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Sylvia Arrowood's avatar

I just do not get the amount of complacency that is going on with Americans. Until it bites them in the butt they just want to ignore everything.

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Black Raven's avatar

I agree. Comfort over being bothered. This is why other countries call us spoiled and lazy.

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JMull's avatar

We are so addicted to our consumer lifestyle that people can barely give up even Facebook or Amazon. I fear many will need to see rock bottom before they understand the risks of having done nothing.

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Black Raven's avatar

So true. We need several strikes. Like 90 days without buying from these huge chain monopoly stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc. And do several of these strikes within the year. We then might see change. And not to mention but continue to protest! Only buy the essentials from other stores. But people aren't willing to getting out of their comfort zone. Until it really starts affecting them negatively. By then it may be too late.

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Susan Raquel's avatar

I have read that purchases are down in the big stores, not because of protest so much as people are concerned about the economy so are trying to hold onto their money in preparation for the hard times.

Rural areas, such as mine, don't always have a lot of choices. Example: We have or had two big box pet stores and three big feed stores. I would go to the one privately owned pet store that in all truth was inconvenient to go to as it added several miles to my trip. As I no longer had my big dogs I didn't go to that smaller store anymore. After I got my Great Pyrenees I went back to find that it had closed during Covid.

At that time they were the only pet store that had permission to sell Canidae Dog Food. Later on one of the feed stores carried it; but, more often than not was out of it. There were only 1 or 2 places that sold the parrot food that I needed and they quit carrying the 20lb bags. Well, bottom line, I had to have the best food for my critters and Amazon carried both. Because of the price, neither feed is cheap, I didn't have to pay shipping and didn't have to worry about getting it.

We only had one craft store and it is now closed.

We have two thrift stores now, Goodwill and a privately owned one. I don't go to Goodwill very often anymore; but, a few weeks ago I went and noticed that they had reduced the prices on a lot of the clothes. I donate clothes to the privately owned one and found their prices to be reasonable.

The Discovery Shop closed during Covid and I really miss it.

We do have a Lowe's and Home Depot and one small store. I have only been in it a couple of times; but, it did survive Covid which is good.

I would guess that some smaller rural communities don't even have as much of a choice as I have.

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James G. Hermsen's avatar

I have already begun. No longer go to Target, Walmart, and never from Amazon. Even learning to do without, or like the Americans in WW II, figuring out another way to get by with what you already have, being innovative and imaginative.

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Pat Robinson's avatar

I don't think 90 day strikes are what is needed, I think total boycotting for ever is all that will work (including CBS). I have to shop at Walmart. I am in a rural area and it is the only department/grocery store in the small town. The next town with other options is 70 miles miles away so I have the time and cost of gas/carbon footprint to consider. But I have stopped buying anything from Amazon, and that is difficult as, again being in a rural area if I need something Walmart does not carry it can be hard and a lot more expensive to find it.

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Susan Raquel's avatar

Many small businesses sell on Amazon and the other online businesses and they are referenced. I have found that some of these businesses have websites and have gone directly to them to purchase things not available locally. The biggest difference in price seems to be the shipping costs.

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Pat Robinson's avatar

That is really good to point out. I don't know if they do it for all small businesses, but I know Amazon does make a note that a seller was a small business, although I never knew how small small was. And whenever I could I'd buy from them on Amazon. You comment about buying directly from their site is good advice.

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Black Raven's avatar

They are a monopoly. More local business people should open stores for the consumer to have more options.

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MM Harris's avatar

Amazon is the reason so many small businesses have had to close, and now the tariff situation is adding to that.

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Pat Robinson's avatar

Sadly I think it's just too expensive for local folks to open stores and actually even the big chains have a problem staying in business. I know in my small town it did not take long for the super Walmart to put the two other grocery stores out of business. And I live in a relatively poor area (our poverty rate is around 23%) so folks have to shop at the cheapest store there is.....it's tough all the way around but that's what the maga folks want.

