Inspired by Zephyr Teachout’s latest book, Economic Liberties and People’s Action launched the “Break ‘Em Up!” series to bring together a diverse range of progressive voices to share information about the ways unchecked corporate power is hurting workers, small businesses, communities, and our democracy – and what we can do to address it. We’re tackling everything from health care to rural issues to banking and finance.
To learn more, watch our recent events below or pick up a copy of Zephyr Teachout’s Break ‘Em Up: Recovering Our Freedom from Big Ag, Big Tech and Big Money.
Break ‘Em Up: Redistributing Economic Power to the People
Our first event featured keynote remarks from Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and examined how concentrated corporate power hurts labor and workplace organizing efforts. We looked closely at research that finds wages would likely be substantially higher today – more than $10,000 a year – if the economy were less concentrated, and we heard from leading voices in the anti-monopoly and labor movements.
Break ‘Em Up: How Health Care Monopolies Hurt Patients, Health Care Workers, and Communities
Next we took on health care monopolies and hosted Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) to discuss how the extreme market power of large corporations hurts patients, health care workers, and communities. We examined the ways health care monopolies limit access to care and create medical deserts, while raising costs, lowering quality of care, and abusing health care workers. And we discussed what policymakers can do to address this urgent crisis.