By: Leesa Donner
Who says you get only one vote? This may be true with respect to casting a ballot, but every time you reach for that trusty old wallet, you exercise your franchise. By and large, Americans vote their pocketbook at the polls. But how many of us think that we are voting with our pocketbook every time we pull into the drive-thru at Mickey D’s for a Big Mac? Some have taken to calling this the “second vote.” And in these divisive political times, enquiring minds may want to know where their hard-earned dollars end up.
Or maybe not. Ignorance can be bliss.
So, if you need a 12-step program to recover from your Amazon addiction, you may want to stick your head in the sand, put your fingers in your ears, and hum a few bars of The Star-Spangled Banner rather than absorb the alarming truth. Amazon’s misguided activities include signing a Supreme Court amicus brief to force unwilling bakers into making cakes for same-sex weddings. Prime heads also support the Paris Climate Accords and sponsor a group that lobbies on behalf of sanctuary cities. Next-day delivery may just have to be put on permanent political hold.
Ka-Ching!
Amazon has plenty of company – no pun intended. The retail world is fraught with liberal land mines. Run-of-the-mill stores such as CVS, Apple, Victoria’s Secret, Sam’s Club, Dollar General, and, yes, even Walmart and Levi Strauss cough up big bucks for causes de gauche.
But don’t despair. There are still places where conservatives can shop and not pour their money down a leftist rat hole. Overstock.com, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Bass Pro Shops, Hobby Lobby, and even WayFair.com turn out to be not such a bad bang for your buck. This doesn’t mean these retailers are solidly in the conservative camp, but it’s all relative, folks.
Then there’s the world of entertainment. As you might well imagine, making people laugh or cry for fun is big business. Showbiz throws plenty of greenbacks to the left, since most of those who work in the business called show are leftist through and through. To be sure, the entertainment industry is a tricky one to navigate. Cinemax, Warner Brothers, TNT, HBO, Universal Pictures, and even the Cartoon Network support the left. Who knew Bugs Bunny might need a safe space and despise the Border Patrol? And while this next one might seem fit for Ripley’s Believe It or Not, PBS is not so bad after all. It may spout left-wing ideas 24/7, but it does not give to leftist causes. As it turns out, doing nothing puts PBS at an advantage. Conservatives may want to let the good times roll with the following: Six Flags, Roku, Vizio, the Dish Network, and – wait for it – the NBA.
The NBA? Who Knew?
If, after hearing this, you decide to swear off movies and just want to catch a bite, you are no better off. Many national chain restaurants can’t seem to resist the lure of progressives. These include The Capital Grille, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, and — oh no – McDonald’s. But you don’t have to starve if your politics lean to the right. There’s always Papa John’s, Waffle House, The HoneyBaked Ham Company, and Krispy Kreme. So much for a restrictive Republican diet.
But what about a good old-fashioned home-cooked meal? After all, that’s why God invented kitchens. Unless you homestead and grow sprouts, the grocery store can be enemy territory as well. If you plan to vote with your wallet, then make sure your shopping cart is not filled with products from Minute Maid, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Frito-Lay, or Kellogg’s and General Mills products. Sadly, Betty Crocker has become a lefty in her old age. Dang.
Cool Your Jets
Feel like packing up the kids for some summer fun? Dust off the pup tent and camp stove because voting your wallet may prove to be challenging. Conservatives should avoid Airbnb, all three major airlines — American, United, and Delta — as well as Sheraton and Marriott hotels. Renting a car? Give Hertz the boot. It has been a very bad boy by ending its partnership with the National Rifle Association. But this doesn’t mean conservatives or libertarians will have to don a pair of Nikes. There’s Avis, ExpressJet, AAA Travel, and Allegiant Air that give to those on the right side of the political divide.
If all this sounds depressing, you can simply decide to throw up your hands in despair and forget all about it. But whatever you do, don’t reach for the Prozac. Eli Lilly makes the popular antidepressant and funds a group called UnidosUS. You might recognize its former name: La Raza.
This was originally published on Liberty Nation.
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