Operation Buy Less

The capitalist war machine runs on cash.  This is true whatever way you look at it.  The segment of society that pays the graft which puts the mafia parties in power, the government that buys the munitions, the war industry that develops weapons, the national security industry that takes away our personal liberties - all of these depend upon cash.  The cash they wield is your cash.  They obtain it through the "choices" YOU make.  It's time to start making other choices.

Over the dark year and months since 9/11, the working class saw increased unemployment, wage cuts, benefits losses, and longer worker hours for less.  At the same time, our fascist leaders urged Americans to buy more.  We were urged to take vacations (think of the vacuous statements made by FOG (fascist occupational government) dictator Bush about how patriotic it was to go to Disneyland!  Remember the talk show brownshirts equating buying stock with being a patriot!  Remember all the media noting how patriotic it is to spend, spend, spend!

And while we got poorer and spent more, our valuable tax dollars were squandered on billions of dollars in aid to Israel, a wealthy nation with a greedy hand.  Our tax dollars were handed out, left and right, to Afghan informants.  Billions of dollars of our hard earned money were pumped into ungrateful airline mega corporations.  And when congress was about to recess, they went home without extending the unemployment benefits of America's jobless.

The Resistance says, "Enough!"  It is time to wind down the economy, deny the corporate warmongers our cash, and reduce the tax revenue of government.

With the Christmas season fast approaching and the corporate whores pushing their wares, now is the time to salute them with an empty hand and a middle finger.  Rebels of America, reduce your spending!

Reduction in spending does not mean living without.  Reduction in spending does not mean foregoing Christmas gifts.  The road to protest involves a change in the focus of production.  Rather than buying, 'tis the season for making and doing.

Each of us has one or more talents.  The application of these talents has value.  Members of the Resistance should shift from the capitalist economy to the gift economy.

How does one do this?  Well, it's really quite simple.  Rather than buy someone a gift, make them a gift or give them a service.  If you are handy with sewing, make some clothes.  If you are technologically talented, help a technologically untalented person out.  If you are good at cleaning, clean a loved one's home or office.  If you are full of energy and live in the North, shovel someone's driveway.  If you live in warmer climes, detail a friend's car.

When you provide a service or make an item and you do it as a gift, the government has no way of taxing the labor employed to that end.  Should you need to buy materials to perform your service, they will surely be cheaper than the value of the service itself.  The value added by your labor will not be taxed and no capitalist will skim it for his war machine.

While all of this might make some feel awkward, there is a way of broaching the intent without fearing the perception that you are motivated by frugalness.  Explain to each individual with whom you intend to exchange gifts why you have chosen to offer a service or a handmade item in place of a plastic piece of junk purchased at Walmart.  Ask them to do the same for you.  If they agree, then you have increased the number of individuals joining the new economy while making your motivations clear.

Make this a Christmas the right wing will never forget.  Do your part in creating the taxless and profit free economy.  Deny the war machine the fuel it requires to fund its killing and impose its dictatorship.  Be the Grinch that stole the fat cats' Christmas.