Groundwork Collaborative
@groundwork.bsky.social
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Building an economy that works for all of us.
#WeAreTheEconomy
pinned post!
NEW: Ever feel like everything takes longer, costs more, and leaves you more frustrated than it should? Thatâs not a coincidence. We call it the Annoyance Economy, and it costs American families $165 billion a year in wasted time and money. đ
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Taking on the Annoyance Economy - Groundwork Collaborative
https://groundworkcollaborative.org/work/taking-on-the-annoyance-economy/
25 days ago
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The deterioration in the labor market is visible from space. Jobs are down, gas prices are up, and Americaâs working class continues to pay the price.
groundworkcollaborative.org/news/labor-m...
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Labor Market Plummets as Trump Fuels Economic Turmoil - Groundwork Collaborative
https://groundworkcollaborative.org/news/labor-market-plummets-as-trump-fuels-economic-turmoil/
about 2 hours ago
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Working families are resorting to scrapping metal and selling clothes to make ends meet. The Federal Reserveâs report should serve as a major red flag for the White House that Trumpâs economy is flailing. đ:
groundworkcollaborative.org/news/februar...
about 20 hours ago
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@newsweek.com
with the scoop đ A 10% credit card interest rate cap is popular. But voters are skeptical it will actually happen. âIf a credit card cap were a priority for the Trump admin, it should have been signed into law months ago,â as our Emily DiVito pointed out.
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Trumpâs credit card rate cap gets polling boost
The plan would see rates temporarily capped at 10 percent, a proposal that has received broad backing from U.S. voters.
https://www.newsweek.com/trumps-credit-card-rate-cap-polling-boost-11617700
2 days ago
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Gas prices jumped $0.11 overnight. Crude oil is ~$85 a barrel. As
@alexsjacquez.bsky.social
told
@nytimes.com
: if this conflict drags on, consumers could face higher costs in ânearly every sector of the economy.â This isnât just about what you pay for gas. It's groceries, airfare, & heating bills.
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Oil and Natural Gas Prices Keep Climbing as Iran Attacks Escalate
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/business/energy-environment/oil-natural-gas-iran-israel-united-states.html
2 days ago
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The gym is todayâs economy in miniature, highlighting a widening divide b/w higher-income households & more price-sensitive consumers who are showing signs of financial strain. In a K-shaped economy, corporations adapt to serve the wealthy â while working families are left stretching every dollar.
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How the 'K-shaped' economy is showing up at two big U.S. gyms
The outlooks of Life Time and Planet Fitness show the divergence in spending between higher- and lower-income consumers.
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/28/life-time-planet-fitness-earnings-show-k-shaped-economy.html
2 days ago
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A Willy Wonka whistleblower called out Reeseâs for swapping the real milk chocolate and peanut butter in their iconic sweet treats for lower quality ingredients. We call it âskimpflation.â ⤾ď¸
3 days ago
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Over the past 20 years, time spent on customer service calls has risen 60%. Meanwhile, enforcement against bad actors has been âvirtually nonexistent,â as Chad Maisel told
@usatoday.com
.
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Tired of hold music? The 'annoyance economy' costs consumers $166B.
A new report ascribes a cost to the "annoyance economy": All that we pay in lost time and money for the hassles of life as an American consumer.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2026/03/02/annoyance-economy-spam-scams-junk-fees-cfpb/88903706007/
3 days ago
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Some of lifeâs hassles are costing you big time! We quantified just how much every year: đď¸ $90B in junk fees đ $21.6B in insurance paperwork đą $25B lost to phone scams Your time is valuable. Corporations just found a way to monetize it.
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Americans Face Rising Costs in the 'Annoyance Economy'âExperts Explain the Hidden Expenses
Spam calls, junk fees, and customer service hassles are draining $165 billion a year from Americans, according to a new report. Hereâs what you can do about it.
https://www.investopedia.com/americans-face-rising-costs-in-the-annoyance-economy-experts-explain-the-hidden-expenses-11913991
3 days ago
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Oil prices are rising after the attacks on Iran & if the conflict drags on, we could see oil spike past $100 a barrel. As
@alexsjacquez.bsky.social
tells
@apnews.com
, Americans already feel like Trump isnât focused on what they care about most: the price of groceries & everyday essentials.
