Thread by @matthewstoller

Republicans Mike Lee and Chuck Grassley just introduced a bill to dramatically weaken antitrust law. His bill *gets rid* of FTC antitrust authority. He would also codify the failed consumer welfare standard that ends up consolidating power.

Lee and Grassley's bill would gut private antitrust enforcement by repealing Hanover Shoe, a decision that made it harder for monopolists to escape liability for overcharging customers. c-span.org/video/?512534-…

Lee is putting forward his antitrust legislation under the guise that it will strengthen antitrust law, though its actual effect will be to empower monopolists. I think we can assume that all legislative efforts going forward will be framed that way.

All that said, I think it's great that @MikeLeeforUtah is engaged and smart on antitrust, and pushing very hard to retain the status quo Bork frame. We need that perspective in the debate, even if it's what brought us to our current monopoly crisis.

Lee's antitrust bill strips the Federal Communications Commission and state commissions from reviewing media mergers. And this is supposed to represent stronger antitrust law?

Lee's bill gives the White House's OIRA a competition mandate when analyzing regulations. Not a fan of centralizing power, but it's an interesting idea. (@tryptique)

Lee wants studies on:
- common ownership
- tech mergers over the last 15 years
- self-preferencing by tech firms

- Also seeks monopsony guidelines for mergers, aka labor buying power.

Lee's bill has significant occupational licensing reform at the state level, basically deregulatory stuff.

This is useful.

Lee sort of overturns part of AMEX by allowing direct evidence to be sufficient for an antitrust win.

Interesting update on price discrimination. Not totally sure what Lee is going for here, but discrimination is a core problem in antitrust.