I just found The People's Union website. Join the "Economic Blackout" from midnight Feb 27 to midnight Feb 28.

[LaMouffette]

Last edited Mon Feb 10, 2025, 07:40 AM - Edit history (1)

Here is the event that's on their homepage (you have to scroll down):

The 24 hour Economic Blackout
As our first initial act, we turn it off.

For one day we show them who really holds the power



WHEN:

Thursday February 27th from Midnight till Friday The 28th Midnight

(A full 24 hours of the 28th)

12:00 AM to 12:00 AM



WHAT NOT TO DO:

Do not make any purchases

Do not shop online, or in-store

No Amazon, No Walmart, No Best Buy

Nowhere!

Do not spend money on:

Fast Food

Gas

Major Retailers

Do not use Credit or Debit Cards for non essential spending



WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Only buy essentials of absolutely necessary

(Food, Medicine, Emergency Supplies)

If you must spend, ONLY support small, local businesses.



SPREAD THE MESSAGE

Talk about it, post about it, and document your actions that day!



WHY THIS MATTERS!

~ Corporations and banks only care about their bottom line.

~ If we disrupt the economy for just ONE day, it sends a powerful message.

~ If they don't listen (they wont) we make the next blackout longer (We will)

https://jointhepeoplesunion.com/

[Bluethroughu]

1. I'm all in! Will pass along!

[LaMouffette]

4. Thanks for passing it along! I think this has merit and is in the spirit of the Montgomery Bus Boycott that sparked the

civil rights movement.

[Magoo48]

34. I'm in too. Let's make it rolling as well. Perhaps once per week.

[Hotler]

2. Why wait, start now. Here's a tool to go along with this one. More tools the better.

Last edited Mon Feb 10, 2025, 09:55 AM - Edit history (1)

https://democraticunderground.com/10113602

[pazzyanne]

10. I'm already on board with this action!

I started my personal plan for this on the of his inauguration ceremony. The only things I buy are food, pet food, and medical needs.

[Trust_Reality]

15. We can do both. But one specific day will provide focus.

It will be more feasible for more people.

[Hotler]

18. I agree and I mentioned that.

"Here's a tool to go along with this one. More tools the better."

[Vinca]

3. I'm all in.

[c-rational]

5. I'm in.

[BonnieJW]

25. I'm in

And I sent it to 4 more people

[kimbutgar]

6. I had planned 3/15 but will do 2/27-28

[Think. Again.]

12. Both!

[UpInArms]

7. Thank you

Am all in and passing the message

[Quanta]

8. On it!

I'm game for ANYTHING that will slow this train wreck down! Power to the people!!!

[RainCaster]

9. I will be out of the country then

Gladly supporting this, even if I was at home.

[Wild blueberry]

11. All in

Thank you.

[Think. Again.]

13. I'm in!

From The People's Union website:

Who We Are Fighting

The People's Union is not just about resisting corruption, it is about exposing it. For decades, corporations, politicians, and industries have worked together to rig the system against the American people. They have built an economy designed to exploit workers, suppress wages, and keep the majority of us in a constant state of struggle. These are the forces that have stolen our financial freedom, manipulated our government, and kept power in the hands of the wealthy elite.

Mega corporations have driven up prices, underpaid their workers, and outsourced jobs while raking in record profits. Banks and financial institutions have trapped generations in debt, inflating interest rates and making homeownership nearly impossible. Politicians ”both left and right" have accepted corporate bribes, passed laws that serve billionaires, and ignored the needs of the people they claim to represent. The system has been designed to keep us powerless, but that ends now.

The People's Union will name these corporations, industries, and politicians. We will expose their corruption and ensure the American people know exactly who has been working against them. If you have information about corporate abuse, political corruption, or government overreach, submit it here. This movement belongs to the people, and together, we will bring the truth to light.

Get Involved! Join The People's Union

We are stronger together. The People's Union is a movement built by the people, for the people, and we need every voice in this fight. If you believe in taking back power, breaking free from economic control, and building a future where the people ”not corporations” decide the direction of this country, then join us today.

-snip-

More at: https://jointhepeoplesunion.com/

[Joinfortmill]

14. I'm in.

[Bengus81]

16. I'm in for the next FOUR YEARS if that's what it takes

Buy NOTHING you don't need to survive. I've wanted to upgrade to a large 4K TV for awhile and thought I was going to pull the trigger after we filed taxes.

Not now....I can live with 1080.

