Will you spend a dime tomorrow?

[cally]

Poll question: Will you spend a dime tomorrow?

or support the boycott. I will not spend a penny tomorrow.

[redqueen]

1. Not just no...

HELL no.

[MercutioATC]

2. Since we'll all need stuff eventually, I don't think it will really matter

but I'm all set to not spend a dime tomorrow.

[trotsky]

3. How about another option:

It's an absolutely pointless "boycott." It will have no effect whatsoever on anything at all.

[cally]

5. I think that's covered by the "whatever" option..nt

[trotsky]

9. I disagree.

"Whatever" sounds like it's being dismissed without considering it.

By having a one-day boycott, you're not going to hurt a single retailer. Even *IF* you could get a large number of people to participate, nearly all of them will simply buy what they would have bought anyway, either in the days before or after the boycott day.

No retailer is going to feel any effects from this "boycott." They'll still have the same amount of sales.

[Left Is Write]

19. I agree with you.

I probably won't spend a dime tomorrow anyway, as I have no plans to leave the house, but I really don't see the point in the boycott itself.

[CarpeVeritas]

6. that gets my vote.

same goes for wearing orange.

[Spider Jerusalem]

4. Not a very effective boycott..

unless it's long-term. You want to be effective? Make a real statement? Cause people to take notice? Get to where you have enough of what you need (canned and frozen food, gasoline, et cetera) stockpiled to last for weeks, or months, and don't spend any money for that period. As protests go, this is more symbolic than effective.

[cally]

8. I disagree

If we can show a noticeable bump in sales on that day, corporations will take notice. We can all write our emails, send our letters to the editor, but if we show some economic power then they will notice. I think the buyblue campaign is working some. It's becoming noticeable. That's all we need.

[Spider Jerusalem]

10. A one-day hit in sales averages out over a month to nothing.

Especially on a weekday like Thursday, when commercial activity is lower anyway. Make it "buy nothing the WEEKEND of the inauguration" and then it might get noticed. As it it, it's not going to have any effect at all, sorry.

[cally]

12. Do you really believe that

some analysts won't look at sales figures for this day to see if it made an impact. I know they will. I know how concerned investors were when the first socially conscious funds started. They analyzed them constantly. I'm in this field, they will look at the one day sales.

[Squatch]

18. Is this just a DU boycott? How many people

in your estimate, are going to participate in this boycott?

[cally]

22. It's not just DU

I'm getting many emails on this. I have no idea how many will participate. I know I'm not spending a dime tomorrow.

[Squatch]

23. Take a guess.

How many?

[cally]

28. One to two percent drop in spending

outside the margin of error. That's enough to make a difference.

[Squatch]

29. No...take a guess at the number of people.

100,000?
50,000?

[cally]

30. No...I'm have no knowledge to base a guess on

If you have some knowledge, then make a guess.

[Squatch]

31. LOL...

You say:

"I'm have no knowledge to base a guess on"

But...just a second ago, you had enough knowledge to make this guess, and qualified it with some unspecified margin of error:

"One to two percent drop in spending outside the margin of error. That's enough to make a difference."


Here's what I think. You're getting "a lot of e-mails" and some indication of solidarity from this board. I bet that in the end, you will have mustered much less than 1000 people. But, just for argument's sake, let's say you were wildly successful at mustering support and manage to wrangle 100,000 people on your side. All 100,000 of those people don't spend a dime on anything tomorrow (nevermind that they will still have to replace the eggs and bacon they consume tomorrow).

100,000 people out of 250,000,000...well, that's 0.04% of the entire population of the US. So, if the analysts don't write off that 0.04% as an error or a peculiarity with that particular day, they'll happily smile when all those 100,000 people go out the next day to catch up on the spending they "boycotted" the day before and see a 0.04% increase in their income.

But, whatever makes you feel good, I s'pose.

[cally]

34. So what's your guess?

You're the expert. Tell me about economic boycotts. Tell me about emails and support. Give some evidence. I posted in support of a boycott. I never indicated that I could predict the outcome. You asked for a guess. I gave you one. A GUESS. A GUESS..not a prediction. Do you know the difference. I DO. After your second question????, I realized you were trying to set me up. No thanks.

