Showing results for: “price gouging”
The folly of the FTC’s Section Five case against Google
In the past weeks, the chatter surrounding a possible FTC antitrust case against Google has risen in volume, thanks largely to the FTC’s hiring of litigator Beth Wilkinson. The question remains, however, what this aggressive move portends and, more importantly, why the FTC is taking it. It is worth noting at the outset that, as ... The folly of the FTC’s Section Five case against Google
A few tidbits about Herb Hovenkamp
Our friends at Chillin’ Competition have a short interview with Herb Hovenkamp up as part of their “Friday Slot” series. Here are a couple of tidbits to entice you to go read the whole thing: “Oscar” of the best antitrust law book? Non-antitrust book? Best Antitrust Book: Oliver E. Williamson, Markets and Hierarchies: Analysis and Antitrust Implications (1975). ... A few tidbits about Herb Hovenkamp
More Misguided Derision from Critics of the Verizon-SpectrumCo Wireless Deal
The pending wireless spectrum deal between Verizon Wireless and a group of cable companies (the SpectrumCo deal, for short) continues to attract opprobrium from self-proclaimed consumer advocates and policy scolds. In the latest salvo, Public Knowledge’s Harold Feld (and other critics of the deal) aren’t happy that Verizon seems to be working to appease the regulators by selling off ... More Misguided Derision from Critics of the Verizon-SpectrumCo Wireless Deal
CEO Vacations and Stock Prices
An interesting looking empirical piece from David Yermack (NYU), Tailspotting: How Disclosure, Stock Prices and Volatility Change When CEOs Fly to Their Vacation Homes. I haven’t read it closely yet. Here’s the abstract: This paper shows close connections between CEOs’ vacation schedules and corporate news disclosures. Identify vacations by merging corporate jet flight histories with ... CEO Vacations and Stock Prices
The procompetitive story that could undermine the DOJ’s e-books antitrust case against Apple
Did Apple conspire with e-book publishers to raise e-book prices? That’s what DOJ argues in a lawsuit filed yesterday. But does that violate the antitrust laws? Not necessarily—and even if it does, perhaps it shouldn’t. Antitrust’s sole goal is maximizing consumer welfare. While that generally means antitrust regulators should focus on lower prices, the situation is more ... The procompetitive story that could undermine the DOJ’s e-books antitrust case against Apple
Gary Becker, the Economic Approach to Crime, and Guerilla Grafters
Fruit trees in a number of cities, including San Francisco, are prevented from bearing fruit in the name of “protecting” pedestrians from slip and falls and keeping away insects and vermin. In response to these regulations, a group of Guerilla Grafters has emerged to — you guessed it — graft fruit bearing branches onto the ... Gary Becker, the Economic Approach to Crime, and Guerilla Grafters
Europe Should Let Competition Run Its Course In Motorola Patent Dispute
On Tuesday the European Commission opened formal proceedings against Motorola Mobility based on its patent licensing practices surrounding some of its core cellular telephony, Internet video and Wi-fi technology. The Commission’s concerns, echoing those raised by Microsoft and Apple, center on Motorola’s allegedly high royalty rates and its efforts to use injunctions to enforce the ... Europe Should Let Competition Run Its Course In Motorola Patent Dispute
My Professor, My Judge, and the Doctrine of Judicial Review
Imagine if you picked up your morning paper to read that one of your astronomy professors had publicly questioned whether the earth, in fact, revolves around the sun. Or suppose that one of your economics professors was quoted as saying that consumers would purchase more gasoline if the price would simply rise. Or maybe your ... My Professor, My Judge, and the Doctrine of Judicial Review
Potential Problems with an FDA Model for Regulating Financial Products
New York Times columnist Gretchen Morgenson is arguing for a “pre-clearance” approach to regulating new financial products: The Food and Drug Administration vets new drugs before they reach the market. But imagine if there were a Wall Street version of the F.D.A. — an agency that examined new financial instruments and ensured that they were safe and ... Potential Problems with an FDA Model for Regulating Financial Products
Against Antitrust Exemptions, H.R. 1946 Edition
I testified Thursday on H.R. 1946, the “Preserving our Local Hometown Independent Pharmacies Act of 2011,” in front of the House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet. The Act, as implied by the title, would establish an antitrust exemption for smaller pharmacies. The hearing lineup is available here. My written ... Against Antitrust Exemptions, H.R. 1946 Edition
DOJ’s Latest on Apple Investigation
From the WSJ: Publishers argue that the agency model promotes competition by allowing more booksellers to thrive. They say Amazon had sold e-books below cost and that agency pricing saved book publishers from the fate suffered by record companies. But the Justice Department believes it has a strong case that Apple and the five publishers ... DOJ’s Latest on Apple Investigation
The Apple E-Book Kerfuffle Meets Alfred Marshall’s Principles of Economics
From a pure antitrust perspective, the real story behind the DOJ’s Apple e-book investigation is the Division’s deep commitment to the view that Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) clauses are anticompetitive (see also here), no doubt spurred on at least in part by Chief Economist Fiona Scott-Morton’s interesting work on the topic. Of course, there are other important ... The Apple E-Book Kerfuffle Meets Alfred Marshall’s Principles of Economics
