Showing archive for: “FTC”
Competition in the Evolving Digital Marketplace–Congressional Hearing
I will be testifying tomorrow before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy on competition in the digital marketplace. My testimony won’t be surprising to readers of this blog–in fact some of it was lifted directly from blog posts that have appeared here. Also on the panel are Richard Feinstein from the ... Competition in the Evolving Digital Marketplace–Congressional Hearing
The FTC Loses in Ovation Pharmaceuticals
There are some new developments in the Federal Trade Commission’s consummated merger case brought against Ovation. Namely, the FTC has lost. TOTM readers may recall that I spent some time criticizing the Federal Trade Commission’s complaint, back in 2008, in FTC v. Ovation in federal district court in Minnesota. As I described the stylized facts ... The FTC Loses in Ovation Pharmaceuticals
The Law and Economics of Privatizing Alcohol Sales
Economist and occasional TOTM guest blogger Steve Salop (Georgetown) recently sent me the following questions spurred by the local debate over Governor McConnell’s proposal to private the retailing of alcoholic beverages: I have my first antitrust class of the semester tomorrow. Among the issues I teach the first week are (1) the fact that demand ... The Law and Economics of Privatizing Alcohol Sales
“The Next Big Thing Will Not Be Invented Here”
Intel Chairman and CEO Paul Otellini recently gave the keynote address at the Technology Policy Institute’s Aspen Forum on the US regulation environment and its effect of innovation and economic growth (HT: CNET, WSJ). The speech got some play in the media because of its overall depressing tone for the US, and its frank criticism ... “The Next Big Thing Will Not Be Invented Here”
Who Are You Calling A Price Theorist Anyway?: Commissioner Rosch Takes on the HMGs Economist “Architects”
Commissioner Rosch has offered an interesting separate statement on the new HMGs. While favoring the new guidelines generally, Commissioner Rosch offers several criticisms. I concur with a few of these criticisms, for example, Commissioner Rosch also argues for a more empirical approach to merger analysis. I agree with that general proposition despite, as we shall ... Who Are You Calling A Price Theorist Anyway?: Commissioner Rosch Takes on the HMGs Economist “Architects”
The FTC Gets in Intel’s Business
One of the first reactions I had when reading the settlement is that it is quite striking how much and at what level of detail the settlement micro-manages Intel’s business decisions. Lets consider a just a handful of provisions and look at the language in the settlement. Again, I think these provisions should be read ... The FTC Gets in Intel’s Business
Some Perspective on the Intel Settlement
Let me add on a few brief observations on the Intel settlement to Dan’s earlier comments, with which I largely agree. There is a lot to say about the settlement: the predatory design aspects, Section 5, the (I found) quite odd self-congratulatory settlement press conference and webcast, and of course, what the settlement means for ... Some Perspective on the Intel Settlement
First reactions to the Intel Settlement
I just finished watching the FTC webcast announcing the Intel settlement and did a quick read over the agreement itself. Some quick high-level reactions: The tone of the press conference was triumphant, of course. Leibowitz claimed that the FTC got 22 out of 26 of the remedies proposed in the complaint and that Intel, which ... First reactions to the Intel Settlement
Intel Settlement Watch Part III
The settlement is here. Somewhat oddly, the details of the settlement are to take place tomorrow at a press conference at 10 am. Here’s the FTC announcement: Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz will be joined by Bureau of Competition Director Richard Feinstein at FTC Headquarters on Wednesday, August 4, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. ET ... Intel Settlement Watch Part III
Who CAREs About Beer and Wine Consumers?
The Comprehensive Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness Act — yes, the “CARE Act” — or HR 5034, is a piece of legislation aimed at supporting “State-based alcohol regulation.” Recall the Supreme Court’s decision in Granholm v. Heald, which held that states could either allow in-state and out-of-state retailers to directly ship wine to consumers or could prohibit ... Who CAREs About Beer and Wine Consumers?
Intel Settlement Watch Part II
While Intel Corporation nears its settlement deadline with the Federal Trade Commission, it received good news from a federal district court in Delaware evaluating the evidence of alleged consumer harm from the discounts Intel offers to buyers. It is also very important to note that this pass from a US court applying standards of consumer ... Intel Settlement Watch Part II
Obama, Antitrust, and the Great Recession
On the campaign trail, Barack Obama made an issue of the ostensibly lax state of antitrust enforcement during the Bush administration. Christine Varney’s first public act as head of the Antitrust Division was to withdraw the Bush Antitrust Division’s unilateral monopolization report and announce that trustbusting against dominant firms was back on the agenda. Expectations ... Obama, Antitrust, and the Great Recession