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Iran attacks threaten US economy with more uncertainty around inflation, growth
The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran add yet more question marks around a U.S. economy already buffeted by on-and-off tariffs, weak hiring, and lingering inflationary pressures.
https://apnews.com/article/iran-economy-inflation-trump-b45192677b0751ec3550e363cdeb256a
3 days ago
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Trump says weâre in âthe Golden Age of America.â As
@alexsjacquez.bsky.social
points out, âPeople don't believe it. They don't feel it in their lived experience. They still feel that their prices are too high.â
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4 days ago
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Amazon may be rigging the game against you by blocking sellers from offering you a deal. That means you could end up paying more on Amazon â even if the seller would gladly charge you less somewhere else. In other words: a lower price could exist. Amazon is just making sure you arenât offered it.
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California seeks injunction to stop Amazon's alleged stifling of price competition
California asked a state judge on Tuesday to stop Amazon.com from inflating prices for consumers through an alleged campaign to bully merchants not to sell goods more cheaply elsewhere.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/california-seeks-injunction-stop-amazons-alleged-stifling-price-competition-2026-02-24/
4 days ago
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Trump has failed to deliver on his economic promises, and heâs made health care even **more** expensive. âI think the question is whether the actual policies put forward are having the outcomes that they intend here,â says
@alexsjacquez.bsky.social
.
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JD Vance struggles to sell Van Orden and Trump to tariff-battered Wisconsin ⢠Wisconsin Examiner
Vance is marketing Trump and Republicans' 'Golden Age' of prosperity to rural and blue-collar voters. Itâs a tough sell.
https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/02/27/jd-vance-struggles-to-sell-van-orden-and-trump-to-tariff-battered-wisconsin/
4 days ago
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âThe business of sports is starting to really suck the fun out of it for all of us fans,â
@lindsayowens.bsky.social
tells
@ksatnews.bsky.social
. The cost for a San Antonio family of 4 to attend the Houston World Cup Match would run them the equivalent of ~6 months of health insurance premiums.
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4 days ago
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đ§žTariffs acting as another tax on essentials đĄ Electricity bills soaring đ Health care costs spiking đ¸ Household debt rising but Wages remain stagnant âThere are a lot of things going on at once and itâs not good,â our Liz Pancotti told
@theguardian.com
.
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Trump says affordability crisis is over. Voters and data disagree
Despite claims, polls and economists say tariffs and structural pressures keep US households under strain
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/27/trump-state-union-inflation-prices-affordability
7 days ago
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@bloomberg.com
breaks down **why** Americans are feeling so squeezed & why everything is still (!) so damn expensive. Groceries, housing, everyday & medical expenses have soared while wages havenât kept up. âThereâs nothing else I can do. Iâm terrified to see my next bill,â says a 67-year old.
7 days ago
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Even the Wall Street Journal is saying it out loud.
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Billionairesâ Low Taxes Are Becoming a Problem for the Economy
Tax avoidance by the superwealthy is an economic issue as well as a political one.
https://www.wsj.com/finance/billionaires-low-taxes-are-becoming-a-problem-for-the-economy-27a560ca
7 days ago
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reposted by
Groundwork Collaborative
Bloomberg Opinion
7 days ago
Corporate America is in its golden era.
@kedseconomist.com
explains why thatâs not helping workers đĽ
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As
@lindsayowens.bsky.social
told
@yahoofinance.com
, the economy used to be Trumpâs âsuperpower.â Now? Americans oppose Trumpâs tariffs ~2-to-1, & a clear majority disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy. âItâs been really an incredible reversal of fortune for the president & Republicans."
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'A very unfortunate ruling:' Trump slams Supreme Court and makes a new case for tariffs in State of the Union address
President Trump on Tuesday night offered another strong defense of tariffs and again pilloried "an unfortunate ruling from the United States Supreme Court."
