Before you can have a serious “boycott,” you first need to have a “mass.” To paraphrase an old saying from my long-ago youth “…suppose they gave a boycott and nobody noticed?”
As of right now, it’s not clear that we have enough energized people nationwide to make something like that effective. We’ll hopefully start to see where we stand once someone reputable posts a headcount after the October 18th national “No Kings” protests.
I see no harm in starting now and just bringing more people on to sustained campaigns as things continue. We can start with a meow and let it turn into a roar.
It’s clear that is the direction we’ll need to go sooner or later so absolutely no arguments on the overall idea. I just want to maximize the chances of success. To do otherwise sadly feeds the narrative Chris was so eloquently discussing in the column—media sane-washing the Trumpistas, and its first cousin, ignoring/patronizing the work of the those of us in the opposition.
We caught a break with the “Tesla Takedown” because the firm was already getting its lunch eaten in China and the Europeans were also abandoning the brand. What we added to that here in the US was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. Company finances took a significant hit and suddenly there was mainstream media reporting of our activities. Target was also a troubled company well before the whole DEI rollback backlash happened. We absolutely hurt them, but they were already wounded. A lot of the firms that would be on a CNN boycott list are far larger/healthier—and only obtain a fraction of their revenues from the US.
For many years, I made my living as a management consultant specializing in organizational strategy and public policy—mostly in healthcare. These days, I’m applying a lot of the tools and tactics I used back in the day to doing my (very) small part in trying to help those working to save representative democracy in the US.
Stephen Miller is a particularly easy target right now, in my opinion, and anything that will rattle him and get him *on camera*, exposing him (even further!) as the screaming, increasingly ineffectual, befuddled fascist wannabe he is - is good.
Speaking of getting him rattled and even further unhinged, can you imagine what would happen if some tech whiz (dare I say, "hacker"?) got hold of that segment, replayed it on some place like Meidas and other places, and Miller got wind of a million views, with analysts going full-on Tucker Carlson (in reverse), that "we're just asking questions"?
It is helpful, though, knowing who to contact that supports CNN. They happen to be on in my workplace the lion's share of the time the TV is on. We employees do have the option of changing the channel, and sometimes it happens. We just need to do it a whole lot more.
I also agree with Chris, just having these discussions (and "just asking questions") raises the level of morale to a whole other realm.
You have thought through this in a thorough way. Clearly that is the best, most commonsensical approach.
It is a sine qua non for a national strategy.
That said, what was done to Disney, and their allies at Nexstar and Sinclair, happened in fairly short order. I suspect a lot of that was because they attracted, and were given, a hot laser beam of attention that shined on them until they broke.
As in all good campaigns, there may need to be a mix of quick commando raids, and heavier, more sustained, very intentional battles — thinking off the top of my head.
I am not as acquainted with the overall health of these corporate entities as you.
Thank you for your consideration of this potentially important matter.
Yes the hot laser beam was Carr spilling the beans on a podcast. Not sure who got that out, but a sparking an event that takes time and effort, mostly unpaid.
Hear, hear. I agree-- and I also note with pleasure that the original "plenary power" clip is being replayed widely, anyhow. I'm no fan of CNN or those particular sponsors, but we need to pick our battles, and to amass clout before we use consumer-based economic levers.
Stopped watching CNN before the last elections. They produce pablum, easily digestible. The only mainstream news I read is The Guardian. I Switched to MeidasTouch, individuals on Instagram, and Substack. My favorite journalists on MSNBC were fired.
Yes CNN sanitizes many things since the owners have bent the knee to trump. CNN used to an honest distributor of news now I can no longer depend on unbiassed news.
It is a shame that this once respected news station can no longer be trusted to furnish unbiased news. I have stopped watching CNN. It is my firm belief that the only thing they and Trump understand is a boycott. I also believe that a nationwide strike may be the only thing left to save our country
I worked at CNN for 12 years in the 80's and 90's under Turner Broadcasting. It hurts me how far they have fallen in service of their corporate masters.
Again I always appreciate your accurate news & your advice about what we can do to actively protest, your step by step advice is helpful.Thank you.
I like many, have been wary of mentioning my Spanish ancestry on social platforms ... But wanted to mention both my parents came to US legally from Chile, in the mid 1960s ,shortly before Pinochet. But the rest of my extended family remained. Oddly my parents never spoke about what our family, in Chile, endured. Although, to this day ,when my mother is really angry, she will end her rant with, " and I can't stand Nixon! If he had stayed out of our politics, Pinochet would have never gotten into power ."
More recently I asked my extended family in Chile, who I talk to regularly, to tell me about Pinochet & what it was like for our family during his yrs in power. But even now, after all these yrs, they're either reluctant to talk about it or they will only give me short answers. My aunt said she remembers standing in long lines with her mother, to buy bread every day . My cousin said it made him sad to talk about it because it reminded him of all the "dissappeared", then he quickly changed the subject . All this left me with a few impression, 1st that even 45 yrs after the fact ,my family still bares the scars of the Pinochet yrs. 2nd ,Reflecting on what is happening here, I see, I'm only now begining to grasp the extent of the tragedy playing out in America today. There is no ,"after Trump, we'll just go back to the pre-Trump era" or "When we rid ourselves of corrupt politicians ,well be fine". I think its going to take a generation to recover, not only from the emotional trauma, but the length of time it will take to restore our government to where it can serve all the people ,instead of only the Evangelicals, the White Christian Nationalists & billionares . And still I don't think this country will ever be the America I knew as a child & a young adult.
