Monopoly Power

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ILSR and Small Business Rising Members Urge Senate to Confirm Lina Khan

ILSR and Small Business Rising Members Urge Senate to Confirm Lina Khan

Katy Milani

April 15, 2021

ILSR and Small Business Rising coalition members, representing over 130,000 businesses across the country, submitted letters to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation supporting Lina Khan’s nomination to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Both letters urge Chair Cantwell and Ranking Member Wicker to lead the members of the committee in a swift confirmation process. READ MORE


In Wired: Big Music Needs to Be Broken Up to Save the Industry

In Wired: Big Music Needs to Be Broken Up to Save the Industry

Susan Holmberg

March 16, 2021

Ron Knox explains how consolidation in the music industry, like the pandemic, has been disastrous for artists. The monopolization of three chokepoints in the distribution of music — record labels, streaming, and live venues — is making it impossible for the broad “middle class” of artists to reach listeners.READ MORE


Statement from ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell on Nomination of Lina Khan to the Federal Trade Commission

Statement from ILSR's Stacy Mitchell on Nomination of Lina Khan to the Federal Trade Commission

Virgil McDill

March 9, 2021

Stacy Mitchell, Co-Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, issued the following statement in response to the expected nomination of Lina Khan to the Federal Trade Commission.  READ MORE


Our Antimonopoly Town Hall Draws Nearly 400 Small Businesses

Our Antimonopoly Town Hall Draws Nearly 400 Small Businesses

Katy Milani

February 25, 2021

Nearly 400 people tuned into our lively town hall on February 22nd, which detailed how Amazon’s growing dominance hurts independent businesses and what Congress must do to curb monopoly power. The event featured Congressman David Cicilline, along with leading antitrust experts and small business advocates.READ MORE


In ProMarket: How the FTC Protected the Market Power of Pharmacy Benefit Managers

In ProMarket: How the FTC Protected the Market Power of Pharmacy Benefit Managers

Stacy Mitchell

February 19, 2021

The FTC has long protected the power of a few dominant drug middlemen, like CVS, to crush local pharmacies and fleece Medicaid programs. In this ProMarket piece, Stacy Mitchell and Zach Freed look at how the FTC not only failed to act — but worked to stop states from doing so.READ MORE


Recent

Your Antimonopoly Reading List

Your Antimonopoly Reading List

Jess Del Fiacco

February 17, 2021

In a recent presentation to ILSR staff, Christopher Mitchell shared key takeaways from six recent books on monopoly power in the United States.READ MORE


Small Business Action: Personnel Appointments are Pivotal to Antitrust Enforcement

Small Business Action: Personnel Appointments are Pivotal to Antitrust Enforcement

Stacy Mitchell

February 3, 2021

Fifteen independent business associations, representing over 60,000 independent businesses across the country, have submitted a letter to President Biden urging him to appoint personnel who are committed to restoring competition, ensuring small businesses have a fair shot, and willing to use the full extent of their legal authority granted by Congress.READ MORE


In Civil Eats: The Peanut Industry Has a Monopoly Problem

In Civil Eats: The Peanut Industry Has a Monopoly Problem

Ron Knox

January 29, 2021

Monopoly power in the peanut industry has pushed thousands of small farmers to the brink of bankruptcy. It has also made peanuts more expensive to taxpayers than any other crop in the country.READ MORE


In the Washington Post: Why Antitrust History is So Important

In the Washington Post: Why Antitrust History is So Important

Susan Holmberg

October 8, 2020

In the Washington Post, Senior Researcher Ron Knox explains Congress's groundbreaking investigative report in terms of U.S. antitrust history.READ MORE


In the American Prospect: Revoking Big Tech’s Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card

In the American Prospect: Revoking Big Tech’s Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card

Susan Holmberg

October 5, 2020

As debates ramp up about how Congress and watchdog agencies should address the monopoly power of Big Tech, ILSR legal fellow Shaoul Sussman argues in the American Prospect that we must prioritize revoking the liability shield these platforms enjoy.READ MORE


In-Depth

Report: Fewer Small Businesses are Receiving Federal Relief Loans in States Dominated by Big Banks

Report: Fewer Small Businesses are Receiving Federal Relief Loans in States Dominated by Big Banks

Stacy Mitchell

April 29, 2020

A significantly larger number of federal relief loans are reaching small businesses in states where small, local banks comprise a greater share of the market, compared to states where big banks are more dominant, an ILSR analysis has found.READ MORE


