Liberty 'Gator

“Carl Shapiro and Josh Wright Debate Antitrust and Competition Policy.” This is a 40-minute audio.

“Amazon to Face Antitrust Charges From EU Over Treatment of Third-Party Sellers.” Allegedly Amazon scoops “up data from third-party sellers and using that information to compete against them.” To me, properly this is strictly a contractual matter. Is Amazon violating the terms of contracts? If not, it’s none of the government’s legitimate business. If third parties wish to insist on such terms as a condition of doing business with Amazon, they are free to do so.

“An ongoing probe by numerous states widened with a new lawsuit accusing more than two dozen drug makers and several individuals of a widespread conspiracy to fix prices on generic medicines.” My position is that “price fixing” per se ought not be criminalized. However, government does have a legitimate role to play in preventing fraud. Also, I don’t know much about the patenting rules by which drugs become “generic.”

“CEO of Colorado-based Pilgrim’s Pride among those indicted for chicken price fixing.”