Podcast Archives - Institute for Local Self-Reliance: Recent Episodes
Podcast Archives - Institute for Local Self-Reliance
For the last forty years, merging companies have convinced regulatory agencies that their merger will be better for customers — most often pledging that it will lower prices. “This is the standard playbook with a merger,” Co-Director Stacy Mitchell explains on Pitchfork Economics. In early October when Kroger announced its proposed merger with Albertsons, Stacy knew that the company’s statement promising to pass savings on to consumers was blatantly false. “Maybe [Kroger-Albertsons] find some ways to cut costs, but that’s mostly because they’re cutting jobs, pushing down wages, and squeezing farmers.” Not only are we losers as consumers, but as Stacy argues, “we’re also losers as people who need to make a living.”
Kroger and Albertsons operate dozens of different regional supermarket chains. If the merger goes through, stores in some cities and towns that were once competing would be owned by the same company. The combined Kroger-Albertsons would likely close some of those stores, leading to massive layoffs, including the potential loss of union jobs. Meanwhile, farmers and independent grocers would have a much tougher time making profits because of the new mega-company’s market power. As President Biden once noted, “We’re now 40 years into the experiment of letting giant corporations accumulate more and more power. And what have we gotten from it? Less growth, weakened investment, fewer small businesses… I believe the experiment failed.”
Stacy echoes this thinking — this experiment has failed many Americans, but we have the power to stop it. She concludes, “there is a sea change underway in antitrust policy and I think there is a high likelihood that this merger is going to be challenged.”
Listen to the episode here.
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Leah Douglas is a reporter at Reuters covering the politics of food, agriculture, and the environment. Douglas discusses how the poultry industry is structured by contract production, how dairy farms are the bedrock for many rural communities, and Earl Butz's conviction for farmers to plant "fence row to fence row" to enable economic food production. … Read More
Harry First, law professor and co-director of New York University’s Competition, Innovation, and Information Law Program discusses moving antitrust away from a technocratic approach, the politicization of law enforcement, and how to reinvigorate strong antitrust legislation. … Read More
Kevin Erickson, Director of the Future of Music Coalition discusses how music is being impacted by monopoly power and what kind of marketplace breeds broad participation.… Read More
In this miniseries, we return to our most insightful podcast conversations. These five minute episodes highlight critical themes that are still relevant today. Jeremy Greer and Solana Rice argue for organizers of color to be embedded and centered in the antimonopoly fight.… Read More
We have generated a list of Building Local Power's “greatest hits” from our recent archives. These episodes capture crucial perspectives in our multi-pronged antitrust, small business, and racial justice movement. … Read More
In this miniseries, we return to our most insightful podcast conversations. These five minute episodes highlight critical themes that are still relevant today. Alec MacGillis discusses how economic concentration leads to regional disparity. … Read More
In this miniseries, we return to our most insightful podcast conversations. These five minute episodes highlight critical themes that are still relevant today. Zephyr Teachout and Stacy Mitchell discuss the increased recognition of the intersection between race and antimonopoly. … Read More
In this miniseries, we return to our most insightful podcast conversations. These five minute episodes highlight critical themes that are still relevant today. … Read More
For this episode of the Voices of 100% series, host John Farrell speaks with city commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos and climate advocate Bob Tancig of Gainesville, Fla. about the city’s renewable energy prospects.… Read More
In this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Jamie Valdez about Pueblo, Colo.’s efforts to transition to municipal power and the opposition of Pueblo’s monopoly utility.… Read More