I'm not saying it's without merit, but my blood pressure raises a little every time I hear this argument. It comes across as, "STFU and don't buy if you don't want it!"
When in reality, the original consumer considered this but would rather pursue a more active response than to sulkily and more important silently use something else.
Yes "voting with one's wallet" is certainly an option. But it should not be the sole option as you seem to suggest.
That's fine, there are indeed more options! Nobody mentioned silence :)
You can start a newsletter, informing fellow inflicted customers. Tell your friends and family. Launch a slandering campaign on facebook/internet (within the bounds of law, preferably!). Support a competitor. Promote fewer business regulations, so there are more competitors. Post on Hacker News. Etc &c, depending on one's disposition.
But my blood pressure raises every time I hear someone's blood pressure fluctuated and they want to pass a global regulation affecting everyone (incl. me) because of it. No, thanks.
I, personally, don't want global legislation. I want either companies to not act like total dicks (Pricing in Ethiopia should be lower, pricing in Australia shouldn't be twice as much) OR for the AUS and US governments to make a joint agreement to, at the least, issue a large, nasty "Please Explain" from a body of authority.
But I am also coming from a background where the governmental consumer watchdog is very powerful, so that colours my opinions on what can/should usefully be done.
How about you buy one license and pirate another? That way the price would be roughly equal to what it would have cost if you had bought 2 copies in the US... All is fair in the world :)
If you feel your intelligence insulted, then don't buy it...?
(aka, vote with your wallet, and let others do the same)