charlie fights for the people. He is in Congress fighting Rupie and the NeoCons more than in his office.
I am a dealer, in a small town, people are hurting, and the Comcast customers are switching from Cable....like flies. So if you have to have tv, consider switching to Satellite, but Murdoch is our enemy. I will not sell or service Direct because of Murdoch.

[Lorien]

203. Good advise-Thanks!

and welcome to DU! :hi:

[capi888]

205. Thank You Jen 6!

I read DU all the time, just want people to know the control this administration has over the people.
This is what we need to Change to address the next 2 years and legislators who are up for election. We need to get more Dems in Congress.
1. Voter Fraud
2. Media Control
All the rest is mute, if we can't get our message out.
The only way we as a group beat them is DON'T BUY THEIR PRODUCTS!
The cable guys are hurting and raising your subscriptions along with gas, food, insurance, loss of jobs.
We owe China our national debt,their our landlords, as they and Japan are holding our America as colateral. We are in deep doo-doo.
The only way we can survive this is CUT THEM OFF. Don't buy new cars,unless necessary, household items, new houses, we have that control...but many have to do this....They are squeezing the middle, and lower income people, forcing our young to join the military, old people to get sick, and if we don't take steps to stop it...it will not change!

[sherilocks]

341. Read my post 298

about satellite TV...We all have to make a choice. No tv, rabbit ears, dish or cable. I opted for the $15 basic cable. But there really is no good option, just worse or worser.

[diplomats]

202. As a gardener, I recommend that we COMPOST, COMPOST, COMPOST

You don't need to buy all those chemicals for your lawn and garden, either. They're bad for people and bad for the environment. The best thing for your lawn is to mow it fairly long and leave the shredded leaves on it.

You can compost your kitchen peelings, newspapers, lawn and garden clippings, lots of stuff. (Not fats or animal waste from carnivores, please.) You can make an inexpensive composter or just pile the stuff in your yard. It will become nice, crumbly, black compost and your garden will love it!

The landfills have so much garden waste that could be recycled. It would save money for municipalities, too. This is how nature replenishes the soil - we can learn from her. I'll get off my soapbox, now.

[Lorien]

212. Xeriscaping

(I think that's how it's spelled). Using native plants to conserve resources and go easy on the environment.

Fertilizers kill a lot of wildlife-especially birds and baby animals. I had to have three baby raccoons destoyed (poisoned beyond recovery) one year because my neighbors wanted a perfect lawn! :grr:

[demigoddess]

426. good point that is something we can do. Our local charges extra for yard

waste so we compost. every dollar helps.

[Lorien]

204. My Tee Shirt idea; please ad your "BUY IT' suggestions:

One side would say in large letters:

NOT BUYING IT!

and in smaller red type:

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, Monsanto, IBM, Taco Bell, KFC, Cable television, DirectTV, Diebold,

The other side would say in Large letters:

BUYING IT!

The printed in smaller blue type:

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, Verifiable Voting,

Your additions?

[zeemike]

207. There are so many good ideas here it is overwhelming

I love your T shirt one...if you make it i will buy it.

[Lorien]

208. This is why we need a forum!

Please Skinner-PLEEESSSE?

[BamaGirl]

210. Great idea.

I'd love to have one of these. I'm sure there are more good companies to add to the buy side, but I can't think of more off the top of my head.

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

230. Pepsi looks pretty Dem to me

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.asp?strID=C00122671&cycle=2004

Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Assn
2004 PAC Summary Data

Total Receipts
$36,974

Total Spent (view expenditures)
$23,750

Begin Cash on Hand
$11,943

End Cash on Hand
$25,171

Debts
$0

Date of last report
October 13, 2004
Contributions from this PAC to federal candidates (list recipients)
(69% to Democrats, 31% to Republicans) $16,000
Contributions to this PAC from individual donors of $200 or more (list donors) $36,500

[ProudDad]

412. But Pepsi

and Coke and all of that colered, fizzy sugar water is BAD FOR YOU. It's also VERY good for Archer Daniels Midland. Anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup in it is evil!


:nuke: bush

[Cleita]

206. Start unionizing like-minded fellow workers.

You don't need a regular union. What you need is a group of like-minded people in your field to meet on a monthly or even weekly basis to brainstorm what you collectively want from your employers. If you want shorter working hours, more pay, better benefits, this is where to start. A group has more power than an individual.

[Ladyhawk]

209. Jen6, this is the other prong of our two-pronged attack.

I applaud your efforts on this and I will try to do my part.

THANK YOU!!!

[bettyellen]

214. I LOVE THIS JEN, I HAVE SHARED AND SHARED AND NOW I'M KICKING IT!

[Star]

215. That is exactly what Mike Ruppert is saying,too.

..snip..

MONEY IN THE WORLD - MONEY IN AMERICA

There's a great first rule in economic warfare. It's exactly the same reason why flight attendants instruct people to put on their oxygen masks before assisting others when an airliner's cabin depressurizes. To save the world you must save yourself first. The way you start to fight with money is to get out of debt. If that means simplifying your life then that's good anyway, you'll use less energy. But to be debt free is to stop paying your money to the corporations and banks that are creating this naked aggression anyway.

These are the same corporations and banks that will come and pluck your economic corpse when the economy crashes next year as it surely must. If you are debt free then there will be less for them to pluck.

...snip...

Perhaps now disillusioned Kerry supporters will take a second look at what FTW has been teaching for years.

* Get out of debt.
* Spend your money and time on things that give you energy and provide you with useful information.
* Stop spending a penny with major banks, news media and corporations that feed you lies and leave you exhausted.
* Learn how money works and use it like a weapon.

...snip...

Go to Fitts' web site http://www.solari.com and look at the section "Coming Clean". Not until each one of us looks at the ways that we feed the beast and accept responsibility for that do we have a chance for today and for tomorrow.

As I have said in Crossing the Rubicon and in almost every lecture for the last three years, "We will change nothing until we change the way that money works."

Perhaps now some people will be willing to listen to our voices crying in the wilderness.

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/110504_snap_out.shtml

[Lorien]

217. Good advice

I really do think an economic meltdown is right around the corner, and I really do have to move all my money out of stocks!

[Star]

220. Many of us did this same thing in the 60's & 70's

Including me, my hubby, my 3 kids, our 2 dogs, and our cat.

We converted an old step-van into a temporary home, sold our house in suburban NJ, stored our stuff in my brother-in-law's garage, and took off to find some land to buy where we could live as simply as possible. Found it in WV - 20 acres on a river for $2,000.

Didn't work out for a variety of reasons, but it was a great adventure and it changed my life forever.

[Lorien]

216. Something else we'll need; a support group for "shopaholics"

I know a fair number of people with this addiction; it's nearly ruined their lives because they're in so much debt! The political aspect of this might finally do the trick for them (they're Dems), but they'll need someone to "talk them down" when tempation rears it's ugly head.

[Zorra]

218. Kick - We really need to spread the word. We have to do this folks.

Otherwise, they win.

[Blaq Dem]

222. One-Two-Three...KICK! n/t

[Lorien]

223. A kick for evening DUers

we need your thoughts and ideas.

Hey-does anyone know of a pizza chain that is NOT repug owned?

