We must boycott rightwing corporations as much as possible.

The pocketbook speaks. Americans helped bring down apartheid in South Africa with massive consumer boycotts. Animal activists has tremendously reduced the amount of animal testing for cosmetics.

Working Assets http://www.workingassets.com/ is a progressive company for long distance and wireless services. I've been using it for years, and its service is much better than Sprint, Verizon etc. A portion of every bill goes to charities of one's choice. When interacting with the folks at WA I have a general feeling of trust and mutual committment to the world community.

Are there any other progressive companies we can support?

Don't by a Dell. They're MAJOR outsourcers, and they give bukku to the GOP.

I would say the most responsible thing to do is not just to boycott right-wing companies, but to BUY everything responsibly. Meaning:

1. Buy organic food, whole foods, farmers market.

2. Afford organic food (which is expensive) by buying as much as you can, second-hand. Save the environment, at the same time, and be lest wasteful.

3. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER buy any brand-named, high-end clothing or other American-ownded corporation product that pays a Bangladeshi $.03 an hour to make a pair of jeans that you're going to pay $60 for. It's HERESY.

4. Completely dis-attach yourself from the notion of "luxury goods." Anyone who regularly buys things outside their "use value" will have a zillion hungry souls of poor "brown" children waiting to meet them in hell.

5. If you have to buy, like say, a pair of headphones or an appliance or something, I think that it is best to buy American-owned, AMERICAN MADE products, however, in lieu of this, I think it is more responsible to buy a foreign product, if you can find one, from another industrialized western nation, that DOES NOT outsource, or pays its workers fairly, rather than sticking with an American corporation that outsources and doesn't pay its taxes.

6. Shop for gifts and novelty items at seasonal festivals, where handicrafters are peddling their wares. Even if you're at a craft fair where the "one nation under GOD" quilts, rugs and other assorted jingo make you want to rip your eyeballs out, I'd rather give money to a struggling GOP supporter who will spend his or her money on Soap Opera Digest or lawn silhouette, than spend it on lobbyists that usher in corpo-fascism.

7. Learn to make something. Making as much as you can, yourself, really cuts down on relying on corporate products, and it can be fun.

8. PAY YOUR BILLS ON TIME. The amount of money that corporations make from "late fees" is staggering. Why let them profit off your own laziness? Also, ALWAYS review your bills before you pay them -- some corporations make a practice of making "errors," hoping you won't notice.

9. Conserve. Everything. Use towels, instead of napkins, "if it's yellow, let it mellow." Turn off the lights. Sweat a little, sometimes. Put on some warmer clothes. Walk. You know. Just get serious about it, and stop making promises to do it "someday."

10. Be HEALTHY and EXERCISE. Ditch fatty foods, cigarettes, etc. Diet companies, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, HMOs ALL PROFIT from your lack of care of your own body.

11. Be discriminating where you put your dollar and your labor. Like this poster said -- "Working Assets" is a good place. Do find out info on companies, particularly for major purchases.

12. JOIN A UNION or ORGANIZE ONE. Beat the "small government" people at their own game. Solidarity is the best non-governmental way to increase workers' rights, benefits, parity and pay. Anyone who is against unions is a brainwashed, insane jerk off.

13. TURN THAT SHIT OFF. As someone else said -- television not only lies to you, but exists solely as a vehicle for commercials that are psychologically designed to trap you into consumerism by lowering your self-esteem.

14. GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT!!! The Christian Right knows this, and knows that it works. Run and Vote in municipal elections, school board elections, county and state elections, etc.

15. If you have extra income, instead of buying crap, give it to charity or a social justice organization. I would say that the ACLU's going to need LOTS of help if the junta is re-selected.

There are lots of things that we are ALWAYS FREE TO DO. Do them.

If we can't defeat them politically, we can do it through the free market. That's what corporations want, right? Free markets. Well, let's give it to them!

Another one, that I stumbled across a couple months ago....

If you're unfamiliar with the magazine "Utne Reader", I highly recommend it. I found a copy in Whole Foods and really enjoyed the liberal perspective.

The ads are all for progressive companies-- foods, gifts, financial management, vacation services, etc. That is one of the best parts. I don't feel guilty reading it. The articles appeal to folks like us, and I enjoy finding out about products and services I might not have known about before that I can use to feel responsible, help the earth, and put money into a progressive's pocket!

http://www.utne.com/

FSC
loves her Working Assets!

We've got to stop the corporations, whether politically or economically. It can be done! Even if they manage to steal another one for *, we can strike back with the power of consumer choice!

Here's the link:

http://www.freecycle.org/

If there isn't a list in your area, start one. This is a great way to get rid of stuff you no longer need or want (you can choose among those who respond to your offer, so it goes to where it is needed most), and get stuff you need.

I'd been sleeping on a thin foam mat on the floor for almost two years and really wanted a mattress. A few weeks back a friend told me about freecycle, so I signed up for my local freecycle list, but I was afraid to ask for a mattress. Three days later somebody offered a brand new mattress and I responded -- I've been sleeping comfortably ever since.

Check it out!

:grouphug:

I bookmarked and will check this out locally! :kick:

The neat thing about freecycle is their rules.

Everything offered must be free.

People who accept something offered have to pick it up.

The four categories of posts are: OFFERED, WANTED, TAKEN and RECEIVED.

You post when you have something to give away or want something, and then again when the thing you gave was taken or you got what you wanted.

I've only been on the list for a couple of weeks and so far I've seen computers, tables, chairs, beds, appliances, clothes, and much more offered. What a wonderful world!

