# Private equity builds monopoly **URL:** \ **Category:** Macro Economic Trends and Risks\ **Created:** [April 22, 2026, 1:16pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431 "2026-04-22T13:16:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![qazulight](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/qazulight/32/6867_2.png) [@qazulight](https://discussion.fool.com/u/qazulight)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 1:16pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/1 "2026-04-22T13:16:29Z")
[![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/original/3X/a/f/affcda01d86bb8b184024564ed9936e4f169dd8e.jpeg "Why do ambulances suddenly cost $500,000, and take three years to build?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JcCISp5S64) He describes why an ambulance costs 600,000 dollars and takes two years to be delivered. Sounds like mating elephants. Accomplished at high levels, involves a lot of roaring and screaming, takes two years to get results. Cheers Qazulight ---
**Author:** ![WendyBG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/wendybg/32/67464_2.png) [@WendyBG](https://discussion.fool.com/u/WendyBG)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 1:32pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/2 "2026-04-22T13:32:04Z")
The same situation is true of fire trucks. Private equity is the kiss of death. Wendy ---
**Author:** ![flyerboys](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/flyerboys/32/2123_2.png) [@flyerboys](https://discussion.fool.com/u/flyerboys)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 1:51pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/3 "2026-04-22T13:51:09Z")
Private equity as it actually manifests is simply wealth taking advantage of wealth to increase their wealth, heedless of any sense of shared community let alone humanity. And its successful self-worship, its buying evermore political power, have brought us to such a pass that mere reform and loyalty to the constitution may not be enough. We may need an actual refounding… ---
**Author:** ![qazulight](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/qazulight/32/6867_2.png) [@qazulight](https://discussion.fool.com/u/qazulight)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:17pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/4 "2026-04-22T14:17:39Z")
> [@flyerboys](#): > > We may need an actual refounding… That is a euphemism for shed blood. Maybe true that it needs to happen, but it will not be pleasant. “You may feel some pressure here” ``` My Dentist ``` Cheers Qazulight. ---
**Author:** ![flyerboys](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/flyerboys/32/2123_2.png) [@flyerboys](https://discussion.fool.com/u/flyerboys)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 5:15pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/5 "2026-04-22T17:15:53Z")
> [@qazulight](#): > > Maybe true that it needs to happen, but it will not be pleasant It will not be pleasant if we “shed blood” either euphemistically or really… and gosh we are getting closer, and more than a few corpses have been scattered here and there. The crux of our democracy is elections, and elections have become travesties of the idea of citizen involvement in policy development and decisionmaking, with Town Meetings as a compelling antecedent. We are too populous to use classic town meetings, but the use of randomly selected citizens from the registered voting rolls working on both policy matters as well as on partisan candidate recruitment and selection could offer relative quick and not too painful roads forward. A real refounding would start there. The collapse of our politics into a huge bombastic lying advertising slugfest is the primary sign of our democratic collapse. We need citizens who own and manage their realms via reasoned discussion with one another, leading to the selection of representatives. ---
**Author:** ![tjscott0](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/tjscott0/32/1083_2.png) [@tjscott0](https://discussion.fool.com/u/tjscott0)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 1:14pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/6 "2026-04-23T13:14:38Z")
A predatory activity that benefits the top 10% that owns 90+% of the stock market furthering income inequality. And private equity counts on the US government bail outs if their activity blows up. TBTF. Ultimately the US economy becomes a Ponzi scheme. Hundreds if not thousands of Zombie companies took low interest loans to buy back their stock to drive the stock price so the CEO can obtain more stock options due to the higher stock price. Any company profits are used to service the increasing level of debt. If the Zombie company bankrupts; workers lose their jobs but the CEO exits with his loot and live to loot again. > **[Ex-Wall Street chieftains living large in post-meltdown world – Center for...](https://publicintegrity.org/inequality-poverty-opportunity/ex-wall-street-chieftains-living-large-in-post-meltdown-world/)** > > Key findings: Five years after Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. went bankrupt, the CEOs of the banks that got into the biggest trouble during the financial crisis are living in luxury. None of the top banking CEOs or senior executives has been... > **[Former Lehman CEO Fuld Emerges as Backer of Wealth-Advisory Firm](https://www.wealthmanagement.com/ria-news/former-lehman-ceo-fuld-emerges-as-backer-of-wealth-advisory-firm)** > > Matrix Wealth Partners, in registering as an investment adviser last month, disclosed that it’s partly owned by former Lehman Brothers head Richard Fuld. ---
**Author:** ![bjurasz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/bjurasz/32/7233_2.png) [@bjurasz](https://discussion.fool.com/u/bjurasz)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 2:01pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/7 "2026-04-23T14:01:15Z")
> [@tjscott0](#): > > If the Zombie company bankrupts; workers lose their jobs but the CEO exits with his loot and live to loot again. And people wonder why the populace is turning against capitalism, the rich, and burning warehouses. ---
**Author:** ![JLC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/jlc/32/1338_2.png) [@JLC](https://discussion.fool.com/u/JLC)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 4:37pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/8 "2026-04-23T16:37:57Z")
> [@qazulight](#): > > He describes why an ambulance costs 600,000 dollars and takes two years to be delivered. Didn’t watch the video, but recently the local fire department got a new firetruck to replace one that had been damaged in a wreck. Initially quoted $$$ and 2-3 years. Dropped on the bells and whistles and got a basic fire truck that fit the needs. New quote $ and six months. ---
**Author:** ![iampops5](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/iampops5/32/1543_2.png) [@iampops5](https://discussion.fool.com/u/iampops5)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 9:35am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/9 "2026-04-24T09:35:03Z")
Did you know that private equity is taking over the pentagon? > **[April 23, 2026](https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/april-23-2026?utm_source=substack&publication_id=20533&post_id=195318650&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&utm_campaign=email-share&triggerShare=true&isFreemail=true&r=emz5n&triedRedirect=true)** > > Yesterday Secretary of the Navy John Phelan spent the day talking to lawmakers about the Navy’s plans for new ships and about the Pentagon’s huge budget request only to get a call from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asking him to resign. ---
**Author:** ![tjscott0](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/tjscott0/32/1083_2.png) [@tjscott0](https://discussion.fool.com/u/tjscott0)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/10 "2026-04-24T14:26:06Z")
> [@iampops5](#): > > Did you know that private equity is taking over the pentagon? > **[Raytheon exec blasts through revolving door and into space](https://responsiblestatecraft.org/raytheon-air-force/)** > > New Air Force assistant secretary will be handling Pentagon weapons acquisitions ---
**Author:** ![Hawkwin](https://g.foolcdn.com/misc-assets/discourse-member-avatar_120px_green600.png) [@Hawkwin](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Hawkwin)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 2:44pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/private-equity-builds-monopoly/124431/11 "2026-04-24T14:44:44Z")
> [@iampops5](#): > > Did you know that private equity is taking over the pentagon? And FEMA: > **[‘Shadow administrator’ at FEMA part of investigation by DHS internal...](https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/29/politics/fema-dhs-investigation-watchdog-kara-voorhies)** > > An outside contractor installed in the Department of Homeland Security by then-Secretary Kristi Noem and her adviser Corey Lewandowski, gained outsized influence over the Federal Emergency Management Agency over the past year, with a major hand in...