Martin, you’ve attracted quite a few trolls giving you negative comments. Much as it pains me to say it, you probably need to limit comments to paid subscribers. I’ve seen the troll patrols on other substacks that were open to all. Please don’t let a few negative comments change your focus. Economic Disengagement really is the only viable, peaceful option.
Rest assured that’s not an issue for me. I live on X too, now that’s real trolling. I just genuinely have noting to add to this right now. That’s not to say I won’t have something to say in a few days. As you know, I write every day. There’s only so much you can add to an issue. I also need to revisit Gaza too. - Martin
Having experienced housing and food insecurity in my 74 years, I know how to whittle expenses down to the bone and am already halfway there.
Can't ditch the internet but preparing to let cable go because we've basically weaned ourselves off it anyway. That's one that makes a difference, a win-win because they've sold us out and now can pay the consequences.
Proud of you friend. My plan is not a blanket spending strike as you can see, it’s about giving due consideration to those that can’t afford to participate and attacking the foundations of the economy. Thank you for what you are doing. It matters
I appreciate everything you’ve written on this subject and agree with you. I have tried to pare down my spending, cancelled my Prime subscription, and buy local when I can. This is easy for me, however, because I’ve tried to protest with my pocketbook most of my life. But Americans want to hang on to their entertainment and conveniences until the bitter end. I don’t think most people realize how bad it is. I don’t know where to scream, “Wake up America!” and be heard.
I have to agree with your last two emails. I read a lot of emails and no one else I read is talking as clearly about economic boycott. And the reality of what we face in earlier emails as well. I just want to thank you for your words and persistence. I’m forwarding this latest email to friends.
Thank you Rebecca, I appreciate your support. Please don’t worry, it will stay on my radar, I’m just not that sure I have more to contribute on the subject given I have been as clear as I can about where we are.
I genuinely fear for people’s safety and I would not take a child to a protest in this climate. Trump does not care if people are hurt, he hates them anyway and that makes the situation highly dangerous in my personal opinion.
Please don’t abandon the economic leverage we the little people have! Yes,it’s a hard sell because, as we know, spending is ingrained in our culture and economy. We Americans are addicted to it. Instant buy online and quick delivery to the house. Addiction fed with little trouble. Please please keep supporting spending strike. Many people have to hear a message multiple times before it takes hold. Thanks for all you do and please keep on with spending strike message. Only buy bare necessities. I avoid Amazon because bezos supports greed and fascism. He has ruined the Washington Post. Save your money! Hurt the current regime! Win win!
You should know me better than to think I would give up. I simply need to move on while people catch up because there’s lots of games that Trump is playing with the economy that need to be highlighted. I will monitor this argument and add to the conversation as appropriate Molly. - Martin
Every Democrat should be shouting this from the rooftops and in every forum…esp Fox News:
Rep. Eric Swalwell put it perfectly this week:
“This is a Republican-run government. They have the White House, the House, and the Senate. They’ve had plenty of months to put forward legislation where they could work with us to get this passed. They waited until the very last minute. Donald Trump set a meeting, canceled a meeting, reset a meeting. This is entirely on them.”
That’s it. That’s the story.
Why aren't all of them doing this? The MAGA disciplined narrative that “it’s the Dems fault” dominates because the Dems have no disciplined, crisp message (like the above) and instead are multi-voice chattering….
I've recently embraced the concept of economic disengagement for obvious political reasons. What I didn't expect was the positive impact it had on my finances. I just sat down to pay my bills for the month and am totally shocked at how much healthier my bank account looks. Regardless of rising prices (I've started hitting farm stands and local butcher shops) I'm getting better quality for the same or lower prices. I've barely noticed the impact of curbing online spending (the "high" feeling, or lack thereof, of impulse spending fades fast). All of a sudden my credit cards are pushing me to increase my credit lines. This is real, people!