[Lorien]

224. Another related thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=11964&mesg_id=11964&p

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

225. I think this is an EXCELLENT idea

I've begun the process of looking up the political offiliations of every company before buying something there. Found a few more that aren't on the list:

Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Cracker Barrel restaurant chain (was this really a surprise?)
Bacardi USA
Westar Energy

These guys not only have contributed big time to Republicans, but it seems they've done so illegally:

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/31-09222004-370007.html

Oh, and I wholeheartedly second the idea of a separate forum for this!!!

[wickerwoman]

226. Diebold makes ATM machines.

Stop doing business with companies that use Diebold ATM machines. Write your bank and tell them why. Stick up flyers on the ATM machines so people have something to read while they get their cash.

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

228. add JCPenney to "avoid" list

donations 85% rep, 13% dem

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.asp?strID=C00042895&cycle=2004

[Lorien]

238. Added-Thanks!

[itzamirakul]

229. Note to All...

Please keep adding more links and ideas. I am copying them and composing a letter to email and snail mail to all of my friends urging them to take part in the "Starve the Beast" campaign, especially during the coming holiday period.

It is going to be real fun doing some "creative" shopping for those "necessary" gifts that must be purchased and should completely satisfy the hearts of those "shopaholics" mentioned in an earlier post.

I am wondering if we should contact Randi Rhodes at Air America Radio
and let her know about the campaign? Of course she probably cannot go into detail about the corporations that we are targeting, but she could refer interested people to this thread. That would inform a lot of democrats who are not yet a part of DU.

[LadyinRed]

232. NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL ?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2626542#2626777

[Lorien]

233. Who are Air America's sponsers?

We don't get AAR in my city, but keeping track of their sponser list would be a great exercise.

Newman's Own is another progressive product line that I almost forgot.

I think Bath and Body works is also a progressive owned chain.

Papa John's Pizza, Pizza Hut, and Dominoes are all repug. Best to order pizza from small local shops.

How about Netflix subscriptions for Christmas? They are quite progressive-just look at their documentary lists!

[Zorra]

236. Good idea. Besides emailing all our personal contacts about this

campaign, reaching out to folks that don't have a computer is also necessary.

The bigger that this movement gets, the bigger the impact we will have.

[Lorien]

237. There's a DUer named BigPath who creates really nice

flyers-I think he/she is usually in Activism and Events.

[Lorien]

235. Another idea: when you receive catalogs in the mail

put a "return to sender" sticker on the outside, then another on the inside that says "No more purchases until Bush leaves office".
I use white blank mailing labels for this purpose.

[HeeBGBz]

240. I'm making a blue forum/message board at Hyperboards

It will be geared towards living in a blue world. I would appreciate input because this whole subject is an awesome idea.

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

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

If you have any links I will be glad to network with you.

[Lorien]

242. Love the basic framework

scan this entire thread; there's TONS of great links and resources here!

:hi:

[Lorien]

239. Another related thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2629592&mesg_id=263108

[kayell]

246. Become a vegetarian. Or cut back A LOT on meat.

Animal food producers are BIG republican supporters. The methods of animal production in this country are disastrous for the environment, not exactly sanitary (major understatement), and extremely cruel, both to the animals, and to the HUMAN WORKERS. Read "The Jungle". We're almost back to that level with abuse of slaughterhouse workers.

And you'll save a ton of money. Skip the expensive meat replacements. Beans are great if cooked with seasonings like most cultures do. If you need something ground meat like - get plain TVP granules and season it yourself. VERY inexpensive.

AND - You'll probably live longer.

You can find lots of good ideas at http://www.vegsource.com/

[Keirsey]

248. amino acid combinations

combining these will give you all the amino acids that meat does:

beans/tofu and rice

beans and corn

Think of the cultures that have used these food combinations for a very long time. Sometimes it makes me wonder if there isn't something very intuitive about humans...then centuries later science validates them.

[kayell]

250. And they don't even have to be eaten at the same meal. Complementary

proteins eaten anytime within 24 hours will get together in your body. They used to think had to be same meal, but research proved 24 hours plenty of time. It's not rocket science.

Although some nice black bean chipotle enchiladas sound pretty good right now.

Vegans, or those who eat very little animal proteins (dairy, eggs) should take vitamin b-12, or a multi-vitamin containing it (most do).

[politicat]

390. Alternately, buy from a rancher/producer that treads lightly on the land.

Many of them are staunch environmentalists because the land is their #1 resource.

We buy our beef from Lassiter Grasslands beef, and it's basically beef raised like buffalo. Locally, grains are a bad idea because this land is too dry to really produce effectively without massive irrigation and chemical projects. However, grazers can be raised on our grasslands effectively and safely, so long as they are moved from pasture to pasture and are not fed feedlot grain. As it happens, in my region, farming is what is most disastrous for our land. We have terrible wind and water erosion problems, and we're draining the Ogallala aquifer. Plus, our land does not heal from the plowing... there are places where 100 year old furrows are still visible out here. (Eastern Colorado)

There are also chicken, lamb and pig producers that work this way.

The meat is healthier than the IBP stuff, lower in e, coli, and for those of us for whom a strict vegetarian diet would be detrimental, and for whom fish is impossible, not living near the areas of production, it's the better alternative.

Pcat

[kayell]

247. Make your own soap

It's cheap. It's much better than the store stuff. Homemade soap is much, much easier on the skin. If you're vegetarian, you can make some of the best soap in the world with olive oil. (did you know that most soap is made from rendered animal fat?)

If you use sensible safety precautions, it's actually quite easy - like following a recipe. I make all the soap I need for a year in an hour or two actual work.

You can make nicely scented kinds for presents and people will love it! Think of all those fancy soaps you see at craft fairs - you can do that yourself in your kitchen.

Plain kinds of soap can be used for your laundry, and you won't need fabric softener!

Do it right and safely. This site has great info on soapmaking. http://www.millersoap.com/

[Malva Zebrina]

249. buy a piece of land as soon as you can

and love it, work it, grow organic vegetables and learn how to preserve them for the winter. If you have a freezer that is good, and if you have to buy one, as suggested, buy one that is not a corporate shill if you can. Some people,years ago, dug root cellars and there were many ways to do so. Some simply dried products on a screen in the sun. This is simple and really satisfying living. another thing, beautiful does not mean plastered with makeup and using the most popular shampoo--get back to beautiful is you as you are naturally. Alternatives to shampoo and conditioners-learn how to cut hair-I used to use green soap as a shampoo and it was just fine. I would not go so far as to suggest making soap and herbal ointments to lubricate dry skin or weathered skin, but I have made these and it does take some intense effort, but you may be able to purchase these at a farmer's market or barter some of the vegetables you grow in exchange. Bee hives are beautiful examples of nature in action and also do not take much time to maintain. The investment initially is not much. They work for very little wages---plant a few of their favorite flowers around and they are happy. They also produce, besides honey, beeswax and that can be a wonderful base for soothing ointments. There are ways to not fall victim to the advertising that makes you think you are an ugly person if you do not buy their shampoo, face cream, eye shadow etc

Learn how to make wine--another satisfying pursuit, if you are a wine drinker. Wine can be made from so many different fruits, even the lowly dandelion and it is delicious. You can pick wild elderberries if you can identify them and they grow in your area, and make super wine out of them. Not much of an investment there either.You can do so many things with discarded or worn out clothes--but that also takes some time.

play a musical instrument even if it a harmonica and write a poem.

