History and a very effective propaganda campaign by those at the top of the economic food chain has anaesthetised American workers to the point where they feel powerless to resist exploitation.
I've been saying this forever and you know what? No one cares.
Convenience, that's the focus of American life, the holy Grail and for many, it's worth sacrificing all our personal freedoma and laws to order from Amazon. And before I go into, know that I live rurally and do not order anything regularly online - no Amazon for 2 years now. My closest grocery store is 45 minutes away and no, I do not use Amazon. Social justice and Human rights means more to me that most, I guess.
I started boycotting at the election. Every knew bending corporation I do not purchase from. We're now listening to library books in the evenings, because entertainment choices have become slim.
It's just not that hard to keep my money out of the pockets of those who torture, abuse and vilify democratic norms.
Please join the effort.
And maybe, just maybe we should have put higher aims than convienence on our altars on the first place.
True. We've been lacking leadership and a comprehensive plan. I think more people would get involved if they knew it was a large group effort, all happening at the same time. How long it will go (can we measure how much effect we're having) and if they say, ok, what do you want, we need to present specifics.
Home Depot, McDonalds and Walmart are being open about massive lost revenue. Multiple chains are closing. I believe the pinch is starting. It may not be a result of intentional boycott but businesses are beginning to see the writing on the wall.
I ask ? Are “we the people “ in enough pain yet ? Do we feel like we are losing more every day ? Are the tariffs pushing the prices high enough to make a normal life unsustainable? Are we mad as hell and not going to take it anymore?
Is anyone using the Traitor word ? The insider trading concept ? The unchecked power of tearing down national property with no oversight? Are any Republicans breaking ranks yet ? Personally I’d like to see a few more real leaders step up to this collapsing government we are witnessing. When leaders fail to speak truth to power , or fail to honor their oath of office, or fail to sustain the honor being an elected official - then the system will collapse. Truth and honor are not optional attributes …. They are imperative.
It's hard for me to admit, but as much as I hate EVERYTHING Bezos stands for the convenience of shopping, the wide variety, the specificity of shopping for given features, my repeated efforts to STOP using Amazon, further, I can look up everything I ordered several years ago, quickly reorder and not have to give a single thought how to pay for it, the Amazon card, once a month, log in, pay it off.
As for the BIG PLAN Martin, my suspicion is that we would be playing right into the Orange Lizard's mouth. The SOB, with Bessant is actively working to CRASH the US economy and the USD. They would LOVE to SCAPEGOAT US for causing it. Hell, all Biden did is bring Inflation from the Pandemic caused by TRump's Stay Home and Collect Funny Money to 2.9% and since FACTS AND THE TRUTH ARE IRRELEVANT TO TRump, so they are STILL blaming TRump's inflation ON BIDEN!
I have asked my closest friends to study this 3+ hours of intense and technical research so the understand how important is is to move your personal assets out of the USD into Gold and Real Estate, and try to take legal actions to STOP TReason TRump
I’m a big fan of Leah‘s work and I think she’s right that Bessent has been installed on a misguided crusade to crash the economy, but if he thinks crypto is the answer, I fear he’s very wide of the mark. The wider geopolitical forces are already rewiring the system. They can see the threat too.
Thanks Jon, appreciate your contribution to the debate. I fear there might be some lost in translation going on to some extent. My assessment is merely number crunching to test viability for direct action in the form of economic disengagement.
The simple answer on a technical level is clearly yes it is. However it takes no account of human nature and the fear that the regime has instilled. There is little to no evidence that there is an appetite for economic disengagement on any level, so it’s really an academic exercise to satisfy my own curiosity.
In any event, nobody need worry as Trump is going to hand everyone $5,000 when Republicans win in November, so that’s another $1.3 trillion to add to the $40 trillion.
Unless Musk & Co is very successful at stealing a lot of midterm elections, I am very skeptical Rump will have to worry about keeping his $5k promise... Just another in a long list he never had any intention to honor anyway.
MAKE no mistake, I am overflowing w gratitude for your efforts, knowledge and insights. There may come a time when we need to slam on the economic brakes to send a message. I fear that is Rump & Bessant's Plan A. You are also 100% correct political violence and needless destruction is also in their Plan A. It's a big part of why Rump coaxed Blanche into the Illegal $1.776 Billion Slush Fund for Future Insurrections, which Rump has refused to give up on. We can be sure Musk, Besos, Theil, Ellison, Putin, Netanyahu, MBS, et. al. will find it, although the PREFERRED SOURCE is TAXPAYER FUNDS (National Debt).
I like the concept, but a looming question remains: If we succeed in sending a message to the economic powers, then what? What are we demanding? And who will voice those demands? We have no Martin Luther King Jr.