You are absolutely right!! I’m happily spending my hard earned dollars on a holiday abroad as I read this. My guilt lessened by the fact my money is not going to feed the economy back home. Frankly, it IS possible to live life well without Amazon (or Whole Foods!). I live in a state with lots of locally grown healthy food, and a public library which meets all my entertainment needs. Clothing? At age 72, I don’t need much. I don’t begrudge my friends who still are wedded to “Prime”; especially as some live in remote areas, or are busy with juggling jobs, kids, events. Online ordering makes sense. But, 3%!!!! Good lord folks! Let’s do this ! Please!
This may seem incredibly naive, but could you put out a list of the spending we should stop participating in? I’m really not sure what it will take to hurt the regime financially. Thank you!
If you click to read the piece linked at the bottom of the article and go to the bottom of that linked article, you will see my detailed recommendations - Martin
Hi Martin, thank you. I had read that piece earlier, but had forgotten your recommendations. I think I’m already on board with an economic strike, based on your suggestions. No plans for large purchases, no travel plans, no streaming services. Doesn’t really feel effective, though, unless it’s done on a mass basis rather than a few households. Hoping there are many more out there doing the same things.
I’m in Australia but from here I would say buy your essentials from small local suppliers to help keep them afloat. Make sure you have emergency food, preserves, water, BBQ gas, woollen blankets (army surplus will do) and a good first aid kit and the knowledge to use it. My observation is you may be headed for a “hunger winter” in some cities and also some rural areas with failing farms and businesses and with spiralling food and energy costs. Grow some herbs to flavour basic foods. Avoid the big corporations. They will be the ones who will notice a decline in consumer spending and put pressure on the administration .You may have to buy children’s shoes new but thrift shop clothing for everyone should be fine for a while. Just explain rent or mortgage and insurance comes first and treats are not possible atm. Kids will understand and help you make paper decorations for festivals. Above all look out for each other. This has already ceased to be partisan politics and is about survival. If you want to protest non violently great, but also show up at your local Congress persons office with on the ground local issues that have resulted from current policies.💚🌺🇦🇺
I think a spending stop can definitely happen if we have organized leadership and a goal. One month we buy nothing from Facebook ads (only online from the advertiser's online store). That's not less spending but different spending. Another time, we all cancel Amazon Prime (you can easily rejoin later once a mass exodus makes its point. If you have paid for a year already, the cancellation will be registered at once to Amazon and not take place until your year is up. Mass cancellations have impact again. Specific products Trump likes can be boycotted--Diet Coke for instance. The Home Depot (Trump supporters) could feel the pinch if we agreed to put off any purchases from them or to use alternative home improvement companies. These are just a few examples. We need a national megaphone to announce these plans and when we get millions to enact them, we flex our power.
“It’s the economy, stupid” as James Carville famously told Bill Clinton. It was then, and still is, in politics. The reelection of His Royal Heinous is largely attributed to the misperceived state of the economy. That’s what must be attacked, not individual corporations. The overall economy must suffer before the Greedy Bastards will pay attention.
HRH will not destroy the economy on his own (TACO). He will find a way to prop it up (like lower interest rates) because the economy and stock market are his report card and key to keeping power. The key to keeping power, as it is in Russia, China, Hungary, Turkey. They give the people a somewhat decent standard of living, and in exchange, the people have no political power. Only the autocrat has that. Unlimited.
Our best chance of success lies in obtaining high profile, national leadership and spokespersons. Fragmented, unknown groups leading the charge might work but would take much longer, and time is of the essence. Since the Disney boycott there have been more “bigger” names taking up the cause.
There will have to be a great amount of grassroot support before a national “leader” will take up the cause. Most of our supposed leaders are really followers of movements. They’ll get out front after it’s shown to have popular support. So, we recruit more foot soldiers, like ourselves, and spread the word on various Substacks and other social media platforms.
After mustering much grassroots support we can then approach some Substack writers who have many subscribers and appeal to them to take up the cause and spread the word. Writers like Jen Rubin, Steve Schmidt, Robert Reich, Heather Richardson, Paul Krugman. Again, a good amount of grassroots support will have to be demonstrated.
