November 15, 2022

Fight Corporate Monopolies Launches Bold Legislative Agenda for New Congress to Combat Corporate Power

Democrats can use the next two years to enact an agenda that takes on corporate power at the root, and unabashedly fights for workers and small businesses

Washington, D.C. — After a slate of Senate, House, and down ballot Democratic candidates won by incorporating messaging to fight corporate greed, voters have made it clear that not only is taking on concentrated corporate power politically popular, but also should be a governing priority. Legislators have the next two years to enact an economic populist, pro-democracy agenda — one that breaks through partisan divides — that would rebalance power away from monopolies, corporate special interests, and Wall Street. Fight Corporate Monopolies put together a “Corporate Power Crisis” agenda, that includes 19 policy recommendations for Democrats to put forward in the 118th Congress and legislative bodies at the state level. Many of the recommendations would immediately benefit workers and small businesses, help lower costs for families, and create an economy, democracy, and political system that works for working people — not billionaires and corporations.

“Democrats can seize our massive electoral victories to fight for bold solutions for the majority of voters who want to see politicians break the chokehold corporations have on our political system, economy, and democracy,” said Helen Brosnan, Executive Director of Fight Corporate Monopolies. “Small businesses are decimated by monopolies, workers are crushed by corporate bosses, and families are fed up with Wall Street taking home record profits while they struggle — but we’ve seen that it doesn’t have to be this way. People are ready for a progressive, pro-democracy, pro-worker agenda to take on corporate control. We just need leaders to have the courage to enact it.”

An astounding 86% of voters believe that a political system corrupted by corporate influence is a serious problem and they’re ready for the government to do something about it. They believe corporate power is out of control because they live it every single day: wages not keeping up with the rising costs of living, CEOs making millions while workers are laid off, and struggling to pay for basic needs while companies continue to amass wealth at the expense of consumers and workers. 

Fight Corporate Monopolies’ Corporate Power Crisis agenda is outlined below:

Fight for a More Affordable America

• Strengthen laws against price fixing and wage fixing
• Impose an economy-wide excess profits tax
• Ban rip-off “junk fees”

Stand With Workers Over Corporate Monopolies

• Pass the PRO Act
• Stop employers from forcing workers to sign noncompete agreements
• Mandate that products be made in America
• Ban “payoffs for layoffs”
• Reform bankruptcy to stop private equity looting

Strengthen Antitrust Enforcement

• Adopt an abuse of dominance standard to strengthen antitrust
• Fund antitrust agencies at the federal and state level
• Revive laws against corporate bribery

Confront Corporate Influence and Crime

• Get corporate money out of political campaigns
• Go after the corporate crime wave
• Ensure access to courts instead of secret corporate tribunals
• Ban stock buybacks

Defend Small Businesses Against Monopolies

• Ban mega-mergers
• Rein in private equity profiteers
• Stop giving big businesses tax breaks that disadvantage local competitors
• Stop bailouts for giant corporations

Learn more about Fight Corporate Monopolies’ Corporate Power Crisis agenda at fightcorporatepower.org

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