Billionaires for Bush
Encyclopedia
Billionaires for Bush is a culture jamming
political street theater organization that satirically purports to support George W. Bush
for those activities which are perceived to benefit corporation
s and the super-wealthy. A secret New York City Police Department
intelligence report based on undercover surveillance of the group in 2003 and 2004 in advance of the 2004 Republican National Convention
in New York City
, described the Billionaires as "an activist group forged as a mockery of the current president and political policies."
announced his candidacy for President and jeered him as he signed a flat tax
pledge in New Hampshire
. The Billionaire Manual describes the action:
The group appeared at the 2000 Democratic National Convention
in Los Angeles, California
, satirically praising major corporations for their financial support of the convention by attempting to deliver thank you cards to Fleet Bank
, Fidelity Investments
and Verizon Communications
.
The Billionaires planned a "Million Billionaires March" at the 2000 Republican National Convention
in Philadelphia held the day before the convention. Other activities included a "Vigil for corporate welfare
" and an auction of corporate advertising rights for the Liberty Bell
.
attended by President Bush, Billionaires for Bush came to show their "support", with men dressed in tuxedos with top hats and women in evening gowns and long gloves. The groups laminated posters featured such slogans as "Leave No Billionaire Behind" and "Corporations Are People Too."
Their largest events to date took place as part of the 2004 Republican National Convention protest activity
. A separate group, however, continued on in the plague-on-both-your-houses style as Billionaires For Bush Or Kerry.
A "Million Billionaires March" on July 27, 2004, in conjunction with the 2004 Democratic National Convention
in Boston, Massachusetts, attracted 150 marchers who presented a faux check made out for the amount of "whatever it takes" to the local offices of the Republican Party, as part of an effort to "defeat" Kerry.
Lawsuits filed against the New York City Police Department
after the 2004 Republican Convention uncovered the fact that Billionaires for Bush had been among groups infiltrated by the NYPD by its undercover officers gathering intelligence in advance of the convention.
to raise awareness to a myriad of economic issues including Social Security
privatization, the Iraq War, the Estate Tax and gentrification
.
The group is currently led by a triumvirate of co-chairs Elissa Jiji, Marco Ceglie
, and Melody Bates.
s or evening gown
s and pearl
s and adopt names like "Mo Bludfer Oyle" (more blood for oil, a reference to the Iraq war) and "Phil T. Rich" (filthy rich).
Members may also dress in less stereotypical attire to perform more subtle pranks, as described in the Forbes example, above.
These events and message are designed to attract friendly media coverage.
Culture jamming
Culture jamming, coined in 1984, denotes a tactic used by many anti-consumerist social movements to disrupt or subvert mainstream cultural institutions, including corporate advertising. Guerrilla semiotics and night discourse are sometimes used synonymously with the term culture jamming.Culture...
political street theater organization that satirically purports to support George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
for those activities which are perceived to benefit corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
s and the super-wealthy. A secret New York City Police Department
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
intelligence report based on undercover surveillance of the group in 2003 and 2004 in advance of the 2004 Republican National Convention
2004 Republican National Convention
The 2004 Republican National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States, took place from August 30 to September 2, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, described the Billionaires as "an activist group forged as a mockery of the current president and political policies."
Forbes 1999
The organization had first been founded by Andrew Boyd as "Billionaires for Forbes", but Forbes left the 2000 race for the Republican Presidential nomination early due to a lack of adequate voter support. In 1999, Billionaires were present as Steve ForbesSteve Forbes
Malcolm Stevenson "Steve" Forbes, Jr. is an American editor, publisher, and businessman. He is the editor-in-chief of business magazine Forbes as well as president and chief executive officer of its publisher, Forbes Inc. He was a Republican candidate in the U.S. Presidential primaries in 1996...
announced his candidacy for President and jeered him as he signed a flat tax
Flat tax
A flat tax is a tax system with a constant marginal tax rate. Typically the term flat tax is applied in the context of an individual or corporate income that will be taxed at one marginal rate...
