The hottest Monopoly Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

Did Google, Facebook, and Amazon Endorse Jim Crow?

BIG by Matt Stoller • 25210 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Monopoly Antitrust Regulation Civil Rights First Amendment
  1. The Supreme Court is currently considering a case involving tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon and the question of whether economic regulations for these platforms are unconstitutional under the First Amendment.
  2. The case has broad societal implications, touching on antitrust, privacy, civil rights, and speech liability claims against big tech firms. The argument raised questions about the extent of tech companies' rights to make decisions like racial segregation or account deletions based on political views.
  3. The case illustrates how the influence of Robert Bork, a conservative antitrust lawyer, has shaped modern American corporate state, particularly the broad support for a society run by big tech, challenging the traditional role of democratically elected officials in regulating private tech platforms.

BOMBSHELL: Potential Criminal Activity Revealed in the Kroger-Albertsons Merger

BIG by Matt Stoller • 34149 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
💼 Business Mergers Antitrust Monopoly Regulation
  1. The Kroger-Albertsons merger faces challenges due to potential criminal activity discovered, leading to antitrust suits and trials to block the deal.
  2. The merger could worsen the grocery market situation with fewer stores, higher prices, and data implications for suppliers, consumers, and workers.
  3. Evidence found of Kroger and Albertsons colluding in wage suppression by avoiding hiring each other's workers, raising concerns and prompting legal action.

The $25B Kroger-Albertsons Merger Is Going to Fail

BIG by Matt Stoller • 19710 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
💼 Business Antitrust Monopoly Merger Labor Politics
  1. The $25 billion Kroger-Albertsons merger is facing challenges as the Federal Trade Commission and nine states sue to block it due to potential negative impacts on consumer prices and wages.
  2. The case is significant because it involves a novel application of antitrust law, focusing on labor grounds and the impact on union bargaining terms.
  3. The merger's potential consequences, including higher prices and lower wages, have sparked political response from politicians and unions, indicating widespread concern and opposition.

Monopoly Round-Up: Congress to Undermine Antitrust Division Budget?

BIG by Matt Stoller • 15241 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Congress Monopoly
  1. There is a proposal to cut $45 million from the Antitrust Division's budget, reducing it by roughly 20%, which could impact their enforcement efforts against monopolies.
  2. The Antitrust Division's funding comes partially from fees paid by corporations involved in mergers, and a recent proposal could subject the Division to the normal appropriations process instead.
  3. The current bill is still subject to modifications, so there is a possibility of adjustments to the proposed budget cut for the Antitrust Division.
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SVB's Demise: The Hidden Cost of Overcharging in the Competitive Banking Landscape

Five Links (and three graphs) by Auren Hoffman • 1638 implied HN points • 17 Aug 23
💼 Business Banking Competition Monopoly
  1. Silicon Valley Bank collapsed due to overcharging customers, not a classic bank run scenario.
  2. SVB's business model relied on overcharging depositors, which led to customers seeking better deals elsewhere.
  3. In competitive industries like banking, overcharging customers is a risky game that can lead to loss of business and eventual downfall.

Woke Racism

The Carousel • 28 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Discrimination Racism Monopoly Inequality
  1. The concept of 'woke racism' highlights situations where discrimination occurs under the guise of being progressive or equitable.
  2. The text discusses how certain corporations, like Google, have faced criticism for discriminatory practices towards white individuals, despite claims of promoting diversity and inclusivity.
  3. There is a criticism of the idea that anti-racism can sometimes exhibit behaviors that are essentially racist, such as discriminating against individuals based on their race.

Google, Amazon, and Booking: anti-monopoly gathers pace

The Counterbalance • 176 implied HN points • 10 Oct 23
💼 Business Antitrust Monopoly Market Power Regulation
  1. Regulators are taking more action against tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Booking to prevent monopolistic behavior.
  2. The European Commission blocked Booking's acquisition of eTraveli, highlighting concerns about increasing dominance and its impact on competition.
  3. Antitrust cases are evolving to focus on broader systemic power issues within ecosystems, challenging traditional narrow views of harm in mergers.

