If you're American, what you are experiencing is oligarchy. (And now kakistocracy. 🙄) You're making the same mistake as conservatives who point to the Soviet Union saying, "See! Socialism doesn't work!"

This horseshit is not what Adam Smith was talking about. In fact he warned that capitalism would be utterly broken were monopolies allowed. And here we are.

Look at our media, news, social media, entertainment, banking; all monopolies owned and controlled by oligarchs. We've let them slide into these mergers because of our overstrict definition of a monopoly, one company in control of a sector. We basically have two phone types to choose from. That's a monopoly.

Lina Khan, Biden's FTC Chair, was our last, best hope of walking this back. But be of good cheer! Mamdani has hired her, so she's still in the game!

EDIT: Forgot to go off about union busting and their near-total lack of power. Unions are perhaps the most powerful tool for healthy capitalism.