View Full Version : Amazon Boycott, Anyone?
Hi all,
If anyone here is interested in working on boycotting Amazon, I'd love to start a thread to support each other as we do that. I feel Jeff Bezos has every right to turn the Washington Post into a right-wing rag if he wants, but I don't have to support it (I'm cancelling my subscription). I have further qualms about the union-busting he does and the way he treats his workers. I can easily find sources in a few days for all the troubling information about him, but can't today.
That said, I'm totally addicted to Amazon. I know I won't be able to go cold turkey. But I may start with just 15 no-Amazon days in March. I hope I can do more, but I want to set a realistic goal.
Anybody want to join?
Here's one link to ponder: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/jeff-bezos-space-flight-money-better-uses/
These tax cuts he is advocating for and benefitting from are taking from the lower and middle classes and giving to billionaires.
Thanks for the link, I will check it out.
I'm definitely boycotting tomorrow on Economic Blackout day. I like your idea of 15 days, too.
Nope. I get stuff where I want to.
iris lilies
2-27-25, 9:18pm
Nope, I watch too much on Amazon prime and order from Amazon when I need to.
Edit it to add:
but echase, cutting in half what you order or use Amazon for sounds like a good approach.
catherine
2-27-25, 10:08pm
I'm definitely doing the Feb 28th boycott. I'm playing around with boycotting Amazon/cancelling my membership. Haven't decided yet.
6257
There's also another boycott: Shutdown315, which is a boycott on March 15, but it also involves a whole bunch of things, like moving money to local banks, no shopping, no traveling, no subscriptions.
It would be pretty easy for me to boycott Amazon and other big box stores for 14 days, not counting my prepaid Amazon Prime and Music, but maybe not a huge priority. It's most likely just postponing things on my wish lists, but I don't buy a lot of things This is the first I've heard of it and I keep up pretty well with mainstream news, so I wonder how much it got around and how many will participate. I don't do social media, except this. I get by Whole Foods every week or two and as far as I'm concerned they run a decent business regardless of Bezos, so that's an exception.
I am doing the Feb 28 boycott (amazon included) as I like the idea of the People's Union uprising. I rarely shop at amazon anymore - mostly cheap quality stuff.
I'm glad there are others to join. I'm boycotting tomorrow but am not hopeful that it will have much of an impact. I do have hope that more of us gradually extricating ourselves from Amazon will have an impact in the long run.
rosarugosa
2-28-25, 7:21am
I'm doing the boycott thing today. I assume it's more of a symbolic gesture than anything else, but easy enough for me to do.
I've been trying for awhile to move away from Amazon. I try to check eBay first, since a lot of small sellers use both platforms.
One thing I thought of to limit Amazon and I did for a couple of months and might go back to was to buy an Amazon gift card with cash, then limit myself to using that as a source of payment, so it kept impulse purchases way down, and kept the amount down, but if I needed something I could get it. We are really rural so lots of times that is the only way to find something like an appliance part or supplements, although I could buy those online from different vendors, too.
frugal-one
2-28-25, 10:37am
Outlier here …. don’t have Amazon account and only purchase things there a few times a year. Make sure have minimum amount so get free shipping.
sweetana3
2-28-25, 10:58am
We have Amazon Prime. TV Prime we could probably do without. Kindle Unlimited could not do without. Many authors I follow are only there. 3 of us in the family use it almost every day. Mom is not close so it is difficult to use the library for her.
Purchases: Just the cost of driving around or time spent trying to search out items on the internet would keep me on Amazon (as well as the free shipping). Our purchases tend to be fairly unusual like heated knee warmers, leak proof coffee mugs, specialty labels, etc.
Now with Joann going out of business, I can see myself using Amazon for more basic sewing supplies. I already do careful buying of rotary blades on Amazon. Hard to keep away from counterfeit so I only buy on card with English or Japanese print.
I have bought quantities of hot chocolate mixes and coffee pods when the price is equal or lower than grocery shop sale price. But that is the only "food" item I can remember.
So we have already limited our purchasing which is our best advice.
early morning
2-28-25, 11:13am
I don't have Prime but do buy from Amazon. I have their credit card and use their cash-back to pay for most of our items. I hate shopping in general. Much like sweetana3, I really appreciate the ability to purchase sesame oil, magazine and postcard sleeves, paper repair tape, specific low carb/gluten free pasta, and Harney's teas - all at the same time and place, instead of going to 5 separate stores and still not finding exactly what we need/want. The museum I volunteer at uses it for many items for gift shop resale, office, cleaning, and repair supplies, etc. and people can donate to us by purchasing/sending these items off our wish list, which is really convenient. I won't buy anything today, boycott or not, as I just don't need anything at the moment. As much as I believe in shopping local and supporting small businesses, which we do when we can, much of what we buy just can't be sourced locally.
