Featured

Now is the Moment to Advocate for Small Business: A Kauffman Conversation

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 Foundation, and Brandy Bynum Dawson, director of Advocacy for the NC Rural Center about the critical role policy plays for small businesses – especially given the confluence of factors in 2020.  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


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


In The Atlantic: Amazon Is a Private Government. Congress Needs to Step Up.

In The Atlantic: Amazon Is a Private Government. Congress Needs to Step Up.

Stacy Mitchell

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


Our Big List of Covid-19 Assistance Programs

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


Recent

On the “Who Is?” Podcast: Stacy Mitchell Explains How Jeff Bezos has Leveraged Government Favors to Amass Alarming Power

On the "Who Is?" Podcast: Stacy Mitchell Explains How Jeff Bezos has Leveraged Government Favors to Amass Alarming Power

Stacy Mitchell

September 3, 2020

On the "Who Is?" podcast, ILSR's Stacy Mitchell explains how Jeff Bezos built Amazon into the empire it is today by exploiting fractures in economic policy and then leveraging the company's political influence to dominate our economy.  READ MORE


ILSR Joins Allies to Launch “Protect Our Restaurants” Campaign

ILSR Joins Allies to Launch "Protect Our Restaurants" Campaign

Jess Del Fiacco

August 18, 2020

A coalition of 35 independent restaurants and economic justice organizations, including ILSR, today launched Protect Our Restaurants, a new organizing campaign aimed at exposing the unfair and uncompetitive practices used by dominant delivery apps to exploit small businesses, workers, and consumers.  READ MORE


In ProMarket: Big Tech is Officially Too Big to Manage

In ProMarket: Big Tech is Officially Too Big to Manage

Shaoul Sussman

August 5, 2020

Last week, the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee held Big Tech's feet to the fire. They grilled the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google about the power that these four companies have over the U.S. economy and our society. In  READ MORE


ILSR Research Cited in Congressional Antitrust Hearing

ILSR Research Cited in Congressional Antitrust Hearing

Jess Del Fiacco

July 30, 2020

ILSR research was cited in the congressional hearing to investigate monopoly power in Big Tech.  READ MORE


Stacy Mitchell is Profiled in the New York Times

Stacy Mitchell is Profiled in the New York Times

Jess Del Fiacco

April 20, 2020

ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell was profiled in the New York Times for her analysis of Amazon's monopoly and work to build a broad coalition to advocate for policies to check its outsized power.  READ MORE


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In-Depth

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


Our Guide Gives State and Local Leaders Tools to Fight Corporate Monopolies

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


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


Featured Audio and Video

Canadian National Radio: Why It’s Crucial to Wrest Power From Corporations like Amazon

Canadian National Radio: Why It's Crucial to Wrest Power From Corporations like Amazon

Susan Holmberg

June 1, 2020

Stacy Mitchell talks to Canadian national radio about how to understand Amazon’s structural power anREAD MORE


How Cities and States Are Stepping up to Help Small Businesses in Crisis (Episode 101)

How Cities and States Are Stepping up to Help Small Businesses in Crisis (Episode 101)

Jess Del Fiacco

May 28, 2020

Host Jess Del Fiacco talks with Kennedy Smith, Senior Researcher with ILSR's Independent Business inREAD MORE


Small Businesses Wait for Help While Amazon Profits From Pandemic (Episode 99)

Small Businesses Wait for Help While Amazon Profits From Pandemic (Episode 99)

Jess Del Fiacco

April 30, 2020

Chris, John, Stacy, and Jess discuss the bumpy rollout of federal relief funding for America's smallREAD 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 poREAD MORE


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