Featured
Stacy Mitchell on SiriusXM's Tell Me Everything
Susan Holmberg
December 17, 2020
Stacy Mitchell joined John Fugelsang on SiriusXM's "Tell Me Everything" to talk about small businesses as critical allies with labor in the fight to check concentrated corporate power. READ MORE
Rebuilding Small Business for a Robust Recovery: A Federal Policy Agenda
December 3, 2020
In this policy brief, we argue that moving aggressively to rebuild small, independent businesses and reverse the concentration of corporate power would produce a more vigorous, equitable, and stable recovery. We lay out two dozen policy recommendations across a 6-point agenda to enable independent businesses to weather the pandemic and thrive and grow in its aftermath. READ MORE
In The Nation, the Left Should Fight for Small Business
December 2, 2020
It's hard to believe, but Democrats used to be the party of small business. In The Nation, Stacy Mitchell and Susan R. Holmberg argue that the left should once again embrace small business. Doing so is crucial to reversing inequality & rescuing democracy. It’s also key to winning Congress. READ MORE
Recent
The People vs. Amazon: Our Summary of Congress's Findings
Ron Knox
December 14, 2020
We summarized Congress's Big Tech monopoly report, particularly its findings on Amazon's monopoly power and its recommendations for how Congress can liberate the economy from Amazon’s stranglehold. READ MORE
Kennedy Smith talks to Mayors about How to Help Small Business
Susan Holmberg
November 30, 2020
ILSR Senior Researcher Kennedy Smith talked to the Mayors' Institute on City Design about how to help Main Street businesses survive the pandemic. READ MORE
Stacy Mitchell on Strong Towns Podcast
Susan Holmberg
November 30, 2020
Stacy Mitchell talks to the Strong Towns podcast about how corporate power is concentrating during the pandemic, and what it would look like if Congress broke up Big Tech. READ MORE
In The New York Times: Stacy Mitchell Makes the Case to Break Up Jeff Bezos's Empire
October 8, 2020
Through its marketplace, cloud division and voice interface, Amazon functions as essential infrastructure for an astonishing array of companies and industries. This gives it an extraordinary view into the activities of other businesses and an unparalleled ability to manipulate markets READ MORE
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
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 The Atlantic: Amazon Is a Private Government. Congress Needs to Step Up.
August 11, 2020
In The Atlantic, Stacy Mitchell explains why Congress must reign in the monopoly power of these companies in order to restore balance to both our economy and our democracy. READ MORE
In-Depth
Policy Brief: Local and State Governments Have Marshalled $9.27 Billion for Small Business Relief
Kennedy Smith
October 19, 2020
Our research has found that cities, counties, states, and community organizations have established more than 800 programs to provide financial assistance to small businesses in the wake of the pandemic. These programs have deployed more than $9.27 billion in grants and loans. Yet the funds are running out. Congress should address the unprecedented crisis facing small business by quickly providing the resources local governments need to do this important work. READ MORE
Report: 26 Actions Local Leaders Can Take to Help Small Businesses Weather the Pandemic
Kennedy Smith
July 29, 2020
ILSR's latest report describes 26 actions that community leaders — including local governments, local business groups, nonprofit organizations, business improvement districts, and other entities — can adopt to help small businesses weather the crisis. READ MORE
Report: Amazon's Monopoly Tollbooth
July 28, 2020
Amazon’s dominance of online retail means that hundreds of thousands of small businesses must rely on its site to reach customers. In this report, we find that Amazon is exploiting its gatekeeper power to extract a growing cut of the revenue earned by these sellers. It's doing this by imposing ever-larger fees on them. This tactic is often dooming their businesses. It's also enabling Amazon to entrench its monopoly grip on e-commerce, while expanding its dominance into logistics and advertising. READ MORE
Our Guide Gives State and Local Leaders Tools to Fight Corporate Monopolies
Jess Del Fiacco
July 15, 2020
As state and local leaders grapple with how to create a true recovery — one that lifts wages, fosters small businesses, and rebalances power — combating outsized corporate power is a key strategy. Check out ILSR's guide to antimonopoly policies for states and cities. READ MORE
Our Big List of Covid-19 Assistance Programs
Kennedy Smith
May 26, 2020
We are building an ongoing list of grant and loan programs that can help small, locally owned businesses weather the COVID-19 pandemic. READ MORE
Report: Fewer Small Businesses are Receiving Federal Relief Loans in States Dominated by Big Banks
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
Featured Audio and Video
A Cornucopia of Policy Opportunities in the New Year — Episode 115 of Building Local Power
Jess Del Fiacco
November 25, 2020
From small business relief to a solar homes stimulus, we look ahead to policy opportunities in the nREAD MORE
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 elecREAD MORE
On WBEZ's Reset: How Can We Protect Small Businesses During The Pandemic?
Jordan Ashby
September 30, 2020
On WBEZ, Kennedy Smith discusses the state of small businesses during this pandemic and the role thaREAD MORE
Now is the Moment to Advocate for Small Business: A Kauffman Conversation
Susan Holmberg
September 9, 2020
Stacy Mitchell joined an online discussion with Jason Wiens, policy director for the Kauffman FoundaREAD MORE
On the "Who Is?" Podcast: Stacy Mitchell Explains How Jeff Bezos has Leveraged Government Favors to Amass Alarming Power
September 3, 2020
On the "Who Is?" podcast, ILSR's Stacy Mitchell explains how Jeff Bezos built Amazon into the empireREAD MORE