Too many corporations are gouging Mainers – hiking prices, hiding fees, and trapping families in debt. They do it not because they have to, but because no one is stopping them. I believe it’s time for a modern-day trust-busting movement that puts people ahead of corporate profits.
Here’s how I’ll fight back:
Stop Predatory Banking and Junk Fees
- Cap overdraft fees at $5 per transaction. I know firsthand how crushing overdraft fees can be – I got hit with them working my way through college. Susan Collins voted to let big banks jack them back up. I’ll restore the $5 cap, saving families hundreds each year.
- Crack down on hidden junk fees. Airlines, banks, credit cards, and ticketing companies tack on fees at the last minute. I’ll fight to ban these tricks and bring transparency to every transaction.
- Protect consumers with strong watchdogs. I’ll restore funding and power to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Trade Commission so they can hold corporations accountable.
Make Healthcare Bills Fair
- Outlaw surprise medical billing. No Mainer should get hit with a bill they never saw coming. I’ll require hospitals and insurers to post clear prices, give upfront cost estimates, and provide bills people can actually understand.
Defend the Right to Repair
- When you buy something, you should be able to fix it – either yourself or at a local shop. I’ll fight for a national right-to-repair law so manufacturers can’t lock down parts, software, or manuals and force you into expensive repairs.
End Corporate Price Gouging
- Ban price gouging in emergencies. During disasters or pandemics, no company should exploit families with inflated costs.
- Shine a light on price-setting. I’ll require corporations to disclose how they set prices so they can’t pad profits in the shadows.
Protect Families from Predatory Lending
- Cap payday loan interest rates nationwide. No family should get trapped in a cycle of debt just because they need a small loan to get by.
- Close loopholes that payday lenders use to dodge regulations.
- Expand postal banking. Letting the Post Office offer basic services – like cashing checks, savings accounts, and small loans – would give families safe, affordable alternatives to predatory lenders.
Make Bankruptcy a Fresh Start
- Bankruptcy laws should give struggling families a second chance, not strip away their dignity. I’ll fight to:
- Simplify the process with free, fast-track options for low-income families.
- Raise homestead and vehicle exemptions so people don’t lose their homes or cars.
- Finally allow student loan debt to be discharged in bankruptcy, just like medical or credit card debt.
Protect Consumers from Manipulative Subscriptions
- Companies make it easy to sign up – and nearly impossible to cancel. Companies make it easy to sign up – and nearly impossible to cancel. And too many deceive consumers into signing up for “free” trials that automatically convert to paid subscriptions. I’ll pull for:
- A national “click to cancel” rule: simple online cancellation, no hidden hoops, no manipulative one-time offers, and real penalties for violators.
- A federal law banning automatic enrollment in paid subscriptions at the end of a free trial: clear opt-ins only, no surprise charges, and no tricks in the fine print.
Break Up Monopolies and Enforce Antitrust Laws
- Stop mega-mergers that reduce competition and raise prices.
- Break up monopolies that already dominate markets and abuse their power.
- End secret price-fixing agreements between corporations.
No company should be so big that it sets its own rules. I’ll fight to restore real competition so Mainers have choices – and fair prices.