Op-ed: Here's What Antimonopoly Policies States Can Implement Right Now to Protect Democracy

Hi all,

In my latest op-ed, published in The Sling, I argue that the states must take up the antimonopoly mantle and use their broad regulatory and law enforcement powers to confront the rise of oligarchy in the United States—currently exemplified by Elon Musk’s carte blanche from President Trump to dismantle the federal government. I outline five policies states can implement immediately to advance a sweeping antimonopoly agenda.

Below is the first paragraph of the op-ed. Enjoy

After Elon Musk poured almost $300 million into his campaign last year, President Trump returned the favor by endowing Musk with unrestricted authority to restructure the federal government. In just over two months, Musk has usurped congressional power and initiated the dismantling of agencies like USAID, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Department of Education. Even while the courts have paused some of Musk’s and Trump’s more egregious actions, such as firing all probationary employees, the most conservative Supreme Court in a century cannot be counted on to stop their institutional destruction. Despite the ongoing gutting of federal institutional capacity to rein in big business abuses, Americans still have robust tools for controlling corporate power, most notably the states.

The full article can be read here.