Target decided to embrace the Trump ideology and forsake DEI. Wisdom on the street says everything Trump touches dies. Now it is Target’s turn to prove the truth of that nugget. About a year ago Target decided to forsake getting LGBTQ customers. Those decisions can be traced directly to their results:

9 minutes: (also includes discussion of the effects of tariffs)

We could go into a long discussion of Target policies but I think there is a much bigger lesson to be learned here. Are you listening? Here we go:

VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLARS!!!

In this case, when Target decided to abandon their DEI policies, black people in general (and many sympathizers) decided enough was enough. Actually many were already avoiding Target due to their LGBTQ policies and this just cemented that choice. 

While it is hard to avoid the big retailers in this country who have lined up with the far right, it is possible. Our family avoids Target, Walmart and Amazon as much as possible. We still shop at Costco. They have continued pro-worker, pro customer policies as far as I know. I honestly have not been in a Target in years. I think I was in Walmart once last year.

We do not know what Target will do in response to their loss of customers and revenue. Their CEO is already out of work. Will the next one learn the lesson or will Target double down on bad policy to please the Felon In the White House?

Whatever Target decides, the main lesson here is that people acting together can effectuate change. As we go deeper and deeper into Trump and the MAGAs trying to end our democracy, we need to remember that we can resist and we can win!

As this happens axios.com discovered last week that Trump has a “loyalty scorecard” that lists 553 American corporations based on their support of Trump’s policies. Reported by Axios  and summarized by Forbes here are some of the key facts about Trump’s loyalty list:

KEY FACTS

• The White House confirmed to Forbes an Axios report that the West Wing created a scorecard rating 553 companies on how strongly they have supported President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” seemingly allowing the White House to quickly gauge how they will approach future conversations or interactions with the listed companies.

• The White House official told Forbes the dynamic scorecards “incorporate the support of present and future administration initiatives.”

• In addition to considering companies’ support of Trump’s agenda, the scorecards also take into account companies’ social media posts, press releases, video testimonials, advertisements and attendance at White House events, Axios reported, noting companies’ support is ranked as strong, moderate or low.

• Axios cited as examples of “good” partners United, Delta, Uber, DoorDash, AT&T, Cisco, Airlines for America and the Steel Manufacturers Association.

• An unnamed White House staffer told Axios the scorecards help “us see who really goes out and helps vs. those who just come in and pay lip service,” adding the gradings can change if “companies want to start advocating more now for the tax bill or additional administration priorities.”

Given the loyalty list versus the customer boycott it looks like Target (and I hope others) have put themselves in between a rock and another rock.

It is also interesting that Trump is taking stock from companies supposedly in the name of the country. He has taken a “golden share” in United Steel (or Nippon Steel). They seem to be in talks with Intel about taking over 10% of that companies stock. The US government will also get a cut of chip sales from Nvidia and AMD to China. This doesn’t exactly sound like capitalism.

Makes you wonder if Trump will somehow make those corporate “gifts” end up in his pocket? I sure wonder what is going on. Sure sounds corrupt.