I have been very sparingly using Amazon. I am doing the no spend/stay off media today. Except for this site and email. But 15 days without Amazon is easy for me so I am not really sacrificing any thing. But it may make an impact for the March 15 one. Our local banks keep getting bought out...Then there are the credit cards. Whew! I paid cash for lunch out yesterday but the credit card for gas. It's hard to change habits.
iris lilies
2-28-25, 1:04pm
Today is “break up boxes day quote and take them to recycling. Ugh. Too much Amazon buying. well not exclusively Amazon, I’ve been getting a fair amount from Etsy lately too
Now with Joann going out of business, I can see myself using Amazon for more basic sewing supplies. I already do careful buying of rotary blades on Amazon. Hard to keep away from counterfeit so I only buy on card with English or Japanese print.
.
For sewing tools & supplies (they have rotary cutters for instance, I just checked) I like to order from 123stitch dot com. They're out of TX and their service is top notch and really fast delivery.
I think about how Amazon is a pretty new business model, relatively speaking. I looked at my account, and I was able to scroll as far back as 1995. My first order was December 11, 2002--and I spent $102 on five books--I'm guessing they were Christmas presents.
So in 23 years (one-third of my life) it has become embedded in a way that I now find hard to relinquish. I like the ease and convenience, the data history, the range of items to purchase, and other reasons. I could give up the Prime benefits, and I would definitely not miss Prime video because it's not as good as it used to be. But, "a luxury once tasted becomes a necessity" and, alas, I've found that Amazon comes close to being a luxury-turned-necessity.
But I would love to cut the cord.
As far as shopping local, I'm lucky in that my needs have diminished over the past few years and my area, while rural, is very friendly to small business. I tried a "shop local" personal challenge at Christmas time and it wasn't that hard to simply not shop, and then when I shopped, visit one of the retailers here.
Point is--I did without Amazon for 50 years, and I'm sure I could do without it again.
Today is “break up boxes day quote and take them to recycling
On our last visit to DD's, we noted one of the spare bathrooms was literally floor to ceiling amazon boxes waiting to be broken down. The only accessible space was around the toilet. They have deliveries at least 3x a week and I guess are too busy to deal with the boxes.
When we got into my parents' house after they were taken to the hospital on an emergency basis, that was one of the things we noticed--they had stopped breaking down boxes and packaging and the stuff was everywhere. I think a lot of shopping behavior replaces human social behavior. I know we do more shopping than we used to do, for example. Getting older has a lot of loneliness built into it.
iris lilies
2-28-25, 2:10pm
I think about how Amazon is a pretty new business model, relatively speaking. I looked at my account, and I was able to scroll as far back as 1995. My first order was December 11, 2002--and I spent $102 on five books--I'm guessing they were Christmas presents.
So in 23 years (one-third of my life) it has become embedded in a way that I now find hard to relinquish. I like the ease and convenience, the data history, the range of items to purchase, and other reasons. I could give up the Prime benefits, and I would definitely not miss Prime video because it's not as good as it used to be. But, "a luxury once tasted becomes a necessity" and, alas, I've found that Amazon comes close to being a luxury-turned-necessity.
But I would love to cut the cord.
As far as shopping local, I'm lucky in that my needs have diminished over the past few years and my area, while rural, is very friendly to small business. I tried a "shop local" personal challenge at Christmas time and it wasn't that hard to simply not shop, and then when I shopped, visit one of the retailers here.
Point is--I did without Amazon for 50 years, and I'm sure I could do without it again.
Bezos started with books and ran a book selling operation for, what, a decade and a half? Before moving into other products
in my library’s book buying operation we used Amazon in those early days for various kinds of bibliographic information including availability because it was, at the time, better than our main suppliers’ databases. Certainly it was glitzier.
So, I have a soft spot in my heart for Amazon because we used it for years and did not buy books from them, ha ha. I suppose you all would think that’s a great FU to Bezos.
One of the downsides of having Amazon on the web available to everyone is that our library employees would be frustrated when we would tell them “sorry, we can’t get [a particular title.]” And they would whine “ but it’s available on Amazon, just look there! “
The reality of those days was that stock availability didn’t really show on Amazon just the fact that the book existed, once existed, or was scheduled to exist in the future. Lots of pre-publication promotion took place for books that never were published.
A great thing about Amazon and later bibliographic databases was that they blurred the line between the old-fashioned “out of print “ and currently available status. Now it doesn’t really matter whether a book is “in print” with copies available from the publisher because near-new used copies are available all over the place.
