Don't Shop on Tuesdays
Hello Fellow Political Stone-cutters!
From 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM on Tuesday each week, don't spend any money, unless it is an emergency of course.
As more and more of the year gets swallowed up by the expanding COVID-19 pandemic, it’s becoming increasingly important to shift our gaze, where possible, beyond the day-to-day struggles and horrors facing everyone in America, and begin to plan for new modes of operation during and after COVID-19. In a country with a functioning government, our leaders would have stepped in to stem the riptide of exploding unemployment claims, the growing strain on our healthcare system, and the rapidly evaporating minuscule savings of the majority of Americans and small businesses. The situation is clearly already untenable, with more people joining the destitute everyday. Moments like this, are what governments were designed for: to step in when no other institution has the clout or resources, when many are scared, and as the situation grows more dire, feel the need to look out for themselves first. We put in place these institutions promoting the general welfare, because we know that these are times when we must come together, and help each other, if not in person, then at least in spirit and communal action.
Instead, the Republican party seems more intent on treating this crisis like a publicity issue that can be ignored and spun away, and the Democrats are busy with histrionics, and virtue signaling rather than putting up a real fight for the American people. Meanwhile, trillions of dollars have already been shoved into the hands of the most fortunate, and new reporting suggests that the fraction set aside for small business support has barely begun to be doled out. Trump and his admin are openly firing those in charge of oversight, and spreading misinformation about everything at all times. Amidst this ruinous conflagration, the Democratic party leadership seems to muster more resistance towards progressives fighting for universal health coverage and wage replacements, than against the authoritarians tightening their grip on our failing democracy.
As our government fails us, it's more important than ever to get involved. There are many in this country who seek to use the crisis as yet another opportunity to turn our government further over to the forces of oligarchy and repression, and they realize it is during times of great change when our actions can often create the largest impact. But change can happen for good, not just ill, and while our task of creating a positive pro-humanity response is perhaps more difficult, it is also supported by many more people! We must be creative in our engagement and organizing, leveraging our free time and access to technology to talk to our friends, post online, phonebank, and attend digital meetings! It will take a diverse, pro-democracy movement of commensurate size and economic power to counteract the forces of oligarchy with Trump at their head, both during the election, and the day after! No matter the results of this election, it's clear we will have a steep uphill climb if we want to make sure history records this decade as the age when everyday people took back political power and put our country on the road to towards living up to its promise!
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