[kayell]

251. Eat your weeds.

Seriously. I just weeded out a pile of winter cress (creesy greens to us in the South) These are great eating - very high in C and A, with a nice bite. Don't like your greens straight - throw them in your soup for a bit of extra color, flavor and nutrition. Violet leaves are edible and one of the richest sources of Vitamin C known. Dandelions, etc.

Caution: KNOW YOUR WEEDS. Don't eat something that you aren't CERTAIN that you know what it is. Don't eat weeds that may have been sprayed or that are growing near a heavily trafficed road.

[kayell]

253. Clothing

Most of us already have more than we need. Check what you have. Is it really necessary in your job to be in fashion? Can you sew on some buttons or mend the seam? Can you do laundry more frequently or air out that sweater for a day to make do with what you have?

Used clothing stores, rummage sales and yard sales are great sources of many items. I always have great luck with sweaters and coats (high ticket items). I've even gotten great buys on never worn shoes and boots. I have some Timberlands that cost me $6 and appear to have NO wear. Some people just shop too much, and then get rid of stuff they never wear.

I've never had luck with buying pants, but some people find them - especially people who wear smaller sizes. I've seen nice dresses and jumpers that I would feel happy with if I wore them.

Organize a clothing swap with friends. The stuff they're sick of you may love, and vice versa.

IF you HAVE to buy some new clothes, get something classic (won't look dated) and well made so it will last.

[kayell]

254. Simple Living Discussion Forums

http://www.simpleliving.net/forums/simpleliving/default.asp

They have lots of ideas to use, and unlike many frugality sites, these people are mostly on our side.

[Glenda]

276. that's true, I hang out there...

And the conservatives are outnumbered in the Political forum there


:)

[kayell]

255. Saving on Energy - a huge part of our budgets, and one that will help the

environment too.

http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/energy_savers/

[Zorra]

365. Alternative Home Power Info:

H o m e P o w e r . c o m !
Home Power magazine, the hands-on journal of home-made power, grew out of our passion for renewable energy (RE). We're concerned about a world that is increasingly polluted. We're concerned about the high energy use and waste of "developed" cultures. And we're concerned that people are dependent and unable to care for themselves when it comes to energy. Renewable energy gives people control over their energy future by using energy that is provided daily by nature. New to Home Power... click here to learn about us!

http://www.homepower.com/

[Paxdora]

256. Spite The Devils! Starve The Beast!

NO NEED...NO GREED"

SPITE THE DEVILS!

SHUN THE CONSUMERIST PLAGUE!

BOYCOTT ALL MONOPOLIES AND THEIR ADVERTISED BRANDS
TO SHOUT YOUR MESSAGE, TO REDIRECT THE DISTRIBUTION
OF *YOUR* MONEY, AND TO BEGIN RESTORING THE BALANCE.

-NEVER BUY MAJOR BRANDS OR "DESIGNER" LABELS
-GET OUT OF THE STOCK MARKET (IF YOU'RE IN IT)
-INVEST ONLY IN SMALL BUSINESSES AND SERVICES
-PROMOTE AND PATRONIZE SMALL BUSINESSES & SHOPS
-BUY ONLY GENERIC, 'NO-NAME' PRODUCTS & SERVICES
-BUY ONLY RECYCLED, USED PRODUCTS/MACHINES/RESOURCES
-PATRONIZE/PROMOTE LOCAL THRIFT SHOPS (OLDIES, BUT GOODIES)
-DONATE USED ITEMS TO LOCAL THRIFT SHOPS (AND TELL OTHERS)
-PATRONIZE LIBRARIES FOR BOOKS MAGS, CDs & VIDEOS
-DONATE BOOKS MAGS, CDs & VIDEOS TO LIBRARIES
-DON'T BUY NEWSPAPERS WHEN YOU CAN GET *ALL* THE NEWS ON THE INTERNET (SAVE PAPER, REDUCE GARBAGE)
-PURCHASE ONLY BASIC NECESSITIES

PRO-PEOPLE ACTIVITY:

-INTRODUCE NOVEL SYSTEMS OF RECIPROCITY TO HELP ALL OF
US KEEP OUR MONEY AWAY FROM THE VAMPIRES IN CONTROL.

-OFFER VOLUNTARY BUS/MINI-VAN SERVICES DURING RUSH HOURS.

-START PERMANENT CAR POOLS WITH NEIGHBORS.

-SHARE NEWSPAPERS, MAGS, CDs & VIDEOS WITH NEIGHBORS.

-PUT UP FLYERS TO ORGANIZE COMMUNITY CO-OPS & SWAP MEETS.

-ENGAGE IN YOUR LOCAL POLITICAL ACTIVITY AND GET RIGHT INTO YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES' FACES.

-START KICKING UP THE DUST BY DEMANDING MORE PUBLIC REFERENDUMS AND CITIZENS' FORUMS.

-START CHANGING PEOPLE'S MINDSETS, BECAUSE:
"THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY ARE DOING."

SPITE THE DEVILS!

SPITE IS A POWERFUL, NON-VIOLENT ARMOR OF RESISTANCE
THAT CAN BE EMPLOYED FOR THE PLANETARY GOOD.

JOIN THE RESISTANCE NOW - PUT ON YOUR ARMOR OF SPITE,
BEFORE OUR REMAINING ALTERNATIVES ARE ELIMINATED - FOREVER.

SPITE THE DEVILS -

WE'RE NOT THEIR SERFS OR PRISONERS... YET!

STOP COLLABORATING AND COLLUDING WITH THE ENEMY!

RESIST FEEDING THE IMMORTAL, OMNIPOTENT WEALTH VAMPIRES.
WITHHOLD YOUR *MONEY* FROM THE POWER CLUBS THAT THRIVE
ON YOUR OWN CONSUMERISM - MONEY IS THEIR LIFE BLOOD.

STARVE THE RAMPANT, PATHOLOGICAL PROFIT VIRUS THAT IS
RULING, CONTAMINATING, AND CONSUMING ALL LIFE ON OUR PLANET.

CREATE NEW OPENINGS FOR CONSCIENTIOUS ALTERNATIVES.

SPITE THE DEVILS - SHUN THEM, AND STARVE THEM!

[Zorra]

428. Yeah!

[kayell]

257. Learn to entertain yourself again - for free

Libraries for books, CDs, videos and DVDs. Magazines too, and they will often get a subscription that users suggest.

Read to each other. Have dramatic readings. Join a book discussion group.

Make your own music. Draw and paint again like you did as a child.

Go for hikes.

Join a Volksmarch group.

Learn to identify wild plants and animals.

Board and card games with family and friends.

Potlucks.

Add your own ideas.

[Lorien]

264. Small used bookstores

you can often bring in books that you've read and swap them for others. Sometimes I'll take in ten books, and only get three books in credit, but that's fine with me; the bookcases are already overstuffed!

Have a weekly dinner with friends at home. The added bonus is that you'll make a habit of keeping your house clean!

[Carl Brennan]

259. Anybody have carpal tunnel syndrome. I cured myself

I read this medical article on vitamin B6 as a cure. I started taking it and in a couple of weeks it was gone.

[Lorien]

263. There are a lot of maladies

that can be cured through the use of supplements combined with an altered diet and regular exercise. We could all save a lot of money by walking or working out for half an hour every day, and eating more raw fruits, vegetables, and nuts-plus using high quality supplements. I've heard of many chronic illnesses that have been cured by going on an all raw diet alone!

