Guam: The America that Americans forget • Hacker News Board

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#551

Post by nl » Mon, Jul 17, 2023, 12:22 AM UTC

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #227

nl wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thailand perhaps (although I'd note that political instability in Thailand is carefully done to avoid disturbing the tourism industry in anyway). But it's been many years (25? If you count Timor crisis?) since any significant political disturbance in Bali/Indonesia and only 3 years since a coup attempt in Guam/USA.

I visited Thailand multiple times just after military coups, and the only thing I noticed was more things getting poached from my checked luggage. Oh, and sometimes the big shopping malls in Bangkok are closed. Bali did have that bombing just after 9/11 a while back. Sort of ancient history anyways, but I've loved my trips there.

The Bali bombing was in 2002. I don't think that counts as political instability unless 9/11 counts as political instability.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#552

Post by midoridensha » Mon, Jul 17, 2023, 1:40 AM UTC

zoky wrote: post #156

TulliusCicero wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish we'd get rid of this rule entirely. Just seems like naked protectionism, no? If a non-US carrier abides by local regulations, I don't see an issue with letting them run domestic flights.

Given that many foreign airlines are at least in part government owned, this could be problematic. Do we really want Air China to come in and drastically undercut US based carriers in order to drive them out of business?

>Do we really want Air China to come in and drastically undercut US based carriers in order to drive them out of business?

Given just how horrifically awful the American carriers are, I don't see how this would be a bad thing: Air China couldn't possibly be any worse.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#553

Post by midoridensha » Mon, Jul 17, 2023, 1:42 AM UTC

nl wrote: post #549

zoky wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess I just don’t get it then. What’s wrong with the following scenario: 1) China comes in and undercuts US prices. 2) US carriers are unable to compete with a business subsidized by one of the largest economies in the world, and China Air forms a monopoly as it drives competitors out of business. 3) China Air folds, leaving the US with no means of air travel at all. I’m pretty sure China could outlast any airline…

Firstly, the US has a bunch of existing laws to deal with monopolies already. Use them. And if China Air suddenly folds then the US nationalizes their fleet or some similar intervention. Similar has been done during crises in the banking sector, and similar has been done in other countries when an airline went bust.

>Firstly, the US has a bunch of existing laws to deal with monopolies already. Use them.

That seems to be impossible these days.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#554

Post by nl » Mon, Jul 17, 2023, 5:24 AM UTC

midoridensha wrote: post #553

nl wrote: post #549

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Firstly, the US has a bunch of existing laws to deal with monopolies already. Use them. And if China Air suddenly folds then the US nationalizes their fleet or some similar intervention. Similar has been done during crises in the banking sector, and similar has been done in other countries when an airline went bust.

>Firstly, the US has a bunch of existing laws to deal with monopolies already. Use them. That seems to be impossible these days.

I think you are probably mostly familiar with high profile cases in the tech space. Outside that the DoJ has a pretty strong record of success in antitrust cases.

Recent examples include:

* A case involving wage suppression by a secret agreement of poultry procesors in Georgia (May 2023)

* A divestment agreement for ASSA ABLOY AB to take over Spectrum Brand Holding Inc.’s Hardware and Home Improvement division

* An antitrust lawsuit against Activision for esport wage surpression.

See https://www.justice.gov/news/press-releases?f%5B0%5D=facet_t... if you want more

I suspect antitrust action against a Chinese-owned entity that had shutdown travel in the US would be fairly broadly supported.

Re: Guam: The America that Americans forget

#555

Post by midoridensha » Mon, Jul 17, 2023, 6:25 AM UTC

nl wrote: post #554

midoridensha wrote: post #553

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Firstly, the US has a bunch of existing laws to deal with monopolies already. Use them. That seems to be impossible these days.

I think you are probably mostly familiar with high profile cases in the tech space. Outside that the DoJ has a pretty strong record of success in antitrust cases. Recent examples include: * A case involving wage suppression by a secret agreement of poultry procesors in Georgia (May 2023) * A divestment agreement for ASSA ABLOY AB to take over Spectrum Brand Holding Inc.’s Hardware and Home Improvement division * An a…

Very informative. I guess I'm still bitter about what happened with the Microsoft antitrust case in 2001.