Politics
Horrified by Politicians’ Behavior? Boycott Their Corporate Donors
Vote with your money — you have power
The United States Capitol was assaulted by rioters on January 6th — apparently at the behest of the president — now ex-president, Donald Trump. The insurrection inflicted trauma upon our country that many are still processing — like a violent crime.
Less than three weeks later, we are left wondering if there are enough Republican Senators to convict Trump in the Senate trial. It is outrageous that it is a challenge to find seventeen GOP senators to declare the twice-impeached former president guilty of inciting an insurrection. Something they all witnessed firsthand and, in some cases, were in extreme danger.
Seventeen votes should not be difficult to achieve, and yet it is. It is disgusting that the Republican party has become so jaded and so burdened by fealty to the despicable Donald Trump that they tolerate his behavior and give him a pass. Senators are making all kinds of excuses for why they would vote not to convict.
We can’t find seventeen human beings that belong to the GOP who won’t dare to stand up against a violent insurrection where they were physically threatened themselves.
Marco Rubio is saying that the impeachment is “stupid.” How is defending our democracy stupid? How is standing up to the man who sent rioters to the Capitol to inflict harm on Congress while doing its constitutional duties stupid? Trump needs to stand trial like a criminal formally — that’s what happens to criminals.
Marco Rubio needs to go — he’s up for re-election in two years and is standing by his current position in the hopes that Trumpsters will love him. I guess it’s ok by Marco that Trump-loving rioters smeared sh*t all over the Capitol. They murdered a police officer. We, the GOP forgive you — violence is ok because you did it for us. Newsflash: Violence is never tolerated in a civilized society.
Kevin McCarthy has changed his words and statements about the former president’s inciting of the violence. First claiming it was Trump’s fault one week after the incident. Then saying Trump didn’t provoke the violence to now saying “everyone is responsible.”
To me, that’s the moral equivalent of Trump’s “fine people on both sides” statement. Just disgusting. And clearly, this man needs to be checked by doctors because he might have a severe mental deficiency — not remembering basic facts like that could be indicative of a brain tumor.
I won’t even waste my word count on other GOP members who contributed to the big lie in the first place. Some politicians were in it deeper than others — some publicly supported the ex-president and the mob. Some still do. There are degrees to how they should be dealt with, remembered or forgotten — and hopefully into oblivion.
The GOP members that have stood for the truth — like Mitt Romney, Liz Cheney, and Jeff Flake, and others have been subjected to incredible harassment and even censure by their fellow GOP colleagues. What is the GOP coming to? The party of sedition and violence and lies?
If the act of inciting an insurrection isn’t an impeachable offense, I don’t know what is. — Mitt Romney
Some GOP senators argue that it is unconstitutional to impeach and convict a former president — yet one of the remedies of conviction is to disqualify him from future office. Disqualifying Trump from ever holding office again is precisely what this country needs.
Trump was willing to do everything and anything to hold the presidency. We learn more about the extremes Trump was ready to go to every day — even considering firing the Justice Department head to keep his hold on the presidency. This willingness is the very reason Trump should never, ever have power again.
Trump committed a hideous act, and the Republicans have a chance to cleanse their party. The GOP Senators need to find some conscience for the sake of the United States. The alternative is that their party becomes the party of Trump — and they are tacitly accepting what happened on January 6th.
Not convicting Trump for what he has been impeached turns us all further away from unity, democracy, and acceptance of a free and fair election.
Some corporations are considering cutting GOP donations
According to The Washington Post, corporations have been put in a difficult situation with their political support for the GOP — particularly Trump. Many have distanced themselves by discussing their support for democracy versus any political candidate. Others are looking into their investments:
More than half of the 33 chief executives gathered on a virtual call this week said they would reconsider investments in states where elected officials are impeding an orderly presidential transition, said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, founder of the Yale School of Management’s Chief Executive Leadership Institute, who organized the call.
Sonnenfeld, who argued CEOs have opposed the Trump administration at times throughout his term, including on environmental regulatory rollbacks and immigration issues, said he believed companies would be limiting contributions to lawmakers who denied election results in the future. But others were skeptical about a major shift in lobbying and campaign contributions.
The above quote indicates that corporations are not entirely sold on turning away from the GOP or not donating to particular candidates.
The outrage only lasts so long.
Here we are not even three weeks later, and GOP members are already exhibiting faulty memories. Corporations are no different. Everyone wants the status quo. But the only constant in life is change.
So, what are Americans able to do that will make a difference?
The key to changing corporate behavior falls on customers to let them know they will purchase with political support in mind.
I don’t know about you — but I do not want to give my money to any company that supported or ever will support Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, or Josh Hawley — to name a few.
Boycott the companies that donate to Republicans or whoever you do not want to support. In my case — especially the Republicans that support the Trump faction of the GOP.
Do your research
If you have to, ask the company if they support the Republican party before purchasing. Let that company know that you are voting with your pocketbook and you are holding corporate donors accountable.
It’s easy to find out major donors to candidates.
The people that finance these monsters need to know that we won’t accept this any longer. Be an educated consumer — and not just about price and quality. Ask about civic responsibility too. When you buy something, are you spending money with someone who supports your values? You may have been inadvertently contributing to a candidate with your spending at a particular company.
For example, I know I will never buy anything from MyPillow after CEO Mike Lindell’s outsized support for Donald Trump. He went way too far and contributed to spreading the “big lie” and subsequently the insurrection at the Capitol. Many retailers are dropping MyPillow as a result of Lindell’s blind support of Trump.
Where you spend might matter more than how you vote.
Jennifer Friebely is a New York-based writer, editor, coach, and speaker covering stories from personal development, bully bosses, the Law of Attraction, marketing, and productivity to politics and music to whatever idea strikes. She has a 30+ year background in marketing and advertising and holds a BA in Political Science. Email her at [email protected] or visit www.successpicture.com.