LOL...I'm just not that stupid to be set up a second time. If you are so expert, then you give your predictions or your guess. BTW, if it's a guess, then you need to prove it because I'm planning to interpret guesses the same way you do.

Look up the definition of a guess.

[trotsky]

39. Successful boycotts are long-term.

And they require lots of concerted effort on behalf of MANY people. Many more than you could ever rustle up on DU or any Internet message board.

Look at the Southern Baptists. They've got a few million people in their ranks, I would guess. How much has their boycott of Disney hurt?

And you think analysts looking at a "one-day drop" in sales, who would KNOW that that drop was made up for when people go shopping the next day, are going to care?

[stlchic]

44. Just ask Bill O'Reilly about sucessful boycotts....

http://mediamatters.org/items/200407160002

;)

[StopTheMorans]

7. yes, i don't think that short-term boycotts do anything other than to

shift a person's spending from one day to another. maybe if it were a strategic boycotting of a certain company who supported *, or a more comprehensive strategy, i'd buy in, but this seems like a waste of effort that won't ultimately accomplish anything to me :shrug:

[stlchic]

14. It will be as sucessful as the proposed "gas out" in May 2004

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/nogas.asp

And a specific article on the "not one damn dime" thing:


http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/not1dime.asp

[arwalden]

20. You're Right... It's An Empty Gesture That Accomplishes Nothing.

Retailers are less concerned with the day-to-day hour-by-hour tallies as they are with the weekly and monthly and quarterly sales figures.

-- Allen

P.S. By the way, my personal boycott of all Unilever products (for firing Whoopi, remember) still hasn't bankrupted the company.

[Garage Queen]

11. I will not be curbing my spending habits tomorrow.

I WILL, however, be wearing a white ribbon.

[Deja Q]

13. I might have to get groceries (I'm not dying for the fracker), but I WILL

wear black.

[Left Is Write]

21. That I can do.

Black slacks, black sweater, black boots.

Maybe I *should* leave the house tomorrow so people can "see" how I feel.

[tnlefty]

15. No spending tomorrow, and I'm committed to buying blue and

not supporting bush** supporting businesses whether the businesses are in my community or national. Tomorrow my kids will probably be home from school, too.

I subscribe to the Hightower Lowdown, a newsletter by Jim Hightower, and the latest had a handy list of bush** supporters and product names that they produce that can be easily kept in one's purse or pocket. It won't be just tomorrow for me.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

36. A much more effective method

Buy Blue

Even more effective -- contact those companies that AREN'T supporting the Bush Administration and tell them that they're getting all your business now. Be sure they know that we support them.

Don't bother contacting those businesses that support Bush. They're assholes and won't care what you think.

[Bertha Venation]

16. No. I don't have a dime. eom

[EC]

17. I haven't spent any money since the beginning of the month

to get gas...everything else...I keep a running list and if I still need it at the end of the month I buy it...saving allot of money that way...it's amazing how many things you find you don't need if you just wait long enough...

[Gemini Cat]

24. Not one dime.

I won't spend any money tomorrow. I'm not sure much good this will do, but it will make me feel better.

[Butterflies]

25. I will not spend ANY money tomorrow

I'm buying the milk and gas on the way home from work tonight to prepare.

[ClassicDem]

26. I have customers who depend on me

So I will most likely end up spending money tomorrow. I will not let some President interfere with me offering the highest level of service to my customers.

[JohnKleeb]

27. Umm I have to

to get a ticket to ride the subway and to buy an counterinagural ball ticket.

[KurtNYC]

32. Can I spend the blessed ones and not the damned dimes?

[TXlib]

33. I'll spend money, but I won't flush the toilet at work after #2

I'm about the only Dem there, so mine will be a more effectual protest!

[NewJeffCT]

35. I'll try, but it's hard to resist coffee

I'd have to wake up 10 minutes early to brew a pot for myself.

[noonwitch]

37. I don't really boycott anything, except Domino's Pizza

For so many reasons-1. Their pizza sucks, 2. The owner's support of "pro life" and other catholic causes that I don't care to support and most of all (a reason even Michigan freepers can get behind) 3. Tom Monaghan (the owner) fired long-time Tiger's broadcaster Ernie Harwell for being old, an unforgiveable sin.

[mvd]

38. Nope, I'm participating in the boycott

No reason I can't do my grocery shopping today.

