We all have hands on a huge economic cudgel— we need to pay for mortgages, utilities, groceries, medications — the things we truly need to survive. But how much of our monthly spending goes to real needs? Streaming services, new clothing, meals at Cracker Barrel, Olive Garden, McDonald’s and hundreds of other corporate chains, sports tickets, movie tickets, golf memberships, more junk plastic toys for the kids, and dozens of other things we spend money on out of choice. Or boredom. Most of that money goes right into the pockets of execs and shareholders. If millions of us stopped that spending, even for a month, the loss of profits would be felt and might help to get bigger, wealthier voices sounding off to Washington. It takes a small bit of effort to search out the truly independent merchants in our communities and spend money with them if we need to spend. Those merchants and their employees will be genuinely grateful. Use the public library. Walk or bike in parks and on trails and enjoy the peace and beauty. There are many free options for entertainment and fitness. We did something similar last year, on a smaller scale, to protest DEI obliteration— let’s do it again —“bigly”— to show we don’t accept rule by the oligarchy but demand to live with our constitutional rights protecting us.
Extraction is at the heart of the Epstein class ideology: extract wealth from nature, assets others have created, worker incomes, human needs for housing and healthcare, the people’s government…the levels of brazen and subtle exploitation are intended to overwhelm to the point of numbness. The majority of us cannot fall prey to indifference or fear. Each of us has agency to push back lawfully and peacefully.
I've gotta get dressed to go march. Thanks for reminding me of the reasons I'm putting on my most comfortable shoes.
We all have hands on a huge economic cudgel— we need to pay for mortgages, utilities, groceries, medications — the things we truly need to survive. But how much of our monthly spending goes to real needs? Streaming services, new clothing, meals at Cracker Barrel, Olive Garden, McDonald’s and hundreds of other corporate chains, sports tickets, movie tickets, golf memberships, more junk plastic toys for the kids, and dozens of other things we spend money on out of choice. Or boredom. Most of that money goes right into the pockets of execs and shareholders. If millions of us stopped that spending, even for a month, the loss of profits would be felt and might help to get bigger, wealthier voices sounding off to Washington. It takes a small bit of effort to search out the truly independent merchants in our communities and spend money with them if we need to spend. Those merchants and their employees will be genuinely grateful. Use the public library. Walk or bike in parks and on trails and enjoy the peace and beauty. There are many free options for entertainment and fitness. We did something similar last year, on a smaller scale, to protest DEI obliteration— let’s do it again —“bigly”— to show we don’t accept rule by the oligarchy but demand to live with our constitutional rights protecting us.
Extraction is at the heart of the Epstein class ideology: extract wealth from nature, assets others have created, worker incomes, human needs for housing and healthcare, the people’s government…the levels of brazen and subtle exploitation are intended to overwhelm to the point of numbness. The majority of us cannot fall prey to indifference or fear. Each of us has agency to push back lawfully and peacefully.
Institutional inertia almost perfectly:
The “system” (government + institutions) is already in motion
Even though participants recognize problems, there’s no sufficient force applied to change direction
So the system continues in its existing trajectory:
→ weak enforcement
→ lack of accountability
= now