We received this comment not too long ago:

Jet Blue strands passengers on the runway for hours, the nation goes
ballistic at how airlines treat their customers, and then Jet Blue
immediately changes its policies.

Don Imus says "nappy headed ho", people go ballistic, and NBC fires him.

Americans are getting gouged beyond belief and the economy is suffering, yet
organizations like UCAN show no outrage. Where is your outrage? Why are you
not launching an all-out, full-scale, no-holds-barred attack on the oil and
gas companies? Why are you not exposing their pathetic attempts to mislead
consumers (e.g., We spend more money on R&D than we earn in profit)? Why
aren't you hammering on local businesses adopt "work from home" strategies?
Why aren't you shaming people who needlessly drive large SUVs?

Please don't respond by saying, "Why don't you join UCAN and help our
cause?" I can't - I have a job that already takes up way too much of my
time.

Your organization needs an infusion of passion!

And my response:

I like your spirit! Let's get out there and give 'em hell! No holds barred! Full-scale, nuclear, sub-atomic, molecular, OUTRAGE!! oh, wait...you can't? already have a job? busy keeping up with the joneses? man, what a bummer, i thought you really wanted to start something...

It's easy to tell other people they should be passionate and do something. It's much harder to do so yourself, that requires REAL sacrifice, REAL dedication...not just hot air. Organizations draw their strength from their members and supporters. Public advocacy groups depend on the public. If citizens are not "passionate" or "outraged" then it is pretty tough for organizations to be. UCAN has been ringing the warning bell on gouging and all other types of corporate abuse for decades. But if drivers aren't outraged enough to stop filling up their tanks or concerned enough to buy fuel efficient vehicles instead of SUVs, then there is little UCAN can do. How do you go to government officials and say, "sir, we know that no one is raising much of a fuss about issue X, but we really think you need to pass a law that will make you a lot of enemies and probably cause you to lose your next election...no, no, we promise, it's a big deal, people are mad as hell, they're just too busy with other stuff to voice that right now." Come on!

Short of rioting in the streets, the only thing that will change the situation is if the economy gets hit big time. Or rather, if the "right" economy gets hit big time. Many American corporations are more profitable than ever and the Dow is setting all-time highs. Meanwhile, a large portion of the country lives in conditions of a third-world nation by health, education, and human-rights standards, but as long as "the economy is [still] strong" (ie the "Fortune 500" companies are strong), who cares? Corporations win while consumers/citizens (is there really a difference?) lose, that's just how the game is played.

So I respond by saying, "join UCAN (or another organization like it) and help the cause!" The reason UCAN, and organizations like it, ask people to join and help the cause is because of the incredible odds they are against. consider this: Exxon Mobile has a net worth of around $500 billion. UCAN's net worth is roughly FOUR ONE-MILLIONTHS of that!! But don't worry, a quick infusion of passion is easily worth $499.99 billion.