Massive retail chains like Walmart, Kroger, and Dollar Store have crushed thousands of local grocers. This has left millions of Americans living in “food deserts.”
And it is getting worse with every single bill and action the Republicans in Congress and states pass. Billionaires and Billionaire Corporations (who buy off which ever politicians they have to) are taking over everywhere and getting rid of any competition from smaller operators in their way. Leaving Americans with next to NO CHOICES except them. Great resources that lay this all out: "Burned By Billionaire: How Concentrated Wealth and Power are Ruining Our Lives and Planet" by Chuck Collins. Especially the section on "How Billionaires Decide What's For Dinner"! And the book "Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry" by Austin Frerick. Time to deal with every single one of them!!! Because the COST of not doing so is growing each and every day......not to the Billionaires and Corporations.......they are making money hand over fist and making tremendous profits with NO end in sight.......but to the rest of us!
You are so right. Of course, this is nothing new. The Romans practiced it. Crassus, an early Roman billionaire (who helped finance the career of Julius Caesar) reportedly said "Pecunia non olet" - meaning money does not stink. Boy, was he wrong. It stinks to high heaven!
And they are: "bastardes sui commodorum amantes" (bastards loving their own advantage); or "scelesti sui luris" (villianous ones of their own law). Ancient practices of the selfish powerful ones. And today, especially, MONEY is their unjust advantage. Now, ENUF of the Latin. We need to tackle them directly, and keep them down. Shop local.
And it's gonna take millions (of us), and more, just as you said. (Ian, I had to look up the Latin phrases, my ancient Church Latin didn't hold.) Let's get back to creating our own lunch meals, it's cheaper and healthier - if you avoid processed meat and spreadable cheese they've "bastardized"- and make it for the fun of it, for the delicious taste of it, daily - and/or prep it ahead of time when you can. Create, invent. Good bye to corporate foods and drinks.
When I was working I always brown-bagged it. I'd bring a few coffees that were like tea bags (18 cents a piece). That was the extent of my processed, pre-packaged food at work. I'd say about a third of my coworkers also brought their lunch, a third went out for fast food ($1.25+ for coffee), and a third (this is for real) ate out of the vending machines ($1 coffee). I could probably put a fascinating study together comparing the long term physical, financial, and mental health effects of those daily habits.
... and the "food" and "beverages" they sell are made by whom? and come from where? and can remain on the shelves for up to a year or - forever? Corporation upon corporation monopolies feeding us. Look at us. Why so fat and grossly overweight? No longer athletic. In rural America! But also in more urban regions. They absolutely do mock and SHAME -us!
The monopolies include not just retail grocers but all those Big Food folks, like Hormel, Field, and cereal producers. It makes our food supply more expensive and possibly less safe.
I agree with most everything being said on this page (haven't been in a walmart for 30 years). However, there is one advantage to the large national food retailers. If they're big enough to have their own house brands, you can save a lot of cash buying those. Example is breakfast cereals - a box of Kroger raisin bran is almost exactly half the price of Kelloggs and comes from the same factory. A quart of half and half went for $1.59 a couple years ago, and in one day it was raised to $3.19 (shame on them), and it's still about two bucks cheaper than major brands. Cookies, juices, paper goods, etc. - same. Sometimes it does make a little diference - Nabisco vanilla wafers are way better than Kroger.At any rate, I have no choice within 15 miles I only have Kroger, Walmart and Target.
Food deserts, media deserts, healthcare deserts, all these kinds of deserts are symptoms of business consolidation and monopolization. Dusting off, oiling, and firing up the laws that prevent and reverse those symptoms would provide relief. But they won't cure the disease.
The disease, when you get right down to it, is the political donation$ that are made by corporations and their owners. As long as that cancer isn't chemoed and radiated into oblivion, or surgically removed, it'll continue to sicken our government with the corruption that's led to desertification.
In the Feb 2, 2026 issue of The New Yorker, an article by Charles Dubigg explains "How the Right Gets Organized." Short version: they create community in tandem with entities that are already organized -- e.g., schools, churches, and as highlighted in the article, social-issue entities such as DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). You know: *pros* at organizing. Food for thought.
Our little community is fighting back by forming a food cooperative to buy the local grocery store. Local consumers have been convinced for years that it is worth driving 25 miles to save pennies for groceries. So, our biggest hurdle is to convince locals that we save money in the long run by buying local. It is amazing to me that folks can't see the actual cost of the grocery monopoly!
Hello Jim! As usual, you are right on. I have nothing to say other than you continually flag out these anti-consumer policies and politicians. If it was not for you and the likes of Amy Goodman, WBAI, and Pacifica Radio, I would be voting for mainstream corporate Democrats and so called "Republican Compassionate Conservatives". I'm 78 years old now, the Lowdown is arguably one of the best investigative news sources in the country. Thank you so much, Jim Hightower,
We allege that that capitalism fosters competition benefitting consumers...at the expense of corporate profits.We have antitrust laws in place to prevent monopolistic control over the market place.However,enforcement is the key and Trumpolini & gang have no desire to have these beautiful laws enforced.