We will need an organized effort to encourage those writers to concentrate on this method of opposition. Possibly coordinated mass emails to them promoting the idea, or coordinated posts to their Substacks.
Then, hopefully, one or more national leaders will take up the cause. Possibly a steering committee composed of left, center and right individuals, but not current office holders. It should be seen as non partisan.
This will be a tough sell. Americans are addicted to buying. We are brainwashed from the cradle by advertising, popular culture, peer pressure, to consume. If you want to be happy and fulfilled, you must have this or that product. To overcome this, our fellow citizens must be convinced that this is the only viable peaceful solution to stop and reverse the fascist takeover. And it is.
Defeating the fascists in WWII did not happen without sacrifice from the citizens of the Allied countries. We will have to sacrifice to stop and reverse the fascist takeover of our country. We can sacrifice a little now or a much greater amount later. What kind of world will our children and grandchildren live in if we allow this to continue? Spending Strike, Spending Freeze, Spending Suspension, Spending Pause, Economic Disengagement, Economic Warfare, Stop Spending!, even Boycott. Choose your favorite but Do It, and Spread the Word!
If a single dollar doubles every day for 30 days, it reaches a total of over $536 million ($536,870,912) at the end of the 30th day.
So, would it follow, that a single voice that doubled everyday would become 536 million voices after 30 days? That seems doable.
I appreciate your efforts and willingness to stick your neck out to cover unpopular issues. Unfortunately, the fact you pointed out in the past (that >50% of USA adults read at 6th grade level, or below) makes it very unlikely that the people who need to read your excellent articles will ever look at them. I wonder sometimes if I am the only person taking even the small amount of effort to regularly write & call my US Senators and US Representative (all are Indiana Republicans) and let them know how annoyed I am with their consent through silence as the Trump regime is methodically destroying our country. It’s incomprehensible to me that we can’t even stoke up the Democrat Party to replace their inept leaders with fighters, rather than the present memo-writing cheer leaders. Enough, thanks again for your great insights and please keep trying to get your messages out - despite the frustrations that so many of us face these days!
What encourages me is how my readers have picked up on my evident frustration when I wrote the piece Larry. You are absolutely right about people not reading. That’s why I produce video content and I will this weekend be doing a video on this subject.
I have said all along my efforts need to be supplemented by visual content, but it’s expensive to produce if done with proper legal clearance for content etc and while I can afford to pay for some content I am limited not by the ability, but the finance to do more. - Martin
You are 100% exactly right about Americans stop spending. Yes you need gas to get back-and-forth from work. You need to get groceries. Understandable everything else don’t buy it just because you want to unless it’s absolutely necessary. Do not spend!! no big corporate or box stores, Amazon, target, Walmart, Walmart, McDonald’s all your fast food chains. You can get a pizza at a mom and Pop shop a little deli or diner, owned by a family nothing corporate or chain. Go to Goodwill if you need an article of clothing seriously You can’t go three months. Protests are great but you have to hit them where it hurts and it’s their wallet. Look at Disney/Kimmel.
Everyone is focused on Trump, who is just a wrecking ball in the hands of the REAL destroyer of our country. His name is Vought and he is pulling the strings to implement a Master Plan for total destruction of America. It is time to shine the light on Mr Vought before it is too late.
Thank you for this. I have serious doubts, as you expressed, that we Americans can pull our collective heads out of our collective asses and do what needs to be done. It pains me to say that because the thought of what comes next fills me with dread. Don't pay attention to the negative comments. The closer the truth gets to some people, the more they squirm in denial of it. You have done what you can and this American is grateful for your efforts.
I honestly don’t worry about the negative comments, I have a large X account too. Imagine the hate I get there 🤣🤣
I have broad shoulders, I just sometimes get exhausted bashing my head against the wall. Also I’m mindful that with all the distractions, there’s other stuff that slips through the cracks that need highlighting - Martin
I didn't really think you paid much mind to the negatives. 😉 No one who writes the truth that you write would last more than a month doing it if they took every negative comment to heart. I remain ever grateful for the work you do and the truth you tell, however hard it might be to read in the moment.