The big pharm corps don't want us to know that we CAN heal ourselves in many cases. They ply our doctors with banquets and gifts in order to persuade them to hawk their poorly tested medications.

Thanks for the tip on carpel tunnel-a friend has a bad case of it, so I'll pass that info along!

[Carl Brennan]

272. I exercised regularly eat sensibly, but I still had CTS. I work

with my hands using repetive motion and at night the pain could get excruciating. I always have taken supplements. It was definitely the B6 that did the trick.

Jen6 I would really like to know how the B6 works with your friend. CTS is a real pain.

BTW this is a great topic. I've been to the "simple living" link somebody provided above.

[Lorien]

296. I understand. I'm a former Animator

for Disney-I had a few minor bout of CTS. My friend is a cartoonist who signs tons of autographs. After the San Diego Comic con he was unable to work because of his extreme CTS.

I'm hoping to collect all the links together for a new thread. Let me know of any other thoughts or ideas you might have.

:hi:

[shayes51]

260. Thrift Stores are wonderful places to find

good merchandise for low prices. And the money goes to help a good cause.

[Keirsey]

265. Any type of reseller hurts corporate America

Amazon.com Used links for (often unused) books, DVDs, CDs

dollar stores: Deals, Dollar Tree, etc.

charity thrift stores*, with the added bonus of helping those less forutunate

shop and swaps

Freecycle: http://www.freecycle.org/



*Sav-On is a for-profit thrift store chain

[Lorien]

267. What about Big Lots?

Repug contributor or no?

On edit: don't forget Antique shops! You can get a lot of home furnishings there for far less than regular retail.

[Ruby Romaine]

268. Sinclair advertiser

[Lorien]

295. Maybe we should target it for "reform"

if they don't have too many strikes against them otherwise.

[Ruby Romaine]

266. Juniper Bank Card instead on MBNA

http://www.demcard.com/

[Ruby Romaine]

269. more musings-join Freecycle on Yahoo

also Cascadian Farms, Muir Glen owned by General Mills

[Lorien]

285. I joined Freecycle yesterday!

I may finally get rid of those two extra vacuum cleaners, lol!

I sign my mom up too. I wish I would have known about it years ago. :-)

[Ruby Romaine]

270. Warning-the Working Assets Credit Card is an MBNA Card!

get
http://www.demcard.com
instead

[Zorra]

278. LiberalStance's BLUE FLU suggestion for Jan. 20:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2634110#2634278

[bettyellen]

282. KICK. I KEEP PASTING THE LINK AND ABOUT 1/2 THE TIME

IT DOESN'T WORK, SO I'M KICKING AGAIN- LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR THIS TONIGHT!

[Lorien]

289. I think that's due to all the traffic on this site

try hitting the "back" arrow when a post won't post-you'll usually come back to your post page with yur typing still intact, then try again.

[Cronus Protagonist]

283. I've been doing pretty much ALL of the above for 4 years

I don't have cable, I don't watch much TV. I've bought only three newspapers in this last year, and only to laugh at the contents.

I always buy from local small businesses, being one myself I ask that others do so too. If it's not possible to get the item anywhere else, I buy from GOP controlled businesses and file a complaint as a customer of theirs about their policies, be it poor treatment of workers, poor treatment of customers, their poltiical donations, whatever. I make sure they have to spend money to read and respond.

I've been paying down credit card debt for 4 years and I won't be adding any more. I have not bought a new car in 16 years - I buy second hand cars only. I buy computers from local computer stores, not DELL or any other large coroporation. I get my car smogged at a mom and pop filling station. I buy organic produce only.

And I keep finding more ways to buck the system. It becomes a game after a while, and I'm getting better and better at playing it.

Show your support for the president, wear a FUCK BUSH button!

http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13
(We usually ship same or next day by first class mail)

[harpo]

284. Everyone cut at least 1% off your spending

[Zorra]

286. And shoot for at least 10%. n/t

[Zorra]

287. Kick

[ever_green]

288. Great ideas!! funny though....we should have been doing this all along

Yes! If anything good comes out of this election, maybe it is this. A real change.

[bettyellen]

290. THE,LIMITED , FRUIT OF THE LOOM , SEARS AND YES TARGET - ALL REPUG....

STICK WITH THE ANNE KLEIN , BED BATH + BEYOND + BARNES AND NOBLE + COSTCO THIS XMAS!

DONNA KARAN, RALPH LAUREN KIDS, GAP (60+% DEM0, LIZ CALIBORNE ALL DEM SUPPORTERS. NEED GOOD TOY/ KIDSTUFF COMPANIES .
ANYBODY.......?

[Lorien]

291. As far as toy companies go

I would stick to small locally owned toy shop that specialize in European toys, like Playmobile and Steiff (Kosen is a good German brand too).

So sad about Target; maybe we could choose one company a week to target (no pun intended) for reform.

[Lorien]

292. Since this thread is getting so long

how about some volunteers to list various categories: useful websites that have been posted within the thread, suggestions for frugal living, suggestions for activism, promoting the concept of STB, listing progressive products and services (Fudge Stripped Cookays may already be doing that), etc? We could then repost the thread with the information from this one included, making it printer friendly and perhaps enticing more DUers to get involved.

[Lorien]

293. Another thought; support apolitical companies

those who give nothing to either side are not part of the problem, as long as they aren't subsidizing the corporate media in any meaningful way.

[Zorra]

294. AM kick

[Sara Beverley]

297. Afternoon kick!!

Target should be on the list as well. Shop K-Mart, Costco where possible. We are starting to play a lot of old board games at my home and cards. Poker (adults - up until 1:00 am-nickel and dime stuff), Yatzee, spades, pinocle, hearts, Oh, Hell, dominoes. Also reading old books again and discussing with the children and neighbors. I never knew cutting out TV could be such fun. Can't wait for the holidays!!!

[sherilocks]

300. Today I changed banks, removed my cable service,

and ordered pet food online. My bank was just eaten up by Wachovia (bad), so I switched to Bank of America (better). No more CNN, MSNBC, and Faux, they will not be missed. No more Iams.

Still to do: pay off my balances on any MBNA cards and cancel. Keep one credit card (BoA). That will be done by December 1.

Last Friday I shopped at the Farmer's Market and will go every week.

Visited all the great websites that I found here and saved them in a folder for future use.

I'm exhausted.

[Lorien]

305. Wow, great work!

You'll be back in the black in no time, while the Repugs keep adding Holiday debt-survival of the fittest!

May I suggest Artemis pet food? It's like pet cocaine, and I've really seen a difference in my cats health, coat, and energy levels since starting them on it: www.Artemiscompany.com

Any chance you could provide a list of all the website addresses you've gathered? I'm looking to put all this information together as a single, printable post.

Thanks!

[sherilocks]

309. I think this is all of the suggestions that I've collected so far

If anyone wants to add to this list, please, go ahead.

http://www.coopamerica.org/

http://www.solari.com/index.html

http://www.localharvest.org/

http://www.greenpeople.org/index.htm

http://www.shopunionmade.org/

www.Artemiscompany.com (pet food)

http://www.blackwoodpetfood.com/navigation.htm ( pet food)

http://www.transfairusa.org/

http://www.u-roast-em.com/

https://www.peacecoffee.com/

[Zorra]

302. kick for emailing everyone you know about the boycott!

