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. Continue reading
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. Continue reading
In this TEDx talk, delivered on October 20, 2012 at TEDxDirigo‘s Villages conference at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, conference, ILSR Senior Researcher Stacy Mitchell argues for a new phase in the local economy movement. She notes that there’s been a resurgence of support for small farms, local businesses, and community banks, but argues: “As remarkable… Continue reading
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. Continue reading
Most policymakers don’t imagine that their economic development decisions will affect such things as voter turnout or the prevalence of chronic disease. But a growing body of research is finding that scale and ownership of business matter in ways that extend far beyond economic outcomes. Continue reading
For years, Amazon has used its size and market power to bully publishers and keep other retailers from competing in the e-book market. And, for years, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has done nothing to constrain Amazon’s abuses or bring about a more competitive marketplace. So it was quite a shock last month when… Continue reading
This infographic tracks how Amazon bullied and swindled its way to becoming one of the most powerful retailers on the planet. On pace to be bigger than Walmart by decade’s end, Amazon already controls more than one-third of online shopping and is growing four times faster than e-commerce overall. Continue reading
Introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown on May 9, 2012, the following bill would place size and leverage limits on big banks, forcing the largest four banks in the country to downsize. Continue reading
More than three years after their reckless greed triggered the Great Recession, the nation’s biggest banks have paid almost no penalty and are bigger than ever, as these two graphs illustrate. Continue reading
In 1994, Congress adopted a policy that bars a bank from buying another bank if the combined entity would hold more than 10 percent of the country’s deposits, but the policy has several flaws that have allowed at least two banks to exceed the cap. Continue reading
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