After the Economic Blackout
By Steve Thomas-Patel
Developer
No-Purchase Blacklist Day: February 28th – One Day to Make a Statement, A Lifetime to Make Change
February 28th is more than just a boycott. It’s a wake-up call. A recognition that we are living under a system of oligarchy, where the most powerful corporations dictate policy, and the autocrat they have chosen, acts in their interest, not ours.
Our greatest leverage? Our buying power and our labor. These billionaires don’t sit on mountains of gold. Their wealth is tied up in stock valuations, government contracts, and our continued participation in their economic ecosystem. If we stop feeding them, they collapse.
Musk is said to be worth $400 billion, but if people stopped buying Teslas, if governments pulled their Starlink and SpaceX contracts, his empire would disintegrate. The same is true for every corporation complicit in upholding the power of oligarchs.
This isn’t just about one day. It means nothing without ongoing, intentional action. Let’s break it down.
The Tech Oligarchs: Front and Center
Tech is where modern power is concentrated. These companies control infrastructure, data, public discourse, elections, and global commerce. We depend on them to hold our private lives, often without a choice. Our healthcare is in their databases, criminal histories, DNA, employment and social security, credit history..
Many of them are actively reinforcing right-wing power structures, whether through direct support, amplifying propaganda, suppressing truth, or funding reactionary policies.
| Company | Industry | How They Enable the Oligarchy |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla, SpaceX, X (Twitter) | Automotive, Aerospace, Social Media | Musk uses X to spread far-right propaganda, reinstating banned extremists, while his government contracts fund his empire. |
| Meta (Facebook, Instagram) | Social Media | Profits from disinformation while tweaking policies to avoid upsetting reactionary regimes. |
| Amazon | E-commerce, Cloud | Directly benefits from anti-union policies and surveillance capitalism. |
| Google (Alphabet) | Search, Cloud, AI | Works to maintain corporate control over information while rolling back DEI policies. |
| Apple | Tech | Quietly aligning with anti-labor policies and weakening progressive hiring initiatives. |
| Microsoft | Tech | Still enforcing DEI on paper, but caving to right-wing pressure in hiring. |
| OpenAI | Artificial Intelligence | Backed by some of the same power players pushing autocratic corporate control. |
| Uber | Transportation | Exploits gig workers while pushing an anti-labor agenda. |
DEI Rollbacks: This Isn’t About “Fairness,” It’s About Reinstating Discrimination
The attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs isn’t about fighting “reverse discrimination.” It’s about reinstating systemic discrimination. It’s about eliminating rights and protections for marginalized groups and ensuring workplaces reflect the racial, gender, and ideological preferences of the ruling elite. Even moreso, it’s about dividing us so we fight amongst ourselves and never for our rights as a population. If we are worried about who is taking who’s jobs, we never work together to build up our wages.
For example:
When federal DEI programs were rescinded, it wasn’t just hiring practices that changed—mass firings of people of color followed.
Even MSNBC, a supposedly progressive network, appears to have purged minority talent—either to appease the administration or because they believe the market is shifting toward a more reactionary stance.
Transgender employees aren’t just being denied hiring protections—they’re being stripped of the right to use chosen pronouns, select their gender, or even exist legally in some workplaces.
| Company | Industry | How They Rolled Back DEI |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | Tech | Quietly removed DEI commitments from reports and policies. |
| Tech | Scaled back internal DEI initiatives, removing public-facing commitments. | |
| Meta (Facebook, Instagram) | Social Media | Cut back DEI efforts while maintaining a PR-friendly image. |
| JPMorgan Chase | Banking | Publicly distanced itself from DEI to appease shareholders. |
| Wells Fargo | Banking | Ended diversity-based hiring policies. |
| Goldman Sachs | Banking | Dropping DEI language from its corporate statements. |
| BlackRock | Investment | Quietly removing DEI initiatives to avoid right-wing backlash. |
| Bank of America | Banking | Eliminated internal DEI programs. |
| PepsiCo, McDonald’s, Ford | Retail & Auto | Scrapping diversity hiring goals. |
| Tractor Supply, John Deere | Retail & Manufacturing | Rolled back DEI training programs. |
Media: Choose Wisely
Propaganda is a weapon. Even if you don’t believe the lies, absorbing them changes you. Right-wing media is designed to manipulate, and so-called mainstream sources are increasingly falling in line. Be mindful of your media consumption.
| Outlet | Status | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| The Guardian | ✅ Winner | Investigative journalism that holds power accountable. |
| ProPublica | ✅ Winner | Hard-hitting, fact-based reporting on corporate and political corruption. |
| Democracy Now! | ✅ Winner | Independent media that centers activism and marginalized voices. |
| Fox News, OANN, Newsmax | ❌ Loser | Right-wing disinformation factories designed to prop up autocracy. |
| Daily Wire, Breitbart | ❌ Loser | Propaganda arms of the conservative movement. |
| New York Times, MSNBC, CNN | ⚠️ Mixed | Still major players, but increasingly compromised by corporate interests and self-censorship. |
| Washington Post, LA Times | ❌ Loser | Under CEO pressure, refused to endorse Harris and are shifting rightward. |
Longtime Trump- and Conservative-Aligned Companies
Many corporations have openly funded right-wing causes for years. These businesses bankroll conservative movements, suppress labor, and exploit workers. If you’re serious about long-term action, these should be at the top of your permanent boycott list.
| Company | Industry | Why They’re Here |
|---|---|---|
| MyPillow | Home Goods | CEO Mike Lindell is a leading election denier and Trump ally. |
| Chick-fil-A | Fast Food | Funds anti-LGBTQ+ causes. |
| Hobby Lobby | Retail | Opposes reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ protections. |
| Fox Corporation | Media | The leading source of right-wing propaganda. |
| Home Depot | Retail | Co-founder is a major GOP donor. |
| Uline | Shipping | Owners heavily fund conservative causes. |
| Publix | Grocery | Family heavily involved in right-wing politics. |
| Black Rifle Coffee | Food & Beverage | Markets itself as the coffee of choice for right-wing extremists. |
The Bright Spots: Companies Standing Firm
It’s important to support companies that have resisted right-wing pressure and maintained their commitments to progressive policies.
| Company | Industry | How They’ve Stood Firm |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | Tech | Rejected efforts to abolish DEI, 97% of shareholders voted to keep it. |
| Ben & Jerry’s | Food & Beverage | Continues social activism despite corporate pressure. |
| Costco | Retail | Refused to back down from DEI initiatives. |
| Delta Air Lines | Aviation | Defended workforce diversity and inclusion programs. |
| Microsoft | Tech | Maintained internal DEI policies despite external pressure. |
| Patagonia | Retail | Fully integrates DEI into operations. |
| Deutsche Bank | Banking | Standing firm on increasing diversity. |
| NFL | Sports | Reaffirmed commitment to inclusive hiring practices. |
What You Can Do
Boycott on February 28th. One day won’t change everything, but it sends a message.
Long-term action. Choose where your money and labor go every day.
Stay informed. The oligarchs win when we stop paying attention.
Pressure institutions. Call out local, state, and federal government contracts that prop up these corporations.
Support alternatives. Whether it’s independent media or ethical companies, support those fighting back.
Economic leverage is our greatest tool. Let’s use it.