[Zorra]

304. The Grand Refusal Coalition:

http://www.legitgov.org/

[Pallas180]

306. Hey we need this info, so keep it kicked - thanks guys

:kick:

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

308. Beef is a major source of income of the Red States

Top Five States Cash Receipts from the Marketing of Cattle in United States as of 1995:
Texas $6,295,600,000
Kansas $4,523,400,000
Nebraska $4,157,800,000
Colorado $2,081,200,000
Oklahoma $1,758,556,000

Personally, I prefer fish and eat almost no beef.

[Lorien]

312. The #1 source of income in FLORIDA

not tourism, not citrus-BEEF.

No beef here either; inhumane treatment of the animals, unsafe as a food product (mad cow, antibiotics, etc.)

[Carla in Ca]

315. Jen6, I have wanted to do this all week. I posted a request

on 'ask the administrators' to have a forum just for this. If it isn't in that form, the info gets lost. I got turned down.
I replied using this thread as an example so perhaps Skinner will reconsider. I'll let you know.

Here is my thread to Skinner. I would love to help organize this.
<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=120x24044>

[Lorien]

319. There are three DUers organizing boycott and

alternative lists. What we need now is reserchers to list related sites and materials for simple living (i.e. www.freecycle.com), alternatives for our finances (getting our money into Canadian dollars, Euros, gold, etc.), and ideas for promoting this concept.

[sherilocks]

310. Kick

:kick:

[Zorra]

311. kick

[DuaneBidoux]

313. Meet-ups for "Starving the Beast" around the country

is one idea i have. I'm going to be going to a local Democratic event (many of the local dems I know about haven't a clue...they just think we got our ass creamed.

We must also get the word out to the rest of the world to begin boycotting American products. I just don't know where to look

[Zorra]

344. That's a really good idea...making the boycott a social event. n/t

[Zorra]

314. Kick - This thread is terrifying the freepers. n/t

[Lorien]

316. Sapphocrat's Boycott search engine:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2648691&mesg_id=2651004

[Zorra]

317. Kick

[Zorra]

320. The Power of Boycott

C. The Power of Boycott
Well-organized boycotts are successful most of the time and can greatly impact companies' attitudes and practices, and can consequently influence government policies.

A survey in the USA found that business leaders consider boycotts to be more effective than other consumer techniques such as class action suits, letter writing campaigns, and lobbying. They directly threaten sales and so the company leaders take them seriously - even if it's likely to influence a very small percentage of their customers. (Friedman, 1991)

According to John Monogoven, senior vice president of Pagan International Inc., a public relations firm, the success of a boycott action is more than just a decrease in sales. Very rarely is the impact felt at the cash register. Actuality, they have problems with employee morale: employees don't like working for a company that is being criticized and questioned. For the same reason, they have problems with recruiting the top students from colleges and universities. And top-level executives spend a large amount of time on the issue when they should be doing other things. (Insight, 10/26/87, p. 44)

Since the 1990s, boycotts are becoming better organized and have got more media attention than ever before. As a consequence, they can be very effective in a shorter time period than previous boycotts. Today, with the web network, a consumer boycott can be endorsed by hundreds of millions of people (605.6 million people online in Sept. 2002 ; Source : Nua Internet Surveys : http://www.nua.ie/surveys/how_many_online/).

Boycott Action Kit

http://www.motherearth.org/USboycott/actionkit_en.php

[Zorra]

323. Gandhi:

Gandhi's struggle was so overwhelming and significant, because he challenged the institutional violence of the modern state. He not only recommended refusing military service but also refusing to pay taxes to a militarized state. In addition to citizens' non-cooperating with an evil government, a neutral country also has the obligation to refuse to support or assist a military state or aggressor. Gandhi suggested a nonviolent army that could engage in constructive activities, lessen tensions, and sacrifice their lives to calm mobs and end riots. The qualifications for such a peace brigade would be complete faith in and adherence to nonviolence, equal respect for all religions, personal service and good human relations with the community, integrity and impartiality, and anticipation of brooding conflicts. The cost of training and equipping such a peace brigade would be practically nothing compared to the expenses of the modern military establishment. Gandhi envisioned a nonviolent state which would protect itself by not cooperating with any aggressor. Gandhi was concerned that the democracies would adopt the forceful methods of the fascists; but true democracy must ultimately be nonviolent, for violence is an obvious restriction of liberty. In 1946 Gandhi asserted, "Democracy to be true should cease to rely upon the army for anything whatsoever. It will be a poor democracy that depends for its existence on military assistance. Military force interferes with the free growth of the mind. It smothers the soul of man." He criticized America for its treatment of the Negro. Gandhi observed that armaments are used for greedy exploitation and that the competition and desire for material possessions and the Great Power's imperialistic designs are the biggest blocks to world peace. Also they must shed their fear of destruction; then by disarmament peace can be attained. Gandhi warned, "If the mad race for armaments continues, it is bound to result in a slaughter such as has never occurred in history. If there is a victor left, the very victory will be a living death for the nation that emerges victorious. There is no escape from the impending doom save through a bold and unconditional acceptance of the nonviolent method with all its glorious implications." Gandhi urged us to go beyond family and country to consider the good of the world, and he recommended a world governing body which would recognize the equal independence of each nation. He once said, "The golden way is to be friends with the world and to regard the whole human family as one."

http://www.san.beck.org/WP19-Gandhi.html

[Keirsey]

324. a kick

We must starve the beast on both national and local levels.

[sherilocks]

325. kick

:kick:

[Zorra]

327. I'm talking about this idea to every Dem or Green I know. People are

really pretty receptive to the idea. I was asked to print out a list of republican corporations by someone that does not have a computer yesterday.

[Zorra]

328. Kick

[Mr_Spock]

329. I'm boycotting anything Repuke until further notice

I'll keep adding to the list the more I educate myself.

I am going to do my part to starve the beast! Bastards.

[sherilocks]

330. Kick

:kick:

[Jack Schitt]

331. Great plan...but...

since I don't have much of a social life, I'm going to keep my cable. That's all I've got!

The other ideas sound pretty damn good. I may have to give them a try.

[Ladyhawk]

339. I don't have a social life either.

I don't have cable. I've been debating whether or not I am going to get it. I did have Dish, but when I moved, I couldn't take it with me.

Cable is the only thing I may not be able to do without...driving me nutso.

Anyway, I've included a link to this thread at http://ladyhawk.landmarkwebhosting.com

[cassiepriam]

332. this is the only thing that will work

The beast loves green, he must not be
fed any more.

[Keirsey]

333. Getting local

http://www.fundrace.org/neighbors.php

[Zorra]

335. Europe is coming on board.

"Now the rejection of American foreign policy is translating into a rejection of products with U.S. brand names. Europeans are in effect holding an economic referendum on U.S. foreign policy, voting with their pocketbooks. The effect of this can be seen in the third quarter earnings reports now coming out for several leading U.S. corporations.

Worldwide, eight of the ten leading product brands are American. More than half the sales of each of these brands are outside of the United States. John Quelch, professor at the Harvard Business School, says, "A deepening opposition to American foreign policy is threatening the long-term strength of these brands."

http://www.transnational.org/pressinf/2004/pi201_BushYears_Opport.html

[Lorien]

343. Good! The repugs keep saying that they don't care what

the rest of the world thinks. When profits are cut in half because the rest of the world is pissed with us, then maybe they'll see the wisdom of reaching out to those outside the US with something other than contempt and animosity.