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-prepares-to-make-new-case-for-tariffs-at-state-of-the-union-even-some-republicans-are-skeptical-141559760.html
8 days ago
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The Annoyance Economy costs $165B a year in wasted time, fees, & resources. And it hits working families especially hard: Hourly workers âcanât take that hour off to cancel that subscription⌠they donât have the time to go back & forth,â
@nealemahoney.bsky.social
tells
@marketplace.org
.
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Annoyances cost Americans $165 billion every year
A new report calculated the so-called annoyance economy, and found everyday inconveniences, like spam calls and waiting on hold, come with a cost.
https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/02/18/annoyances-cost-americans-165-billion-every-year
8 days ago
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@repcasar.bsky.social
gets it exactly right đŻ âAmericans already work hard and will continue to. The question we face is whether that labor pays off for workers â with the time off to enjoy it â or if it just makes the very rich even richer.â
add a skeleton here at some point
8 days ago
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đ§ľ: Black workers tend to be concentrated in sectors like the federal government and manufacturing. But since Trump became president, 277,000 federal jobs are gone. Manufacturing jobs are down too, thanks to his chaotic tariff rollouts.
8 days ago
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@alexsjacquez.bsky.social
spoke w/
@sarajacobs.house.gov
about Trumpâs economy. The labor market has collapsed. Utility prices are up 10%. âThese are the prices that people are mad about that they see every single day. It's why we're seeing some of the worst consumer sentiment weâve ever tracked.â
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8 days ago
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reposted by
Groundwork Collaborative
Congressman Greg Casar
8 days ago
I took some time at home after my sonâs birth. It was the most meaningful time of my life. I was lucky. But this shouldnât be a matter of luck. All Americans should be able to take time â for a new baby, to get better or care for a sick loved one, and to enjoy life.
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Op-Ed: âAffordabilityâ Should Mean Being Able to Afford Time Off, Too ⢠The Austin Chronicle
In Washington, Democrats have a top priority: helping people afford the things they need to live well â a home, food, health care, child care. I agree that should be our top priority. But a few months...
https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/opinion/op-ed-affordability-should-mean-being-able-to-afford-time-off-too/
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A Willy Wonka whistleblower has brought skimpflation back in the news. Hersheyâs is allegedly cutting corners on quality and skimping on ingredients.
@lindsayowens.bsky.social
warns that too often weâre seeing âquality degradation paired not with cost savings, but with price increases.â
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8 days ago
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Remember the âgolden ageâ of dating apps â when swiping was free & matches were unlimited? As our Emily DiVito put it, weâve since seen âa degradation of app quality and match potentialâ alongside a sharp rise in monetization.
@julianakaplan.bsky.social
with the scoop ⤾ď¸
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9 days ago
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No wonder 65% of Americans disapprove of Trumpâs handling of inflation & 75% say they want him to do more to show heâs actually focused on bringing down costs.
add a skeleton here at some point
9 days ago
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In his first term, Trumpâs economic numbers were his âsuperpower.â In his second, as
@lindsayowens.bsky.social
told the
@washtimes.bsky.social
, Trump is âmoving us in the wrong direction when it comes to the cost of living.â
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Trump seeks reset on economy in State of the Union address
President Trump will stand before Congress and address the nation Tuesday night as a president in desperate need of a reset after a series of domestic setbacks have left his second-term agenda on thin...
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/23/trump-seeks-reset-economy-state-union-address/
9 days ago
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Millions of homeowners are locked into 2-3% mortgage rates. Millions more are locked out of buying a home at all. As
@bharatramamurti.bsky.social
explains: We âcanât snap our fingers & build 3 million new homes overnight." But expanding assumable & portable mortgages could ease the gridlock now.
9 days ago
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According to the Congressional Budget Office, Trumpâs tariffs function as a consumer tax on food. The Joint Economic Committee estimates that American families paid $310 more for groceries in Trumpâs first year.
