Find the letter here: www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/do...

Exclusive | Bipartisan Senators Warn United and American Airlines on Potential Merger Though American has rejected a deal, lawmakers asked both carriers to share how it could affect routes and fares.

There is a lot wrong with the idea of United and American Airlines merging.

@senmikelee.bsky.social & Senator Warren spell it out in an important new oversight letter to the airlines' CEOs: www.wsj.com/business/air...

Chains of Command A surprising look at the big business of owning small businesses and what America’s franchise economy means for its workers. Walk into a McDonald’s anywhere in the United States, and it will be identi...

Out today! press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...

Distribution Giant Sysco Wants to Take Over a Lifeline for Small Restaurants A group of small restaurant owners calls Sysco’s takeover of Restaurant Depot ”a gut punch to every neighborhood restaurant in America.”

Food distribution giant, Sysco, wants to take over a lifeline for small restaurants. A group of restaurant owners are calling it "a gut punch to every neighborhood restaurant in America."

Learn more in Food & Power: foodandpower.substack.com/p/distributi...

Jury Verdict Against Live Nation–Ticketmaster Marks Major Antitrust Victory for Fans & Fair Competition — Open Markets Institute Tara PIncock weighs in on the landmark jury verdict that found Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster violated federal and state antitrust laws by operating an illegal monopoly.

Live Nation might have been able to persuade the president and DOJ’s leadership, but it wasn’t able to fool a jury.

Our statement on today's verdict on Live Nation's illegal monopoly: www.openmarketsinstitute.org/publications...

In New Book, OMI Chief Economist Brian Callaci Examines How Powerful Franchisors Have Eaten Our Lunch  — Open Markets Institute In Chains of Command: The Rise and Cruel Reign of the Franchise Economy (University of Chicago Press, April 20, 2026), Brian Callaci delivers the first comprehensive history of how franchising has...

Barry Lynn: "Anyone who aims to build a truly democratic and just society should read this book.”

Order "Chains of Command" here: www.openmarketsinstitute.org/publications...

Coming April 20! “Chains of Command: The Rise and Cruel Reign of the Franchise Economy” by OMI chief economist Brian Callaci investigates how US corporations built vast empires by dominating small businesses—without bearing responsibility for the workers who power them.

Iowa Restaurants, Broadliners, and Meh Food How a great idea was carried way too far

Restaurant food distributor Sysco already controls too much of the market and are now seeking to buy up a competitor.

@ifsc.bsky.social has a very informative series on how restaurant food has evolved for the worse, including Sysco's role in that. attheiowafarmtable.substack.com/p/iowa-resta...

Corruption Calendar Weeks 62-63: Enforcement Has Left The Building Trump’s SEC continues the administration’s poor track record on corporate enforcement and the EPA pulls back regulations on another cancer-causing toxin.

New Corruption Calendar: Enforcement against corporate misconduct has dropped to unprecedented lows under Trump, meaning our money stays in the pockets of CEOs. The SEC is no different, letting crypto crooks close to Trump off the hook.

USDA Delays Rule to Regulate Deceptive Payment Terms for Poultry Growers Farmer groups across the political spectrum criticized the decision, which runs counter to Trump's pledges to protect farmers from dominant packers.

Food labels shape what we buy—and what we believe. So why is the USDA delaying action on misleading claims?

@clairekelloway gets into it in Food & Power:
foodandpower.substack.com/p/usda-delay...

All true!

www.openmarketsinstitute.org/publications...

Here's what you need to know about Sysco's plan to acquire Restaurant Depot:

EIG Statement on Washington State's Ban on Noncompetes The Economic Innovation Group (EIG) applauds Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) and the House Ways and Means Committee for including Opportunity Zones (OZ) in their recently unveiled tax legislation.

🥳 Congratulations to the workers of Washington State on their non-compete ban! "Evergreen State," indeed. eig.org/eig-statemen...

Big Tech’s legal shield may finally be cracking.

Two jury verdicts just shifted the debate from content moderation to system design—holding Meta & Google liable for how their platforms are built.

Open Markets Institute Applauds Illinois HB 3213 to Ban Non-Compete Clauses  — Open Markets Institute In testimony submitted to the Illinois House Labor & Commerce Committee, Sandeep Vaheesan emphasized the far-reaching harms caused by non-compete agreements and the urgent need for a comprehensive...

Facts: Banning non-compete agreements can increase wages significantly & lead to greater business formation, innovation, & job mobility.

That's why we are glad to see HB 3213 in Illinois, a bill to make non-competes ILLEGAL (not just less enforceable). www.openmarketsinstitute.org/publications...

As Antitrust Becomes a Frontline Battleground for Democracy, Are States Ready? Trump is turning antitrust enforcement into an authoritarian corruption racket. State AGs are stepping up to fill the void – but they'll need more firepower to sustain the fight.

State attorneys general have stepped up as a firewall against moves to concentrate media, economic, & political power as Trump 2.0 turns antitrust enforcement into an instrument of personal and political power.

