Showing results for: “digital markets act”
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
Joking about politics
On November 3rd, the president of the United States spoke at the Hotel Lowry in St. Paul, Minnesota, in what was billed repeatedly as a bi-partisan address. The president ridiculed reactionaries in Congress who he claimed represented the wealthy and the powerful, and whose “theory seems to be that if these groups are prosperous, they ... Joking about politics
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
Halbert White, RIP
Renowned UCSD economics professor, and founder of Bates White, Halbert White died on Saturday. His CV is here. James Hamilton offers a touching tribute and wonderful summary of White’s important work in econometrics here. Of White standard errors, perhaps his most well known contribution, Hamilton explains: An example arises in ordinary regression analysis, in which ... Halbert White, RIP
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
The Law and Economics of Any Willing Provider Laws
While I’m posting about health care regulation, I’d like to point TOTM readers to a short article with Jonathan Klick (University of Pennsylvania) summarizing the economics and empirical evidence surrounding “Any Willing Provider”(AWP) laws for the Washington Legal Foundation. We write: This analysis evaluates the antitrust law ramifications of proposals requiring pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”) ... The Law and Economics of Any Willing Provider Laws
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
The Best Way to Save Endangered Antelope: Allow Hunting on Private Preserves
There’s some good news on the endangered species front: Three species of endangered African antelopes — the Scimitar-Horned Oryx, Addax, and Dama Gazelle — are coming back with a vengeance. At least in Texas, where the population of the three antelope species quadrupled from 2004 to 2010, growing to a combined total of around 17,000. What’s the ... The Best Way to Save Endangered Antelope: Allow Hunting on Private Preserves
Romney’s Money
Mitt Romney made a lot of money at Bain Capital. The press seems to view this as a negative; even the Wall Street Journal is piling on, and the Obama Campaign is paying attention. This is misguided. The lesson to take away from Romney’s high earnings is that he is more dedicated than most politicians; ... Romney’s Money
A Little Too Close To Home
The apparent perils of antitrust blogging: Last summer, professor Enrique Dans wrote a blog post about the powerful copyright lobby in Spain. One of his arguments is that Promusicae, the well-known recording industry outfit, is violating antitrust laws. The group has set up a digital system to send music to radio stations for airplay, which the professor ... A Little Too Close To Home
