Just How Concentrated Is Our Banking Sector? [Video]
This 90-second video shows how giant banks have devoured the banking sector over the past 20 years.… Read More
A Localist Agenda: Policy and Politics for Building a Community-Scaled Economy (Video)
In this panel at the New Economy Coalition’s 2014 conference, ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell, together with Barry Lynn of Open Markets and Aaron Bartley of PUSH Buffalo, talk about crafting a countervailing political narrative and shared policy framework for devolving economic power and building a community-scaled economy.… Read More
Federal Study Confirms “Too Big To Fail” Gives Megabanks a Hidden Funding Advantage
When the country’s giant banks were teetering on the verge of collapse during 2008’s financial crisis, the U.S. government stepped in to bail them out. The banks were, in a phrase that has since become infamous, “Too Big To Fail.” Would the government do it again? And does the expectation that it would step in give megabanks an unfair competitive advantage over local community banks? Those are the questions at the heart of an eagerly awaited report released at the end of July by the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan federal department. In a conclusion that highlights the need for more regulatory action to reduce concentration in the banking system, the G.A.O. found that the answers to both questions are “yes.”… Read More
Stacy Mitchell on Local Bites Podcast (Audio)
ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell is interviewed on the Local Bites Podcast. She lays out the evidence against the growing consolidation of economic power in the hands of a few global corporations and exposes the policy decisions that have led us down this path. She highlights several promising initiatives from the growing localization movement, and outlines the key components of a ‘localist policy agenda’. … Read More
Stacy Mitchell Talks Walmart & Challenging Corporate Power on WNUR’s This Is Hell!
In this 30-minute interview on “This Is Hell!”, recently voted Chicago’s best talk radio show, ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell talks about how Walmart is undermining the American economy and why being more engaged citizens, rather than better consumers, is the best way to counter corporate power. … Read More
Towards a Localist Policy Agenda
To regenerate local businesses, we’ll need more than Buy Local campaigns; we’ll need to change public policy, which now favors big business. In this presentation, Stacy Mitchell looks at seven key policy areas to focus on.… Read More
Stacy Mitchell on Food Chain Radio
On January 12, 2013, ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell was a guest on Michael Olson’s syndicated Food Chain radio show, where they discussed the shocking level of corporate consolidation in the economy and debated whether we can shop our way back to a strong local economy.… Read More
Local Revival: Building a Decentralized Economy
Local farms, independent retailers, and community banks are all experiencing newfound public support. While these trends are encouraging, local businesses still account for only a small share of the economy. In this 15-minute talk, given in May 2012, ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell presents a compelling case for moving local enterprises from the economy’s margins to its mainstream.… Read More
How Walmart is Devouring the Food System (Infographic)
Walmart now captures $1 of every $4 Americans spend on groceries. It’s on track to claim one-third of food sales within five years. Here’s a look at how Walmart has dramatically altered the food system — triggering massive consolidation, driving down prices to farmers, and leaving more families struggling to afford healthy food.… Read More