[fudge stripe cookays]

349. And they also hate our guts, most of them

so why should they miss our business? We're just a bunch of filthy, America-hating liberals, right?

But they'll still take our filthy liberal money? Not anymore.
FSC

[Digit]

345. Where is the list with a ton of them, including Bud, Kraft, etc.

[Zorra]

346. Kick.....Because this may be the only way we can save America.

And our last chance at doing it.

[ever_green]

347. I'm afraid you're right

Keep it up people.

[dewaldd]

350. It worked for Ghandi

Unfortunately, things might have to get MUCH worse for people to wake up and do it. But we have to start.

[amber dog democrat]

351. Im in also

Staying away from Cable TV and the consumer culture garbage that goes along with it is a big one for me.
Also... using my bike for local trips to the store.
SAVING - especially if you can manage to make major cash purchases with out financing . That is a big one.

[Lorien]

352. I'd like to get a DU group together for this

we need ten members with stars and a mission statement to do so. Who's in?

[PretzelWarrior]

353. artist formerly known as bransonfu here. Count me in.

we MUST do this. It is what I believe is part of my core issues after this election: PERMANENT FIX to elections systems and vote counting along with BRINGING BIG MEDIA to heel so it serves interests of citizens and the public instead of corporate paymasters.

WE CAN DO IT

[Lorien]

354. Please add your name and ideas to this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2680390

and help us to activate our new group! :hi:

[JNelson6563]

355. I'm in

Seems to me the mission statement could be lifted from initial post of this thread.

:toast:

Julie

[sherilocks]

356. ***To everyone who posted on the Starve the Beast Thread***

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2680390

If you have a gold star, we need you to be a charter member of our new and as yet unnamed group to "starve the beast." Go to the above thread for more info.

[NMDemDist2]

357. great idea, i'd make that one of my forums. I'm in n/t

[Lorien]

358. Please sign our mission statement

and add your thoughts and ideas if you are so inclined. We're almost to the point of having our own DU group!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2684207

[bhikkhu]

359. Thanks You! Excellent Post!

Having lost a good job with benefits last year, the Beast has been starving me. I am more than happy to return the favor, with a vengeance. I think the best way to preempt "the mandate" is an economic downturn, and I shudder to think of what a US recovery would bring upon the world.

So lets BUY NOTHING, particularly over the holidays. It is so simple. No money, no bombs. Santa says no to war and torture, any of our kids would agree. Stop feeding the machine. BUY NOTHING.

[Zorra]

360. kick

[ck4829]

361. Boycott Diebold

Diebold is also one of the largest manufacturers of ATMs, which are used by nearly every bank. These, not surprisingly, have also proven to be insecure.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/34175.html

The answer is:

Boycott Diebold ATMs.

So use a different ATM. Go to the market and get cash back. Go into your bank and tell the teller that you won't use a Diebold ATM until the company agrees to put paper trails on their voting machines.

If we can get even one million Americans who believe in democracy to tell their banks they won't use Diebold ATMs, the banks will take notice, and put pressure on Diebold. If we can get ten million Americans to believe in democracy to tell their banks they won't use Diebold ATMs, the world will take notice.

Petition to stop Diebold
http://www.petitiononline.com/boycottd/petition.html

[TankLV]

362. My and my partner and many friends have been doing a combination of all of

this for better than 4 years now.

[Zorra]

364. Republican fundie pharmacists are refusing to fill birth control

pill prescriptions right now.

This frightens me, because the ramifications of this type of thinking could lead to some tragic incidents of deliberate poisionings.

Honestly, if I were in the US and needed a prescription filled, I would be scared to death that some crazy fundie republican might know I was a Democrat, and might try to poison me. This may sound paranoid, but the fact that these people will not fill certain prescriptions makes me believe that they are fanatically crazy.

We absolutely need a nationwide Democrat, Green, Liberal Independent type of Yellow Pages - a Directory of Democratic Professionals and Tradespersons. Doctors, Lawyers, Pharmacists, Nurses, Accountants. Contractors, Plumbers, Electricians, Carpenters, etc.

Because, for one thing, anyone that voted for Bu$h is either crazy or very stupid. And if they are either crazy or stupid, I do not want them providing goods and services to me. They might hurt me through malice or negligence.

I have nothing against Christians, but the growing christo-fascist fanatical mentality that seeks to end the seperation of church and state is insane.

And I absolutely do not want to run the risk of being hurt by some fanatic that believed that hurting me was somehow the "will of God".

I want to do business with someone that is sane, and has a conscience.

Republicans have proven to me that in general very few of them have a conscience. Otherwise, they would never have put up with all the fraud that the republican party perpetrated on the voters of the US prior to and during this election.

And if republicans had any real conscience, they would not have voted for Bu$h after all the corrupt, horrible things that he has done to us over the past 4 years.

Please boycott republicans.

[mulderig]

366. kick!

[Comadreja]

378. Order Prescriptions from Canada, and save, too...eom

nt

[frank frankly]

367. beautiful

i am already doing many of these things and will strive to do more.

thank you for this post.

[Comadreja]

368. This has been suggested before...many times

However, if * manages to replace income tax with a VAT tax, there will be lots more poor workers joining...involuntarily.

[Lorien]

376. We didn't have the motivation then

that we do now. I suggested something similar more than a year ago and the thread sunk like a stone. This time, I think it's seen as one of the last areas where we still have a bit of power (since we no longer seem to at the voting booth).

[breadandwine]

370. The corporations are NOT the head honchos.

I know this is hard to swallow, but it is really not the corporations that control this country. They are actually lower down on the totem poll and until we recognize that we’re in deep doodoo. It’s the CIA that controls everything, including the corporations. “It’s the CIA stupid.” Check out this blog and DU thread:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2688242

http://wholeworldiswatching.blogspot.com/


A call to march against the rigged election

and the vast right wing conspiracy.

The vast right wing conspiracy that rigged the election and everything else including the news media is not a myth, exaggeration or figure of speech. Check out the above blog:

•A call for massive marches against the rigged election.
•A detailed explanation of the “vast right wing conspiracy,” its structure and funding. What it really is, how it got started, who really controls it and how it coordinates EVERYTHING.
•Actual secret government document is plan to control the whole country. Actual documentary proof of the “vast right wing conspiracy.”
•How the Moonies, Rupert Murdoch, the oil industry, banks and other corporations, news media and other right wing Bush shills rigging the election are all actually tied together into a single secret organization -- the vast right wing conspiracy. It’s not just a vague propensity toward greed. It’s not just a right wing “mindset.” It’s an organization. And if they have denied us the ballot box we need to march in the streets, a First Amendment freedom we still have---

A call for MASSIVE MARCHES IN THE STREETS against the rigged election and the VRWC.

Please read the links, post on sites and forums, add your comments and forward this to others on your email lists.

[Comadreja]

371. And What about Investments?

Many of us have mutual funds that rely on Treasury bills and notes, which are warChimp's great enabler. Even the "socially responsible" US funds use the Treasury for stability. I'd like to know how I could roll mine over to a Euro or Canadian fund (completely out of the country.

[Lorien]

379. Another DUer posted about that on this thread

check out the economic forum; there were some good discussions going on about this very issue there. I think the American dollar will continue to sink; Euros , Canadian dollars, silver and gold are probably safer.

