Podcast Summary: Letters from an American

Host: Heather Cox Richardson
Episode Date: November 25, 2025
Release Date: November 26, 2025
Theme: The Power of Consumer Activism—From the 1890s to Today

Episode Overview

In this episode, Heather Cox Richardson traces the lineage of consumer activism from the late 19th century to present-day America. She analyzes contemporary consumer boycotts—most notably against Tesla and Disney—and connects them to the transformative efforts spearheaded by women reformers in the 1890s. The episode showcases how collective purchasing power has historically influenced politics, labor conditions, and social reform, and highlights a renewed wave of consumer-driven action under the slogan “We Ain’t Buying It.”

Key Discussion Points and Insights

I. Modern Consumer Boycotts and Political Backlash

• Tesla Boycott:

  • 52% of Americans would avoid buying a Tesla for political reasons following Elon Musk’s financial and political support for President Don Trump, and subsequent leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency, which cut government programs and jobs.
  • International protests and calls at dealerships have further damaged Tesla’s sales, despite Trump’s public endorsement from the White House.
    • Quote:

      “Trump advertised Teslas on the South Lawn of the White House to try to help slumping sales, to no avail.” (01:30)

• Disney+ and Hulu Boycotts:

  • Massive subscription loss after Disney suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s show due to pressure following his comments on the murder of Charlie Kirk.
  • Approx. 3 million Disney+ cancellations, 4.1 million Hulu cancellations in September, up from usual monthly averages.
    • Quote:

      “Monthly cancellations previously had averaged 1.2 million and 1.9 million respectively." (02:55)

  • Unclear if all cancellations were due to Kimmel incident; subscription hikes occurred around the same time.

II. Historical Parallels: The 1890s and Birth of Consumer Power

• Florence Kelley and the National Consumers League (NCL):

  • Post-Civil War educational expansion for women led to their pivotal role in social reform and activism.
  • Women capitalized on their roles as primary family shoppers, leveraging boycotts for political outcomes.
    • Quote:

      “To live means to buy. To buy means to have power. To have power means to have responsibility.” — Florence Kelley (03:50)

  • Hull House, settlement work, and direct engagement in working-class communities to address social ills of industrialization.

• Electoral Impact and The “Shopping Woman”:

  • The 1890 McKinley tariff and ensuing midterm backlash were partly attributed to women influencing household political choices.
    • Quote:

      “Thomas Reid, the Republican speaker of the House, complained the party had been defeated by the shopping woman.” (06:10)

• Media and Consumer Influence:

  • Rise of “Big Six” women's magazines (e.g., Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping) integrating ads and consumer advice, further empowering women.
  • Reform movements advocating for safer products, higher wages, better conditions, and regulation (e.g., combating child labor, adulterated food).

III. Contemporary Echoes: “We Ain’t Buying It”

• Relaunching Consumer Power:
  • Grassroots campaign “We Ain’t Buying It” emerges, encouraging targeted spending to protest Trump administration policies and support businesses aligned with diversity, equity, and inclusion.
    • Website tagline:

      “We aren’t just consumers, we’re community builders.… We’re driving the change we want to see and demanding respect.” (07:46)

  • Joy Ann Reid’s Viral Instagram Video:
    • Quote:

      “Dear retailers who've decided you don’t like diversity, equity and inclusion, or you really love ICE… we ain’t buying it. I mean, for real, for real, we ain't buying it.” (08:00)

    • Focuses on supporting businesses that respect immigrant rights, democracy, and social equality.
    • “Let's show them our power… Let's show them what we can do together.” (08:29)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Florence Kelley on Responsibility:

  “To live means to buy. To buy means to have power. To have power means to have responsibility.” (03:50)

• Jane Addams on Social Interconnection:

  “The dependence of classes on each other is reciprocal.” (05:15)

• Joy Ann Reid on Strategic Spending:

  “We ain't buying it. I mean, for real, for real, we ain't buying it.… We're going to spend our money with businesses who actually respect our dollars, respect our communities, and respect our diversity, equity and inclusion.” (08:02)

• On Today’s Consumer Power:

  “Reformers are focusing on consumers power to push back on the policies of the Trump administration, launching a campaign they call We Ain't Buying It.” (07:40)

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introduction and Tesla boycott overview
• 02:10 – Disney’s subscription losses after the Kimmel controversy
• 03:10 – Historical context: Post-Civil War, women’s education
• 04:00 – Jane Addams and Hull House
• 05:15 – The philosophy of interconnected classes
• 06:10 – 1890 midterms and the "shopping woman"
• 06:50 – Rise of women’s magazines and the NCL
• 07:40 – "We Ain’t Buying It" campaign launch
• 08:00 – Joy Ann Reid’s Instagram video on consumer activism
• 08:29 – Call to action: “Let’s show them what we can do together”

Conclusion

Richardson’s episode weaves together past and present, illustrating how consumer choices continue to influence politics and corporate behavior. By framing modern boycotts within the longer history of American activism, she underscores the enduring importance—and responsibility—of consumers in shaping a just society. The episode closes with an invitation to collective action, echoing voices from both history and today: “We ain’t buying it.”