Billionaires for Bush
| Company type | Activist group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Political activism, culture jamming |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Andrew Boyd |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Andrew Boyd, Jenny Levison, Elissa Jiji, Marco Ceglie, Melody Bates |
| Products | Political street theater performances and protests |
Billionaires for Bush was a political street theater collective employing culture jamming techniques to ironically endorse George W. Bush, drawing attention to policies perceived as advantageous to corporations and the ultra-wealthy. Participants donned tuxedos, embodying affluent "establishment" personas, and carried signs with slogans such as "Two Million Jobs Lost—It's a Start."
An undercover intelligence document from the New York City Police Department dated 2003–2004, prior to the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City, characterized Billionaires for Bush as "an activist group created to mock the sitting president and his political agenda."
Forbes 1999
Initially established by Andrew Boyd under the name "Billionaires for Forbes," the group focused its efforts on Steve Forbes during his 1999 presidential bid. Their protest against Forbes' flat tax plan in New Hampshire attracted media interest by masquerading as supporters holding signs that revealed critical statements like "Billionaires for Forbes: Because Inequality isn't Growing Fast Enough." This theatrical disruption of Forbes' campaign announcement secured notable press coverage, illustrating the group's tactical use of satire to shape public conversation.
Bush (or Gore) 2000
In the course of the 2000 U.S. presidential election, led by Andrew Boyd and Jenny Levison under the banner "Billionaires for Bush (or Gore)," the organization underscored that regardless of the victor, corporations and wealthy elites would reap benefits. Their tagline read "Because Economic Inequality Is Not Growing Fast Enough."
They made appearances at the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, California, ironically commending major corporate sponsors by attempting to hand out thank-you notes to entities such as Fleet Bank, Fidelity Investments, and Verizon Communications.
Ahead of the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, they organized a "Million Billionaires March" scheduled for the day before the convention. Additional events included a "Vigil for corporate welfare" and an auction offering corporate advertising rights on the Liberty Bell.
Bush 2004
In March 2004, at a Long Island fundraiser attended by President Bush, Billionaires for Bush hosted a mock-support rally featuring men clad in tuxedos and top hats alongside women dressed in formal evening attire. Their placards bore slogans such as "Leave No Billionaire Behind" and "Corporations Are People Too."
Their most prominent demonstrations took place during the protests surrounding the 2004 Republican National Convention. Concurrently, an affiliated group operated under the name "Billionaires For Bush Or Kerry," continuing their satirical critique of both political parties.
On July 27, 2004, coinciding with the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, approximately 150 participants gathered for a "Million Billionaires March," presenting a fictitious check labeled "whatever it takes" to local Republican Party offices as part of their parody aimed at undermining Kerry's campaign.
Following the 2004 Republican Convention, legal actions against the New York City Police Department revealed that undercover NYPD agents had infiltrated Billionaires for Bush to collect intelligence prior to the event.
Post-2004 Activities
Following 2004, the group continued to operate, albeit with reduced visibility, using their well-known persona to draw attention to economic topics such as the privatization of Social Security, the Iraq conflict, the Estate Tax, and urban gentrification.
The leadership team consisted of co-chairs Elissa Jiji, Marco Ceglie, and Melody Bates.
Wardrobe
Participants commonly donned exaggerated symbols of wealth—such as tuxedos, top hats, evening dresses, and pearl necklaces—while adopting humorous pseudonyms like "Mo Bludfer Oyle" (a nod to the Iraq war) and "Phil T. Rich." For more subtle interventions, they occasionally opted for less conspicuous costumes.
Activities
Among the group's prominent events were:
- Musical acts performed at anti-Bush demonstrations
- Publicly expressing gratitude to George W. Bush on his birthday for tax reductions
- Ironically counter-protesting anti-Bush rallies
- Supporting war efforts during peace protests
- Nationwide limousine roadshows
- Campaigning for oil extraction and logging within San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park
- Organizing "Bush League" baseball matches
These initiatives aimed to secure media coverage and enhance their political satire’s reach.
Mottos
Their ironic catchphrases included expressions such as "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." These slogans highlighted their critical stance on Republican economic and social policies.
Related Topics
- Don't Just Vote, Get Active, a 2004 protest group challenging the electoral system
- Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, an organization opposing Kerry’s 2004 campaign
- The Yes Men
- Billionaires for Wealthcare
External links
- Official website
- Billionaires for Bush Records, 2000-2013, TAM 725, Tamiment Archives, New York University