[breadandwine]

374. Boycotts are much less visible than marches.

We need to get in the streets. We are acting here as if somehow this tool — marching — is no longer available to us and the most we can now do is not lift our heavy hand to take something off the shelf at the supermarket while looking for something to pig out on. Nonsense. Where is our valiant, 1960's and prior spirit of mass action? Have we forgotten how to march, rally, sit in, and so forth? Have we lost faith in OURSELVES. How many will notice if we don't buy something? We need to get in the streets. The Bush stolen election is an EVICTION NOTICE. GET OUT OF YOUR HOMES AND MARCH!

http://wholeworldiswatching.blogspot.com/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2688242

[Lorien]

377. I've marched many times

the problem is that the media no longer covers marches as they did in the 1970s. There are far MORE marches now then there ever were during the Vietnam era, but you'd never know it to watch CNN. I don't discourage marching; I'm just saying that boycotting the sponsors of the irresponsible corporate press is one of the only ways we'll convince them to turn their lenses on us again (among the many issues they're ignoring). They don't care if we sit in at their studios; the money is what matters to them.

[Comadreja]

380. The whole world marched against ChimpWar II

And were called a "focus group" and ignored. What if the whole world boycotted RW US corporations (and the dollar) instead?

[Lorien]

383. We might find out!

Someone posted an article recently about sales of US goods dropping overseas. The main reason for the slowdown is anger at US policy. Still, the planet's #1 consumers are Americans; we have to convince our fellow dems to vote with their wallets. Diebold can't take that power away from us!

375. FEDERAL TAX REVOLT -- SWISS BANK ACCOUNT HOLDS MONEY UNTIL APR 14

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2693702

[mulderig]

384. A thought

I am 100% behind this idea, however I am left with a question or two, so please bear with me.

I think that if this idea gathers momentum and eventually some press, repugs will probably boycott businesses that support the dems and or increase their spending at repug owned businesses.

With less of our liberal $$ being spent, the economy will most likely contract. Wouldn't they just love to blame us for job losses that occur whilst Bush is in the WH. I can just see them now, spinning away about how those 'radicals' are to blame for the poor economy, to a media that has become a corporate mouthpiece. Anyone have any ideas on how to deal with this?

Also, I am disappointed with the dems at the moment (as I suspect are others). How do we use this action to hold their feet to the fire? I would like them to be held accountable also and not just become further beholdent to the corporate interests that support them. How do we get that message across to them?

Thanks,

Mary.

[Lorien]

385. **********IT"S HERE**********!!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

[Zorra]

386. Kick

[tommcintyre]

387. I'm in. I'll do a section on my web site if the forum is started

http://www.independentmediasource.com/index.html

http://www.independentmediasource.com/evotingfraud.htm

[Zorra]

388. Here it is! Thanks

:hi:

Economic Activism And Progressive Living Group Forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

[tommcintyre]

389. Thanks for the link. I should have something up by the end of the week.

I'm finishing up a major project for the Evote Fraud section over the next two days. Then I'll start assembling the Boycott section with ideas I've been collecting since mid-Sept (when I first contemplated this necessity); and ideas I can implement from the new forum. This must be going BIG by Thanksgiving if it will have the most impact.

[Lorien]

394. Interest was high right after the election, but now

it's back to business as usual? How do we encourage other DUers to join our group? It's one of the few methods we have left that might save democracy.

:shrug:

[tommcintyre]

396. Complacency, Denial, Defeatism, etc. sucks! n/t

[Lorien]

397. Dems have never excelled at activism

but what more will it take? Our party is effectivly dead, as is democracy if we can't deal with BBV. We're on the brink of losing our lives and the entire planet to a.) Nuclear war, or b). Environmental catastrophy (yes, within our lifetimes). But we CAN make a difference by ACTING now! Every day that passes without changes on OUR parts lessens the possibilty of a future for any of us.

These words are as true today as they were when first spoken; if you are not part of the solution, YOU are part of the problem".

[tommcintyre]

398. The movement will build. PERSIST! PERSIST! N/T

[buycottJoe]

395. New Member, Long Time Boycotter (Buycotter)

I have been living the boycott lifestyle (Not Buying It) for the last 2 years, ever since I was politicized by the Iraq war. You pay attention to where every dollar goes that you spend (or invest). It took me a few months to get used to it, to learn the better stores and products but it's a lot of fun. You get better at it over time.

In the DU Group section maybe you could have a topic where members send in creative examples of purchasing.

My example from last year: I had car insurance with some guy in the suburbs for 20 years or so. After researching different insurance companies I decided to stay with the same company but changed insurance agents. In so doing I killed 3 birds with one stone. My new agent is:
1) Female
2) Black
3) In Detroit (Detroit passed an anti-war resolution last year).

The insurance bill is the same. Females vote Democrat more than males do. This wasn't the case in the 1960's but it's the case otherwise.

You're doing a great job Jen6.

[Lorien]

399. Thanks BuycottJoe!

We have a thread that's similar to what you've suggested here. I'll post your insurance idea there. Hopefully you'll post enough to join us sometime soon!

:hi:

[JMac]

408. Jen

I can't post to your group page because I am not a donor. I would suggest everyone try to use progressive auto insurance. I seen you mentioned it on the other thread. Peter B Lewis is the owner of the company. He puts his money where his mouth is too. He gave 25 million dollars helping progressive causes in the 04 election alone. Here is some of his contributions.

Peter Lewis
Contributions to 527 Committees
2004 Election Cycle

Recipient
Total Contributions

Joint Victory Campaign 2004
$16,000,000

America Coming Together
$2,995,000

MoveOn.org
$2,500,000

Young Democrats of America
$650,000

Marijuana Policy Project
$485,000

Stonewall Democrats United
$117,220

Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
$100,000

PunkVoter Inc
$50,000

http://www.progressive.com/home1.asp
http://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527indivsdetail.asp?ID=11001513807&Cycle=2004

[loritooker]

436. this type of info is great

With "large ticket" items like banking and insusrance its important ot put our money into progressive areas like this. Also, its impotant to get out of debt as soon as possible. I pay off my cc every month so they don't get to make any interest off me. But I think I'll start using it less; then they won't get to charge the merchants 3% to 5% fees. I ran across a guy who had just finished compiling a list of socially responsible companys. But I can't remember where. Everyone has great ideas and info and it would be great if someone could organize a website to act as a clearing house for all this info, like the fudge stripe people someone mentioned. Famer's markets are wonderful alternatives, too. My family sold at a local farmer's market for 10 years. If you've never done it, give it a try. Its so satisfying to give your money directly to the farmer. And local food co-ops--or, start your own--and buy organic food. I am also buying a diesel car and am going to start running it on biodiesel made from chemically refined veggie oil. Screw the oil companies. Since we are no longer citizens, we have to be smart consumers. This can be a movement.

[libpunkmom]

404. Newbie Too

This is just ROCKS!!! Not only am I boycotting, I've gotten 15 families (so far) from my son's school to join in.. Luckily we live in Portland, Or. So there are lots of alternative places to shop.. Also got, 8 family members in Texas on the band wagon as well.. They live in a rural area, so it's harder for them, but they are more than willing to do their part!

[Zorra]

407. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Lorien]

401. Kick

trying not to lose hope...

