“The mechanisms we had as a government for helping get financing to smaller home builders have really deteriorated over time." Bharat Ramamurti encourages people check out @balancecraft.bsky.social's must-read paper on how local financing fell and Wall Street captured homebuilding👇

"Simply put, the FAA is in a constant state of chaos and crisis. Shutdowns make it even worse. And Washington’s response? Send everybody home." For @prospect.org , @wjm-air.bsky.social lays out how the government shutdown exacerbated airline safety issues that have existed for decades.

"One of the biggest challenges we have is that leaders in government all too often are primarily hearing from people who already have power, from very established corporate executives..." Lina Khan says. "That can give them a very skewed understanding of what are the problems out there."

Despite widespread pushback to data centers — driven by NDA abuse, rising energy costs, etc. — economic development officials and some politicians continue to push for data center development. In the latest Boondoggle, Pat Garofalo breaks down this "cult of data centers" 👇

Increased energy demand driven by AI data centers is threatening to max out generation capacity for America's largest power grid operator. Despite this threat, "ICF forecasts U.S. power demand in 2030 will be 25% higher than it was in 2023, largely because of data center needs."

Bandcamp has banned AI music. The company has released a statement which includes the following: "Music and audio that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not permitted on Bandcamp." stereogum.com/2485199/band...

Senior DOJ officials forcing through the Compass-Anywhere merger despite antitrust officials opposing it is just another example of the Trump admin's merger corruption. “It’s HPE-Juniper all over again. It’s bandit antitrust."

“Ongoing inefficiencies that we cannot seem to fix often exist because powerful people have captured the regulatory process." From passing right to repair, improving hearing aid access and more — @warren.senate.gov explains how leaders can improve efficiency & challenge corporate power.

“In the United States, for instance, nearly 42% of the democratic erosion since 1995 can be attributed to growing corporate market power." Must-read research in @promarket.bsky.social on how increasing corporate power hurts democracy👇

traveltomorrow.com/us-to-focus-... "But critics such as William J. McGee, Senior Fellow for Aviation & Travel @econliberties.bsky.social, have pointed out that Duffy is a former lobbyist for American, Delta, & United, and has taken 'a sledgehammer to the protections Biden was trying to implement.'"

Any major competitor — whether Netflix or Paramount — acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery would pose a massive threat to free speech and access to information. "Either deal likely places far too much power in too few hands over what Americans watch and where they get their news."

"[Americans] don't want a few giant companies controlling what they see and what they hear... When these giant companies merge, things get better for the people at the top... and worse for the rest of us." @balint.house.gov on the threat of over consolidation in the media industry👇

"NDAs BETRAY,” reads one of the signs in Coweta, OK, one of the many towns facing a potential AI data center. Big Tech uses these NDAs to hide the true impacts of their data centers on communities — and to shut the public out of the process.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's EO cracking down on subscription traps and junk fees is a massive win for New Yorkers. "With prices top of mind for so many, navigating the economy should not have to feel like a never-ending dance of evading scams and tricks." www.economicliberties.us/press-releas...

"According to analysis by William McGee, a senior fellow @econliberties.bsky.social, American, Delta, Southwest, & United have each lost between 2" & 5" of legroom since the 1980s, putting average legroom at approximately 31", down from 35" in the late 20th century." nypost.com/2026/01/05/l...

"Duffy is taking a sledgehammer to the protections the Biden administration was attempting to implement, redefining the terms 'captured agency' and 'pay to play.'" Don't be distracted by Sean Duffy's social media stunts, writes @wjm-air.bsky.social for The Economic Populist.

Economic Liberties is hiring! We're looking for a Communications Associate to join our team and the growing movement to take on outsized corporate power. Apply here: www.economicliberties.us/comms-associ...

"If Congress is serious about affordability, then members must eschew incremental changes — and instead eliminate the Big Medicine corruption that drives drug prices in the first place." ICYMI: Emma Freer's latest op-ed in @ms.now 👇 www.ms.now/opinion/medi...

Energy costs have risen dramatically since 2020. Within just the last year, nearly 1 in 4 Americans were unable to pay their utility bill at least once. Our latest guide explains how elected officials can step up and bring costs down by intervening in utility rate cases 👇

"From mid-December 2024 to this past February, 237 community pharmacies have closed nationwide, according to @econliberties.bsky.social." "Much of the blame for the demise of community pharmacies lies with pharmacy benefits managers, according to the state commission and other analysts.

“For any official that wants to talk a big game about taking on affordability, we need to ask them 'is that going to include accountability?'" @linamkhan.bsky.social on the need for states to hold corporate wrongdoers exploiting pricing schemes accountable for jacking up costs👇

ICYMI: Our latest policy brief reveals how Optum became a large financial operation that reinforces UnitedHealth’s power in the healthcare industry — exerting more control over independent physicians. Read it here: www.economicliberties.us/our-work/uni...

"[These reforms] ensure that Michigan’s future growth will be based on innovation and customer service, not bribes and lobbying." Pat Garofalo in our statement applauding MI lawmakers for enacting reforms to increase transparency and accountability in corporate subsidies👇

🚨NEW: Our latest brief explains how UnitedHealth Group’s FDIC-insured industrial bank has become another lever to trap independent practices. "This was no accident. Federal policy choices over the past decades enabled the rise of this core financial dominance."

"Congress and our agencies can break the stranglehold private equity has on youth sports. We can use our existing antitrust tools aggressively to stop anticompetitive mergers and rollups and break up monopolies." ICYMI: @capitolkvd.bsky.social testifying on how PE is gutting youth sports👇

Check out my discussion with @wallachlori.bsky.social director of @rethinktrade.bsky.social with the @econliberties.bsky.social about how our trade deficit is up and manufacturing jobs have cratered under Trump. Are we better off now under Trump? open.substack.com/pub/ricksmit...

"There's no antitrust. Antitrust went away when we got a ruling that it was okay to pay Apple $20B to keep everybody else out," says Jim Cramer. Remarkable indictment of Judge Mehta's decision to let Google off the hook for monopolizing search👇

"It extracts service fees and revenue from fans. It is often a default ticketer at the venues artists want to play. It owns 60 of the 100 largest amphitheaters..." Doha Mekki on Live Nation-Ticketmaster's flywheel model that hurts competition and traps fans, artists, and venues.

Economic Liberties is hiring a Communications Associate! Are you passionate about taking on concentrated corporate power? If so, learn more and apply here👇 www.economicliberties.us/comms-associ...

Despite reforms to make hearing aids more accessible over the counter, vertical integration "has contributed to several anti-competitive harms, including high costs, reduced innovation, and steep barriers to entry." ICYMI: Our latest report breaks it down👇 www.economicliberties.us/our-work/wit...

"No, you don't get to acquire your competitors, wipe out another element of competition, and then turn around and make money off your enhanced position by squeezing your workers and customers." @warren.senate.gov on why no competitor should be allowed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery👇

"Price discrimination shreds the social fabric by eroding consumer solidarity and our ability to hold predatory corporations accountable... The One Fair Price Act restores sanity to our economy..." ICYMI: We're proud to support and endorse @gallego.senate.gov's efforts to ban surveillance pricing👇

In response to a petition from us and @consumerfed.bsky.social, the FTC is reopening the previously vacated Lina Khan-era Click to Cancel rule. This is a major step in ending subscription traps and saving consumers time and money.

The Trump DOT is weakening consumer protections, including killing a rule that would have mandated compensation for major delays and cancellations. "The DOT’s agenda reads like it was copy-pasted directly from … the lobbying arm of the largest carriers," @wjm-air.bsky.social says.

EXCLUSIVE: We found that Instacart is using AI algorithms to charge customers different prices for the same items. It's not just online. It's in physical grocery stores too. Our months-long investigation with @consumerreports.org and @groundwork.bsky.social found it could cost families $1200/year.

“There is no reason Warner Bros. Discovery should be acquired by a rival who will reduce competition." Both bids from Netflix and Paramount look illegal and would further deepen the media consolidation crisis that is eroding our creative economy and freedom of expression.

"McGee says inconveniences are baked into the travel experience...'Are your airline seats so cramped that you're vulnerable to blood clotting disorders, let alone hampered during an emergency evacuation?' he asks. 'Produce your credit card!'" www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/...

David Ellison says he's had "great conversations" with the President about CNN, after being asked whether the President would embrace Paramount as its new owner. Paramount announced a rival bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery this morning.

"When you have Netflix, that is the largest streaming company, acquire this kind of power in an $83B deal, they're paying that price for a reason." Former DOJ official @hetaljdoshi.bsky.social says enforcers should take a hard look at Netflix-Warner Bros. deal on @cnbc.com 👇

"Allowing the number one streamer to buy the number three streamer and lock up one of the world’s most significant content libraries would gut competition, harming creators, storytellers, and consumers." More in our statement on why Netflix-Warner Bros. must be blocked👇

Forty years ago, 90% of media outlets were spread across 50 companies. Now, just 5 companies control 90% of the media market. This consolidation hurts consumers and helps oligarchs. 🧵

“I’m willing to fight for a competitive market where everyone wins." ICYMI: Michael Jordan’s lawsuit against NASCAR has now become a jury trial on whether the league is a monopoly. The evidence coming out is remarkable.👇 www.thebignewsletter.com/p/the-antitr...

OUT NOW: a new TACD report warns that digital trade rules in international trade agreements — including so-called “source code protection” provisions — risk undermining consumers’ right to repair. These provisions can threaten ambitious right to repair laws in the U.S. and EU.

"The very explicit point of these [NDAs] is to ensure there is no public feedback when these deals are being negotiated." Pat Garofalo joined WFMU to discuss how Big Tech is using NDAs to hide the true costs of their data centers from the public👇

Nearly 300 Republican and Democratic state legislators from 43 states have pushed back against the Trump administration's attempts to ban states from protecting their citizens against AI. Pat Garofalo breaks down the fight in the latest Boondoggle 👇 boondoggle.substack.com/p/the-bipart...

Earlier this year, Trump's FTC delayed the Click to Cancel rule, which cleared the way for the Chamber of Commerce to kill it and keep Americans trapped in pricey subscription doom loops. Now, with @consumerfed.bsky.social, we're calling on the FTC to renew the rule.

“Every day our phones and devices collect massive amounts of personal data on us, and now, businesses may be using this trove of personal information to charge each of us a different price for the exact same product or service." Must-watch breakdown on surveillance pricing👇

America's housing crisis hurts Americans across the political spectrum. It stems from decades of policy choices that dismantled local homebuilding finance and strengthened Wall Street influence. Our latest report, Capital Crunch, explores how we got here and how to fix it👇

Be prepared if you'll be subject to this new $45 TSA fee in February: "Bill McGee, a senior fellow for aviation at @econliberties.bsky.social, a progressive-leaning nonprofit, emphasized that the new fee could especially penalize families who don't travel frequently." www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/t...

ICYMI: We’re launching The Fair Price Fight — a new resource designed to fight the pricing tactics that play no small part in the affordability crisis. It equips state lawmakers with the tools they need to end junk surveillance pricing, junk fees, and algorithmic price-setting.