[LoisB]

17. I'm in.

[YodaMom2]

19. Think it would put an exclamation point on the blackout

to also avoid social media for 24 hours? No Facebook, no Tik Tok, no Xhitter, no Instagram, etc. The incels-with-money Tech Bros who own/run these sites are propping up the Orange Menace, so a message should be sent to them, too. But for that to have an impact, it would probably take a worldwide boycott.

[Scrivener7]

38. Well, certainly no Facebook and Twitter. Those should be on permanent blackout.

One is owned by a Nazi (and really, WHY do we need to say more on the subject of why NO ONE should be using Twitter. It's OWNED BY A NAZI!) and the other is owned by a Nazi enabler.

[hermetic]

20. Got an email from Indivisible

this morning calling for an Economic Blackout on the 28th. Says we will start with one day then move up to 3 day strikes.

[C0RI0LANUS]

21. Freeze the economy. Oh, income taxes are due when? Let the 49.8% that voted for Trumpf file their taxes.

Why would I subsidize my oppressors who won't give my family universal health care (unless we're incarcerated) while they are trying to cut our social security and Medicare?



“Put it down as assisted suicide…he talked back to a California cop…” by Bill Schorr, 1986, for the Kansas City Star. From the International Museum of Cartoon Art Collection.




“Hmm…looks like another outbreak of mad cop disease…” by Bill Schorr, 1996, for the Kansas City Star. From the Rob Rogers Collection.

[V850i]

22. 1st day of our vacation, can we move this out a couple weeks?

I really like this idea and will do the best we can while on vacation.

[radical noodle]

23. I've been seeing that it's February 28th.

and am planning to do it then. I'll just do both.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

67. OP should change title of post. It says the 28th in the text.

Much clearer to have that in the title!

[radical noodle]

70. Well, yeah. That makes a difference

Thanks!

[LaMouffette]

75. My apologies! And thanks for catching that mistake on my part!!! I have updated the title of the post.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

88. Oh good! Thanks.

I'd still prefer for it to be even clearer that the action is on the 28th. Since 23hours and 59minutes of the action are on the 28th, I'd leave the 27th out of the title, then clarify with what you wrote in the body of the post.

Your way is good for people who are willing to read more, but nowadays it seems a lot of people are impatient readers and go with what they see first!

Anyway, that's just how my mind overanalyzes things. I appreciate your post and your willingness to update it to clarify as you have already done!

[orleans]

71. it IS feb. 28. op is 1 day early.

it begins at 12:01 am on feb 28
(just after midnight on the 27th)
and runs to midnight (the end of day on feb 28)

[Timeflyer]

24. I'm in, and spreading the word.

[SheltieLover]

26. I'm in!

Ty!

[homegirl]

27. Just forwarded

to 50 plus recipients. Will send reminders three days and day before!!!

[JohnSJ]

28. I am doing it for more than one day except for essentials, and those

merchants against what trump is doing.

[Scrivener7]

36. Me too. This is a no-buy year except food and fuel for me.

I had to buy a set of weights to work on a medical condition this week and I felt a little bad. It was my first breach of my resolution, but I'm considering it a necessity.

[JohnSJ]

37. That is an essential. Keeping yourself healthy.

[BBbats]

29. Count Me In!

[thinkingagain]

30. I have seen so many different dates on this

I can’t recall all of them

But one I saw this morning was
Presidents day

I liked that it had the double point
Don’t spend on the day that normally we would think of our country’s president.
Also I just thought this usually tons of sales etc on that day
Even a bigger impact

And it was easy to remember.

I also recommended a peaceful rally at your local memorial park ( most even
Small towns have one of those)
If your group is to big for your park
Line up down the block
Don’t block traffic etc peaceful all around
Kinda like a funeral in symbolism of democracy dying
Could also all wear blue

[LaMouffette]

76. I am SO sorry! The one I posted about will be from midnight February 27 to midnight February 28.

[thinkingagain]

79. Not your fault if others have

The same Idea but different dates
I’ve seen the one from midnight February 27 to midnight February 28.
The Presidents’ Day on ( Feb 17) that is also a peaceful protest all of the suggested places I can’t recall without looking
The others I’ve seen I think are
a Feb 15th
March 15
Don’t recall the rest

Memory is part of my problem
Bouncing between a couple different forums is also my problem
Coordination would be good between all of those who start a movement

But all in all I suppose multiple
No spend get out and rally/ protest can work also

I’ve never been in a situation like this fighting for something like this
Others that have may have an input
( civil rights movement for example )

[LaMouffette]

84. There is a lot to keep on top of these days, that is for sure, what with protesting Rump/Musk and opposing and

supporting urgent state legislation.