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State of Delusion: Trump Claims to Have âWonâ Affordability As Working Families Struggle - Groundwork Collaborative
https://groundworkcollaborative.org/news/state-of-delusion-trump-claims-to-have-won-affordability-as-working-families-struggle/
10 days ago
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âAny consumer looking for relief from tariff-driven price hikes did not find it at the Supreme Court,â said our
@alexsjacquez.bsky.social
to
@cbsnews.com
. Trumpâs tariffs cost the average working family nearly $1,200 last year.
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Supreme Court ruling against Trump tariffs will offer relief, business owners say
Businesses could be owed nearly $150 billion in refunds after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-tariff-decision-trump-ieepa-businesses-react/
10 days ago
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Inflation under Trump has cost the average family over **$1,600** in price hikes on essentials like housing and transportation â and yet he has called Americansâ affordability concerns a âhoax.â
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State of Delusion: Trump Claims to Have âWonâ Affordability As Working Families Struggle - Groundwork Collaborative
https://groundworkcollaborative.org/news/state-of-delusion-trump-claims-to-have-won-affordability-as-working-families-struggle/
10 days ago
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During tonightâs State of the Union, Trump is reportedly going to âsell the economy.â Donât be fooled by the con. Hereâs how the economy has actually been doing đ
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10 days ago
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âThe economy was his super power,â our
@lindsayowens.bsky.social
told
@bloomberg.com
. Not anymore. As Lindsay noted, the political reality has flipped for Trump in his second term. Affordability was the promise, the results are a failure.
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Trump to Make Economic Sales Pitch to Congress as Headwinds Grow
Donald Trump is planning to outline an unconventional idea for personal and corporate tax cuts that he could implement without Congress, according to news anchors who met with the president for lunch ...
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-24/trump-to-make-economic-sales-pitch-to-congress-as-headwinds-grow
10 days ago
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At tonightâs State of the Union, Trump may claim heâs âwon affordability.â Working families know better. Inflation has cost the average family over $1,600 on essentials like housing & transportation â & tariffs piled on ~$1,300 more last year. Safe to say that the State of the Union is expensive.
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State of Delusion: Trump Claims to Have âWonâ Affordability As Working Families Struggle - Groundwork Collaborative
https://groundworkcollaborative.org/news/state-of-delusion-trump-claims-to-have-won-affordability-as-working-families-struggle/
10 days ago
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The real State of the Union this year? Expensive.
10 days ago
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That hard-to-find âcancel subscriptionâ button? Companies use it on purpose to trap us into never-ending money-sucking subscriptions. As
@lindsayowens.bsky.social
told
@thecut.com
: âThe onus shouldn't be on the consumer to bob & weave our way out of this. Itâs a huge waste of time, money & energy.â
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The Subscriptions That Wonât Die
What happens when you canât cancel something you didnât even sign up for.
https://www.thecut.com/article/subscriptions-cancel.html
10 days ago
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Customer service wait times are up 60%. Why? Because your frustration can boost corporate profits. See our research in
@fortune.com
detailing how companies tax your patience â and cash-in by turning cancellations, refunds, and basic service into obstacles.
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The âannoyance economyâ is costing Americans $165 billion annually as hard-to-cancel subscription services boost company revenue by 200% | Fortune
You were right all along: companies are intentionally putting you on hold longer so you just give up
https://fortune.com/2026/02/19/americans-paying-over-165-billion-annually-vibes-based-taxes-annoyance-economy/
10 days ago
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Trumpâs tariffs have caused economic chaos and uncertainty for consumers and businesses alike. Donât expect certainty anytime soon, our Liz Pancotti tells Fox 4 News.
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10 days ago
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Politicians are finally saying whatâs on everyoneâs mind, and that's the word: affordability. As
@washingtonpost.com
notes: Groundwork has helped shape the conversation by shifting it away from abstract economic jargon and toward how the economy shows up in peopleâs day-to-day lives.