Read more in Liberty & Power: open.substack.com/pub/libertya...

Live Nation: States' Expert Says Company Has 'Substantial Market Power' and Engages in Anticompetitive Conduct
library.thecapitolforum.com/docs/9ch0fnt...

h/t @colecahill.bsky.social
$LYV

Hewlett Packard Enterprise/Juniper Networks: Judge Peppers Lawyers for States, Company and DOJ About Whether Settlement is in Public Interest
library.thecapitolforum.com/docs/9ch468b...

h/t @sachasloan.bsky.social
$HPE

As Antitrust Becomes a Frontline Battleground for Democracy, Are States Ready? Trump is turning antitrust enforcement into an authoritarian corruption racket. State AGs are stepping up to fill the void – but they'll need more firepower to sustain the fight.

NEW in Liberty & Power: Trump is turning antitrust enforcement into an authoritarian corruption racket.

State AGs are stepping up to fill the void, but they'll need more firepower to sustain the fight.

open.substack.com/pub/libertya...

What Washington doesn’t get about young Americans — according to 22 college students and recent grads. Emma Rowland, Samuel Valencia, Jade Tran, Madelyn Rowley, Ashton Pack, Monte E. White, Griffin Uribe Brown, Yasmeen Khan, Jack Salaki, Cooper Gant, Erica Stavnem, Sean Scholz, Denzel Massaley, Seyi Ar...

"Until Washington recognizes that...skepticism toward neoliberalism is foundational rather than fleeting, it will continue to be out of step with the needs of the American people."
- Fox Perez a student at Oregon State University in @notus.com www.notus.org/perspectives...

Open Markets Institute Welcomes "Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act"  — Open Markets Institute OMI praised U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and his colleagues for introducing the Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act , landmark legislation to curb corporate price discrimination and r...

And why we think this is such a good idea: www.openmarketsinstitute.org/publications...

Here's something we love to see: @ChrisMurphyCT & colleagues with a new bill to crack down on price discrimination / strengthen the Robinson-Patman Act.

Learn more about the "Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act": www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/pre...

Open Markets Institute Applauds Illinois HB 3213 to Ban Non-Compete Clauses  — Open Markets Institute In testimony submitted to the Illinois House Labor & Commerce Committee, Sandeep Vaheesan emphasized the far-reaching harms caused by non-compete agreements and the urgent need for a comprehensive...

Illinois House Bill 3213 that would ban non-compete clauses for all workers in the state. 🙌

Bills like this are especially important after the Trump FTC's decision to abandon legal defenses of the national ban.

Read more from Sandeep Vaheesan: www.openmarketsinstitute.org/publications...

Fertilizer Giants Make Farmers and Food Production More Vulnerable Fertilizer prices are rising as US and Israel’s attack on Iran closes the critical Strait of Hormuz. In theory, nitrogen fertilizer can be made all over the world, so why is the industry so consolidat...

The U.S.-Israel war with Iran has driven up fertilizer prices by as much as 30% just ahead of spring planting.

Breaking up fertilizer giants would diversify the supply chain (& lower costs & carbon output). foodandpower.substack.com/p/fertilizer...

Glad to see state AGs take this on: thehill.com/homenews/med...

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Countering the Narratives of Europe’s Deregulation Wave. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Countering the Narratives of Europe’s Deregulation Wave. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

Spread by big tech, deregulation narratives have captured conversations about how to grow Europe's tech economy.

Join us, @thegoodlobby.bsky.social + Future Narratives Lab for a better conversation 📆 18.03, 16:00 – 17:15 CET bit.ly/4ru7oUa

Antitrust Enforcement to Survive Through States, Private Parties Opinion: The Trump administration has proven its disinterest in trustbusting, but states, consumers, workers, and independent businesses will continue to fight against the abuse of corporate power.

The Trump admin may have abandoned antitrust enforcement, but states, workers, consumers, & small businesses are stepping up.

In fact, private parties file over 95% of civil antitrust cases in federal court.

New from Sandeep Vaheesan in @bloomberglaw.com ⬇️
news.bloomberglaw.com/legal-exchan...

OMI Reacts to Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Deal & Trump’s Apparent Interference — Open Markets Institute Dr. Courtney Radsch, director of the Center for Journalism and Liberty at Open Markets released the following statement concerning the news that Netflix has dropped its bid for Warner Brothers Discove...

That would be a mistake for many reasons: www.openmarketsinstitute.org/publications...

ICE Surge in Minnesota Hits Meatpacking Towns Operation Metro Surge expanded beyond the Twin Cities metro and chilled economic activity in rural Minnesota meatpacking towns with large immigrant communities.

In towns hours from Minneapolis, immigrant families are staying home out of fear. Kids are missing school. Errands go undone. Local economies are quietly grinding to a halt.

New from @clairek.bsky.social:

foodandpower.substack.com/p/ice-surge-...

This would be welcome news: