Billionaires for Bush Records
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Billionaires for Bush was a grassroots media campaign that used culture jamming and street theater to satirize politicians supporting corporate interests and the upper class. Activists wore costumes to parody the wealthy and jokingly supported political campaigns, with the greatest amount of activity during the 2000 and 2004 U.S. presidential elections. Since 2005, the group continues to advocate on a number of economic issues, including income inequality, gentrification, taxation policies, and Social Security privatization. The Billionaires for Bush Records document the organization's activism, with majority of the materials in this collection document the group's street theater and other actions during the 2000 and 2004 United States presidential elections. Materials in this collection include photographs, correspondence between organizers, printed suggestions for participating, flyers for distribution at actions, drafts of public statements, promotional ephemera like brochures, notes from planning meetings, newspaper clippings, and costumes used in actions. In addition to documenting specific activism during the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, the collection reveals a larger context of activism against economic inequality, as well as the tactics used by the organization, such as culture jamming and street theater.
Historical Note
Billionaires for Bush was a grassroots media campaign that used culture jamming and street theater to satirize politicians supporting corporate interests and the upper class. The organization was first founded by Andrew Boyd as "Billionaires for Forbes" during the Republican Party nomination process of the 2000 U.S. presidential election. Activists wore costumes to parody the wealthy and jokingly supported conservative political campaigns benefiting corporate interests, with the greatest amount of activity during the 2000 and 2004 U.S. presidential elections. Since 2005, the group continues to advocate on a number of economic issues, including income inequality, gentrification, taxation policies, and Social Security privatization.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the order in which it were received from the donor. These materials have been grouped into five series by subject and format as follows:
I. Billionaires for Bush (or Gore)
II. Billionaires for Bush
III. Actions
IV. Performance-Related Materials
V. Audiovisual Materials
Scope and Contents
The Billionaires for Bush Records document the organization's activism during the early 2000s critiquing politicians supporting policies that disproportionately benefitted corporations and the upper-class. The majority of the materials in this collection document the group's street theater and other actions during the 2000 and 2004 United States presidential elections. Materials in this collection include photographs (both print and digital), correspondence between organizers, printed suggestions for participating, flyers for distribution at actions, drafts of public statements, promotional ephemera like brochures or stickers, notes from planning meetings, and newspaper clippings. These materials document many of the group's targeted actions, such as "Block the Vote" that satirized voter suppression tactics, the "Get on the Limo" campaign tour, and "Cheney is Innocent." The collection also includes costumes and accessories worn or used by activists during actions, including banners, tuxedos, buttons, a fur stole, a top hat, plastic cigars, and cufflinks. In addition to documenting specific activism during the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, the collection reveals a larger context of activism against economic inequality, as well as the tactics used by the organization, such as culture jamming and street theater.
Subjects
Organizations
People
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions with the exception of box 3. Access to box 3 is restricted.
Conditions Governing Use
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by Andrew Boyd, the creator of this collection, were relinquished and transferred to the public domain in 2017 by the donor. These materials are governed by a Creative Commons CC0 license, which permits publication and reproduction of materials accompanied by full attribution. See, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Billionaires for Bush Records; TAM 725; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Andrew Boyd in 2017. The accession number assocaited with this gift is 2017.044.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Advance notice is required for the use of computer records. Original physical digital media is restricted. Born-digital materials have not been transferred and may not be available to researchers. Researchers may request access copies. To request that material be transferred, or if you are unsure if material has been transferred, please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Appraisal
Audiovisual items from this collection were deaccessioned and transferred to New York University's Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics in November 2017.
In August 2022, the Curator of Tamiment-Wagner Collections deaccessioned vinyl banners from the collection, as the plastics composing the banner had begun to degrade.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Immediately after acquisition, the collection was bagged and frozen for two weeks in a freezer without cycle to eliminate any insect activity. Textiles were vacuumed, measured, and rehoused in storage appropriate to their size, material, and condition. Smaller items, such as bowties, cufflinks, and plastic cigars were wrapped in buffered tissue paper and folded inside a smaller Paige box. Foam core posters were tested for cleaning with water. As per curator's direction, duplicate vinyl banners, paper and foam core posters were removed and discarded.
Following cleaning and rehousing, materials were described on the collection-level with a box- and folder-level container list, re-using partial inventories created by Preservation staff.