I see in the NPR news today they are saying there is another mass of Wash Post subscription cancelations. Probably not to do with any boycott, but economics might be catching up with the boligarchs. I was reading that Tesla sales are down 40% in Europe, in spite of other car brand sales increasing.
littlebittybobby
2-28-25, 8:50pm
okay--i get the non-fiction books i read from like Goodwill or places like that, but not from Bozo & of course don't intend to purchase a Testla even though they make a good street racer yet are q u i e t. This was demonstrated during the cruise nights last year. Yup. But yeah---i'm not actively boycotting anything, right now. Just keeping my level of consumption low. Hope that helps you kids some.
happystuff
2-28-25, 9:27pm
Did today's boycott... no problem. I think I shop Amazon once or twice a year, as I prefer ebay (can usually find the same item for the same price if not cheaper). When I worked for an online retailer, I saw how badly Amazon treated their third party sellers... they are making big bucks off of them! (Our company offered free shipping on EVERYTHING, but Amazon would always charge the shipping if item was sold off their website.)
Anyway, easy for me to NOT use Amazon.
I didn't buy anything today from Amazon or Walmart or Target or Kroger or anywhere else people like to boycott. It had nothing to do with making a statement, I just didn't need anything so please don't give me credit for standing up to evil. I may fall off the wagon tomorrow.
ToomuchStuff
2-28-25, 11:37pm
I can't say that I will boycott them. I can't get out of running the restaurant/working seven days a week, but I can limit my public exposure somewhat (stay in the kitchen, let others help customers, not go out to stores but order online for home delivery).
I'm actually having a side effect from the infusion they gave me Monday. Face bright red, "chemo pimples" (not actual pimples), dry skin, etc. Didn't happen immediately while there. Trying to figure out what I need, or if we need to adjust my infusions, won't hear back until Monday, and I expect I may order whatever is needed online.
Going to try to work on some of my estate stuff this week. Bunch of disasters at the restaurant, as well as medical with "ti", that I have had to deal with, didn't leave me much time to do what I had hoped this week.
I didn't buy anything today from Amazon or Walmart or Target or Kroger or anywhere else people like to boycott. It had nothing to do with making a statement, I just didn't need anything so please don't give me credit for standing up to evil. I may fall off the wagon tomorrow.
Last night, I did reflect on the fact that I most likely would have had a "no spend" day even without the shopping blackout thing going on.
(I placed 36 orders with Amazon in 2024, and 15 of these were for Mom supplies. I don't have Prime).
early morning
3-1-25, 12:25pm
Well I'm back to Amazon today, ordered new Ukrainian flags.
I think about how Amazon is a pretty new business model, relatively speaking. I looked at my account, and I was able to scroll as far back as 1995. My first order was December 11, 2002--and I spent $102 on five books--I'm guessing they were Christmas presents.
So in 23 years (one-third of my life) it has become embedded in a way that I now find hard to relinquish. I like the ease and convenience, the data history, the range of items to purchase, and other reasons. I could give up the Prime benefits, and I would definitely not miss Prime video because it's not as good as it used to be. But, "a luxury once tasted becomes a necessity" and, alas, I've found that Amazon comes close to being a luxury-turned-necessity.
But I would love to cut the cord.
As far as shopping local, I'm lucky in that my needs have diminished over the past few years and my area, while rural, is very friendly to small business. I tried a "shop local" personal challenge at Christmas time and it wasn't that hard to simply not shop, and then when I shopped, visit one of the retailers here.
Point is--I did without Amazon for 50 years, and I'm sure I could do without it again.
I totally relate, Catherine. I've gotten very dependent on the ease and convenience. But I look at it like vegetarianism. I haven't given up meat entirely, but I've stopped bothering to try recipes with meat and cook all-vegetarian at home, so I just naturally eat meat very rarely. If I could make small changes - check to see if items I buy regularly and know I'll use are available by mail elsewhere - I can reduce my use of it and hopefully, over time, grow less dependent.
Well I'm back to Amazon today, ordered new Ukrainian flags.
;)
I did the boycott yesterday and am starting today on 20 no-Amazon days in March, which will be a stretch for me, but hopefully, the beginning of growing less dependent.
I have used Amazon Music + a lot, but dropped it, and signed up for Apple Music. I also unsubscribed from Amazon Prime. Any more their new movies are mostly second rate and I can do without the immediacy of one day delivery. Buying things from Amazon makes my life easier and is probably better for the environment than me running around to various stores. I can be more mindful about shopping at Whole Foods. It's a block off one of my normal routes, but there are alternatives. I don't know if any of it matters.
I have used Amazon Music + a lot, but dropped it, and signed up for Apple Music. I also unsubscribed from Amazon Prime. Any more their new movies are mostly second rate and I can do without the immediacy of one day delivery. Buying things from Amazon makes my life easier and is probably better for the environment than me running around to various stores. I can be more mindful about shopping at Whole Foods. It's a block off one of my normal routes, but there are alternatives. I don't know if any of it matters.
