Thread by @matthewstoller

1. As @ZephyrTeachout notes, there is now a big opportunity to take on monopolies. Biden has picked an acting Antitrust chief, Gene Kimmelman, and an acting FTC Chair, @RKSlaughterFTC.

https://twitter.com/ZephyrTeachout/status/1352342519091232768

2. Everyone in these positions always say they will be tough on monopolies and big tech. That's not meaningful. There are two questions. One, what is their view of the point of antitrust? To enhance economic efficiency (aka 'consumer welfare')? Or protect us from big business?

3. Kimmelman is generally a consumer welfare advocate, and he supported the DOJ under Obama suing book publishers on behalf of Amazon because supporting Amazon's monopoly would lower consumer prices. It's possible he has rethought his approach.

4. It's not clear where Slaughter is. She voted with the GOP in a 4-1 decision to allow Linde and Praxaire two of the largest industrial gas corporations to merge. They subsequently raised gas prices. ftc.gov/news-events/pr…

5. In a 4-1 vote she voted against a more assertive penalty on a wage fixing case. She's also generally stayed with @chopraftc in a bunch of areas, including Facebook. What is her philosophical approach? I don't know.

https://twitter.com/matthewstoller/status/1067789409590919168?lang=el

6. The second question is their views of the House Antitrust Subcommittee report. The subcommittee did a 16 month investigation of four big tech firms, and showed the DOJ/FTC utterly failed by allowing them to buy hundreds of companies without a single challenge.

7. The subcommittee made a good number of recommendations, bold but needed changes to antitrust laws. Things like simple rules saying if you have too much of a market, you can't buy other companies. And more. judiciary.house.gov/news/documents…

8. The FTC and DOJ Antitrust Divisions have been dormant for decades. Now they are creaking back to life in response to immense outside pressure. But you can't clean up an economy with 40 years of rot w/out a change in philosophy. economicliberties.us/our-work/coura…

9. All enforcers will say they will enforce the law against monopolies, and will be a strong voice on big tech. Those are meaningless words. The mandate of these agencies is to make democracy function in the commercial sector. So I want to know that they realize that is the job.