Born-digital files on optical discks were identified, inventoried, and described but have not yet been forensically imaged, analyzed, and arranged in Forensic Toolkit. These items have been physically removed from their original boxes and replaced with a separation sheet. New York University Libraries follows professional standards and best practices when imaging, ingesting, and processing born-digital material in order to maintain the integrity of the content.
Audiovisual items from this collection (previously represented in this record as Series V. Audiovisual Materials, Boxes 9-10) were deaccessioned and transferred to New York University's Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics in November 2017.
Revisions to this Guide
Repository
Series I: Billionaires for Bush (or Gore), circa 2000, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This series consists of materials created, collected, or used by Billionaires for Bush activists during the 2000 U.S. presidential election.
Background, circa 2000, inclusive
Boyd, Andrew, circa 2000, inclusive
Do-it-Yourself Action and Performance Kit, undated, inclusive
General Info, Talking Points, Chants, 2000, inclusive
Newsclippings, 2000, inclusive
Other Groups, undated, inclusive
Series II: Billionaires for Bush, 2000-2013, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This series consists of materials created, collected, or used by Billionaires for Bush activists during the 2004 U.S. presidential election.
Articles and Content Background, 2004, inclusive
"Be a Billionaire!": Official Billionaires for Bush Do-it-Yourself Manual, 2005, inclusive
Book-First Cover Mockup, undated, inclusive
Book -- Organizational Ideas and Sketches, 2004, inclusive
Boyd, Andrew -- Phil T. Rich Media Pack, 2004, inclusive
Boyd, Andrew -- Phil T. Rich -- Speeches, undated, inclusive
Budgets, Receipts, Bling, 2004, inclusive
Campaign and Organizational Strategy, 2004-2005, 2013, inclusive
Cartoons, Images Mockup, undated, inclusive
Chants and Slogans, undated, inclusive
Character and Comedy Creation, undated, inclusive
Correspondence, 2004, inclusive
Digital Photographs
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Advance notice is required for the use of computer records. Original physical digital media is restricted.
Email Correspondence, 2003-2004, inclusive
Executive Cabinet Agendas and Cabinet Structure, undated, inclusive
Events Calendars, 2004, inclusive
Finances, 2004, inclusive
Fundraising Correspondence, Budgets, and Planning, 2004, inclusive
Haugeraid, Angelique -- "Invitations, Innovations, Ideas"; "Leave No Billionaire Behind" and Political Disertations; Performance Parody, 2005, inclusive
Interviews-- Nerve, undated, inclusive
Kulkharni, Kavita -- "Postmodern Parody as Political Intervention: A Case Study of Billionaires for Bush", 2004, inclusive
"Media Hits List" Media Coverage, 2004, inclusive
Media Kits, 2004, inclusive
Messaging Talking Points, 2004, inclusive
Newsclippings, 2003, inclusive
Newsclippings, 2004, inclusive
Newsclippings, 2004, inclusive
Newsclippings, 2004, inclusive
Newsclippings, 2004, inclusive
Newsclippings, 2005, inclusive
Newsclippings, 2008-2009, inclusive
Newsclippings: Clyde Haberman, New York Times, 2004-2009, inclusive
Newsclippings (Full Magazines): Time (July 31, 2000), New York (May 17, 2004), Time Out NY (2004), New York (2004), 2000-2004, inclusive
Newsclippings (Full Magazines): Time (July 31, 2000), New York (May 17, 2004), Time Out NY (2004), New York (2004), 2000-2004, inclusive
Notes -- Handwritten, unknown author, undated, inclusive
Notes -- Meetings, 2004, inclusive
Opprecht, Kurt -- Book Readings, undated, inclusive
Opprecht, Kurt -- "How to Rule the World for Fun and Profit," Brainstorming, Press Releases, Notes, and CD, undated, inclusive
Opprecht, Kurt -- Notes, undated, inclusive
Opprecht, Kurt -- Radio Scripts, 2004, inclusive
Opprecht, Kurt (Thurston Howell VI) Publications: "The Billionaires Manifesto" and "How to Rule the World for Fun and Profit", 2004, 2012, inclusive
Other Groups Information Pamphlets and Programs, 2004, inclusive
Patel, Ricken -- "Faithful Majority" Notes, undated, inclusive
Press Releases, 2004-2005, inclusive
Point People Lists, undated, inclusive
Project Teams, Independent Action Teams and Special Ops, undated, inclusive
Post-November 2004 Election Planning, 2004, inclusive
Poster Ideas and Pricing, undated, inclusive
Resumes (Restricted), 2003-2004, inclusive
Conditions Governing Access
This folder is restricted to researchers.
