When a Leftist Effort Fizzles, the Media Come to the Rescue
“Every major shift in history started with one moment. One act of defiance. One refusal to comply with a broken system.
“This is that moment.
“We are done waiting for politicians to fix what is broken.
“We are done watching billionaires hoard wealth while the working class struggles.
“We are done believing we are powerless.”
This rant is only one snippet of the Marxist screed on the website of The People’s Union USA, a small organization that has, nonetheless, attracted considerable media attention.
Last February, the “advocacy group” called for a “Twenty-Four-Hour Economic Blackout” on the last day of the month. According to The Columbus Dispatch, their targets were “major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.”
The event was to be the organization’s breakout moment. Their website’s “Command Center” laid out their Revolutionary hopes.
“On Friday, February 28th, we go dark. For 24 hours, we stop feeding the machine. No spending. No unnecessary purchases. No engagement with major corporations.”
Unwarranted Attention
However, the People’s Union website appears to be a one-man operation. That man is John Schwartz, the organization’s founder. He claims he is creating new chapters across the U.S. A look at the “local chapters” page reveals only two—one that splits its efforts between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington and another in Tiffin, Ohio. Such a network is a minuscule base for an effort that hopes to bring the world’s largest economy to its knees.
Nonetheless, the press paid attention. Forbes, NPR, PBS, Associated Press, USA Today and The Economic Times all ran stories about it. None of them referred to the Marxist overtones of Mr. Schwartz’s rhetoric. Nor did CBS News’s profile of the founder. It quoted Mr. Schwartz’s description of how the idea came to him while making a video series.
“When I was into about the third or fourth one of those, I said even a president should be calling for an economic blackout and to unionize citizens…. [I]t sparked that idea in me. And I said, you know what, as a matter of fact let’s do this. Let’s do an economic blackout—get a bunch of people together for one day, if they want to take part and start something, and try to work on unionizing the people.”
A Collective Yawn
Most people, including the retail chains themselves, didn’t notice. Perhaps a few people waited until March 1 to send in their monthly Amazon orders, but the nation’s business went on unimpeded.
A few months later, Mr. Schwartz decided to give it another go. His “economic blackout tour” rolled out by targeting Walmart from April 7 to 14. Other enemies got their own weeks. General Mills was slated for April 21-28, Amazon for May 6-12, Walmart for May 20-26, Target for June 3-9 and McDonald’s for June 24-30.
However, John Schwartz is a persistent fellow. Newsweek carried his message. “‘Economic blackout. August 9,’ the group’s founder, John Schwarz, told his 500,000 Instagram followers this week. ‘No spending. No shopping. Nowhere.’”
Again, with the exception of those already on the far left (and a precious few of those), no one noticed.
In the spirit of “never say die,” People’s Union USA once again stands poised, hoping to strike at the nation’s economic jugular for five days, according to USA Today, from September 16 to 20. Its goals are even more audacious. For this go-round, the group demands the end of the Trump Administration, the release of the Epstein files, living wages for all workers nationwide, expanded programs for the elderly, veterans, the young and needy families. They also call for “full accountability for police, elected officials and public servants.”
As usual, Amazon is on the target list. Newcomers include Uber and PepsiCo, as well as its Quaker Oats and Frito-Lay divisions.
Ever since the days of the radical Thomas Paine, the United States has compiled a long list of radical revolutionaries and revolutionary organizations. While a few limped along for decades, the vast majority dissolved rather quickly. There seems little doubt that The People’s Union USA will be among the latter. There seems little chance that John Schwartz’s name will join the likes of Lenin, Mao, or even America’s long-time Socialist Party candidate for president, Eugene V. Debs.
However, Mr. Schwartz’s very anonymity begs another question.
Why do some of the nation’s best-known journals pay him any attention at all? Perhaps, the idea of a nationwide economic “blackout” has some attraction by its ambitious goals. However, the normal thing would be for the press to stop paying attention when the first attempt fizzled out in February. Yet, national outlets, especially Newsweek and USA Today, continue to fly the People’s Union’s banner.
Leftist Defeats Lead to Desperation
Perhaps the best explanation is that the left is in a state of disorder rarely seen. It has few original ideas and lacks the unity to oppose the ones that prevailed in 2024. Highlighting losers like Mr. Schwartz is at least something that shows some sign of daring among an unimaginative left that fears straying too far from the center.
Regardless of John Schwartz’s eventual fate or his organization’s, the United States—indeed all of the Western world—is in a state of flux. Both left and right suffer from uncertainty about the future. The constant temptation is to propose flashy economic schemes (like Mr. Swartz’s) to impress the masses. Such cheap solutions will not solve America’s problems. Moral solutions are needed that require wisdom born of diligence, virtue and prayer.