You have nailed it. People's power in our current world is as consumers and workers, but any action has to be sustained if its going to be effective. This is a long battle, and for decades not only haven't we realised there was a war, we have been collaborating with our enemy by "buying in" to a system that shifts more and more power in their direction. Its not easy to recognise that, and even harder to change. It takes a complete reframing of a lot of what we know, and that is not easy.
We need a leader. It’s hard for me to believe that no one and no organization in the USA will coordinate this economic disengagement solution!!! I believe there are millions of Americans who would support the effort. We just need a leader and well known platform to get the message out.
“It’s the economy, stupid” as James Carville famously told Bill Clinton. It was then, and still is, in politics. The reelection of His Royal Heinous is largely attributed to the misperceived state of the economy. That’s what must be attacked, not individual corporations. The overall economy must suffer before the Greedy Bastards will pay attention.
HRH will not destroy the economy on his own (TACO). He will find a way to prop it up (like lower interest rates) because the economy and stock market are his report card and key to keeping power. The key to keeping power, as it is in Russia, China, Hungary, Turkey. They give the people a somewhat decent standard of living, and in exchange, the people have no political power. Only the autocrat has that. Unlimited.
Our best chance of success lies in obtaining high profile, national leadership and spokespersons. Fragmented, unknown groups leading the charge might work but would take much longer, and time is of the essence. Since the Disney boycott there have been more “bigger” names taking up the cause.
There will have to be a great amount of grassroot support before a national “leader” will take up the cause. Most of our supposed leaders are really followers of movements. They’ll get out front after it’s shown to have popular support. So, we recruit more foot soldiers, like ourselves, and spread the word on various Substacks and other social media platforms.
After mustering much grassroots support we can then approach some Substack writers who have many subscribers and appeal to them to take up the cause and spread the word. Writers like Jen Rubin, Steve Schmidt, Robert Reich, Heather Richardson, Paul Krugman. Again, a good amount of grassroots support will have to be demonstrated.
We will need an organized effort to encourage those writers to concentrate on this method of opposition. Possibly coordinated mass emails to them promoting the idea, or coordinated posts to their Substacks.
Then, hopefully, one or more national leaders will take up the cause. Possibly a steering committee composed of left, center and right individuals, but not current office holders. It should be seen as non partisan.
This will be a tough sell. Americans are addicted to buying. We are brainwashed from the cradle by advertising, popular culture, peer pressure, to consume. If you want to be happy and fulfilled, you must have this or that product. To overcome this, our fellow citizens must be convinced that this is the only viable peaceful solution to stop and reverse the fascist takeover. And it is.
Defeating the fascists in WWII did not happen without sacrifice from the citizens of the Allied countries. We will have to sacrifice to stop and reverse the fascist takeover of our country. We can sacrifice a little now or a much greater amount later. What kind of world will our children and grandchildren live in if we allow this to continue? Spending Strike, Spending Freeze, Spending Suspension, Spending Pause, Economic Disengagement, Economic Warfare, Stop Spending!, even Boycott. Choose your favorite but Do It, and Spread the Word!
If a single dollar doubles every day for 30 days, it reaches a total of over $536 million ($536,870,912) at the end of the 30th day.
So, would it follow, that a single voice that doubled everyday would become 536 million voices after 30 days? That seems doable.
Martin, you’ve attracted quite a few trolls giving you negative comments. Much as it pains me to say it, you probably need to limit comments to paid subscribers. I’ve seen the troll patrols on other substacks that were open to all. Please don’t let a few negative comments change your focus. Economic Disengagement really is the only viable, peaceful option.
Rest assured that’s not an issue for me. I live on X too, now that’s real trolling. I just genuinely have noting to add to this right now. That’s not to say I won’t have something to say in a few days. As you know, I write every day. There’s only so much you can add to an issue. I also need to revisit Gaza too. - Martin
I agree that economic disengagement is our only peaceful solution. I am not confident that we will have free and fair mid term elections.