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Kathy Tankersley's avatar

I agree. Americans are not willing to confront reality right now, “it’s not so bad “. So they are going to pay the elevated prices and somehow not put the blame on those inflationary prices where it belongs. Right wing media (propaganda media) offers drug-like distraction and feeds the pablum to the intellectually challenged so that the rubes don’t question the truth when they can no longer afford basic necessities.

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Ian Patton's avatar

You're right on target when you talk about complacency. The one good thing Trump has done for Canada is to shock us out of ours, and it feels damn good to be rid of it.

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James G. Hermsen's avatar

America will regret the loss of Canadian input into our economy, but I am proud that Canada has the guts to stand up to Trump. As so many Americans still feel that Trump's evil actions only affect that other guy and not them. I only pray that one day things will somewhat return to what they were, but not at the expense of Canadian (and all our allies) independence and willingness to speak up, act up, and keep Americans and future presidents in line with normal human decency and ethics.

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MM Harris's avatar

I'm guessing that far too many of us live in areas where ICE activities are not happening right in their faces yet. And if those folks don't really follow the news and are only experiencing the increase in all kinds of prices, they are living in a dangerous bubble. But that will change soon, because DHS was granted enormous amounts of $$$$$ to increase the number of ICE, etc, and also detention centers, which will be springing up all over the country. Why, you ask? Because regulations will be coming regarding what we can say and do. ANY sort of disagreement against the regime or specific people working for it will not be tolerated. Arrests and prison will be the result, without due process. I'm betting that it may soon begin with protests, where planted agitators will stir up a commotion that DHS will say require arrests. Next step, public rallies, protests and other gatherings will not be allowed. DHS and the DOD are already making plans to have US military JOIN "Homeland Security" action, via boots on the ground. What recently happened in LA a la this concept will occur again only it will no longer be as "benign". Can you imagine?? In his first term trump WANTED our military to shoot protestors. When they denied him, he asked, "Can't we just shoot them in the legs?" You can see where this is going. We need to help people who are not following politics (some simply and truly do not have the time) understand SOON what is going on. . https://ca.news.yahoo.com/us-rep-randy-fine-floated-213500160.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAD5Hp7EvWWKWj25ZWYn4jmQnVrDz6mrIVdB5q_HDfVOihu5g721M3ekrfQUxvrl0L0nH5EKHZF_Wsb-zUmXoB2UnCJPGwoe_9FfViDKglefhOLpXVlA0nbiyV49bSGDKyGbaffsQElw6lARcM8UFxLuWwjDbcUEPYOYiOpgt1lB-

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Lori P's avatar

I believe it is the way people get news, or don’t. If you watch one show leaning one way, that is all you will ever see again. Also, the protests are decentralized, which are making those hard to find( at least in Dallas). And if you are not a news person, nothing gets through.

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Beverly Gunson's avatar

I searched out several reputable Ytube sources several years ago. Not talking heads, but, professionals who believe in our constitution and law; democratic republic. Not solely political party but common sense for all.

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Michelle Robinson's avatar

Oh my god, I complain about that all the time ❤️🥰

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Protect the Vote's avatar

Cheeto Gaslights America

The Orange Cheeto just fired on Friday the Bureau of Labor Statistics and will undoubtedly put in a lackey to affect the unemployment numbers There are many other statistic laden government agencies that will have their “trusted stats” altered to please Der Fuhrer This is going to have to happen with all kinds of information once released by the Federal government because under the current Nazi regime no information will be trustworthy

As Cheeto said in his first campaign in 2016 “Don’t believe what you hear or see or read, believe me” Gaslighting is my gig!! Cheeto is all about having reality bend his way

Cheeto has never been about facts because that counters his lying So get rid of any good information....witness JFK Jr doing this with medical information No climate change, no housing problem, no inflation, nothing to see here because there's no information so you can deny anything

if you want independent companies that will give you the true inflation numbers Chapwood Index and/or Shadowstats These companies have been around a long time and good sources of information

Welcome to an authoritarian state

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Dawn's avatar

Do not plan investments based on TACO and his administration LIES! Safeguard your 401K as much as possible. No stock investments!

