The Antitrust Battle Ahead

[ClarkUSA]

Source: The New York Times

When President Obama took office, he vowed a new era of antitrust enforcement, promising to crack down on deals that undermined competition... On Wednesday, the Justice Department sued to block AT&T’s $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile USA, a merger that would create the nation’s largest mobile carrier.

“We believe the combination of AT&T and T-Mobile would result in tens of millions of consumers all across the United States facing higher prices, fewer choices and lower-quality products for their mobile wireless services,” said James M. Cole, the deputy attorney general.

It is arguably the most forceful antitrust move by the administration.

Amid the sluggish deal-making environment, the federal government has not had many opportunities to exert its influence. There have been few blockbuster mergers with the potential to reshape entire industries and affect large swaths of consumers... President George W. Bush’s administration took a more permissive stance, promoting the value of free enterprise. Critics contend that his antitrust authorities rubber-stamped nearly every major telecommunications deal, like the controversial merger of the satellite radio companies Sirius and XM.

Read more: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/08/31/the-justice-department-versus-deal-makers/?hp

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This would never happen under a Republican POTUS. The choice in 2012 is clear.

[pasto76]

1. bullshit mention of the SiriusXM merger

which took 14 months to get approved, while oil companies got the rubber stamp. Howard Stern is the reason why. He was audited about how he would benefit form the deal, interrogated and harrassed. The merger was the only way Satellite radio would stay on the air. As a SiriusXm subscriber, Im happy that this form of entertainment was allowed to compete with dozens of other forms, have seen no reduction in the quality of programming or service, and gladly pay my subscriptions.

The only thing "controversial" about that merger was that republican pinheads made such a big deal about it.

[harvey007]

2. Hurray!

Merging ATT & T-Mobile would be horrible for consumers. Don't allow it!