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Senate Testimony: Concentration is at the Root of Rural Distress

Senate Testimony: Concentration is at the Root of Rural Distress

Katy Milani

April 27, 2021

The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs invited Co-Director Stacy Mitchell to testify at its April 20th hearing on the state of the rural economy. Stacy spoke on why rural America is in crisis and attributed the widening gap between struggling rural towns and coastal supercities to the concentration of corporate and financial power.  READ MORE


Small Businesses Rise Up

Small Businesses Rise Up

Mary Timmel

April 20, 2021

Together with more than 20 independent business organizations representing over 60,000 independent businesses across the country, we have officially launched Small Business Rising. It is a coalition of business owners and entrepreneurs from all corners of the country united around a common goal: breaking up monopoly power to safeguard the right of small businesses to compete and serve the needs of their communities.  READ MORE


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


Recent

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  READ MORE


In The Washington Post: Small Pharmacies Beat Big Chains at Delivering Vaccines. Don’t Look So Shocked

In The Washington Post: Small Pharmacies Beat Big Chains at Delivering Vaccines. Don't Look So Shocked

Stacy Mitchell

February 5, 2021

In the Washington Post, Stacy Mitchell explains why we shouldn't be surprised that West Virginia and North Dakota's independent pharmacies are beating the chains in vaccine distribution. The small pharmacies have proved remarkably nimble, while CVS and Walgreens have stumbled.  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


The People vs. Amazon: Our Summary of Congress’s Findings

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


In The Nation, the Left Should Fight for Small Business

In The Nation, the Left Should Fight for Small Business

Susan Holmberg

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  READ MORE


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In-Depth

Rebuilding Small Business for a Robust Recovery: A Federal Policy Agenda

Rebuilding Small Business for a Robust Recovery: A Federal Policy Agenda

Stacy Mitchell

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


Policy Brief: Local and State Governments Have Marshalled $9.27 Billion for Small Business Relief

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

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

Report: Amazon's Monopoly Tollbooth

Stacy Mitchell

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


Featured Audio and Video

Keeping NYC Land Out of Corporate Hands — Episode 118 of Building Local Power

Keeping NYC Land Out of Corporate Hands — Episode 118 of Building Local Power

Jess Del Fiacco

March 21, 2021

Host Jess Del Fiacco and ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell are joined by Brad Lander, who represents BREAD MORE


Is Amazon Picking Winners and Losers Among America’s Cities? — Episode 121 of Building Local Power

Is Amazon Picking Winners and Losers Among America's Cities? — Episode 121 of Building Local Power

Jess Del Fiacco

March 4, 2021

Host Jess Del Fiacco and ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell are joined by award-winning journalist AlecREAD MORE


Stacy Mitchell on SiriusXM’s Tell Me Everything

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 businessREAD MORE


Kennedy Smith talks to Mayors about How to Help Small Business

Kennedy Smith talks to Mayors about How to Help Small Business

Kennedy Smith

November 30, 2020

ILSR Senior Researcher Kennedy Smith talked to the Mayors' Institute on City Design about how to helREAD MORE


Stacy Mitchell on Strong Towns Podcast

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 tREAD MORE


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