I wish I could repost this everywhere 1000 times, because I believe you were absolutely correct!
Don’t worry Leslie, I just get wearily sometimes. I need to focus on economic matters for a little while before revisiting.
Having experienced housing and food insecurity in my 74 years, I know how to whittle expenses down to the bone and am already halfway there.
Can't ditch the internet but preparing to let cable go because we've basically weaned ourselves off it anyway. That's one that makes a difference, a win-win because they've sold us out and now can pay the consequences.
Proud of you friend. My plan is not a blanket spending strike as you can see, it’s about giving due consideration to those that can’t afford to participate and attacking the foundations of the economy. Thank you for what you are doing. It matters
I appreciate everything you’ve written on this subject and agree with you. I have tried to pare down my spending, cancelled my Prime subscription, and buy local when I can. This is easy for me, however, because I’ve tried to protest with my pocketbook most of my life. But Americans want to hang on to their entertainment and conveniences until the bitter end. I don’t think most people realize how bad it is. I don’t know where to scream, “Wake up America!” and be heard.
I have to agree with your last two emails. I read a lot of emails and no one else I read is talking as clearly about economic boycott. And the reality of what we face in earlier emails as well. I just want to thank you for your words and persistence. I’m forwarding this latest email to friends.
Thank you Rebecca, I appreciate your support. Please don’t worry, it will stay on my radar, I’m just not that sure I have more to contribute on the subject given I have been as clear as I can about where we are.
I genuinely fear for people’s safety and I would not take a child to a protest in this climate. Trump does not care if people are hurt, he hates them anyway and that makes the situation highly dangerous in my personal opinion.
Sadly, I agree about not taking kids. I took my granddaughter and her friend to one of the first protests.
It was peaceful, the police didn't make themselves obvious, I rarely saw them during that day.
But, that was then..... this is now, and I think the 🍊 !d!ot would just as soon have us all sh0t
Please don’t abandon the economic leverage we the little people have! Yes,it’s a hard sell because, as we know, spending is ingrained in our culture and economy. We Americans are addicted to it. Instant buy online and quick delivery to the house. Addiction fed with little trouble. Please please keep supporting spending strike. Many people have to hear a message multiple times before it takes hold. Thanks for all you do and please keep on with spending strike message. Only buy bare necessities. I avoid Amazon because bezos supports greed and fascism. He has ruined the Washington Post. Save your money! Hurt the current regime! Win win!
You should know me better than to think I would give up. I simply need to move on while people catch up because there’s lots of games that Trump is playing with the economy that need to be highlighted. I will monitor this argument and add to the conversation as appropriate Molly. - Martin
Great! Glad you will continue. Thanks for all you do.
Every Democrat should be shouting this from the rooftops and in every forum…esp Fox News:
Rep. Eric Swalwell put it perfectly this week:
“This is a Republican-run government. They have the White House, the House, and the Senate. They’ve had plenty of months to put forward legislation where they could work with us to get this passed. They waited until the very last minute. Donald Trump set a meeting, canceled a meeting, reset a meeting. This is entirely on them.”
That’s it. That’s the story.
Why aren't all of them doing this? The MAGA disciplined narrative that “it’s the Dems fault” dominates because the Dems have no disciplined, crisp message (like the above) and instead are multi-voice chattering….
Appreciate your kind words Bill
I've recently embraced the concept of economic disengagement for obvious political reasons. What I didn't expect was the positive impact it had on my finances. I just sat down to pay my bills for the month and am totally shocked at how much healthier my bank account looks. Regardless of rising prices (I've started hitting farm stands and local butcher shops) I'm getting better quality for the same or lower prices. I've barely noticed the impact of curbing online spending (the "high" feeling, or lack thereof, of impulse spending fades fast). All of a sudden my credit cards are pushing me to increase my credit lines. This is real, people!