[buycottJoe]

403. Jen6 don't lose hope.

If people are willing to vote in regular elections (millions do) then more and more people can become interested in voting this new way. You can vote once every 4 years, once every month, or every day when you boycott (or buycott). Caution: such power becomes addictive.

[Lorien]

429. Thanks for the hopeful words

I like your shiny new star, too!

:hi:

[vinessa4freedom]

402. Copied and saved

your letter Jen- is that ok? I want to take it to school with me and give it everyone (I'm a returning adult college student).

Brilliant plan!

[Zorra]

405. Kick

[Zorra]

409. The Role of Boycotts in the Fight for Peace

Notes on Post-Election Strategy
by Paul Rockwell

After the election of George Bush, it took less than a week for peace activists to reach a consensus: "Stand and fight."

The U.S. election is simply unacceptable. No president, no matter how large the vote, has any authority to commit war crimes, to destroy cities from the air, to create inhuman prison systems beyond the rule of law, to violate the sovereignty of states. No franchise anywhere entitles any leader to subjugate foreign peoples, or to violate international law. Far from being a democratic "mandate" for Bush, the election is a mandate for world-wide resistance. As James Madison wrote: "Elective despotism is not the government we fought for."
snip----
For Roy, it is not enough to communicate ideas, to write letters to Congress. "We must make it materially impossible for the empire to achieve its aims." She does not ignore elections. But she believes that "Free elections, a free press, and independent judiciary mean little when the free market has reduced them to commodities available for sale to the highest bidder...The machinery of democracy has been effectively subverted."
snip----
Boycotts have often changed the world. The American Revolution began with the Boston Tea Party. The non-violent movement that brought down the British Empire included Gandhi's boycott against British textiles. The Montgomery bus boycott launched the civil rights movement. The United Farm Workers in the U.S., led by Caesar Chavez, were unionized through laborious national boycotts of lettuce and grapes. And of course, the international boycott of South Africa played a vital role in bringing down the system of apartheid.

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1118-24.htm

We have more at stake than the rest of the world - we simply cannot allow Bu$h to get away with stealing another election.

[CatBoreal]

413. What about....

...buying Ethanol fuel. Is it available in the States? Might hit Bush in his oily pocketbook?

Here's a link : http://www.canren.gc.ca/tech_appl/index.asp?CaID=2&PgId...

And another : http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/publications/infosource/pub/vehi...

Another idea may be to buy a hybrid vehicle like the Honda Civic Hybrid. (http://automobiles.honda.com/models/model_overview.asp?... ) The best part is you get a tax deduction, so you screw Bush twice.

Just a thought

Cam

[Contrary1]

414. It was recommended that I post this

by another DU'er, who saw it when I originally started the thread. If this is not the proper forum, let me know and I will delete it.


Here is the full text of half page ad the D.H. Ellison Co. ran in the latest edition of the Cleveland Free Times:

"Dear Friends and Associates:

As a result of the recent elections we are reviewing all of our business relationships. We are asking for your cooperation and help.

Many of you may be familiar with our committment to peace and non-violence, anti-nuclearism, ecology, and social justice. If you are, you will understand the importance that these moral values hold for us and how these values are betrayed by the extremist policies and candidates recently empowered by the electorate of our nation and our state.

Turning our commitment to these values into tangible resistance becomes equally important given the overwhelming influence of the propaganda machines of corporatism and organized religious cults.

After careful consideration and with understanding of the possible consequences, our decision is to limit commerce with supporters of the current administration and their fear-mongering, radical right-wing agenda.

While we as Americans are free to speak and hold our beliefs, we are also free to choose with whom we are willing to trade.

It is our intention to actively direct as much of our business away from the right wing as possible. At the same time, we welcome the opportunity to establish new relationships with progressively minded interests.

Please join us in these efforts.

D.H. Ellison"

(Below the signature is a big peace sign)

I'm sorry there is no link since they do not show the print ads online.
But here is a description of the company per their own website:

"The D. H. Ellison Co. is a full service architectural practice specializing in traditional architecture based on historical precedents. Projects are designed holistically conceiving the interior space, exterior form, and details simultaneously. We engage in a limited number of projects each year to which focused attention is given. The firm also offers core consultative services on questions of design, detail, style, scale, and proportion to owners and other design professionals. Mr. Ellison welcomes inquiries from prospective clients who seek exceptional quality of design and craftsmanship.

The D. H. Ellison Co. was formed in 1998. Prior to this, David Ellison was employed in the Cleveland architectural office of Anthony Paskevich, AIA. He received his formal architectural training from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and the Institute of Classical Architecture in New York City."

http://www.dhellison.com/about.php

[gorbal]

416. I posted these links on another thread.

I hope you don't mind if I report them here, as it is a larger thread on the same subject-


Economic Combat-

http://www.timbuk3.com/combat.htm


A New Society is being created as we speak-

http://hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44895&page...

[Contrary1]

418. No problem...

I wasn't sure where the best place was. Thanks!

[dubyaD40web]

419. Co-op America is a good source for this type of thing.

http://www.coopamerica.org/

[JPJones]

420. You forgot - pay off all credit card debt

Credit card companies are huge Republican contributors.

[gorbal]

421. Don't take out Mortgages

1. Build your own house instead. Or buy a little trailer and stick it on some property.

2. By from smaller vendors- Or barter

3. Grow your own food or by from your local farmer.

4. Car pool or take the bus- Or buy your gas from Citgo

5. Buy solar panels and don't uses as much fuel- Turn off a few more lights, use oil lamps if you can.

6. If you think you "Absolutely" have to buy from Wallmart...give it a second thought. See if you can buy it on ebay or from Costco. http://www.costco.com/

7. Rearrange your life and what you do for fun. Go to the library instead of the mall. Spend more time with friends than on the computer.

8. Read Books by Daniel Quinn and Thom Hartmann. I would also suggest "The Hand Sculpted House, How to Build Your Own Cob Cottage" That book changed how I see the world more than anything else.

9. Start a movement for the new century: It's what we all want isn't it? A New Vibe?

10. Throw a DU party- Invite everyone in your area and go over ideas.


Okay, theres ten...lets start making lists to help each other:)

[Lorien]

425. That's a tough but important one

I roled mine over into a low interest home equity loan, but even then, the banks are also huge GOP contributors!

[Zorra]

422. Kick

[Lorien]

427. Just a reminder: This topic now has it's own forum

"The Economic Activism and Progressive Living group":http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

Hope to see everyone there!

:hi:

[Zorra]

430. Kick

[scottxyz]

431. Check out www.solari.com

They're saying what you're saying!

[Zorra]

432. kick

[Zorra]

433. kick

[frustrated_lefty]

434. I'm not reading through 433 replies to your post

but I agree.

I lived for 3 years without a TV...guess what, I read. Wow..it was enlightening.

You might be interested to hear 1 in 5 people in Europe are boycotting American prodduce. My thought: fuck those Americans. They get the country they asked for.

[Zorra]

435. kick

[yurbud]

437. CONTACT BOYCOTT TARGETS

So they know you are withholding your business

[yurbud]

438. CHECK YOUR INVESTMENT AND RETIREMENT FUNDS

If you get yours through a union, urge them to divest in the right wing media at the very least.

If you have a private fund, bug your broker.

Even if they don't divest, it could start a buzz that will drive their stock down.

[Zorra]

439. Kick