[stlchic]

42. I think that's the reason why I don't see the point...

How do you know if people aren't spending tomorrow because they're boycotting, or because they shifted their schedule, or they're just lazy and are procrastinating their trip to the store? Will all the lazy people who have nothing to do with the boycott be excluded from any estimates as to how many people participated?

I won't be spending money tomorrow, but it won't be because I'm boycotting anything - there simply is nothing that I need to buy tomorrow.

Besides, from what I understand, this is a protest against *, his administration, and his policies. Seems to me the retail business of some unrelated shopkeeper, who may disagree with * just as much as anyone at DU, is a bit off target.

:shrug:

[mvd]

45. Well, it's to protest Bush's extravagance

For one day, there won't be that much damage. It's not a big holiday shopping day or anything.

[myrna minx]

40. I will not spend any of my money, nor will I spend any

of my company's money. Not one check issued out of my company will have the 1/20/05 date printed on it.

[Beaverhausen]

41. I will only spend at local mom and pop stores

and blue stores. it's hard not to. I always go out on thursday night but it's a local place - not a chain.

[Endangered Specie]

43. So we can still spend $.09?

;)

[trof]

46. nope

[Carson]

47. Whatever isn't bought tomorrow, will be made up for on the next day.

It's not an effective boycott, except to say, "I'm participating in something I believe in." Simply a morale booster, I guess.

[guitar man]

48. Not one dime!

Not even a penny. I gassed the car today and made sure I have my coffee and Bushmill's for breakfast on hand.

[Champ]

49. I will

I need it to catch the bus to my work.

[El Fuego]

50. It will mostly hit the service industry. (nt)

[B Calm]

51. I usually buy a can of pop at work, but tomorrow I'll drink water..

[peacefreak]

52. A qualified NO

I have a friend who runs a cafe. She is a proud member of MoveOn & very supportive of Blue causes. I don't want to see her be financially hurt.

[mvd]

54. I completely understand

I'd feel the same way in your situation.

But for other things, even if my beloved U2 was coming out with a new CD on Inauguration Day, I would wait until the next day.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

53. I'll join the Not-a-Dimers tomorrow, but

my hope is that all Dems will take a closer look at their buying/investing habits and start chipping away at the expenditures that benefit rethugs and other environmentally/socially unscrupulous business owners.

Check out this website and pass it along to your friends: http://www.responsibleshopper.org/

[funkybutt]

55. I'll be spending the day at the Jazz Funeral for Democracy

The vendors there will be supportive of the protest but unfortunately most people taking part in THIS protest won't be able to starve all day. I think those who will be attending a physical protest should be excused from the Not One Damn Dime protest. I'll spend as little as I can though but the Alternative Inaugural Ball will be hosted by an establishment very supportive of this protest so I will probably spend a minimal amount there.

[InvisibleTouch]

56. It IS largely symbolic, but...

... it's a good symbolism, and it can lead to bigger things. Those who have said "necessities that aren't bought tomorrow, will simply be bought the day before or the day after," are absolutely correct - I did it today myself, went out and got everything I needed, so I wouldn't be spending that money tomorrow. But it's the same money, of course, and it would have gone into the same pockets. So in that sense, yeah, it's symbolic more so than practical.

However. Symbolism is a powerful force, and I would never, ever discount its importance. It's all about inspiration and solidarity. A one-day boycott that lots of people participate in, helps us realize that we can make the choice about what to buy and when to spend. That way we start exercising conscious control over our spending habits, and that's the first step toward cutting out the non-essentials, and becoming dedicated to buying blue. Forgive the cliche', but the longest journey starts with a single step. If we can make small changes for just one day, we can make bigger changes too. It's like quitting smoking for just one day; if you can quit for one day, maybe, just maybe, you can quit for a lifetime.

Tomorrow, while I'm not going to the stores or filling up my gas tank or making my usual daily dash to the post office, I'm going to be looking for ways to cut down even further on monthly expenses. Have got a couple of ideas posted in the Economic Activism forum, and would love to hear additional ones. That way, a single days' boycott can have a long-lasting positive effect. It's the first step.

[kiraboo]

57. My car crapped out

and I have to get around by Friday morning. I'm so irritated by the timing... I had planned to stay at home tomorrow and spend nothing. What can I do? Sigh.