Can consumers stop the funding of the occupation of Iraq?

[Angela Shelley]

Can consumer behavior in the US affect the funding of the occupation of Iraq?

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Sure if we stop buying bombs and airplanes

:shrug:

[Angela Shelley]

5. Are you talking about the real thing?

That´s an idea, consumers could stop buying military toys.

Is that a start?

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. It's a start

We need to cut off the funding for the military industrial complex. But that will not be easy.

[laconicsax]

2. Yes

If every consumer who wants an end to the war were to write to their three reps in Congress demanding an end to the war and a fourth letter to Pelosi demanding impeachment, then something might happen.

[Angela Shelley]

3. I´ll send the letters tomorrow.

What about the correlation between consumer behavior and additional funding?

[Breeze54]

4. No, I doubt it... it's funded from taxes.

But as poster #2 said, if very consumer wrote and called their reps and there was massive attendance
at voting booths and anti-war marches instead of the malls, that might put an end to it!

[Angela Shelley]

6. Idea ... anti-war marches IN the malls.

I´m not poking fun here, I´m truly interested in the correlation between consumer behavior and additional funding of the occupation of Iraq.

Are there companies which would be affected by a product boycott?

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. We have one here at the largest local mall once every three months

Ths shoppers just drive on by.

[Angela Shelley]

10. More power to you!

What about consumer behavior? Are there certain products which could be avoided or shunned, in order to send a message to the US government?

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Don't buy gas from Exxon Mobil

I am sure there are more but that is a big one.

[taterguy]

14. Or anyone else

There wouldn't be oil wars if people didn't consume so much gasoline

But that would require effort so why bother even suggesting it?

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Well some of us HAVE to drive to work

Unfortunately

[taterguy]

17. Every day millions of miles are driven to destinations that are within easy cycling distance

I won't argue about your specific situation since that would be pointless.

I'm just saying that we're going to have oil wars as long as car culture goes unchallenged in our society.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. I agree

This is one reason I lobby for better public transportation in my community.

[Breeze54]

9. People in malls have been arrested for wearing anti-bush t-shirts!!

No shit!! :crazy: Google it! And have been taken off airplanes for the same thing.

Maybe having a demonstration outside the malls might raise some awareness but even

Anti-Wally Mart people tried that and even the demonstrators ended up going in and

shopping! :P Not funny but I read somewhere on DU that that happened. Maybe putting

a Direct TAX for funding the war on each taxpayers tax return? Just have a line that

says, "this is the percentage of your tax payment that will be going to fund the war".

Maybe that would curb their enthusiasm?

[tom_paine]

11. No. Citizens might have been able to, once,

but consumer can only do one thing...consume.

When the American People became consumers and not citizens, who can put an exact date on such a change, we became the Imperial Subjects of Amerika.

[Angela Shelley]

12. Good point on consumerism.

[jwirr]

16. If consumers could be united in this effort then it could work to get

big business to protest the war effort. For instance, if we could target one corporation and really bring them down with the intent to target another if they do not act then there might be a chance sometime down the road to end the complex but it would take a to long to stop Iraq. Two big problems I see: uniting consumers; having a real effect on the complex. I think it would take a miracle and in that case might just as well ask for the miracle outright.

[Breeze54]

18. What about hitting them in their pocketbooks and wallets, so they feel it?

Like I stated up above. Have a line added in their tax forms that
shows what percentage of their payment goes to fund the war?