WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 11, 2021) — The following statement was issued by Stacy Mitchell, Co-Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, in response to today’s release of legislation from the House Judiciary Committee designed to address the outsized power and destructive harms of Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook.
“The introduction of this legislation marks a major step forward in the effort to break the monopolistic grip of Big Tech and safeguard our economy and democracy.
“Amazon and the other tech giants cannot be allowed to continue to wield extraordinary unchecked power, which they use to crush independent businesses, exploit working people, and harm communities.”
“This is a problem that only Congress can solve. After decades of lax federal enforcement and pro-corporate judicial decisions, the tech giants have amassed more power, wealth, and control than private corporations have had at any period in our history. They constitute a fundamental threat to democracy and liberty.”
“We commend Chairman Cicilline and the subcommittee for beginning the process of reasserting democratic authority over our economy. This task is critical and urgent, and we are eager to build on this important moment.”
About the Institute for Local Self-Reliance
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) is a national nonprofit research and educational organization founded in 1974. ILSR has a vision of thriving, diverse, equitable communities. To reach this vision, we build local power to fight corporate control. We believe that democracy can only thrive when economic and political power is widely dispersed. Whether it’s fighting back against the outsize power of monopolies like Amazon or advocating to keep local renewable energy in the community that produced it, ILSR advocates for solutions that harness the power of citizens and communities. More at www.ilsr.org
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