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Article filed under Banking | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on May 18, 2010

Five Reasons the Carper Amendment Must Be Defeated

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/five-reasons-carper-amendment-must-be-defeated/

One of the more menacing amendments circling the financial reform bill is a proposal by Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) that would bar states from enforcing consumer protection laws against national banks and would make it easier for banks to claim immunity from state laws they don’t like. Continue reading

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on May 6, 2010

Miles Driven for Shopping Continues to Climb, But Pace Slows

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/miles-driven-shopping-continues-climb-pace-slows/

While the number of miles logged going to work, social events, and other activities declined over the last decade, the number of miles families drive for shopping each year continued climb. Continue reading

Article, ILSR Press Room filed under Broadband | Written by admin | 1 Comment | Updated on May 3, 2010

Publicly Owned Networks Spur Competition And Offer Fastest Speeds at Lowest Prices, Says New Report

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/publicly-owned-networks-spur-competition-and-offer-fastest-speeds-lowest-prices-says-new-report/

"Publicly owned fiber networks have proven globally competitive – they offer the single best hope for communities that need to stay competitive in the digital age," says Christopher Mitchell, Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) Telecommunications as Commons Initiative and author of a newly released ILSR report Breaking the Broadband Monopoly. Continue reading

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Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 2 Comments | Updated on May 1, 2010

8 Words That Could Save Our Country

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/8-words-could-save-our-country/

A rogue Supreme Court seems hellbent on establishing a corporate oligarchy. Congress can’t stop it. Every time Congress or state legislatures tries to curb the power of billionaires or mega corporations the Court slaps them down. Citizens United v. FEC, the recent Supreme Court decision that allowed corporations to spend unlimited sums of money to influence elections is only the most recent step in this process. There will be more. But the shocking decision may be sufficient to galvanize a political movement that can change the rules and ensure our democracy.

We can save our country by adding eight words to the fundamental law of the land, the US Constitution. "Corporations are not persons." "Money is not speech." Continue reading

Article filed under Banking, Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | 1 Comment | Updated on Apr 19, 2010

Bank Local: Indie Businesses Embrace Move Your Money

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/bank-local-indie-businesses-embrace-move-your-money/

Across the country, independent business groups that have been urging people to "buy local" are now making "bank local" an increasingly prominent part of their message, bringing new grassroots visibility and organizational infrastructure to the Move Your Money movement. Continue reading

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Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Apr 15, 2010

Why Are the Feds Giving $900 Billion in Tax Breaks Every Year?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/why-are-feds-giving-900-billion-tax-breaks-every-year/

With April 15 upon us, I’d like to talk about taxes. Not about the part of the tax code that generates revenues. You’ve already heard enough about the taxes you pay to last a lifetime, and the election campaign has just begun. Instead, I’ll focus on the less visited topic of the taxes we don’t… Continue reading

Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 12, 2010

Should Renewable Energy Standards Be Met With In-State Resources?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/should-renewable-energy-standards-be-met-instate-resources/

A legislative proposal in Connecticut would cut their existing renewable portfolio standard nearly in half but prioritize in-state generation.  Backers of the rollback say that renewable energy is mainly bought from outside the state to meet the current standard. The change in the RPS boosts financing tools for in-state power as part of the plan.  One interesting quote, "we want projects, not simply percentages."

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Article filed under Banking | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 7, 2010

What Big Banks Fear More than the CFPA

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/what-big-banks-fear-more-cfpa/

Hanging in the balance of the financial reform debate is an issue that has received far less attention than the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, but is at least as important and probably more so: whether Congress will restore the authority of states to oversee national banks. Continue reading

Article filed under Banking | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 24, 2010

Finally, a Bill to Reinstate Limits on Bank Size

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/finally-bill-reinstate-limits-bank-size/

Not one to let a good crisis go to waste, Bank of America managed, in the dark days of 2008, to parlay its own insolvency and near collapse into attaining something it had long dreamed of: federal approval to bypass a national law that says that no bank may acquire another bank if it would end up holding more than 10 percent of the country’s deposits.

Now, at long last, a new Senate proposal calls for reinstating strict size caps.  It would mean disassembling at least five big banks.

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