I absolutely concur. My aim here was not to lead a revolution, but merely to prove that the numbers stack up and it is possible by any demographic engaging in economic disengagement.
Leadership is something I can’t help with. This is merely an outside objective assessment. Any action plan and leadership is outside the scope of the exercise. I suspect it’s irrelevant anyway because Trump I’d not the enemy in this assessment, the inability to accept sacrifice or inconvenience is the real enemy, and I suspect those pulling the strings already know that.
My assessment is merely a response to those saying ‘There’s nothing we can do’ or ‘It’s not possible to fight a regime that has all the levers of government at their disposal’ That’s simply a lazy argument that does not hold water I’m afraid. It’s a case of don’t shoot the messenger.
I want to do it, and we've planned for it. Now that you've calculated the 8% we have to cut from our current (low!) spending, I can check our figures and see if we can survive that.
I get the low spending, that’s why the 8% has to include non-discretionary spending (needs) and that’s a BIG STEP. But only if the action is limited to the bottom 50%
“If the bottom 50% cut overall spending by just 8%, mass-market corporate revenues would collapse, and companies like Amazon and McDonald’s would suffer massive economic hits”
Sounds good, except what about the small businesses getting hurt too?
— I had a link to the major biz to avoid but can’t find it just now.
* Some companies are not who they seem or have links to the big 10.
That’s why it’s described as strategic disengagement. The focus should be on supporting small businesses locally.
To be clear, I’m not laying out a specific plan here, I’m testing the economic feasibility based on the various demographic groups’ ability to deliver the economic blow.
No point even considering it if the numbers don’t add up, but they do. The biggest obstacle is not the numbers, but the willingness to sacrifice and to endure inconvenience. That’s always been the regime’s biggest asset, there is no appetite for collective sacrifice and without that it’s dead in the water.
🇨🇦 Currently the determination to ‘take the pain’ in Canada is high … time will tell.
Of interest, I’ve seen distressed U.S. Commenters here wanting to know how to help Canada thro Trump’s Tariffs, by buying Canadian 🇨🇦 — and found a site listing companies & products that they could buy that somehow accommodate that. Sorry, can’t locate that just now.
“… the willingness to sacrifice and to endure ..”
— This is one of Trump & Hegseth’s miscalculations in Iran … their leaders don’t give a damn about their citizens’ pain MORE THAN Trump, which helps them to hang in there longer … no demonstrations / pretenses at democracy etc to distract them from *their goals!
A.I. and Beyond. Achieving Infinity, or Accepting Inferno?
Stark Lavore is a model employee in a city that rewards obedience and erases the rest. He hasn't gotten the implant. Not yet. But everyone he loves already has — and the company that owns it knows exactly how to make the next thirty years feel like a promotion. Corporate Dystopia Rogue A. starklavore com
Please get real with me. You could be a powerful voice for doing what could work. Not your way. Jimmy Kimmel galvanized us. No matter how justified it would be, as you lay out, Trump on a perpetual toot doesn’t. How “can this large group form a coalition to demand change?”
It’s one of the things Marianne could spearhead, operationalizing how “those at the bottom have the collective will to go all in.” Read this. Also the link in it to part 1.
I've been saying this forever and you know what? No one cares.
Convenience, that's the focus of American life, the holy Grail and for many, it's worth sacrificing all our personal freedoma and laws to order from Amazon. And before I go into, know that I live rurally and do not order anything regularly online - no Amazon for 2 years now. My closest grocery store is 45 minutes away and no, I do not use Amazon. Social justice and Human rights means more to me that most, I guess.
I started boycotting at the election. Every knew bending corporation I do not purchase from. We're now listening to library books in the evenings, because entertainment choices have become slim.
It's just not that hard to keep my money out of the pockets of those who torture, abuse and vilify democratic norms.
Please join the effort.
And maybe, just maybe we should have put higher aims than convienence on our altars on the first place.
I, too, have used boycotting and hugely reducing spending as resistance. No
Target, no Starbucks, no non-union food stores, no Amazon with the
exception of a few purchases monthly at Whole Foods. I used to do all
of my grocery shopping there for many years. Books are my Achilles
heel, and I'm increasingly using my library. When I do buy a book, it's
at my independent neighborhood book store. No new clothes, shoes,
pricey restaurants, travel, alcohol or tech devices. If this sounds to some
like a sad life of deprivation, I assure you it is the opposite. It's a
recognition in my early 80's that I have everything I need. And my life
is simpler, quieter and much more satisfying than ever before. Happily,
there is no fee attached to long nature walks and bird and other
wildlife watching. Time in nature, contact with warm and supportive
family and friends, good books and music are key to my life. I
continue to keep informed of all of the daily chaos in the news, but I
rely on independent substack writers and thinkers. And I'm "that old
woman" who wears her politics and values on her t-shirts.