Report: Walmart’s Monopolization of Local Grocery Markets

Report: Walmart’s Monopolization of Local Grocery Markets

Stacy Mitchell

June 26, 2019

In 43 metropolitan areas and 160 smaller markets, Walmart controls 50 percent or more of the local grocery market. No other corporation in history has ever amassed this degree of control over the U.S. food system. Our findings provide a stark illustration of the failings of contemporary antitrust policy.READ MORE


Report: Monopoly Power and the Decline of Small Business

Report: Monopoly Power and the Decline of Small Business

Stacy Mitchell

August 10, 2016

Small businesses have been in steep decline. In this report, we argue that anticompetitive behavior by large, dominant corporations is largely to blame and present three reasons to bring a commitment to fair markets for small businesses back into antitrust policy. The report won an award for antitrust scholarship in 2017.READ MORE


Federal Antitrust Advocacy

Statement from Stacy Mitchell on Big Tech Antitrust Report

Statement from Stacy Mitchell on Big Tech Antitrust Report

Stacy Mitchell

October 6, 2020

This investigation has uncovered extensive and detailed evidence that Amazon has amassed outsized market power and is exploiting its dominance to crush competitors and monopolize markets.READ MORE


Hill Briefing: Breaking the Power of Big Tech

Hill Briefing: Breaking the Power of Big Tech

Stacy Mitchell

September 2, 2020

ILSR helped organize and participated in a briefing, cosponsored by more than 40 local and national economic and racial justice, small business, and antimonopoly groups, making the case for Congress to break up and regulate Big Tech. The event included opening remarks from Congressman David Cicilline followed by two lively panels. Watch!READ MORE


ILSR Submits Recommendations for Antitrust Reform to Congressional Committee

ILSR Submits Recommendations for Antitrust Reform to Congressional Committee

Zach Freed

May 11, 2020

Stacy Mitchell provides the House Judiciary Committee with recommendations for future antitrust legislation.READ MORE


ILSR’s Testimony on Amazon’s Dominance Before the House Judiciary Committee

ILSR's Testimony on Amazon's Dominance Before the House Judiciary Committee

Stacy Mitchell

July 15, 2019

ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell testified on Amazon's market power before the House Judiciary Committee as part of its antitrust investigation into dominant digital platforms.READ MORE


Statement on House Antitrust Investigation into Big Tech

Statement on House Antitrust Investigation into Big Tech

Hibba Meraay

June 4, 2019

In response to the House Judiciary Committee’s announcement that it will begin a study of the impact of dominant technology platforms, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance released the following statement.READ MORE


Audio & Video

On The Laura Flanders Show: Stacy Mitchell Discusses the Future of Antitrust Post-Election

On The Laura Flanders Show: Stacy Mitchell Discusses the Future of Antitrust Post-Election

Jordan Ashby

November 10, 2020

On The Laura Flanders Show, ILSR co-director Stacy Mitchell discusses the legacy of this year's election, takeaways from the preliminary results, and the work that needs to continue.READ MORE


Zephyr Teachout on Building an Antimonopoly Movement (Episode 108)

Zephyr Teachout on Building an Antimonopoly Movement (Episode 108)

Jess Del Fiacco

September 3, 2020

Zephyr Teachout, author of the new book Break 'Em Up, shares her thoughts on building an antimonopoly movement, what she finds encouraging and discouraging in our current moment, and how she approaches antimonopoly work as a democracy activist.READ MORE


Democratizing Antitrust with Harry First (Episode 91)

Democratizing Antitrust with Harry First (Episode 91)

Zach Freed

February 6, 2020

Host Stacy Mitchell talks with Harry First about how competition policy has become captured by technocratic lawyers and economists, and strayed from its roots as a political movement for economic justice.READ MORE


Watch Frontline Documentary on Amazon’s Reign Over Us — Featuring ILSR’s Research & Interviews with Stacy Mitchell

Watch Frontline Documentary on Amazon's Reign Over Us — Featuring ILSR's Research & Interviews with Stacy Mitchell

Susan Holmberg

February 4, 2020

FRONTLINE has drawn on ILSR’s research and interviews with co-director Stacy Mitchell to create a powerful documentary on the reign of Amazon.READ MORE


How to Reclaim Antitrust for Working People with Sanjukta Paul (Episode 87)

How to Reclaim Antitrust for Working People with Sanjukta Paul (Episode 87)

Hibba Meraay

December 12, 2019

Host Stacy Mitchell is joined by Sanjukta Paul, law professor and antitrust and labor expert. They delve into how antitrust laws have been used to hamper the efforts of workers and unions while corporations get a blank check.READ MORE


Related

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