And it is getting worse with every single bill and action the Republicans in Congress and states pass. Billionaires and Billionaire Corporations (who buy off which ever politicians they have to) are taking over everywhere and getting rid of any competition from smaller operators in their way. Leaving Americans with next to NO CHOICES except them. Great resources that lay this all out: "Burned By Billionaire: How Concentrated Wealth and Power are Ruining Our Lives and Planet" by Chuck Collins. Especially the section on "How Billionaires Decide What's For Dinner"! And the book "Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry" by Austin Frerick. Time to deal with every single one of them!!! Because the COST of not doing so is growing each and every day......not to the Billionaires and Corporations.......they are making money hand over fist and making tremendous profits with NO end in sight.......but to the rest of us!
You are so right. Of course, this is nothing new. The Romans practiced it. Crassus, an early Roman billionaire (who helped finance the career of Julius Caesar) reportedly said "Pecunia non olet" - meaning money does not stink. Boy, was he wrong. It stinks to high heaven!
And they are: "bastardes sui commodorum amantes" (bastards loving their own advantage); or "scelesti sui luris" (villianous ones of their own law). Ancient practices of the selfish powerful ones. And today, especially, MONEY is their unjust advantage. Now, ENUF of the Latin. We need to tackle them directly, and keep them down. Shop local.
I especially like the "shop local". Everybody, all together now...
Throw a pebble at a tank, and it bounces off. Throw a million... the tank's buried, and stopped in its tracks.
I'm sorry I couldn't say that in Latin for you.
And it's gonna take millions (of us), and more, just as you said. (Ian, I had to look up the Latin phrases, my ancient Church Latin didn't hold.) Let's get back to creating our own lunch meals, it's cheaper and healthier - if you avoid processed meat and spreadable cheese they've "bastardized"- and make it for the fun of it, for the delicious taste of it, daily - and/or prep it ahead of time when you can. Create, invent. Good bye to corporate foods and drinks.
When I was working I always brown-bagged it. I'd bring a few coffees that were like tea bags (18 cents a piece). That was the extent of my processed, pre-packaged food at work. I'd say about a third of my coworkers also brought their lunch, a third went out for fast food ($1.25+ for coffee), and a third (this is for real) ate out of the vending machines ($1 coffee). I could probably put a fascinating study together comparing the long term physical, financial, and mental health effects of those daily habits.
Yes, yes and yes! We must keep the laws that protect us. Thanks for the wake up call. To the barricades!
Bring back the antitrust and anti monopoly laws!
The same big business profit driven methodology that has ruined healthcare in the USA and lead to medical deserts in many areas of the nation.
Yes, with tragic results!
Yes, look at the Dollar Store chain...they take over rural towns and exploit their workers and customers. SHAME.
... and the "food" and "beverages" they sell are made by whom? and come from where? and can remain on the shelves for up to a year or - forever? Corporation upon corporation monopolies feeding us. Look at us. Why so fat and grossly overweight? No longer athletic. In rural America! But also in more urban regions. They absolutely do mock and SHAME -us!
Jim,
Might I suggest that the food monopolists and their hired guns in congress be locked in a deep dark dungeon where we will let them eat kale.
Kale served with a side of humility and boiled fish eyes.
The monopolies include not just retail grocers but all those Big Food folks, like Hormel, Field, and cereal producers. It makes our food supply more expensive and possibly less safe.
I agree with most everything being said on this page (haven't been in a walmart for 30 years). However, there is one advantage to the large national food retailers. If they're big enough to have their own house brands, you can save a lot of cash buying those. Example is breakfast cereals - a box of Kroger raisin bran is almost exactly half the price of Kelloggs and comes from the same factory. A quart of half and half went for $1.59 a couple years ago, and in one day it was raised to $3.19 (shame on them), and it's still about two bucks cheaper than major brands. Cookies, juices, paper goods, etc. - same. Sometimes it does make a little diference - Nabisco vanilla wafers are way better than Kroger.At any rate, I have no choice within 15 miles I only have Kroger, Walmart and Target.
I do love Trader Joes and it's worth the 16 miles for me to go there about every month or two.
Food deserts, media deserts, healthcare deserts, all these kinds of deserts are symptoms of business consolidation and monopolization. Dusting off, oiling, and firing up the laws that prevent and reverse those symptoms would provide relief. But they won't cure the disease.
The disease, when you get right down to it, is the political donation$ that are made by corporations and their owners. As long as that cancer isn't chemoed and radiated into oblivion, or surgically removed, it'll continue to sicken our government with the corruption that's led to desertification.
In the Feb 2, 2026 issue of The New Yorker, an article by Charles Dubigg explains "How the Right Gets Organized." Short version: they create community in tandem with entities that are already organized -- e.g., schools, churches, and as highlighted in the article, social-issue entities such as DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). You know: *pros* at organizing. Food for thought.
Our little community is fighting back by forming a food cooperative to buy the local grocery store. Local consumers have been convinced for years that it is worth driving 25 miles to save pennies for groceries. So, our biggest hurdle is to convince locals that we save money in the long run by buying local. It is amazing to me that folks can't see the actual cost of the grocery monopoly!
Hello Jim! As usual, you are right on. I have nothing to say other than you continually flag out these anti-consumer policies and politicians. If it was not for you and the likes of Amy Goodman, WBAI, and Pacifica Radio, I would be voting for mainstream corporate Democrats and so called "Republican Compassionate Conservatives". I'm 78 years old now, the Lowdown is arguably one of the best investigative news sources in the country. Thank you so much, Jim Hightower,
We allege that that capitalism fosters competition benefitting consumers...at the expense of corporate profits.We have antitrust laws in place to prevent monopolistic control over the market place.However,enforcement is the key and Trumpolini & gang have no desire to have these beautiful laws enforced.