With you all the way, Janice. But wine is good for you!
I always thought that, too. Current research, however, reports that all
alcohol crosses all organ barriers in our bodies, that even a single
drink can have a toxic effect, especially as we age. Clearly, I choose
to err on the side of caution. At the same time, I recognize how
powerful the alcohol lobbies are. Alcohol isn't just accepted in our
culture. It's expected and is synonymous with having a good time.
Even current articles posted by physicians will end their serious
warning about alcohol with " so drink moderately." I guess all of this
is to say that at this point in my life "good times" are still important.
They're just defined differently.
True. We've been lacking leadership and a comprehensive plan. I think more people would get involved if they knew it was a large group effort, all happening at the same time. How long it will go (can we measure how much effect we're having) and if they say, ok, what do you want, we need to present specifics.
Perfect, Alexis. 100%
Home Depot, McDonalds and Walmart are being open about massive lost revenue. Multiple chains are closing. I believe the pinch is starting. It may not be a result of intentional boycott but businesses are beginning to see the writing on the wall.
Delighted re Home Depot.
I ask ? Are “we the people “ in enough pain yet ? Do we feel like we are losing more every day ? Are the tariffs pushing the prices high enough to make a normal life unsustainable? Are we mad as hell and not going to take it anymore?
Is anyone using the Traitor word ? The insider trading concept ? The unchecked power of tearing down national property with no oversight? Are any Republicans breaking ranks yet ? Personally I’d like to see a few more real leaders step up to this collapsing government we are witnessing. When leaders fail to speak truth to power , or fail to honor their oath of office, or fail to sustain the honor being an elected official - then the system will collapse. Truth and honor are not optional attributes …. They are imperative.
Martin,
It's hard for me to admit, but as much as I hate EVERYTHING Bezos stands for the convenience of shopping, the wide variety, the specificity of shopping for given features, my repeated efforts to STOP using Amazon, further, I can look up everything I ordered several years ago, quickly reorder and not have to give a single thought how to pay for it, the Amazon card, once a month, log in, pay it off.
As for the BIG PLAN Martin, my suspicion is that we would be playing right into the Orange Lizard's mouth. The SOB, with Bessant is actively working to CRASH the US economy and the USD. They would LOVE to SCAPEGOAT US for causing it. Hell, all Biden did is bring Inflation from the Pandemic caused by TRump's Stay Home and Collect Funny Money to 2.9% and since FACTS AND THE TRUTH ARE IRRELEVANT TO TRump, so they are STILL blaming TRump's inflation ON BIDEN!
So with that, allow be to call your attention to
The Leah Files 3 Part Exposé:
The Currency Killer: Part 1, Scott Bessant
https://theleahfiles.substack.com/p/the-currency-killer-scott-bessent?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=3ijluk
The Currency Killer: Part 2, Howard Lutnick
https://theleahfiles.substack.com/p/the-currency-killer-part-ii-howard?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=3ijluk
The Currency Killer: Part 3, The New USD, The one Epstein Built
https://theleahfiles.substack.com/p/the-new-us-dollar-the-one-epstein?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=3ijluk
I have asked my closest friends to study this 3+ hours of intense and technical research so the understand how important is is to move your personal assets out of the USD into Gold and Real Estate, and try to take legal actions to STOP TReason TRump
May the Force Be With Us
Jon M.
I’m a big fan of Leah‘s work and I think she’s right that Bessent has been installed on a misguided crusade to crash the economy, but if he thinks crypto is the answer, I fear he’s very wide of the mark. The wider geopolitical forces are already rewiring the system. They can see the threat too.
True, they have been physically moving their gold out of the US, among other things.
Thanks Jon, appreciate your contribution to the debate. I fear there might be some lost in translation going on to some extent. My assessment is merely number crunching to test viability for direct action in the form of economic disengagement.
The simple answer on a technical level is clearly yes it is. However it takes no account of human nature and the fear that the regime has instilled. There is little to no evidence that there is an appetite for economic disengagement on any level, so it’s really an academic exercise to satisfy my own curiosity.
In any event, nobody need worry as Trump is going to hand everyone $5,000 when Republicans win in November, so that’s another $1.3 trillion to add to the $40 trillion.
Martin
Unless Musk & Co is very successful at stealing a lot of midterm elections, I am very skeptical Rump will have to worry about keeping his $5k promise... Just another in a long list he never had any intention to honor anyway.
