Taking on Amazon. It’s a big subject. But in this episode of Rep. Keith Ellison’s podcast, “We the Podcast,” ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell and Lina Khan of Open Markets join Rep. Ellison to talk about how to do just that — and why we need to. The three also discuss how Amazon is part of a trend of market concentration more broadly, and what that means for the middle class and communities.
“Nearly every industry you look in is dominated by three or four companies,” says Rep. Ellison in the episode. “Is market concentration part of the problem when it comes to the economic fortunes of working and middle class Americans?”
“It absolutely is,” Stacy replies. “These companies are concentrating power and they’re cutting off opportunity. It’s hard to start a business the way that people used to be able to, and get into the middle class that way. And because they have so much power, they’re able to manipulate workers and hold down wages.”
“I think it’s worth recognizing that this is not just an isolated feature of the rental car industry or the airline industry, it’s now a systemic feature of our entire political economy,” adds Khan. “Sector after sector after sector.”
You can listen to the 30-minute episode on iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts, or watch the video of the recording below.