[Beck23]

31. I investigated orgs with this name

I found there is a Russian party with this name. There is only one way to interrupt all these services, - massive hacking. That is illegal.

[Scrivener7]

32. What does that even mean? Interrupt what services? The OP is calling for a no buy day.

It has nothing to do with interrupting services. It has nothing to do with hacking.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

63. There's also a Republican Party in Russia....

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Republican_Party_of_Russia

Funny how common names get around in the world......

[FakeNoose]

33. This should be our regular all-the-time thing: "If you must spend, ONLY support small, local businesses."

[durablend]

61. So give the *local* MAGA's money then?

Because that's what's here.

[allegorical oracle]

35. Sounds like my daily life. Easy peasy. nt

[eggplant]

39. Economically, this accomplishes nothing.

Just as "don't buy gas on day X" doesn't work, since, in the end, you need the same amount of gas whether you buying on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, this revolt is essentially the same.

The exception here is the encouragement of supporting small, local businesses, which should be done daily anyway. A one-day spike in sales can't be counted on for affecting anyone's bottom line.

[Trust_Reality]

69. No big deal overall economically. It is a message about solidarity and potential future action.

[SunSeeker]

40. I heard it was February 28th. I'll do both!

[RhapsodyFav]

41. Should be at least a week.

I don't believe one day will get the message across. Should be longer and only buy from those companies that are defying Rumps policies.

[Bengus81]

42. I'm surprised they're not on Blue Sky. Not allowed because they have a website?

Or their just not?

[TBF]

47. I think he's just getting started w/this --

https://bsky.app/profile/theonecalledjai.bsky.social

I'll see if I can get some interest for him - my following is not like AOC's (!) - but I do have over 10K now.

[Bengus81]

48. Yeah...so that's him with his blue sky user name but only 210 followers

What I was wondering is it against the blue sky TOS for him to have a link to his website?

[TBF]

51. I don't think so - I put the website link up on my page w/no difficulty & pinned it

I don't normally keep things pinned for more than a day at most - I like to change it up quickly. But hopefully it might get him some exposure. I put the website right at the top of the post on my page so it's easy for folks to click on. I have a few big accounts following me, maybe someone else will see it and boost further.

[wordstroken]

43. On my calendar!!

[ProudMNDemocrat]

44. I am traveling to Hawaii that day for close to 2 weeks.

I must eat, etc.

May I be excused?

[Bengus81]

50. Well you lucky dog! Kalama beach park in Kailua. You won't be disappointed........

[snot]

45. This looks good. That said, I'd like more info.

The "union"'s website includes a bio of the founder and a mission I like but that is only vaguely stated. Are there any officers or employees besides the founder? Is there a Board of Directors or other advisors? How has the organization been funded so far?

I do believe that work strikes and the like are probably one of the more effective strategies left to us; but don't we need more specific goals? Are there any specific demands associated with the proposed "blackout," or are its goals even vaguer than those of the 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement?

E.g., w.r.t. Wall St. regulation, I'd propose we should push to outlaw or much more severely restrict and police:

Leveraged Buy-Outs or LBO’s
Speculative credit derivatives (CDO’s, CLO’s, et al.) (i.e., derivatives purchased not to hedge against a substantive risk intrinsic to the purchaser's business but merely as speculative bets on someone else's business. Dodd-Frank tried to help here but I'm not sure how far it got.)
Depositary and speculative investment banking in the same institution (i.e., we need to restore Glass-Steagall for real).
High frequency trading
Stock buybacks
Executive compensation in the form of options exercisable within less than ten years
Manipulation of paper markets for metals and other commodities
The power of the Fed to buy securities of unsound companies
The various devices used by the Fed to indirectly set negative real interest rates
The elimination of the broker "fiduciary" rule
Revolving door between Wall St. and its regulators
And of course the self-dealing by Congress in securities of the companies they have inside knowledge of

--among other things.

Similar programmes of specific reforms in other areas (e.g., our health care system!) need to be formulated.

I realize the site calls for union members to choose agendas, but the procedures for that along with almost everything else seem vague.

I also wonder about coordinating efforts with other organizations with similar goals, such as Represent.Us.

[LaMouffette]

77. Thanks for raising these issues. I literally found out about this organization and the Economic Blackout Day yesterday.

I haven't done any research into the group's goals yet, but I wanted to get the message out about the Economic Blackout.

