A big part of this is, as you said - the breathless coverage of these protests by the media. I get that it's a slow news cycle beyond COVID. But these stem from astroturfed campaigns by big money, right wing donors. Some have spread organically following in their lead however. But there have been just as many "protect renters" protests from the left going on and you don't hear a PEEP about them from the local or national media.
The US Congress's choice so far to barely give anyone any money (during the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression) is a huge factor in keeping people from going out and spending. If the US federal government never gives us anything more than $1200, why spend that on a dining experience?
If Republican governors/state legislators actually want to save businesses in their states through the power of consumerism, they should tell their allies in the US Senate to give US consumers more financial security. Until then, "reopening" the economy won't do much to increase consumer spending.
A big part of this is, as you said - the breathless coverage of these protests by the media. I get that it's a slow news cycle beyond COVID. But these stem from astroturfed campaigns by big money, right wing donors. Some have spread organically following in their lead however. But there have been just as many "protect renters" protests from the left going on and you don't hear a PEEP about them from the local or national media.
The US Congress's choice so far to barely give anyone any money (during the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression) is a huge factor in keeping people from going out and spending. If the US federal government never gives us anything more than $1200, why spend that on a dining experience?
If Republican governors/state legislators actually want to save businesses in their states through the power of consumerism, they should tell their allies in the US Senate to give US consumers more financial security. Until then, "reopening" the economy won't do much to increase consumer spending.