We didn’t need a crystal ball, magic potion, or ESP to predict that local Colorado voters would enthusiastically reclaim telecommunications authority yesterday. Twenty-six more local governments put the issue on the ballot and citizens fervently replied, “YES! YES, WE DO!” Colorado local communities that want to take action to improve their local connectivity are hogtied by … Read More
Around the 2016 election, there were a number of state level ballot initiatives that would fundamentally change the landscape of local, renewable energy. For this, Bloomberg Markets reporters reached out to ILSR Energy Democracy initiative director John Farrell for his feedback.… Read More
The newly installed White House Kitchen Garden speaks to an important throughline in American history and could be a profound new symbol of community reuse, wealth and self-reliance, all of which are vital to strengthening local economies across the country.
… Read More
At the second presidential candidate debate, one red-sweater-wearing American earned notoriety for his question about little-discussed energy policy. The question deserved a thorough response, given that it brushes on some myths of the clean energy transition but also the challenge of guaranteeing justice for displaced workers. Midwesterner Ken Bone asked this question: What steps will your … Read More
A selection of recent news stories with an ILSR insight into “The Public Good.” Stories in this Newsfeed: California Takes on Big Pharma | South Dakotans Take on the Political Establishment | New Mexico Takes on Debtors’ Prisons California Takes on Big Pharma This November, Californians will vote on a ballot initiative that, according to Pharma Exec … Read More
This is an update of analysis done back in June, state-by-state information has been updated, however, conclusions have largely been left the same, see the original post here. Citizen-sponsored ballot initiatives frequently demand progress on renewable energy implementation (and have for years), oftentimes these occur when state legislatures show little to no political will to increase locally-owned solar … Read More
A simmering fight to keep renewables out of Florida’s energy mix is approaching a boiling point in November, underscoring the need for smarter energy policies and easier solar access offered by Florida Solar United Neighborhoods. The organization, know as FL SUN, aims to unlock significant untapped solar power potential in the Sunshine State by building out … Read More
Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and author of Monopoly Power and the Decline of Small Business: The Case for Restoring America’s Once Robust Antitrust Policies, issued the following statement today in response to Hillary Clinton’s economic policy speech in Ohio, in which she discussed growing corporate concentration and its impact on small business, and called for stronger antitrust measures.… Read More
For the first time in 28 years, the Democratic Party platform calls for vigorous, stepped-up enforcement of our anti-monopoly laws. This remarkable shift in policy was made possible in part by the Bernie Sanders movement, but it’s also the product of years of advocacy by scholars and activists who believe that high levels of concentration in banking, retail, agribusiness and other sectors are ravaging our economy and democracy.… Read More