pledge in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. The Billionaire Manual describes the action:
- They wore conservative jackets and ties (but no bowler hats, etc.) and carried innocuous signs such as "Run, Steve, Run." Happy to have grass-roots support, the Forbes handlers (who believed the Billionaires were students from a nearby business school) placed them in front of the cameras, very near to the podium from which Forbes was speaking. However, each of their signs had another sign behind it. And behind their banner (which read "Forbes 2000: He wants YOU to win") was another banner, waiting. At the most dramatic moment of his announcement, the Billionaires flipped their signs, and pulled away the large banner to reveal one which read: "Billionaires for Forbes: Because Inequality isn’t Growing Fast Enough." The Billionaires started chanting "Let workers pay the tax so investors can relax!" and other slogans. Forbes and his handlers were completely thrown off, a little tussle ensued, and the Billionaires were pushed off to the side away from the cameras. Not wanting to miss the action, half the TV crews left the Forbes speech to cover the Billionaires. The action got lots of coverage.
Bush (or Gore) 2000
During the 2000 U.S. presidential election the organization was led by Andrew Boyd as "Billionaires for Bush (or Gore)," with the message that whichever candidate became president, corporations and the wealthy were guaranteed to benefit. The group spoke out under the motto "Because Economic Inequality Is Not Growing Fast Enough".The group appeared at the 2000 Democratic National Convention
2000 Democratic National Convention
The 2000 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention for the Democratic Party. The convention nominated Vice President Al Gore as its candidate for President and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman as its candidate for Vice President. The convention was held at...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, satirically praising major corporations for their financial support of the convention by attempting to deliver thank you cards to Fleet Bank
FleetBoston Financial
FleetBoston Financial was a Boston, Massachusetts–based bank created in 1999 by the merger of Fleet Financial Group and BankBoston. In 2004 it merged with Bank of America; all of its banks and branches were given the Bank of America logo.-History:...
, Fidelity Investments
Fidelity Investments
FMR LLC or Fidelity Investments is an American multinational financial services corporation one of the largest mutual fund and financial services groups in the world. It was founded in 1946 and serves North American investors. Fidelity Ventures is its venture capital arm...
and Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
.
The Billionaires planned a "Million Billionaires March" at the 2000 Republican National Convention
2000 Republican National Convention
The 2000 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States convened at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 31 to August 3, 2000. The 2066 delegates assembled at the convention nominated Texas Governor George W. Bush as the Republican candidate for U.S....
in Philadelphia held the day before the convention. Other activities included a "Vigil for corporate welfare
Corporate welfare
Corporate welfare is a pejorative term describing a government's bestowal of money grants, tax breaks, or other special favorable treatment on corporations or selected corporations. The term compares corporate subsidies and welfare payments to the poor, and implies that corporations are much less...
" and an auction of corporate advertising rights for the Liberty Bell
Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American Independence, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formerly placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House , the bell was commissioned from the London firm of Lester and Pack in 1752, and was cast with the lettering "Proclaim LIBERTY...
.
Bush 2004
At a March 2004 fundraiser on Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
attended by President Bush, Billionaires for Bush came to show their "support", with men dressed in tuxedos with top hats and women in evening gowns and long gloves. The groups laminated posters featured such slogans as "Leave No Billionaire Behind" and "Corporations Are People Too."
Their largest events to date took place as part of the 2004 Republican National Convention protest activity
2004 Republican National Convention protest activity
2004 Republican National Convention protest activity includes the broad range of marches, rallies, performances, demonstrations, exhibits, and acts of civil disobedience in New York City to protest the 2004 Republican National Convention and the nomination of President George W. Bush for the 2004 U.S...
. A separate group, however, continued on in the plague-on-both-your-houses style as Billionaires For Bush Or Kerry.