A really important article, & an incident that deserves more analysis than it's gotten so far.
I do feel that I need to add something though. You mention Timothy Snyder's relocation to the University of Toronto (with his family; his wife being noted fellow historian Marci Shore). While Dr. Snyder is indeed very concerned about the threat of authoritarianism in the U.S. (as he has said many times), he has repeatedly stated in public that the move was not the result of the Trump 2.0 takeover, but that he & his wife had been recruited by UT for a number of years previously, & that the decision to move predates the 2024 election. (Jason Stanley HAS actually said that his own move is due to fears for his family.) I simply say this to underscore the absolute necessity of adherence to accurate facts for our side, as failing to do so only harms our credibility.
We need a top-level opposition council comprised of reps from all the disparate groups.
Without strategic planning and cooperation/collaboration, we cannot succeed with more complex actions than one-day protests. But to defeat maga, we need effective boycotts, work actions, and non-violent civil disobedience. These all require more organization than we currently have.
Mark Elias (and others) keep talking about the need to grow a long-term opposition movement (as opposed to our short-term resistance). It seems that at least a few groups are rallying behind the 'No Kings' banner. That could be a start, but we need much more and we need it yesterday.
I hope leadership emerges to take up this challenge in earnest.
All right.
Without further ado or rhetoric, it is time to call for a mass boycott, one company at a time, of those who advertise on CNN.
Amen. This is the country’s ONLY salvation. The “rule of law” has been killed by politics.
Before you can have a serious “boycott,” you first need to have a “mass.” To paraphrase an old saying from my long-ago youth “…suppose they gave a boycott and nobody noticed?”
As of right now, it’s not clear that we have enough energized people nationwide to make something like that effective. We’ll hopefully start to see where we stand once someone reputable posts a headcount after the October 18th national “No Kings” protests.
I see no harm in starting now and just bringing more people on to sustained campaigns as things continue. We can start with a meow and let it turn into a roar.
So, Christopher, you've boycotted? Who, exactly?
I am aware of the anatomy and physiology of an organized boycott.
The notion itself, at this point, is obviously embryonic.
It is important that it be on the table, at any rate.
It’s clear that is the direction we’ll need to go sooner or later so absolutely no arguments on the overall idea. I just want to maximize the chances of success. To do otherwise sadly feeds the narrative Chris was so eloquently discussing in the column—media sane-washing the Trumpistas, and its first cousin, ignoring/patronizing the work of the those of us in the opposition.
We caught a break with the “Tesla Takedown” because the firm was already getting its lunch eaten in China and the Europeans were also abandoning the brand. What we added to that here in the US was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. Company finances took a significant hit and suddenly there was mainstream media reporting of our activities. Target was also a troubled company well before the whole DEI rollback backlash happened. We absolutely hurt them, but they were already wounded. A lot of the firms that would be on a CNN boycott list are far larger/healthier—and only obtain a fraction of their revenues from the US.
It makes me feel much more optimistic when I get to see conversations like these happening in the comment sections.
I appreciate you and David and all the others working towards these same goals and really digging into the meet and potatoes of effective activism.
For many years, I made my living as a management consultant specializing in organizational strategy and public policy—mostly in healthcare. These days, I’m applying a lot of the tools and tactics I used back in the day to doing my (very) small part in trying to help those working to save representative democracy in the US.
Bless you, Kim.
Stephen Miller is a particularly easy target right now, in my opinion, and anything that will rattle him and get him *on camera*, exposing him (even further!) as the screaming, increasingly ineffectual, befuddled fascist wannabe he is - is good.
Speaking of getting him rattled and even further unhinged, can you imagine what would happen if some tech whiz (dare I say, "hacker"?) got hold of that segment, replayed it on some place like Meidas and other places, and Miller got wind of a million views, with analysts going full-on Tucker Carlson (in reverse), that "we're just asking questions"?
It is helpful, though, knowing who to contact that supports CNN. They happen to be on in my workplace the lion's share of the time the TV is on. We employees do have the option of changing the channel, and sometimes it happens. We just need to do it a whole lot more.
I also agree with Chris, just having these discussions (and "just asking questions") raises the level of morale to a whole other realm.
You have thought through this in a thorough way. Clearly that is the best, most commonsensical approach.
It is a sine qua non for a national strategy.
That said, what was done to Disney, and their allies at Nexstar and Sinclair, happened in fairly short order. I suspect a lot of that was because they attracted, and were given, a hot laser beam of attention that shined on them until they broke.
As in all good campaigns, there may need to be a mix of quick commando raids, and heavier, more sustained, very intentional battles — thinking off the top of my head.
I am not as acquainted with the overall health of these corporate entities as you.
Thank you for your consideration of this potentially important matter.