I’m letting my Prime subscription lapse at the end of the month, but only because I get groceries via Walmart+ now and a lot of the stuff I would get from Amazon, I can get via Walmart. Other things like Dr Bronners or Republic of Tea, I can order direct and have been. I hardly used Amazon music or video. I mostly use Amazon for Kindle books. I’ve done Apple Music for some years now. I love it.
Another reason I like Walmart delivery from the local store over Amazon is that the plastic bags are much easier to deal either than all the boxes. I use the bags for taking my lunch to work and I give excess to a neighbor for dog poop bags.
The boycott was successful! Target appears to be hardest hit and has been forced to begin downsizing.
https://scontent-lga3-3.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/480983410_1070184878486333_2718029610259465625_n.j pg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=6TaZyXPh4osQ7kNvgGtWj91&_nc_oc=AdiZ0dSDMESho9hms6oxVgybeh6EBCuUudup1apdu0F jyLarWuFD8-WYS9n0K7u0wQc&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-3.xx&_nc_gid=AX3la5KebQAHso5fOZIJ8y5&oh=00_AYD79x6w8g7MxRrfgN-xlgu1akWi8RIs8c9Oj6kziKQEOA&oe=67CAE8AC
I've made it six days this month without Amazon, though I did have to make purchases from Target and Walmart on one day. My one purchase from Amazon was an audio book from Audible - I had a long drive ahead and hadn't given myself enough time to get it through the library. I still have Prime because the reality of my life is every once in a while my daughter and I need something the next day for school or work, but it feels good to be cutting back.
If you want ebooks or audio books, there are always the options from Apple Books, which also has audio books, if you are on iPhone.
If you want ebooks or audio books, there are always the options from Apple Books, which also has audio books, if you are on iPhone.
Thanks, Tradd - I'll check that out.
If you want ebooks or audio books, there are always the options from Apple Books, which also has audio books, if you are on iPhone.
Apple: $3.6 trillion market cap, making it the world's most valuable company
Amazon: $2.1 trillion market cap
Is the point just to boycott big business, or is it targeted to Bezos or other oligarch controlled enterprises, or those who have taken a knee to DT? Is the intent to affect sales or profits?
For audiobooks, I use the Libby app through my local library system. Free.
There is also an app called Chirp, where you can download books fairly inexpensively. They also offer some freebies.
For eBooks, I just recently found Standard eBooks. Basically, Project Gutenberg books are the base, but they clean up the formatting, etc., use nice public domain for the cover, and so on. I download to iPhone browser and then open them in Apple Books. You have to go through steps to get them on a regular Kindle.
https://standardebooks.org/
Some people want their own audiobooks or don't want to wait weeks for library access.
I rarely use Amazon. Only time I've used Amazon is to buy gifts for my niece and nephews since my SIL keeps an active wishlist for them. Other than birthday and Christmas gifts, it's rare that I make purchases from that company.
Rogar: I think the goals and reasons vary a bit. I believe Target is on the list because it has given up it's DEI programs. I assume Amazon is due to the oligarch supporting DJT.
Like so many people, I've found Amazon to be an easy way to fulfill a lot of our needs. I don't have a total Amazon "addiction" though. I have only placed 2 orders with them this year, most recently on 2/22.
Not so much boycotting but definitely cutting back, due to concerns about where this economy is going.
It must have been noted by Amazon because they are now sending me notice, "have you seen this, you might want to buy this" and they never did that before.
Is the point just to boycott big business, or is it targeted to Bezos or other oligarch controlled enterprises, or those who have taken a knee to DT? Is the intent to affect sales or profits?
My reason for doing it is Bezos' support of policies of taking from the working and middle class and giving to the rich in the form of tax cuts, what he calls "freedom." My understanding is that with the extension of Trump's tax cuts Bezos will save hundreds of millions of dollars a year, if not a billion, in income taxes. I think that money should go to the parts of government currently being cut, such as to medical research, education, and USAID. He is free to have any opinions he wants. I just don't want to add to his profits. Yes, for me, it's to affect sales and profits.
My life has been prolonged by a medical treatment that was developed by over 20 years of research at NIH that was funded by taxpayers. I hate to think of the people who will die or suffer unnecessarily because this country has stopped making medical research a priority.
Thanks for the explanations. I will continue to avoid Amazon and Bezos ownership of Whole Foods for some of the reasons EJ mentions, plus a couple. As far as Target goes, I never shop there anyway, but it seems like a number of businesses have discontinued their support of DEI issues. It could be a long list? I suppose some of these things come up in various social medias, which I tend to avoid, but it doesn't seem to be very goal oriented or well publicized.