Royalties and Publishing, 2004, 2007, inclusive
Sign-Up Lists (Restricted), undated, inclusive
Conditions Governing Access
Access to box 3 is restricted.
Series III: Actions, 2000-2005, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This series consists of materials created, collected, or used by Billionaires for Bush activists during the 2000 and 2004 U.S. presidential election for the organization's specific actions targeting particular policies, politicians, or large issues. The materials in this series document the organization's strategies to engage the media, as well as the tactics and methods activists used to join existing events led by the politicians they were critiquing, interact with activists pursuing similar goals through different measures, and initiate their own events that encouraged distributed action with individual engagement.
Speakers Bureau Documents, undated, inclusive
Billionaire Messaging Dos and Dont's, undated, inclusive
Suggestions for Solvency, Recruitment, and Impact, undated, inclusive
Actions, Various, undated, inclusive
Varon, Jeremy, "Strategery" Meeting Opening Remarks and Summary Transcribed by Angelique Hayward, 2005, inclusive
Website Design Statement of Work, Correspondence, Notes, 2003, inclusive
"Block to Vote" Action and Playing Cards -- Background, Messaging, 2004, inclusive
Bloomberg Third Term Endorsement by Christine Quinn Action, 2008, inclusive
Campaign Kickoff/Loft Patry Preparation, Lists, Phil T. Rich, 2000, inclusive
Cheney Gate, "Cheney is Innocent," National Day of Action, Talking Points, Background and Notes, 2004, inclusive
CISPAS (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Savador) and Sweat Gear -- Anti-Sweatshop Campaign -- "Sweat Gear: A Rotating and Blend of Old and New Designs Alter from Old-Fashioned Sweatshops in El Salvador", undated, inclusive
Democratic National Convention Information, 2004, inclusive
Drink on Powerball -- Calendar and Raffle, 2004, inclusive
Drink on Poweball -- VIP Planning Correspondence, 2004, inclusive
"Education is not For Everyone" Day -- Messaging and Email, 2004, inclusive
Florida -- "Don't Vote" Hip-Hop Tour Final Budget, 2004, inclusive
"Get on the Limo" National Summer Swing State Tour Final Budget, 2004, inclusive
"Get on the Limo" Southwest Limo Tour Final Budgets and Receipt, 2004, inclusive
"Get on the Limo" Southwest Tour Planning, 2004, inclusive
Karl Rove is Innocent Action Fundraising Event, 2004, inclusive
Drunk on Power -- Budget Art Aution Winners (Restricted), 2004, inclusive
Maine Chapter -- Billionaries for Unlimited Inheritance and Battle of Billionaires" Draft Statement and Script, 2002, inclusive
Nationwide Convergence -- Washington, DC, 2005, inclusive
Philadelphia Action with Greene Dragon Script, 2004, inclusive
Republican National Convention Planning, Press Releases Coordination, 2004, inclusive
Republican National Convention (NYC) -- Publications -- "Alternates Guides to NYC Politics, Culture, and Events,", 2004, inclusive
Republican National Convention (NYC) -- Publications About NY (The Independent, The Nation, Z Magazine), 2004, inclusive
Spring Bling! Billionaire War Bacchanal Script, undated, inclusive
Support Our Troops -- Bring them Home Now Yellow Ribbon Campaign Pitch -- Correspondence, Design, Notes, 2003, inclusive
Tax Day Press Release and Talking Points, 2004, inclusive
United for a Fair Economy -- Fair Taxes for all Campaign -- Messaging, Background, Working Papers, Stickers, 2003-2004, inclusive
United for a Fair Economy -- Publications -- Activist Cookbook: Creative Action for a Fair Economy, undated, inclusive
United for a Fair Economy -- Laughing Stock! a Humor Sourcebook for Economic Fairness, undated, inclusive
Series IV: Performance-Related Materials
Scope and Contents
This series consists of objects created or used by Billionaires for Bush activists for the purposes of demonstrations or other actions, including ephemera for distribution as well as costumes and accessories used to parody the upper-class.