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Why the biggest campaign buzzword âtapped into a broader political hungerâ
âAffordabilityâ is shaping the political conversation like never before as wages struggle to keep up with cost increases.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/02/16/affordability-politics-cost-living-prices/
11 days ago
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Working families are drowning in credit card debtâpaying 25-30% interest while big banks post record profits. Trump promised a 10% credit card interest cap but has failed to follow through. Another promise broken.
add a skeleton here at some point
11 days ago
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Excellent op-ed from
@superwuster.bsky.social
on the business model of price gouging highlighting our research on how corporate greedânot rising costsâhas fueled higher prices.
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Opinion | Price Gouging Is Real. Doing Nothing Is Not the Answer.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/opinion/price-gouging-mamdani.html
11 days ago
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âAny consumer looking for relief from tariff-driven price hikes did not find it at the Supreme Court today.â That's our
@alexsjacquez.bsky.social
in
@cbsnews.com
⤾ď¸
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Supreme Court ruling against Trump tariffs will offer relief, business owners say
Businesses could be owed nearly $150 billion in refunds after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-tariff-decision-trump-ieepa-businesses-react/
14 days ago
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Once prices go up, they rarely come back down. And it's working families that are footing Trumpâs bill. As our
@alexsjacquez.bsky.social
told
@usatoday.com
, many businesses have already said theyâll raise prices *this* year because of tariffs paid *last* year.
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Here's what the Supreme Court tariff ruling means for consumer prices
Consumers could see some relief at the checkout counter in coming months because of the high court ruling on tariffs.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2026/02/20/supreme-court-tariff-ruling-prices-inflation-consumers/88778859007/
14 days ago
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Todayâs Supreme Court ruling wonât bring relief to working families. As
@alexsjacquez.bsky.social
said: âAny consumer looking for relief from tariff-driven price hikes did not find it at the Supreme Court today.â The damage to business investment & family budgets will linger long after today.
14 days ago
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Our new report on the Annoyance Economy shows how corporations can make up to 200% more revenue by making it more difficult to cancel a subscription. âI'm looking at you, gym memberships, by the way.â
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15 days ago
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With algorithmic pricing on the rise, weâre about to lose something weâve always counted on: a price tag that simply tells you the price with no games or guesswork. Our
@lindsayowens.bsky.social
chatted with
@politico.com
about the dangers ahead and what policymakers can do about it.
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5 questions for Lindsay Owens
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/digital-future-daily/2026/01/30/5-questions-for-lindsay-owens-00757453
15 days ago
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reposted by
Groundwork Collaborative
Neale Mahoney
15 days ago
Our
@groundwork.bsky.social
report provides: đ Polling showing frustration + bipartisan support for action đ° A tip-of-the-iceberg $165B cost estimate đ A playbook to tackle annoyances in health insurance, spam calls/texts, customer service, & junk fees
groundworkcollaborative.org/work/taking-...
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Taking on the Annoyance Economy - Groundwork Collaborative
https://groundworkcollaborative.org/work/taking-on-the-annoyance-economy/
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reposted by
Groundwork Collaborative
Neale Mahoney
15 days ago
It was a kick to join the great
@kairyssdal.bsky.social
on
@marketplace.org
to discuss new work w/ Chad Maisel on the Annoyance Economy -- the hassles in health insurance, telecom, customer service, and junk fees that waste our time and money đ§:
www.marketplace.org/story/2026/0...
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Annoyances cost Americans $165 billion every year
A new report calculated the so-called annoyance economy, and found everyday inconveniences, like spam calls and waiting on hold, come with a cost.
https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/02/18/annoyances-cost-americans-165-billion-every-year
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reposted by
Groundwork Collaborative
Economic Speakers Bureau
15 days ago
Making it harder to cancel a subscription can boost corporate revenues by over 200%. Americans overwhelmingly support bans on hidden or extra fees, and policymakers should act to protect families and restore trust. Read the
@groundwork.bsky.social
report:
groundworkcollaborative.org/work/taking-...
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reposted by
Groundwork Collaborative
Economic Speakers Bureau
15 days ago
Americans lose at least $165 billion a year navigating the âAnnoyance Economy,â from customer service hoops to junk fees & spam calls.
@alexsjacquez.bsky.social
says these practices harm low-income families, erode trust in institutions, and enrich corporations without any productive return.
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