Occupy your local stores, banks
The media’s coverage of the Occupy movement reveals a dizzying mosaic of disparate causes. Though I am sympathetic to the core concerns expressed (and thoroughly disheartened by the recent pepper spray incident at UCD), it is increasingly apparent that many in the movement are just opportunists — fair weather protesters if you will — trying to grab a glint of the spotlight.
As I wade through the digital bog of images, tweets, interviews and the like, and as I ponder what I can do in the face of banks’ and corporations’ increasing economic and political power, something becomes clear: buy local and bank local! If the 99 percent (myself included) wants to make a real difference, we should shop early and often at locally owned merchants, buy locally made products and locally raised food, and place our money with locally controlled financial institutions whenever possible. Where are we buying our groceries? Our mochas? Our music? Our books? Our birthday, holiday and shower gifts? Locally owned options abound!
And another thing … I’ve recently witnessed and heard first-hand accounts of a discourteous practice occurring here in Davis. Using bar code scanning software on their smart phones, consumers are walking into local shops, availing themselves of the incredible, personalized service so common in our fair city, and then locating and purchasing the product at a lower price online or at a bigbox.
I completely understand trying to get a deal, but it’s just plain rude to “shoplift” the valuable time and expertise of Davis’ hard-working small business owners.
John Aubert
Davis
Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=107128
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Posted by Letters to the Editor
on Nov 22 2011.
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Hear, hear! I totally agree with John Aubert.
COntact me if you want a copy of the email I sent to the CC and staff a week ago about how the City of Davis has its accounts at Wells Fargo, NA, rather than a local bank or credit union. I paid my water bills, and the WF cancellation was on the back of the check I sent to the City. So far, no one from the city has acknowledged getting my email (with my redacted check and the WF cancellation). BTW, the surface water project and this “Occupy Your City Money” idea are actually tightly linked, as I understand that a big reason the City went with Wells Fargo is that WF has a bond sales department, and they are all geared up to sell those hundreds of millions in expensive bonds if the revenue stream (the rate hikes) is ever approved by the voters. I assure you many of us are going to work on getting the city to “divest” our money from WF once we get the water rate hike under control and either repealed, or on the ballot. BTW, did you know that WF paid no corporate income taxes last year?