You are a textbook example of how to frame it Robin. Thanks for adding to the conversation
Win-win. Perfect
You are absolutely right!! I’m happily spending my hard earned dollars on a holiday abroad as I read this. My guilt lessened by the fact my money is not going to feed the economy back home. Frankly, it IS possible to live life well without Amazon (or Whole Foods!). I live in a state with lots of locally grown healthy food, and a public library which meets all my entertainment needs. Clothing? At age 72, I don’t need much. I don’t begrudge my friends who still are wedded to “Prime”; especially as some live in remote areas, or are busy with juggling jobs, kids, events. Online ordering makes sense. But, 3%!!!! Good lord folks! Let’s do this ! Please!
So encouraged to read your comment Janet. You are spot on.
This may seem incredibly naive, but could you put out a list of the spending we should stop participating in? I’m really not sure what it will take to hurt the regime financially. Thank you!
If you click to read the piece linked at the bottom of the article and go to the bottom of that linked article, you will see my detailed recommendations - Martin
Hi Martin, thank you. I had read that piece earlier, but had forgotten your recommendations. I think I’m already on board with an economic strike, based on your suggestions. No plans for large purchases, no travel plans, no streaming services. Doesn’t really feel effective, though, unless it’s done on a mass basis rather than a few households. Hoping there are many more out there doing the same things.
Good for you. I hope you see my rational for the selective nature of the action.
I’m in Australia but from here I would say buy your essentials from small local suppliers to help keep them afloat. Make sure you have emergency food, preserves, water, BBQ gas, woollen blankets (army surplus will do) and a good first aid kit and the knowledge to use it. My observation is you may be headed for a “hunger winter” in some cities and also some rural areas with failing farms and businesses and with spiralling food and energy costs. Grow some herbs to flavour basic foods. Avoid the big corporations. They will be the ones who will notice a decline in consumer spending and put pressure on the administration .You may have to buy children’s shoes new but thrift shop clothing for everyone should be fine for a while. Just explain rent or mortgage and insurance comes first and treats are not possible atm. Kids will understand and help you make paper decorations for festivals. Above all look out for each other. This has already ceased to be partisan politics and is about survival. If you want to protest non violently great, but also show up at your local Congress persons office with on the ground local issues that have resulted from current policies.💚🌺🇦🇺
I think a spending stop can definitely happen if we have organized leadership and a goal. One month we buy nothing from Facebook ads (only online from the advertiser's online store). That's not less spending but different spending. Another time, we all cancel Amazon Prime (you can easily rejoin later once a mass exodus makes its point. If you have paid for a year already, the cancellation will be registered at once to Amazon and not take place until your year is up. Mass cancellations have impact again. Specific products Trump likes can be boycotted--Diet Coke for instance. The Home Depot (Trump supporters) could feel the pinch if we agreed to put off any purchases from them or to use alternative home improvement companies. These are just a few examples. We need a national megaphone to announce these plans and when we get millions to enact them, we flex our power.
Plus, if we have a shutdown and healthcare costs rise, we will all need to cut spending anyway. Let’s join together on some of those cuts.
How to accomplish a Spending Strike
“It’s the economy, stupid” as James Carville famously told Bill Clinton. It was then, and still is, in politics. The reelection of His Royal Heinous is largely attributed to the misperceived state of the economy. That’s what must be attacked, not individual corporations. The overall economy must suffer before the Greedy Bastards will pay attention.
HRH will not destroy the economy on his own (TACO). He will find a way to prop it up (like lower interest rates) because the economy and stock market are his report card and key to keeping power. The key to keeping power, as it is in Russia, China, Hungary, Turkey. They give the people a somewhat decent standard of living, and in exchange, the people have no political power. Only the autocrat has that. Unlimited.
Our best chance of success lies in obtaining high profile, national leadership and spokespersons. Fragmented, unknown groups leading the charge might work but would take much longer, and time is of the essence. Since the Disney boycott there have been more “bigger” names taking up the cause.
There will have to be a great amount of grassroot support before a national “leader” will take up the cause. Most of our supposed leaders are really followers of movements. They’ll get out front after it’s shown to have popular support. So, we recruit more foot soldiers, like ourselves, and spread the word on various Substacks and other social media platforms.
