Columns

My friend Andrew is back in town for some high-level, covert schmoozing. I last wrote about Andrew Boyd in 2004 when he was in the Bay Area directing a street theater effort against the Bush administration’s economic policies. Andrew is the founder of Billionaires for Bush, a do-it-yourself grassroots media campaign using humor and drama to expose politicians who support big business interests at the expense of everyday Americans. 

Within the organization, Andrew is known as Phil T. Rich. While stomping against corporate greed, Andrew wears a top hat and tails, guzzles champagne, throws fake money around, and smokes an obscenely large cigar. 

Fresh from political action of a different kind in Kansas City, Andrew had scant time to talk with me about his current activities. But on Friday morning, while still in my pajamas, I was able to corner him in my kitchen for a few minutes to hear about his recent escapades. 

Last spring Andrew was involved in the Leave My Child Alone coalition, created by Working Assets, Mainstreet Moms and ACORN to protect high school students from unwanted military recruiting. Since the coalition was launched on Mother’s Day 2005, concerned parents nationwide have held over 450 “opt out” events, and thousands of kids have been removed from the lists public high schools turn over to military recruiters. 

Returning to New York midsummer, Andrew pursued his writing career, working on a humorous manifesto-advice book for men about how to be sexy and anti-sexy at exactly the same time, and a second manuscript about his 2005 trip around the world. 

Last month he worked with the Ruckus Society and ACORN on a campaign opposing Wal-Mart. While 6,100 Wal-Mart upper management employees met at a media-blacked-out gathering at the Kansas City Convention Center, Andrew and his fellow protesters (dressed in hazmat suits, dust masks, and rubber gloves) surrounded Bartle Hall with 5,000 yards of yellow caution tape and served the attendees with notice of quarantine. The action was created in an effort to bring public scrutiny to Wal-Mart’s employee health care policies. 

“Full-time Wal-Mart employees lead the Medicaid roles in 16 states,” Andrew told me over a bowl of Raisin Bran. “We got some good local media coverage and Wal-Mart’s attention.” 

Less you think I normally interview high-powered lefties in my flannel pajamas, let me explain. Andrew is staying at my house while visiting the Bay Area. I provide him with a roof over his head and clean linens when he’s in town and he provides me with a sense of political purpose. 

Below is Andrew’s personal website and the web addresses of some of Andrew’s favorite political organizations. Check them out. 

• Andrew Boyd (a guy with lots of projects): www.wanderbody.com. 

• Billionaires for Bush (you have nothing to lose but your job): www.billionairesforbush.com. 

• Leave My Child Alone (a family privacy project): www.leavemychildalone.org. 

• Working Assets (Founded on the belief that building a business and a better world aren’t mutually exclusive. Working Assets has been helping busy people make a difference by contributing over $50 million in donations since 1985 to nonprofits working for peace, equality, human rights, education and a cleaner environment): www.workingassets.com. 

• Mainstream Moms (The MMOB is an education-in-action project committed to big change through the accelerated engagement of women, particularly as they identify and self-organize as mothers): www.themmob.com. 

• ACORN (The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now is the nation’s largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, working together for social justice and stronger communities): www.acorn.org. 

• The Ruckus Society (The Ruckus Society provides environmental, human rights, and social justice organizers with the tools, training, and support needed to achieve their goals): www.ruckus.org. 

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