In a letter to American Booksellers Association membership accompanying the publication of Wednesday's Bookselling This Week newsletter, ABA CEO Allison Hill provided cautious words of encouragement following Tuesday's election results. Acknowledging that the ABA does not know how its members voted in the election, Hill wrote that the results of the presidential election are nonetheless likely to affect some ABA initiatives.
"Things have changed," she wrote, noting that ABA's longtime effort to get the federal government to regulate Amazon, as well as support for the Credit Card Competition Act, which is aimed at providing more competition in the credit card industry, face new uncertainties. In the case of Amazon, Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan, who has been active in filing antitrust lawsuits, is seen as unlikely to be reappointed to her position now that her term has expired. Under Khan, the FTC filed suit against Amazon in September over what the FTC claimed are its monopolistic practices, a move applauded by many in the book business.
Hill also sees the "hate and disinformation" that fueled the election creating "fertile ground for new unconstitutional legislation and book bans. And the divisiveness evident in the election results make bipartisan support of small business needs more challenging." Hill reassured members that the ABA "remains committed to our work on behalf of our members because we believe deeply in the work of independent bookstores and in the critical role they will play in what happens next in this country."
Following the results of the election, "the work of independent bookstores matters more than ever," Hill wrote. "Independent bookstores provide inclusive and affirming community spaces; support access to books; ally with librarians and teachers; ensure that people can see themselves reflected in books; champion the right to read and the First Amendment; promote long-form reading that fosters critical thinking; create opportunities for discourse; provide alternatives to monopolies that limit consumer choice; and bring people together.”
Hill also urged members whose candidates won to "hold them accountable and demand bipartisan partnerships to accomplish what is needed for all people, small businesses, and our country to thrive." She added: "We know today is a painful and divisive day for many, but election results are not the end; they’re the beginning. What matters most is what we do next.