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Michelle Robinson's avatar

They are going to let private equity firms in charge of your 401 k. These firms are good at taking money but not making money for you😳

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Craig Mullenmeister's avatar

We all work for money to pay the bills , feed our loved ones, and to live. We make America Great. Not the billionaires, who enrich their own lives and take from the government the money they should pay in taxes. We need to take back what is ours, the country they have stolen from us.

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Teri Gelini's avatar

Perfectly said!!

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Keith Olson's avatar

Let’s make Labor Day a day billionaires will never forget. Join a union against fascism.

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DesertStormVetNMCB24/74's avatar

Union Steelworker here. We need a National Boycott for 1 week.

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Christine Ford's avatar

This is what we need.

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Mandy Gaboda's avatar

Let's make a plan. I'm in

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Dave Donaldson's avatar

In a country where 23 million+ workers cannot unionize, that should be the message. I guarantee all the victims of the white collar massacre around AI would love to unionize and would do a world of good in the fight against the robber barrons. Why are we not scheduling a nationwide labor strike at this point?? The labor regulations are broken. When a co.pany can just not recognize a union and never form a contract how does that make sense?? How can we only have certain wage earners with the ability to unionize?? How do we have the President wake up one day and say we are not going to recognize government workers unions. If we do not fight back, we will lose even more power. It's time for reform or revolution.....

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Arlene Meaney's avatar

So so so so right. You said it so simply but eloquently.

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Karen Skjonhals's avatar

What will it take to wake the American people up? More and more rights are taken away without a whimper. Is this what the soldiers fought for in World War II? Protest, protest, protest, speak up for your democracy, or live in a state where you could be shot. The ice force wears a mask, no one will know who shot you. There won't be any trials in the future to determine who committed any crimes. WAKE UP!!!!!!

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MargaretPacL's avatar

They're trying to take our right to vote during the midterms. Some Governors are fighting the gerrymandering, but others are not. I'm Latina, and I believe if mail-in ballots are pushed out, we then must vote in person. Trump has already said that ICE will be at voting centers to make sure only Americans are voting. I think that someone like me will be pulled out of the voting line and questioned about being American. Who knows, I may be detained because I'm Mexican American. Some MA have already been arrested, and the ICE agents have said to the person, You have no rights. This is where we're at.

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Rich Reinis's avatar

In August, 2021, reeling from the Pandemic, the economy added 235,000 jobs. The unemployment rate was about 5.2%, as workers were still locked down. In August, 2025, the economy generated 73,000 jobs. Prior months adjustments reduced the job growth numbers drastically. We are watching an Administration apply economic policies that are killing jobs, the most recent being the hapless leader of BLS, fired for doing her job. There will be no more reliance on BLS numbers, as the master of duplicity controls even the data we all rely on to plan our future.

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Marg Wright's avatar

Imagine how different your world would be if Kamala had won? Peace and tranquility and no Gestapo!

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JOHN SMITH's avatar

Workers pay the higher prices because of tariffs. The price for meat and other staples are all because of failed policies of tRUMP administration. Inflation is growing. If everything costs more the people who live week to week suffer. Those who are under water will lose what little they have till they go broke. Trickle down is a farce. The food banks are getting less money to help feed the people they serve, thanks to tRUMP.

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Ilona  Schweiger Swarovski's avatar

Protect our country from Trump Fascism regime and his lies propaganda civil war is poison our children our people across America we don’t believe Trump regime he is the horrible horrific criminal behavior convicted liar 🤥

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Notes from the Apocalypse's avatar

Check out the boycott guide in my substack postings. It is gaining traction, taking money away from these people with every new person we share it with.

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menehune's avatar

ALOHA..GO FO' BROK' . “Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought. Instead of fear, let this moment fuel the fire that already burns at the heart of this place. A fire of righteous indignation at abuses of power.”

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Barb O's avatar

Scrolling through this, I had the thought. There were multiple protests today. That's fine, but. I think the time has most certainly come to target the protests to the "representatives" of the people at their offices, even if they are not there.

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Keith's avatar

💙💙💙

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Margaret Redus's avatar

💙💙💙

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