My reason for doing it is Bezos' support of policies of taking from the working and middle class and giving to the rich in the form of tax cuts, what he calls "freedom." My understanding is that with the extension of Trump's tax cuts Bezos will save hundreds of millions of dollars a year, if not a billion, in income taxes.
On a side note, the extension of Trump's tax cuts would save me several thousand dollars a year on my carefully managed retirement income consisting solely from Social Security and savings.
It's a mystery to me why everyone talking about 'Tax Cuts For The Rich!' never mention the roughly 60% or so of the US population who are negatively affected by their desire to hurt them.
"Tax cuts for the rich" might seem a little overplayed in the news I get. I don't know yet how tax changes might help or hurt me yet, but I will miss some of the government services my taxes have paid for in the past. I consider tariffs an indirect form of taxation, but that is unsettled so far.
"Tax cuts for the rich" might seem a little overplayed in the news I get. I don't know yet how tax changes might help or hurt me yet, but I will miss some of the government services my taxes have paid for in the past. I consider tariffs an indirect form of taxation, but that is unsettled so far.
You can get an idea of how you'll be affected at the following link, I would think most people should pay particular attention to Table 1.
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47846
And just out of curiosity, what government services do you anticipate missing?
On a side note, the extension of Trump's tax cuts would save me several thousand dollars a year on my carefully managed retirement income consisting solely from Social Security and savings.
Ditto.
Amazon shopping is a near-essential to me.
I live in a remote place with few stores. The stores here tend to hugely overcharge, as this is a tourist destination. I can't easily drive somewhere else to shop - that takes an entire day and $75 in ferry charges and fuel, not to mention food for the journey. All goods here that are not locally produced are brought in by sea or air.
It is incredibly efficient for me to "add-to-cart/buy now" and have the goods I need delivered to my house within a few days. It is even now usually cheaper. By batching-up my orders, I try to reduce the impacts of the shipping.
My community's big complaint these days about Amazon is that they have been trying experiments with delivering here "more efficiently". This seems like a good idea, but it has resulted in:
- Causing chaos at our local Post Office, which has only a few employees, when they diverted using UPS/Fedex to using USPS. They had to put up tents in the parking lot the handle the volume, and an extra 3-4 day delay was caused simply due to the couple of USPS employees having to sort through the huge piles of parcels. The stress caused a good portion of the experienced staff to quit, making the problem worse. It impacted regular first-class mail delivery too - it quickly degraded to the point that to send a letter to my neighbor took 10-ish days for delivery. This impacted local elections, which are all by-mail, billpaying, jury notification, etc.
- This change also caused the local delivery company, which subcontracts out to UPS/Fedex, to lay off most of its staff without any warning. These employees are our friends and neighbors, and this was not received well.
- Amazon next tried to send over their own contract delivery folks from the mainland. This is an ongoing disaster. They almost got lynched when they seized part of the undersized parking/loading facilities at our ferry docks and turned them into an outdoor package sorting location. The foolish State ferry officials who approved that deal for a very small sum of money, if they visited here to see how it was going, would likely be strung up from the streetlamps, if we had streetlamps. This change to using their own trucks also caused local employees to get laid off.
Fun times.
And just out of curiosity, what government services do you anticipate missing?
If we can exclude reductions in Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare as very possible, but unknown, I'd probably go more global. Freedom to have clean air due to climate research at places like NOAA, the protections of health offered by HHS that apparently has can backs on numerous research programs and searches for cures for things like cancer, cutbacks in services and protections in National Parks and Forest Service, which I use routinely. Other environmental and health protections offered by the EPA. The liberty of knowing we are a world leader by withdrawal of military protections for sovereign nations subject to invasions by brutal dictatorships. Etc. I think most of this is still shaking out with unknown but risky outcomes.
To be honest, I've always considered paying taxes a reasonable but not perfect deal for the services I get back and have lived a comfortable frugal life as they are. I'd probably be willing to pay a little more if it meant a better healthcare system, cleaner air and water, up to date infrastructure. and advances in health sciences. Seems like Warren Buffett thinks the same. As does Albert King.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg5XAZWpLG0
How to you feel about the VA cutting 80,000 workers. That's the number I've seen, but whatever it is it's a lot. Do you think veterans who have served the county will miss anything. Maybe treatments for PTSD, access to VA hospitals, or help for homeless vets? I'm not sure what the cutbacks will be specifically, but probably involve many things. Or maybe 80,000 is just waste and nothing will change. Just curious.
Amazon shopping is a near-essential to me.
I live in a remote place with few stores. The stores here tend to hugely overcharge, as this is a tourist destination. I can't easily drive somewhere else to shop - that takes an entire day and $75 in ferry charges and fuel, not to mention food for the journey. All goods here that are not locally produced are brought in by sea or air.
It is incredibly efficient for me to "add-to-cart/buy now" and have the goods I need delivered to my house within a few days. It is even now usually cheaper. By batching-up my orders, I try to reduce the impacts of the shipping.
My community's big complaint these days about Amazon is that they have been trying experiments with delivering here "more efficiently". This seems like a good idea, but it has resulted in:
- Causing chaos at our local Post Office, which has only a few employees, when they diverted using UPS/Fedex to using USPS. They had to put up tents in the parking lot the handle the volume, and an extra 3-4 day delay was caused simply due to the couple of USPS employees having to sort through the huge piles of parcels. The stress caused a good portion of the experienced staff to quit, making the problem worse. It impacted regular first-class mail delivery too - it quickly degraded to the point that to send a letter to my neighbor took 10-ish days for delivery. This impacted local elections, which are all by-mail, billpaying, jury notification, etc.
- This change also caused the local delivery company, which subcontracts out to UPS/Fedex, to lay off most of its staff without any warning. These employees are our friends and neighbors, and this was not received well.
- Amazon next tried to send over their own contract delivery folks from the mainland. This is an ongoing disaster. They almost got lynched when they seized part of the undersized parking/loading facilities at our ferry docks and turned them into an outdoor package sorting location. The foolish State ferry officials who approved that deal for a very small sum of money, if they visited here to see how it was going, would likely be strung up from the streetlamps, if we had streetlamps. This change to using their own trucks also caused local employees to get laid off.
Fun times.
The boycott organizers seem to totally discount how useful Amazon is for those who live in isolated places, are disabled, shut-ins, etc.
iris lilies
3-9-25, 8:12pm
The boycott organizers seem to totally discount how useful Amazon is for those who live in isolated places, are disabled, shut-ins, etc.
Oh I don’t know that anyone expects people who truly rely on Amazon to boycott it. I’m sure if you asked echase here she would not want to see shut-ins go without. The boycott is aimed more at the general user in America, many of whom can reduce their use of Amazon if not eliminate it completely.
That said, I have not reduced my use of Amazon. :)
If we can exclude reductions in Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare as very possible, but unknown, I'd probably go more global. Freedom to have clean air due to climate research at places like NOAA, the protections of health offered by HHS that apparently has can backs on numerous research programs and searches for cures for things like cancer, cutbacks in services and protections in National Parks and Forest Service, which I use routinely. Other environmental and health protections offered by the EPA. The liberty of knowing we are a world leader by withdrawal of military protections for sovereign nations subject to invasions by brutal dictatorships. Etc. I think most of this is still shaking out with unknown but risky outcomes.
To be honest, I've always considered paying taxes a reasonable but not perfect deal for the services I get back and have lived a comfortable frugal life as they are. I'd probably be willing to pay a little more if it meant a better healthcare system, cleaner air and water, up to date infrastructure. and advances in health sciences. Seems like Warren Buffett thinks the same. As does Albert King.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg5XAZWpLG0
How to you feel about the VA cutting 80,000 workers. That's the number I've seen, but whatever it is it's a lot. Do you think veterans who have served the county will miss anything. Maybe treatments for PTSD, access to VA hospitals, or help for homeless vets? I'm not sure what the cutbacks will be specifically, but probably involve many things. Or maybe 80,000 is just waste and nothing will change. Just curious.
I'm guessing that climate, overall health and cancer research will continue without any discernible degradation if staffing is cut back to 2019 levels and funding remains at 2024 levels.
As for my thoughts on the VA, I think that if personnel cutbacks occur at the level you've referenced, there will still be approximately 400,000 employees servicing the needs of our veterans. Using an off the top of my head calculation, that would be approximately 1 VA employee for every 40 living US military veterans.
As a veteran myself, I've never utilized any VA services other than receiving approvals for GI Bill education benefits and a VA home loan, both back in the 70's when the the VA enjoyed staffing levels less then 50% of today's headcount. It occurs to me that there is almost certainly a fair amount of bloat in every government agency, especially considering in this case that the vast majority of veterans in any given year have no contact with or services provided by the VA, which would bring that 1 in 40 number down to something along the lines of 1 VA employee for every 20 or fewer veterans receiving services during each year.
Overall, I'm thinking we veterans will be just fine.
I hope you are right. I suspect the information we will get from a lot of the new regime sources will confirm that it's all OK, if not beautiful. There will be a lot in the mainstream media saying that isn't so.
I seem to get that the VA expanded from 2019 levels was due to an expansion of benefits for burn pit victims? I've seen cutback numbers as high as 60% for the EPA. I don't think we will know all the gory details for a while. I hope we don't hang Ukraine out to dry over an oval office argument.
My last employer was a barely sub Fortune 500 company with a couple of thousand in the location where I worked. There was a shooting over a woman, a few examples of falsification of expense reports, Falsification of records, a theft ring, and various sorties of unsavory relationships. There were people with locked door offices who would some times disappear for many hours. The majority of people worked hard and long and other people got caught and fired. It seems like the way with big organizations and a general population mix. We had workforce reductions, but cutbacks were surgical rather than the DOGE effect. I don't know how different government agencies might be, but it does seem like they get bogged down in unnecessary routines..
iris lilies
3-9-25, 8:59pm
Someone on another forum who works in the Federal division that manages physical buildings says they are slashing divisions, and emptying buildings like crazy. All I can think of is that in this environment, where commercial real estate isn’t exactly strong, what’s gonna happen to the buildings that the federal government owns? Will they become useless hulks, dragging down the blocks of the cities where they sit?
Someone on another forum who works in the division that manages physical buildings says there slashing divisions, and emptying buildings like crazy. All I can think of is that in this environment, where commercial real estate isn’t exactly strong, what’s gonna happen to the buildings that the federal government owns? Will they become useless hoax, dragging down the blocks of the cities where they sit?
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2490776/Spirit_Halloween_Store.jpg?p=twitter
rosarugosa
3-10-25, 6:29am
I have a BIL with a couple of life-threatening health conditions who receives all of his (substantial) care from the VA. I'm sure I will hear what, if any, impacts there are to his care, so I will have that bit of anecdata to share in the future. As an aside, he and SIL both voted for Trump.
I personally have already seen a very significant reduction in staffing and increased wait times at my local post office.
I live almost within shouting distance of a national historical site, which already seems to operate with pretty lean staffing. It will be interesting to see how/if they are impacted in the upcoming season. They are only open seasonally for tours and such, but the grounds are open year-round as a park.
A big issue is that the best and brightest have not usually wanted to work for the government. (I retired after31 years of service) For most of that time, I was considered crazy for doing it. During periods of financial crisis, I was no longer crazy. But it was the stability and benefits, not the salary, that kept me like golden handcuffs. No longer the case. No stability, fewer benefits, crazy management, etc. and we are back to the past and the government being a low end place to work.
flowerseverywhere
3-10-25, 7:09am
I'm guessing that climate, overall health and cancer research will continue without any discernible degradation if staffing is cut back to 2019 levels and funding remains at 2024 levels.
As for my thoughts on the VA, I think that if personnel cutbacks occur at the level you've referenced, there will still be approximately 400,000 employees servicing the needs of our veterans. Using an off the top of my head calculation, that would be approximately 1 VA employee for every 40 living US military veterans.
As a veteran myself, I've never utilized any VA services other than receiving approvals for GI Bill education benefits and a VA home loan, both back in the 70's when the the VA enjoyed staffing levels less then 50% of today's headcount. It occurs to me that there is almost certainly a fair amount of bloat in every government agency, especially considering in this case that the vast majority of veterans in any given year have no contact with or services provided by the VA, which would bring that 1 in 40 number down to something along the lines of 1 VA employee for every 20 or fewer veterans receiving services during each year.
Overall, I'm thinking we veterans will be just fine.
this makes me incredibly sad. I worked in a large VA hospital. Veterans often had to wait months for outpatient appointments. On an inpatient unit, many of the patients had multiple medical and psychiatric problems. Agent Orange and now burn pits are incredibly harmful to multiple systems. PTSD, depression, suicide prevention all factor in to complicating veteran care. Traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, burns and wounds need extended complicated care. I met ex pow’s, men who came back to find girlfriends and wives had moved on. Vietnam vets returned to hostile citizens who snugly watched the action on TV while our soldiers slogged through muck, were shot at or shot down.
the veteran suicide rate is almost 60% higher than average citizens. The absolute last thing that should be cut is medical care. There are systems and jobs that could be redundant or not needed. But if you care at all about veterans saying cutting 80,000 workers without careful assessment would be a death sentence.
My brother would be dead if it weren't for the VA, and I'm not exaggerating. If there are inefficiencies in the VA, it's probably because of outdated systems that there is no budget to replace, not because of the workforce.
happystuff
3-10-25, 9:01am
As you all know, I usually avoid the Politics thread, but I saw catherine's post mentioning the VA in the "What's New". My primary dr and healthcare is through the VA.
And now I am stepping away. Have a great day, everyone.
I see in today's paper that the VA reductions are not expected until June. There are something like 100 lawsuits over the mass firings among the various agencies. It may be months before we see the big impact? What I'm seeing is that DT is expecting the states make up any shortfalls due to DOE cutbacks or total elimination. If the market continues to tank, some may see a reduction in taxes in the form of less capital gains taxes.
