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Patricia Jaeger's avatar

Great summary of how RealPage operates and the uphill battle to stop this epidemic of price gouging. Another way to combat this is to do an overhaul of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). There's no reason corporations need a lot of special deductions and tax credits only to turn around and raise prices beyond the level needed to keep up with costs. Congress also needs to consider and pass Bernie Sanders Senate bill concerning excessive CEO pay.

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David J. Sharp's avatar

We are witnessing - live - a candidate running for president whose statements and behavior is truly delusional *but* either unremarked-upon or treated as nothing unusual … and yet that same press is “scolding” Kamala Harris for not delivering a point-by-point policy declaration?

And as to RealPage: Real disaster lurking in the shadows.

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Steve Lord's avatar

Important to note also that anti-trust law is not limited to peers attempting to monopolize or to set prices.

See section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act, which prohibits not only peer-to-peer direct price fixing but also "Every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is hereby declared to be illegal."

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Linda A's avatar

Thanks, Aaron. You write in clear English. Sharing on our Dems Committee FB page.

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Linda Weide's avatar

This is a very important story and thank you for reporting on it. Housing is one of our life's essentials, and I have been looking at this issue as well as what other countries are doing to eradiacate homelessness. I am grateful to ProPublica for breaking the story, which I read, and I have been following it and other housing stories on Matt Stoller's Anti-Monopoly Substack Big as well. Right now he is discussing the Albertsons-Kroger merger deal another important stuff of life topic.

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/monopoly-round-up-fbi-raids-big-corporate

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/antitrust-enforcers-the-rent-is-too

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/its-the-land-stupid-how-the-homebuilder

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J M's avatar

Consumer price index is up 21% since August, 2020. Doesn't saying that rents are up by 20% in that time kill the argument against RealPage?

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