Amazon’s Monopolistic Empire: How Ideological Moves Saved the Company from Legal Action

In the early days, Amazon was a quirky website for buying books. But over time, it has grown into a massive corporation that has expanded its reach into various aspects of daily life. From retail shopping to streaming services to health care, Amazon has left its mark on the world. For decades, regulators turned a blind eye as Amazon dominated the market. However, that is starting to change.

Recently, a landmark lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission accused Amazon of engaging in illegal market behavior. Regulators are now calling for the e-commerce giant to be held accountable for violating antitrust laws. It’s surprising that Amazon could have faced legal action much earlier. In a recent episode of Lever Time, David Sirota and Senior Podcast Producer Arjun Singh delve into the history of how an ideological movement influenced by business interests hindered antitrust enforcement in the United States for almost half a century, enabling Jeff Bezos to create his vast empire.

In Monday’s premium episode of Lever Time for paid subscribers, the discussion focuses on whether Ronald Reagan intentionally destroyed middle-class wealth. According to Stacy Mitchell, co-executive director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and a monopoly power expert, the answer is yes. Tune in to discover the reasons behind this claim.