Whether, as Alan says, the numbers overall will just be a throw back to 2019 levels is yet to be seen, but I consider very unlikely.
My brother would be dead if it weren't for the VA, and I'm not exaggerating. If there are inefficiencies in the VA, it's probably because of outdated systems that there is no budget to replace, not because of the workforce.
This, yes! My DH's primary care is through the VA and it has been our experience that the system works at a glacial pace and unless you are persistent you will fall through the cracks. Recently he had a vision checkup and it took 12 weeks for his glasses to arrive! Can you imagine having to wait that long for a pair of glasses under your present coverage?
After we moved it took almost a year for his records to be transferred. This was after we accidentally found a PA who would take him on as a primary; the VA had no doctor s available.
This is how we say "Thank you for your 22 years of service!"
early morning
3-10-25, 12:08pm
KayLR, that's terrible. I agree that we owe our men and women who served MUCH better than that. There must be a lot of regional differences in VAs. Both my FIL and BIL utilized the VA here, as did a first cousin. (WWII no active war service, other two Vietnam active duty) I gotta say, their experiences at our local VA were much better than what you experienced. They had little trouble getting appointments, services, or meds. The VA arranged dialysis services for BIL out of state when we took him traveling with us. My cousin was offered (and refused) help with housing, food, and outpatient mental health services. All three received hospice services at or through the VA here. I am grateful for them, and I'm fine with my tax dollars supporting them. I don't see cuts as being helpful, when the cutters have no idea what those cut actually DO. We need to do MORE for our vets, not less.
This, yes! My DH's primary care is through the VA and it has been our experience that the system works at a glacial pace and unless you are persistent you will fall through the cracks. Recently he had a vision checkup and it took 12 weeks for his glasses to arrive! Can you imagine having to wait that long for a pair of glasses under your present coverage?
After we moved it took almost a year for his records to be transferred. This was after we accidentally found a PA who would take him on as a primary; the VA had no doctor s available.
This is how we say "Thank you for your 22 years of service!"
I think the problems and delays you, Catherine and Flowers mention have more to do with the bureaucracy associated with any government program and less with lack of resources, funding or support. It's the same as healthcare in Canada or the UK or any other socialized healthcare system.
I recall just about 6 years or so ago when Congress passed the Mission Act which helped, and actually encouraged, veterans receive timely healthcare through private physicians and hospitals, but access to the systems set up to facilitate that care seems to have disappeared around 2021. I wonder why?
Interesting reading from someone who just retired from SSA about DOGE:
Ex. J - Flick Decl..pdf (courtlistener.com) (https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321/gov.uscourts.mdd.577321.22.10.pdf)
Over the winter I was looking into sending a couple of paper i-bonds in my safety deposit box to a Treasury Direct account. When I set up the account they were saying it could take 8n to 12 weeks before the bond would show up in my account. There were cautions saying to send it registered or certified mail with receipt confirmation. That seemed like an inexcusably long to time process the paper bonds. Now, there is no way I'd send them until all the layoffs and reorganization dust settles. Who knows how long it would take.
Here's an interesting (or disturbing) first person account of a Forest Service firing.
https://www.hcn.org/articles/losing-more-than-a-forest-service-job/
early morning
3-10-25, 5:56pm
Tybee, that is some scary reading. And people think we're "overreacting".
Just talked to my older brother who is a Vietnam vet (Green Beret). He utilizes the VA services near him for lots of things he mentioned today - grief counseling since his wife just passed, help with income taxes and medical care.
Hi all,
If anyone here is interested in working on boycotting Amazon, I'd love to start a thread to support each other as we do that. I feel Jeff Bezos has every right to turn the Washington Post into a right-wing rag if he wants, but I don't have to support it (I'm cancelling my subscription). I have further qualms about the union-busting he does and the way he treats his workers. I can easily find sources in a few days for all the troubling information about him, but can't today.
That said, I'm totally addicted to Amazon. I know I won't be able to go cold turkey. But I may start with just 15 no-Amazon days in March. I hope I can do more, but I want to set a realistic goal.
Anybody want to join?
Here's one link to ponder: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/jeff-bezos-space-flight-money-better-uses/
These tax cuts he is advocating for and benefitting from are taking from the lower and middle classes and giving to billionaires.
Back to the original post----are you still boycotting? I have not been on the Amazon site since Feb. 15. It feels like a cleansing. I have left my comfy house and shopped local.
rosarugosa
3-16-25, 6:35am
I've been able to avoid Amazon since my purchase on 2/22. I recently needed to replace my percolator, and I was able to find a used one on eBay.
I have been buying books on Thriftbooks.
I used Amazon to buy and send my grandson his birthday present, though.
Just bought my son's birthday present on Etsy.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.