News from the New Rules Project

Charts: Small Banks & Small Business Lending

February 4, 2010

Britain Moves Feed-in Tariffs to a Whole New Level

February 3, 2010

In a truly groundbreaking move for the English-speaking world, Britain's Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) has released a full suite of renewable energy tariffs that go into effect in April. Britain will become the first country in the world to offer a comprehensive system of tariffs for renewable heat, including tariffs for solar domestic hot water and ground-source heat pumps among others. More

Financial System Even More Vulnerable Now, Warns Inspector General

February 2, 2010

The latest report from TARP Inspector General Neil Barofsky warns:

"Even if TARP saved our financial system from driving off a cliff back in 2008, absent meaningful reform, we are still driving on the same winding mountain road, but this time in a faster car."

Control Your Cash - Move Your Borrowing Along with Your Money

January 29, 2010

The New Rules Project, in partnership with HuffPost's Move Your Money campaign, is using its Community Banking Initiative to get out the word that banking locally can put the power back in the hands of individuals and communities, rather than Wall Street's CEOs.

As more of us ditch the big banks in favor local banks and credit unions, we need to give thought to both the saving and lending sides of a bank. Each is crucial. More

Holiday Sales Increase at Independent Businesses, National Survey Finds

January 14, 2010

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (Jan. 14, 2010) - More holiday shoppers deliberately sought out locally owned businesses this year, according to a national survey of more than 1,800 independent businesses.

The survey found that holiday sales for independent retailers were up an average of 2.2%. That contrasts with the Commerce Department figures released today, which show that overall retail sales were down 0.3% in December and up 1.8% in November.

The survey also found that independent retailers in cities with active "Buy Local" or "Think Local First" campaigns reported stronger holiday sales than those in cities without such campaigns. More

Financial Crisis Commission Hearings Begin

January 13, 2010

Hearings held to investigate the crash of 1929 led to the passage of the Glass-Steagall Act, which fundamentally restructured the banking industry. Can the FCIC hearings, which get underway today, help to bring it back? More

The Too Big Are Now Even Bigger

December 17, 2009

Among the many charts in the Congressional Oversight Panel's latest report, this is probably the most arresting and important.

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Unpublished

December 15, 2009

Since 1974, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance has been working to enable communities with tools to increase economic effectiveness, reduce wastes and negative environmental impacts and provide for community ownership of the infrastructure and resources essential for community well-being. To our donors and partners, your support is more important than ever this year. Thank you for joining us as we work towards a prosperous future built from the bottom up. Click to make a contribution online! Thanks! More

Independent Retailers Would Like to Source More Goods Locally, Survey Finds

December 1, 2009

A survey of over 100 independent retailers in New England has found that almost all would like to source more of their inventory from local and regional producers, but there are barriers to doing so, including, most notably, a lack of an easy and efficient way for retailers to identify New England companies manufacturing the kinds of goods they carry. More

GAO Report Confirms Need for Regulation of Credit Card Processing Fees

November 23, 2009

Credit card processing is not only highly concentrated - MasterCard, Visa, and American Express control 93 percent of the market - but competition among the card processors tends to raise, not lower, the fees they charge merchants, according to a new report from the U.S. General Accounting Office. The report's findings point to the need for regulation to protect independent businesses from excessive card processing fees. The GAO examines several policy approaches, including a cap on rates. More