Read more from our June print issue: ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

View this email in your browser [link removed]

??

??

[link removed]

Dear reader,

America is drowning in junk fees. Businesses in virtually every sector of society, from airlines to rental markets to live music and even prisons charge deceptive and unnecessary junk fees to capture larger and larger profits. They're also deeply regressive and discriminatory; junk fees are routinely targeted to lower-income people, and disproportionately against people of color.

The Biden administration has made tackling junk fees a large part of their campaign messaging in 2024, touting bans on hidden fees from the FTC and the Department of Transportation and a crackdown on banking fees from the CFPB. But although fighting hidden fees is hugely popular among voters, corporations and conservative politicians have resisted the new regulations, with business groups filing lawsuits against what they see as government overreach.

For our June print issue on pricing, Hassan Ali Kanu wrote about just how widespread the problem junk fees are, how they're affecting American consumers and what federal regulators can do about them. You can read the full story on our website. [link removed]

READ MORE >> [link removed]

Tomorrow on the Prospect Weekly Roundup, our live weekly YouTube show, I'll be talking with Groundwork Collaborative's executive director Lindsay Owens about all things pricing: how companies use a variety of schemes and questionable business practices to raise prices, capture more?? and grow record profits at the public's expense.

We hope you'll join us for what will be a great conversation! We'll be going live at 12:30 ET. Subscribe to our YouTube channel today to get a notification when it starts. [link removed]

THE PRICING ISSUE >> [link removed]

Every day, our small but mighty team works hard to bring you the news you need on a shoestring budget. We're a nonprofit newsroom, and we don't have corporate backers or billionaire donors to subsidize our work. To make special projects like this month's issue possible, we rely on the generosity of our readers, who chip in a few dollars at a time to fund our work.

By becoming a member today for just a few dollars a month, not only will you be eligible to receive our print magazine, but you'll also receive member benefits including special events, exclusive member access and video content, and more.

If you're already a member, thank you for your support!

We work hard for your trust, and our members say they're getting their money's worth. Won't you join them? [link removed]

BECOME A MEMBER >> [link removed]

Thanks for being a part of this,

David Dayen
Executive Editor
The American Prospect

Click to Share this Newsletter

[link removed]

??

[link removed]

??

[link removed]

??

[link removed]

[link removed]

Copyright (c) 2022 The American Prospect. All rights reserved.

To opt out of American Prospect membership messaging, click here [link removed].

To manage your newsletter preferences, click here [link removed].

To unsubscribe from all American Prospect emails, including newsletters, click here [link removed].
_________________

Sent to [email protected]

Unsubscribe:
[link removed]

The American Prospect, Inc., 1225 I Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC xxxxxx, United States