Market Concentration & Authoritarianism - Monopolies and concentrated economic power work hand in hand with authoritarian figures, making it easier for political control, especially in media markets where a few companies dominate [2] - Extreme consolidation of economic power is ripe for abuse by authoritarian leaders, potentially leading to censorship and control of information [3] - Historical lessons show industrial monopolists facilitated the rise of anti-democratic pressures, prompting the 1950 anti-merger act to prevent extreme consolidation in America [5][6] Media Consolidation & Free Speech - Media market concentration poses risks to the flow of information and news, potentially allowing a few companies to control what people see [8] - Exercising free speech rights requires markets where people can access the free flow of information, rather than being dictated by a handful of gatekeepers [9] - Nextar's proposed merger with Tegna would give it reach into roughly 80% of television households, exceeding the FCC's current rule of 39% maximum [7] Regulatory Framework & Political Influence - The current administration is potentially weaponizing the merger process to advance political grievances and culture war issues, which is disturbing [12] - Corporations may prioritize profit and self-enrichment over commitment to democracy and principles of liberty when faced with pressure from the government [16] - The laws are in place to police economic consolidation, but there has been a bipartisan choice to accept a philosophy that monopolies were good for 40 years [17][18] Impact on Consumers & Democracy - Extreme concentration of economic power is incompatible with democracy, requiring a focus on fair competition and decentralization of economic power [19] - Mergers have resulted in higher prices, layoffs, and food deserts, giving corporations more power to push people around [21] - Recommitting to fair competition and decentralization of economic power is crucial to avoid dependence on the whims of a few executives [25]

The age of consumer capitalism is over.Consumer capitalism = produce goods to sell.We now live in the world of financial capitalism.Have a spare 10,000,000? You don’t build a factory to make goods, you simply invest in the stock market.Why? Less risk and more return.Money turns into money.Why does that stock have value? Because they produce with their factory.But nobody bothers to build competing factories.This inevitably leads to the last few producers of goods being massive monopolies with unchecked polit ...

Market Dynamics - A national coalition of US corporate leaders believes monopolies in politics are as problematic as they are in business [1]

Business Strategy - The best businesses are monopolies with a secret, focusing on unique offerings [1] - Companies should strive to do what no one else is doing [1] Crypto Industry Analysis - The crypto industry may be oversaturated, potentially resembling 800 treasury companies [2]