After mustering much grassroots support we can then approach some Substack writers who have many subscribers and appeal to them to take up the cause and spread the word. Writers like Jen Rubin, Steve Schmidt, Robert Reich, Heather Richardson, Paul Krugman. Again, a good amount of grassroots support will have to be demonstrated.
We will need an organized effort to encourage those writers to concentrate on this method of opposition. Possibly coordinated mass emails to them promoting the idea, or coordinated posts to their Substacks.
Then, hopefully, one or more national leaders will take up the cause. Possibly a steering committee composed of left, center and right individuals, but not current office holders. It should be seen as non partisan.
This will be a tough sell. Americans are addicted to buying. We are brainwashed from the cradle by advertising, popular culture, peer pressure, to consume. If you want to be happy and fulfilled, you must have this or that product. To overcome this, our fellow citizens must be convinced that this is the only viable peaceful solution to stop and reverse the fascist takeover. And it is.
Defeating the fascists in WWII did not happen without sacrifice from the citizens of the Allied countries. We will have to sacrifice to stop and reverse the fascist takeover of our country. We can sacrifice a little now or a much greater amount later. What kind of world will our children and grandchildren live in if we allow this to continue? Spending Strike, Spending Freeze, Spending Suspension, Spending Pause, Economic Disengagement, Economic Warfare, Stop Spending!, even Boycott. Choose your favorite but Do It, and Spread the Word!
If a single dollar doubles every day for 30 days, it reaches a total of over $536 million ($536,870,912) at the end of the 30th day.
So, would it follow, that a single voice that doubled everyday would become 536 million voices after 30 days? That seems doable.
I appreciate your efforts and willingness to stick your neck out to cover unpopular issues. Unfortunately, the fact you pointed out in the past (that >50% of USA adults read at 6th grade level, or below) makes it very unlikely that the people who need to read your excellent articles will ever look at them. I wonder sometimes if I am the only person taking even the small amount of effort to regularly write & call my US Senators and US Representative (all are Indiana Republicans) and let them know how annoyed I am with their consent through silence as the Trump regime is methodically destroying our country. It’s incomprehensible to me that we can’t even stoke up the Democrat Party to replace their inept leaders with fighters, rather than the present memo-writing cheer leaders. Enough, thanks again for your great insights and please keep trying to get your messages out - despite the frustrations that so many of us face these days!
What encourages me is how my readers have picked up on my evident frustration when I wrote the piece Larry. You are absolutely right about people not reading. That’s why I produce video content and I will this weekend be doing a video on this subject.
I have said all along my efforts need to be supplemented by visual content, but it’s expensive to produce if done with proper legal clearance for content etc and while I can afford to pay for some content I am limited not by the ability, but the finance to do more. - Martin
You are 100% exactly right about Americans stop spending. Yes you need gas to get back-and-forth from work. You need to get groceries. Understandable everything else don’t buy it just because you want to unless it’s absolutely necessary. Do not spend!! no big corporate or box stores, Amazon, target, Walmart, Walmart, McDonald’s all your fast food chains. You can get a pizza at a mom and Pop shop a little deli or diner, owned by a family nothing corporate or chain. Go to Goodwill if you need an article of clothing seriously You can’t go three months. Protests are great but you have to hit them where it hurts and it’s their wallet. Look at Disney/Kimmel.
We’re on the same page Brenda
Everyone is focused on Trump, who is just a wrecking ball in the hands of the REAL destroyer of our country. His name is Vought and he is pulling the strings to implement a Master Plan for total destruction of America. It is time to shine the light on Mr Vought before it is too late.
Oh I’ve written all about him and Peter Thiel Sadie. Yes you are correct. Trump is just their useful idiot.
Thank you for this. I have serious doubts, as you expressed, that we Americans can pull our collective heads out of our collective asses and do what needs to be done. It pains me to say that because the thought of what comes next fills me with dread. Don't pay attention to the negative comments. The closer the truth gets to some people, the more they squirm in denial of it. You have done what you can and this American is grateful for your efforts.