MAKE no mistake, I am overflowing w gratitude for your efforts, knowledge and insights. There may come a time when we need to slam on the economic brakes to send a message. I fear that is Rump & Bessant's Plan A. You are also 100% correct political violence and needless destruction is also in their Plan A. It's a big part of why Rump coaxed Blanche into the Illegal $1.776 Billion Slush Fund for Future Insurrections, which Rump has refused to give up on. We can be sure Musk, Besos, Theil, Ellison, Putin, Netanyahu, MBS, et. al. will find it, although the PREFERRED SOURCE is TAXPAYER FUNDS (National Debt).
Let's say it works. What do we do with the leverage. I'm sure different people will have different ideas.
Exactly, the question is, is it possible, the answer to that is yes. How it’s framed is defined by the leadership of the collective effort.
I think I can safely say, that people would rather depend on the midterms. Good luck with that.
Let's send the corrupt to jail.
Americans never do that, but I think we're getting closer to being able to overcome our tolerance of corruption.
Economic warfare is the way to stop and reverse the fascist takeover.
https://rpmcmurphy1.substack.com/p/how-to-stop-his-royal-heinous-7d6?r=5f62tm&utm_medium=ios
I like the concept, but a looming question remains: If we succeed in sending a message to the economic powers, then what? What are we demanding? And who will voice those demands? We have no Martin Luther King Jr.
I absolutely concur. My aim here was not to lead a revolution, but merely to prove that the numbers stack up and it is possible by any demographic engaging in economic disengagement.
Leadership is something I can’t help with. This is merely an outside objective assessment. Any action plan and leadership is outside the scope of the exercise. I suspect it’s irrelevant anyway because Trump I’d not the enemy in this assessment, the inability to accept sacrifice or inconvenience is the real enemy, and I suspect those pulling the strings already know that.
My assessment is merely a response to those saying ‘There’s nothing we can do’ or ‘It’s not possible to fight a regime that has all the levers of government at their disposal’ That’s simply a lazy argument that does not hold water I’m afraid. It’s a case of don’t shoot the messenger.
Damn! That was good! Back to your roots. Bravo!
I want to do it, and we've planned for it. Now that you've calculated the 8% we have to cut from our current (low!) spending, I can check our figures and see if we can survive that.
I get the low spending, that’s why the 8% has to include non-discretionary spending (needs) and that’s a BIG STEP. But only if the action is limited to the bottom 50%
I’m pretty sure that most rich people will ensure that the action is limited to the bottom 50%.
“If the bottom 50% cut overall spending by just 8%, mass-market corporate revenues would collapse, and companies like Amazon and McDonald’s would suffer massive economic hits”
Sounds good, except what about the small businesses getting hurt too?
— I had a link to the major biz to avoid but can’t find it just now.
* Some companies are not who they seem or have links to the big 10.
That’s why it’s described as strategic disengagement. The focus should be on supporting small businesses locally.
To be clear, I’m not laying out a specific plan here, I’m testing the economic feasibility based on the various demographic groups’ ability to deliver the economic blow.
No point even considering it if the numbers don’t add up, but they do. The biggest obstacle is not the numbers, but the willingness to sacrifice and to endure inconvenience. That’s always been the regime’s biggest asset, there is no appetite for collective sacrifice and without that it’s dead in the water.
Thanks for that.
🇨🇦 Currently the determination to ‘take the pain’ in Canada is high … time will tell.
Of interest, I’ve seen distressed U.S. Commenters here wanting to know how to help Canada thro Trump’s Tariffs, by buying Canadian 🇨🇦 — and found a site listing companies & products that they could buy that somehow accommodate that. Sorry, can’t locate that just now.
“… the willingness to sacrifice and to endure ..”
— This is one of Trump & Hegseth’s miscalculations in Iran … their leaders don’t give a damn about their citizens’ pain MORE THAN Trump, which helps them to hang in there longer … no demonstrations / pretenses at democracy etc to distract them from *their goals!
Yes, please, lay out additional detail.
?? Local saying is, “clear as mud.” Why would US population want to induce US economic collapse?
A.I. and Beyond. Achieving Infinity, or Accepting Inferno?
Stark Lavore is a model employee in a city that rewards obedience and erases the rest. He hasn't gotten the implant. Not yet. But everyone he loves already has — and the company that owns it knows exactly how to make the next thirty years feel like a promotion. Corporate Dystopia Rogue A. starklavore com
Please get real with me. You could be a powerful voice for doing what could work. Not your way. Jimmy Kimmel galvanized us. No matter how justified it would be, as you lay out, Trump on a perpetual toot doesn’t. How “can this large group form a coalition to demand change?”
It’s one of the things Marianne could spearhead, operationalizing how “those at the bottom have the collective will to go all in.” Read this. Also the link in it to part 1.
Marianne Williamson, part 2
Where Marianne can take us at the 11th hour
https://suzannetaylor.substack.com/p/marianne-williamson-part-2