Lotsa dimes

Counter Inaugural, a left-wing organization (like we need another one of those) is organizing all sorts of protests against President Bush's (re-)inauguration. One of the protests involves the entire country. I quote them (slightly censored):

Inauguration Day--Silent Protest--Not one d*** dime!

Since our religious leaders will not speak out against the war in Iraq, since our political leaders don't have the moral courage to oppose it, Inauguration Day, Thursday, January 20th, 2005 is "Not One D*** Dime Day" in America.

On "Not One D*** Dime Day," those who oppose what is happening in our name in Iraq can speak up with a 24-hour national boycott of all forms of consumer spending.

During "Not One D*** Dime Day" please don't spend money. Not one d*** dime for gasoline. Not one d*** dime for necessities or for impulse purchases. Not one d*** dime for anything for 24 hours.

On "Not One D*** Dime Day," please boycott Walmart, KMart and Target. Please don't go to the mall or the local convenience store. Please don't buy any fast food (or any groceries at all for that matter).

For 24 hours, please do what you can to shut the retail economy down.

Rhetorical questions, then the meat of this post:

• Why would you hurt your next-door neighbor, who works at the Quik-E-Mart, to send a message to President Bush?
• If the economy is as bad as the left would have us believe, isn't this going to have a non-effect (kinda like pouring out a cup of water during a monsoon)?
• Or alternately, if it is going to have an effect, why would you willfully make a bad problem (that affects you) worse?

So, for all the right thinkers out there, how about a Counter Counter Inaugural and spend lots of money? Some ideas:

• Fill all your vehicles with gasoline. Even if they're close to full. (But even better, try to time it so that they aren't.)
• Do you pay your bills electronically and have some that are due on the 20th or shortly thereafter? Have the payments made on the 20th.
• Work it out to try to do your grocery shopping that day. Even better, if you buy the 50-gallon tub of pickles at Costco, do it that day.
• Be like my dad, and start your Christmas shopping early.
• Get a gift card recently? The store can't count it as credit until you use it. Why not on the 20th?
• Buy yourself a "for four more years, we won't be negotiating with head-case terrorists" celebration gift. C'mon, you've been wanting that power saw.

I'm sure there are other ideas, too. Get creative! Show Geraldine Ferraro that people in red states do have something to contribute to society!