Links for Friday, Feb 16

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 15 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate targets Imperialism Capitalism Monopoly
  1. Reading and listening resources curated for sharing on Fridays, with a mix of links and other content sources.
  2. Challenges facing net-zero targets, particularly on assumptions about oil, gas, and coal use, leading to necessary revisions by companies and financial services.
  3. Discussion on imperialism, US involvement in wars abroad, and the relationship to capitalism, highlighting war as a significant economic driver in certain contexts.

Platform Economics- Why Meta made a Profit and Uber did not [Finance Fridays]

Technology Made Simple • 159 implied HN points • 22 Jul 23
💰 Finance Platforms Economics Profitability Tech industry Monopoly
  1. Platform economics often prioritize scale over short-term profitability, relying on network effects to eventually generate revenue.
  2. Successful platforms like Facebook and YouTube maintained a competitive edge through extensive user profiles and built-in loyalty, unlike Uber.
  3. Uber's failure was attributed to factors like the ease of replicating its service, lack of customer loyalty, and the unrealistic expectations for profitability in the on-demand service industry.

stuck in the moat

Dan Davies - "Back of Mind" • 235 implied HN points • 12 May 23
💼 Business Economics Management Productivity Competition Monopoly
  1. The concept of a 'moat' in business, popularized by Warren Buffet, has been misunderstood and misapplied by many.
  2. The original idea behind a 'moat' was to protect a business's unique advantage, not simply to create barriers through legal means.
  3. The focus on 'moats' led to a shift in management attention towards maintaining profits through artificial means rather than product improvement.

In Recorded Conversation, A John Deere Dealer Talks Up Predatory Design

Fight to Repair • 78 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Software Antitrust Agriculture Monopoly Regulation
  1. A John Deere dealership employee was caught on tape discussing the possibility of using software updates to block third-party competitors from working with John Deere equipment.
  2. The mention of using software updates to push out competition raises questions about anti-competitive behavior, which could potentially violate U.S. antitrust laws.
  3. The conversation highlights the importance of 'Right to Repair' legislation and the need for transparency from major agricultural equipment manufacturers in creating an open and competitive precision agriculture ecosystem.

From Farms to Pharmaceuticals: It’s the Monopoly, Stupid!

Fight to Repair • 59 implied HN points • 07 Jul 23
💼 Business Monopoly Right-to-repair
  1. Market concentration, driven by monopolies, is increasing costs in various sectors from farms to pharmacies.
  2. Design patents on standard vehicle parts contribute to higher repair costs and insurance premiums for car owners.
  3. Addressing market concentration through smarter laws and better enforcement of anti-trust policies can help create fairer market conditions for consumers.

Apple's Microsoft moment.

Philoinvestor • 19 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
💼 Business Antitrust Investing Monopoly Stock Market Global Markets
  1. Sherman Act case against Apple is increasingly possible, with the EU already pushing for it.
  2. Apple may be in a monopolistic position due to its ecosystem that benefits all services, potentially leading to antitrust concerns.
  3. Apple's high valuation and challenges like the Sherman Act case and geopolitical tensions could impact its stock performance in the future.

Repair Class Action Against Deere The First Shot In a Long Battle

Fight to Repair • 19 implied HN points • 21 Jan 22
💼 Business Antitrust Monopoly Legal battle
  1. A class action lawsuit against John Deere is the beginning of a potential long legal battle to address anti-competitive practices in the agricultural equipment sector.
  2. John Deere is accused of creating a monopoly on repair services for its equipment by forcing small dealers out of business and limiting repair options for farmers.
  3. While Deere may face pressure to change its practices due to the lawsuit, the outcome of the antitrust case is uncertain and success is not guaranteed.

How Big Ag Weaponizes The Clean Air Act To Keep Its Repair Monopoly

Fight to Repair • 0 implied HN points • 19 Feb 21
💼 Business Regulation Monopoly Repair Agriculture Emissions
  1. Manufacturers of agricultural equipment use scare tactics about emissions to build profitable service and repair monopolies.
  2. Unlike the automotive industry, the agricultural equipment market faces stricter restrictions regarding repairs and maintenance.
  3. Big Ag's focus on emissions control is part of a strategy to prevent right to repair laws and perpetuate a monopoly on parts and services, rather than a genuine concern for clean air.