A "Million Billionaires March" on July 27, 2004, in conjunction with the 2004 Democratic National Convention
2004 Democratic National Convention
The 2004 Democratic National Convention convened from July 26 to July 29, 2004 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, and nominated John Kerry and John Edwards as the official candidates of the Democratic Party for President and Vice President of the United States, respectively, in the 2004...
in Boston, Massachusetts, attracted 150 marchers who presented a faux check made out for the amount of "whatever it takes" to the local offices of the Republican Party, as part of an effort to "defeat" Kerry.
Lawsuits filed against the New York City Police Department
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
after the 2004 Republican Convention uncovered the fact that Billionaires for Bush had been among groups infiltrated by the NYPD by its undercover officers gathering intelligence in advance of the convention.
2005 and beyond
Since 2004 the group remains active and uses the memeMeme
A meme is "an idea, behaviour or style that spreads from person to person within a culture."A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols or practices, which can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals or other imitable phenomena...
to raise awareness to a myriad of economic issues including Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
privatization, the Iraq War, the Estate Tax and gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
.
The group is currently led by a triumvirate of co-chairs Elissa Jiji, Marco Ceglie
Marco Ceglie
Marco Ceglie is an American writer, producer, and freelance strategic media and messaging consultant.He most recently co-founded the advocacy group , which made waves as an alternative to the Tea Party during their April 15, 2010 “anti-tax” rallies in Washington D.C...
, and Melody Bates.
Attire
Members typically dress in stereotypically wealthy attire, such as tuxedos and top hatTop hat
A top hat, beaver hat, high hat silk hat, cylinder hat, chimney pot hat or stove pipe hat is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, predominantly worn from the latter part of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century...
s or evening gown
Evening gown
An evening gown is a long flowing women's dress usually worn to a formal affair. It ranges from tea and ballerina to full-length. Evening gowns are often made of a luxury fabric such as chiffon, velvet, satin, or silk...
s and pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
s and adopt names like "Mo Bludfer Oyle" (more blood for oil, a reference to the Iraq war) and "Phil T. Rich" (filthy rich).
Members may also dress in less stereotypical attire to perform more subtle pranks, as described in the Forbes example, above.
Events
Examples of Billionaire events include:- Musical entertainment at anti-Bush events
- Thanking George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
on his birthday for their tax cuts - Protesting protests of the Bush administration
- Taking a pro-war stance at peace rallies
- Cross-country limousineLimousineA limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
tours - A petition to allow oil drilling and logging of Golden Gate ParkGolden Gate ParkGolden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park consisting of of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but 20% larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a...
in San Francisco - Bush League baseball
These events and message are designed to attract friendly media coverage.
Slogans
Some of their political slogans include "Small Government, Big Wars," "Because We're All In This Together, Sort Of," "Two Million Jobs Lost — It's a Start," "Leave No Billionaire Behind," "Make Social Security Neither," and "Corporations are People Too."See also
- Don't Just Vote, Get ActiveDon't Just Vote, Get ActiveDon't Just Vote, Get Active, also known as Don't Just Vote was an open, decentralized national campaign in the United States of America initiated by the CrimethInc. Ex-Workers Collective and its allies...
, a protest organization set up for the 2004 presidential election that denounced the electoral system - Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, an organization that attacked Kerry's 2004 bid.
- Communists for KerryCommunists for KerryCommunists for Kerry is a tax-exempt 527 group founded in the Summer of 2004 by the Hellgate Republican Club of New York, now itself disbanded...
, a satirical organization formed as a counterpart to Billionaires for Bush during the 2004 presidential campaign. - The Yes MenThe Yes MenThe Yes Men are a culture jamming activist duo and network of supporters created by Jacques Servin and Igor Vamos. Through actions of tactical media, The Yes Men primarily aim to raise awareness about what they consider problematic social issues. To date, the duo has produced two films: The Yes Men...
- Billionaires for WealthcareBillionaires for WealthcareBillionaires for Wealthcare are a political Guerrilla theatre and culture jamming group that is satirically opposed to U.S. President Barack Obama's attempts at healthcare reform in the United States...