I honestly don’t worry about the negative comments, I have a large X account too. Imagine the hate I get there 🤣🤣
I have broad shoulders, I just sometimes get exhausted bashing my head against the wall. Also I’m mindful that with all the distractions, there’s other stuff that slips through the cracks that need highlighting - Martin
I didn't really think you paid much mind to the negatives. 😉 No one who writes the truth that you write would last more than a month doing it if they took every negative comment to heart. I remain ever grateful for the work you do and the truth you tell, however hard it might be to read in the moment.
Spread the Word!
I don't share your optimism on the upcoming midterms, sadly.
You have nailed it. People's power in our current world is as consumers and workers, but any action has to be sustained if its going to be effective. This is a long battle, and for decades not only haven't we realised there was a war, we have been collaborating with our enemy by "buying in" to a system that shifts more and more power in their direction. Its not easy to recognise that, and even harder to change. It takes a complete reframing of a lot of what we know, and that is not easy.
Appreciate your kind words
We need a leader. It’s hard for me to believe that no one and no organization in the USA will coordinate this economic disengagement solution!!! I believe there are millions of Americans who would support the effort. We just need a leader and well known platform to get the message out.
You are correct and the money is out there to do it too. Very frustrating I have to say.
How to accomplish a Spending Strike
“It’s the economy, stupid” as James Carville famously told Bill Clinton. It was then, and still is, in politics. The reelection of His Royal Heinous is largely attributed to the misperceived state of the economy. That’s what must be attacked, not individual corporations. The overall economy must suffer before the Greedy Bastards will pay attention.
HRH will not destroy the economy on his own (TACO). He will find a way to prop it up (like lower interest rates) because the economy and stock market are his report card and key to keeping power. The key to keeping power, as it is in Russia, China, Hungary, Turkey. They give the people a somewhat decent standard of living, and in exchange, the people have no political power. Only the autocrat has that. Unlimited.
Our best chance of success lies in obtaining high profile, national leadership and spokespersons. Fragmented, unknown groups leading the charge might work but would take much longer, and time is of the essence. Since the Disney boycott there have been more “bigger” names taking up the cause.
There will have to be a great amount of grassroot support before a national “leader” will take up the cause. Most of our supposed leaders are really followers of movements. They’ll get out front after it’s shown to have popular support. So, we recruit more foot soldiers, like ourselves, and spread the word on various Substacks and other social media platforms.
After mustering much grassroots support we can then approach some Substack writers who have many subscribers and appeal to them to take up the cause and spread the word. Writers like Jen Rubin, Steve Schmidt, Robert Reich, Heather Richardson, Paul Krugman. Again, a good amount of grassroots support will have to be demonstrated.
We will need an organized effort to encourage those writers to concentrate on this method of opposition. Possibly coordinated mass emails to them promoting the idea, or coordinated posts to their Substacks.
Then, hopefully, one or more national leaders will take up the cause. Possibly a steering committee composed of left, center and right individuals, but not current office holders. It should be seen as non partisan.
This will be a tough sell. Americans are addicted to buying. We are brainwashed from the cradle by advertising, popular culture, peer pressure, to consume. If you want to be happy and fulfilled, you must have this or that product. To overcome this, our fellow citizens must be convinced that this is the only viable peaceful solution to stop and reverse the fascist takeover. And it is.
Defeating the fascists in WWII did not happen without sacrifice from the citizens of the Allied countries. We will have to sacrifice to stop and reverse the fascist takeover of our country. We can sacrifice a little now or a much greater amount later. What kind of world will our children and grandchildren live in if we allow this to continue? Spending Strike, Spending Freeze, Spending Suspension, Spending Pause, Economic Disengagement, Economic Warfare, Stop Spending!, even Boycott. Choose your favorite but Do It, and Spread the Word!
If a single dollar doubles every day for 30 days, it reaches a total of over $536 million ($536,870,912) at the end of the 30th day.
So, would it follow, that a single voice that doubled everyday would become 536 million voices after 30 days? That seems doable.