I am seeing so many groups forming around the goal of resisting Mango Mussolini that I do fear we are going to be too splintered in our protests. Hopefully, a leader or two will emerge around whom we can all coalesce. I wish we could have challenged the voter suppression that was going on before Rump got sworn in, but it was so vast, how could we fight millions of individual instances of people's ballots being rejected?

Anyway, you are right to question and examine further all sources of information and organizations.

[snot]

91. Thanks, LaMouffette...

I would just add this warning via Studs Terkel:

"There’s always a tendency to look for the most charismatic person, because that, in a way, solves your leadership problem – but only in the short term…. You can’t counter institutional power with good intentions, or charisma alone…. You have to build your own institutional power."

– Mike Gecan, recorded by Studs Terkel, Hope Dies Last: keeping the Faith in Troubled Times, p. 238 (The New Press, 2003).

[birdographer]

46. I truly believe this will help

And if the 2/27 one gets any attention, then the next one will be even bigger as people who didn’t know about this one show up for that one. I am 100% in on this and will tell the one non-trumper that I know.

[a kennedy]

49. My entry.......your's is so much better...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220010385

[pandr32]

52. We're in.

This is something that could work.

[doc03]

53. I am in. nt

[Ritabert]

54. I'm already in.

[dickthegrouch]

55. How about we all withdraw $1000 from our banks that day?

Or some significant percentage of the accounts?

(It could be returned the next day if needed to pay automatic bills, or kept as emergency funds for a rainy day).

[dickthegrouch]

90. Not even a single rec for this???

It would be a very significant action for the banks to have long lines of people requesting cash.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

56. So, your title seems misleading. The 28th

is actually the date of the action, right?

[orleans]

72. i'm just gonna say yes. even tho i didn't write it. nt

[LT Barclay]

57. I'll participate, but targeting one company at a time for a month would be far more effective.

[liberalla]

58. I will do this! Gladly!

... and will share with friends. Thank you!

Kick & Rec!

[Jit423]

59. At first I thought you said "an electronic blackout."

This one will be easy for me.

[SammyWinstonJack]

60. I'll join in.

[momta]

62. Oh, yes!

Spread this far and wide!

[raising2moredems]

64. Not only am I in...

It is payday for me. I'll keep what's mine thank-you.

[Trust_Reality]

74. This might help initiate thrifty habits.

[barbtries]

65. Thank you.

put it on my calendar.

[bagimin]

66. we have little to lose

at this point....we're in.

[wolfie001]

68. I cut back right after the orange fat fraud liar was sworn in

Only buying essentials in the foreseeable future. Nothing extra. I'll make delicious meals for me and my family. Some birthday and holiday gifts. That's it.

[Trust_Reality]

73. A few suggestions

No gasoline, no Walmart, nothing on Facebook, nothing at big chains like Hobby Lobby. Nothing at Chick Fil A.
Koch Industries products like Georgia-Pacific (Angel Soft, Quilted Northern, Blue Ribbon, Clutter Cutter, DensArmor Plus, DensDeck, DensGlass, DensShield, DryPly, FireGuard, GP Lam, Hushboard, Nautilus, Ply-Bead, Plytanium, Southern Gold, Sta-Strait, Thermostat, ToughRock, Wood I Beam, and XJ 85 building and remodeling brands; Sparkle, Brawny, Vanity Fair, Dixie, Insulair, PerfecTouch, Ultra, Advantage, Image Plus, Spectrum .) They also have tons of oil related products.

Nothing from Home Depot, Target, Whole Foods, Staples, Amazon...

[DFW]

78. Not really an issue with me

Living in Germany, and by general principle shopping in small local businesses when possible, this is nothing unusual for us.

[Pamyla]

80. 2/28 Blackout

I think the 2/28 blackout should be posted on many other Democratic groups pages. We need many more than 79 people to make an impact. I’m in and will post on grouos I belong to.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

86. Welcome to DU

[Mr.Bee]

81. That was my New Years Resolution

every day.

[GreenWave]

82. The power of united consumers is not to be denied!

[littlemissmartypants]

83. Great! Would you consider cross posting this to...

Activist Headquarters?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1011

I might be able to find it easier later after it drops off of the front page and down off of the General Discussion page cue.

Unless, you are going to keep the post kicked every few hours so it stays at the top.

Thanks!



❤️

[Dem4life1234]

85. I'm down!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

87. Please consider participating

[Happy Hoosier]

89. Sadly, I'll be on a business trip

It’s a project I’m running, and will be on the road that entire week.

[SLT]

92. Economic Blackout

Definitely in!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

93. Welcome to DU

[LetMyPeopleVote]

94. My family will be participating