:kick:

and farms, and sell products from small "alternative" national businesses that are generally anti-RW.

I don't know if there are co-ops like these in other areas but we have a lot of them in the Pacific Northwest from N. California to Washington. Two of my favorites are the co-op in Arcata, Ca. and the one in Bellingham, WA.

There are some really nice co-ops in some of the smaller towns in NE and North Central Washington also.

Do other areas of the country have co-ops?

Boycott RW corporations as much as possible.

Don't feed the hand that bites you.

I buy from both these sources. The food is non-polluted with pesticides and slave labor! :kick:

Great place.

http://www.newpi.com/

This place is a midwest oasis. I'm originally from Seattle, where you can always patronize a co-op or find an alternative to "big biz." Luckily, Iowa City, IA is one of those "funky college towns" that have all the "luxuries" of a more liberal-lifestyle-oriented place -- plus, there's tons of festivals and a farmers' market.

Also -- I want to say a word to the Aldi corporation. If anyone has anymore info -- I'd love to hear it.

Aldi is the parent company of Trader Joe's, and they also run the "Aldi" grocery stores. I've always loved the fact that they only have "store brands" and not national brands, so the food is priced at "use value," because they don't have to advertise. My only question is: if the food is this cheap -- who else is getting screwed?

Also, they don't have anything organic at the Aldi -- but they do at the Trader Joe's. At any rate, when you can't afford to buy organic food at the co-op -- which IS very expensive -- does anyone have the dirt on Aldi/Joe? If they're OK, then they are a decent alternative.

for places to patronize--but on the negative side are there any links to a list of corporations that we should avoid? It is always hard to keep track of who gives to RW causes (I know Walmart---but can't think of the others).

I am also interested in avoiding corporations that deal with Israel or support the settlers (I have heard Caterpiler is good to avoid--but I don't buy there stuff anyhow). If anyone has a list I would appreciate it.

it's almost easier to list who isn't one. Still a master list to post on the frig would be excellent. I'd also keep one in my wallet for quick reference.

I'll try to find one for you.

Some right off the top of my head...

Home Depot
Wal-Mart
Curves
Domino's
Cracker Barrel

Now it's on boycott status too. Thanks for the info! :kick:

when I found out about them, I felt sick. I completely re-painted almost our entire house wiht Behr paint last year before I got heavily involved in the Dean campaign.

Plus I'd bought lots of garden stuff-- stones and pebbles.

Go to Lowe's or your local True Value or Ace Hardware for a big expedition, your local garden center for plants, and Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore for paint.

Add JCPenney and Sears as well. As I think of them, I'll post more.

FSC

Will keep adding as they are mentioned. :kick:

Pfizer Pharmaceuticals-for drug proces in US
Eli Lilly-same
Exxon Mobil-for never paying the bill for the Exxon Valdez and general price gouging
In general-most TV media ho "news" programs
NPR-gone RW bigtime
Monsanto-forcing bio-engineered seed on farmers and bio-engineered foods on consumers
Union Carbide-Bophal, India disaster they have never paid for
Pick a tobacco company-esp. those who sell brand name foods
GAP, Old Navy, Banana Republic-sweatshop clothes
Diebold and friends-election theft
The list is huge.
Just about any corp or industry with a major lobbying effort. (insurance, baanking, credit card)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=830679

Add Dell, Fidelity, & MBNA

I'm not sure what Outback is doing-- I'm assuming they donate to Repubs.

I work for invests our retirement in fidelity mutual funds!

We were looking at some of the "green" environmentally responsible investment companies until my workplace changed 401 providers. Pick up a copy of Utne; there are at least 2 or 3.

We just switched to Mass Mutual at work. Anyone know anything about these guys?

FSC

If this movement really got organized it could be much more effective than even taking up arms. With liberal activists teaming up with the rest of the world, they wouldn't have a chance.

than our paychecks. They may be able to insert their puppets into our government, but last I heard you don't end up in Guantanamo for refusal to buy from the corporate scum.

Why pay corps that donate to the RNC money to deliver RNC propoganda (AKA "news") to your home?

this month they feature their annual New Establishment. Most of them list their candidate for this election. Sample:

Kerry: Sumner Redstone(VIACOM), Steve Jobs(Apple), Warren Buffett, Tom Freston(co-prez VIACOM), Jeff Bewkes (Ent & Network Grp-Time Warner), Don Logan (Media & Communications Time-Warner), Peter Chernin (prez & CEO News Corp.), Chris Albrecht (HBO)

Bush: Meg Whitman(eBay),Richard Parsons (Time-Warner), Carleton Fiorina(Hewlett-Packard), Bill Gates & Steve Ballmer, Craig Barrett (Intel), Terry Semell (Yahoo), John Chambers (Cisco)

CEO is a big Kerry supporter, plus he provides good wages for his workers, benefits, the works. They are definitely the antithesis to Wal-Mart

I can't believe I forgot about Costco!

But they do support Planned Parenthood and they let us register voters in their parking lot.

O'riely has tried this a few times on his show and still has yet to make a dent against any of the causes he was after.

Boycotts only work in small special cases, not national or international buisnessess.

if these assholes are going to make oodles of profit with blood or the labor of the unfortunate, they're sure not going to do it with MY f'ing money.

It's called conscience. You do what you can live with, and the rest of us will do the same.

I have been part of it. Speaking personally, when I'd go shopping for cosmetics or hair products I loudly and aggressively demand that the products I buy state that they do not test on animals (in my case I also demand they don't use animal products). If the store could not guarantee this I'd walk out.