Yes the hot laser beam was Carr spilling the beans on a podcast. Not sure who got that out, but a sparking an event that takes time and effort, mostly unpaid.
Disagree Kim. Everyone needs to take action in anyway they can, right now, while they still can.
A crowd builds when people show up.
Hear, hear. I agree-- and I also note with pleasure that the original "plenary power" clip is being replayed widely, anyhow. I'm no fan of CNN or those particular sponsors, but we need to pick our battles, and to amass clout before we use consumer-based economic levers.
Well I don’t know about “enough” but I cancelled my CNN subscription the minute I found out that they edited the video.
Well said, Kim.
Stopped watching CNN before the last elections. They produce pablum, easily digestible. The only mainstream news I read is The Guardian. I Switched to MeidasTouch, individuals on Instagram, and Substack. My favorite journalists on MSNBC were fired.
Rachel and Lawrence seem to be able to say what they want without censoring.
Me too
tbh i feel like miller fried himself with his zealous impatience - one can only hope that the effects of this will collapse under the weight of itself
https://substack.com/@cwebbonline/note/c-164127506?r=36rfpg&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Side by side play of unedited and edited videos
Thanks for the video.
Wtf?
Excellent. Thx.
ALL of the legacy media normalize this fascist administration’s rhetoric making them co-conspirators to the crimes committed.
Yes CNN sanitizes many things since the owners have bent the knee to trump. CNN used to an honest distributor of news now I can no longer depend on unbiassed news.
It is a shame that this once respected news station can no longer be trusted to furnish unbiased news. I have stopped watching CNN. It is my firm belief that the only thing they and Trump understand is a boycott. I also believe that a nationwide strike may be the only thing left to save our country
I worked at CNN for 12 years in the 80's and 90's under Turner Broadcasting. It hurts me how far they have fallen in service of their corporate masters.
Thank you. I will contact each of those CNN advertisers.
Thank you!
Bless you!
Anyone who watches Mainstream media is crazy - indeed they do as they pray to a higher authority. MeidasTouch and Substack
It should be clear that Stephen Miller is an evil robot from hell and that he simply had a temporary short circuit.
Thanks very much, Christopher!
We must ALL make our own t-shirts with ONLY ONE STATEMENT:
“Plenary Authority”
That’s it, that’s all. Keep it in human awareness.
Not sure my 1st post published ,soooo...
Again I always appreciate your accurate news & your advice about what we can do to actively protest, your step by step advice is helpful.Thank you.
I like many, have been wary of mentioning my Spanish ancestry on social platforms ... But wanted to mention both my parents came to US legally from Chile, in the mid 1960s ,shortly before Pinochet. But the rest of my extended family remained. Oddly my parents never spoke about what our family, in Chile, endured. Although, to this day ,when my mother is really angry, she will end her rant with, " and I can't stand Nixon! If he had stayed out of our politics, Pinochet would have never gotten into power ."
More recently I asked my extended family in Chile, who I talk to regularly, to tell me about Pinochet & what it was like for our family during his yrs in power. But even now, after all these yrs, they're either reluctant to talk about it or they will only give me short answers. My aunt said she remembers standing in long lines with her mother, to buy bread every day . My cousin said it made him sad to talk about it because it reminded him of all the "dissappeared", then he quickly changed the subject . All this left me with a few impression, 1st that even 45 yrs after the fact ,my family still bares the scars of the Pinochet yrs. 2nd ,Reflecting on what is happening here, I see, I'm only now begining to grasp the extent of the tragedy playing out in America today. There is no ,"after Trump, we'll just go back to the pre-Trump era" or "When we rid ourselves of corrupt politicians ,well be fine". I think its going to take a generation to recover, not only from the emotional trauma, but the length of time it will take to restore our government to where it can serve all the people ,instead of only the Evangelicals, the White Christian Nationalists & billionares . And still I don't think this country will ever be the America I knew as a child & a young adult.
A really important article, & an incident that deserves more analysis than it's gotten so far.
I do feel that I need to add something though. You mention Timothy Snyder's relocation to the University of Toronto (with his family; his wife being noted fellow historian Marci Shore). While Dr. Snyder is indeed very concerned about the threat of authoritarianism in the U.S. (as he has said many times), he has repeatedly stated in public that the move was not the result of the Trump 2.0 takeover, but that he & his wife had been recruited by UT for a number of years previously, & that the decision to move predates the 2024 election. (Jason Stanley HAS actually said that his own move is due to fears for his family.) I simply say this to underscore the absolute necessity of adherence to accurate facts for our side, as failing to do so only harms our credibility.
We need a top-level opposition council comprised of reps from all the disparate groups.
Without strategic planning and cooperation/collaboration, we cannot succeed with more complex actions than one-day protests. But to defeat maga, we need effective boycotts, work actions, and non-violent civil disobedience. These all require more organization than we currently have.
Mark Elias (and others) keep talking about the need to grow a long-term opposition movement (as opposed to our short-term resistance). It seems that at least a few groups are rallying behind the 'No Kings' banner. That could be a start, but we need much more and we need it yesterday.
I hope leadership emerges to take up this challenge in earnest.
I loved the arrival very informative✌🏼