Your Dollar Your Vote
A program of economic resistance designed to bolster our democracy using your own economic power.
Our Goal
To reclaim our democracy for everyday people from the control of the wealthy and powerful.
What We're Asking You to Do
-
Resist - break the cycle of unthinking support to large mega-corporations! Stop automatically purchasing and instead unsubscribe from entrenched services.
-
Reward local small business, local companies, nonprofits, those that promote the social good, or are environmentally friendly.
-
Reduce - buy less, save money, protect the environment.
Why We Started Your Dollar
Your Vote
-
Years of economic and political policies have increased wealth inequality to the highest point in history. A new oligarchy - think Amazon/Bezos, Meta/Zuckerberg, Tesla/Musk - has arisen that has unprecedented power yet to a large extent is dependent on the money it takes from us.
-
That is why we have economic leverage to make changes if we know how to use it. Moreover, history has shown it can work!
-
We find that many people want to stop giving their hard-earned money to multi-millionaires, but don’t know how to do it. There are many great sources of information to draw from, but they are scattered and sometimes contradictory.
How Your Dollar Your Vote
Helps You
-
We collect information from a wide variety of sources to provide you with a comprehensive view of companies’ activities and spending.
-
We make recommendations based on the data we collect and summarize it in one place. Soon we hope to develop a database of companies and brands to resist or reward -- searchable and easily expanded and updated. We’ll also incorporate your feedback about experience with a company, and how you’ve resisted, rewarded or reduced.
How to Get Started
Resist and Unsubscribe
Shop Local
Scott Galloway developed an enormously successful campaign that urges people to unsubscribe from products delivered by tech companies with outsized influence on the national economy and our President. Resist and Unsubscribe guides people to stop automatic spending on services that support the oligarchy
For every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $43 remains in the local economy, which is over 3 times the amount ($13) that stays in the economy from purchases at a non-locally owned business Local First Arizona!
Become part of the local movement with these helpful resources:
-
Opportunity Arizona offers a list of local businesses at this link (scroll down)
-
Etsy provides links to local sellers in your area: Local Etsy Shops
Reduce Your Spending
One of the first things you can do when you decide to make a purchase is step back a moment and think “Do I really need it?” If not, save yourself some money, and help the environment by taking fewer shopping trips, having fewer deliveries, less packaging and fewer products to dispose of later.
If you’re not a resale shopper, you might want to give it a try. From furniture to home goods, clothing, jewelry, and more, you can find great buys while supporting a good cause, supporting the local economy, and keeping goods out of landfills.
Scottsdale Living: The Ultimate Guide to Thrift Shopping in Scottsdale
Who to Resist, Who to Reward
RESIST
-
The oligarchs, i.e. the ultra-wealthy “elite” who leverage their wealth to influence our politics and media to the benefit of themselves and their corporations
-
Other corporations and their leaders that lobby governments and contribute heavily to candidates and causes that do not serve the public interest, but to increase their own wealth. In this political climate, we assume that these can be identified by their contributions to Republicans, although large ones to both Democrats and Republicans might be seen as hedging their bets
-
Companies and institutions that have acquiesced to the demands of the Trump Administration, such as turning back DEI policies, or turning over our personal data
-
Companies that assist ICE/Border Patrol and/or an illegal war
-
Companies whose business practices and policies hurt their employees (e.g., fight unionization) or the public (e.g., hide adverse environmental effects of their products or lobby to reduce government oversight)
REWARD
-
Small business owners, especially those who are actively involved in their community, treat their employees fairly, and support progressive values
-
Any sized businesses whose products, services, and business models serve to promote the social good such as educational tools, environmentally friendly products, and alternative energy sources
-
Non-profit companies that sell or loan products, such as public libraries, foundations with resale shops, or museum gift stores
-
B (Benefit) Corporations, which are businesses that meet rigorous social, environmental, and governance standards
-
Businesses or business leader(s) that – if contribute to politics-lean heavily Democratic
Below are three companies and sets of brands to resist, as well as a few great alternatives to reward.
Click on each company image to learn more information.
More to Come
We’re hoping that we have piqued your interest in engaging in economic resistance that resists the oligarchs and rewards worthy companies that share our values.
If this is all new to you, take the first step, and you’ll find that over time, you’ll start consciously thinking about spending your money in the best, most rewarding places when you shop.
This project is an ongoing collaboration and, we hope, the start of a large network of economic resisters. We plan to give you much more data "ammunition" on corporations that do not deserve our money and also great alternative companies that do.
We also hope you will share your time and talents with us and that you will share your experiences with economic resistance. Tell us what worked, what didn’t, and if you found some great companies along the way.
Stay in Touch
Just send us your comments and suggestions at Everydollarvotes@gmail.com.
