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Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

mattstoller.substack.com

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Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#191

Post by fallingknife »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #138
ratsmack wrote: post #3

I can understand them going after Ag and Pharma in a big way, but I'm skeptical about the Tech part. There is just too much to lose in political support from that industry for any politician to attack them too aggressively.

But, see, if I'm a politician, it's exactly "there is just too much to lose in political support from that industry" that worries me. I've seen how much weight they can throw against a politician they don't like; I've seen them decide to go from "not throwing that weight" to "throwing that weight" very abruptly; and I realize that such a move can be made against me at the drop of a hat. That would worry me. Would it…

The Republicans will never go this route because of the risk it would work and be used on other industries. The Democrats will never go for this because it would open up social media to 1st amendment claims which would prevent the censorship they depend on.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#192

Post by warglebargle »

s1artibartfast wrote: post #180
warglebargle wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

if you have 2 big companies they’re “too big to fail” and can better whether lawsuits with massive legal teams, settlement money, pr firms… if you have a thousand smaller companies you can bankrupt 100 and be ok

Wanting to avoid companies that are "too big to fail" is a perfectly valid reason to favor smaller companies. Most of the reasons above are not.

a lot of it can be rolled into “diversity is better” IMO - lots of diverse types of leaders, diverse strategies, perspectives, risks, failures, etc… mega large companies don’t give us as much benefit as they’d like us to think… I’d even argue that they’re worst in most ways for 99% of the people involved

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#193

Post by sethammons »

the-dude wrote: post #10

> hospital price transparency, Wasn't this already put in place by the previous administration?

A couple years past, def under Obama, I went in for a retina exam. They absolutely could not tell me the price for the appointment. "It depends on services rendered" - "what if it is a standard appointment with no extra services, how much (ball park) should I expect? $50? $500? $5k?" - "I couldn't tell you, I can't imagine that high."

There is no price transparency. Sure would like it since I have a high deductible plan.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#194

Post by Johnny555 »

throwawayboise wrote: post #28

"Hearing aids cost thousands of dollars apiece, for no other reason than there is a cartel established by government that prevents firms from selling hearing aids without a prescription." An example of how many (most?) monopolies are able to exist because of some sort of legal authorization or protection. Regulatory capture. There are dozens of companies who would no doubt start making inexpensive hearing aids tomorr…

There are dozens of companies who would no doubt start making inexpensive hearing aids tomorrow. Absent government regulation, they already would be.

There are already dozens of companies making them:

https://www.amazon.com/Hearing-Amplifiers/b?ie=UTF8&node=377...

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#195

Post by SV_BubbleTime »

cabaalis wrote: post #23
mathisonturing wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Elaborate? Out of the loop

Here's an article from the NYT about how they are trying to ethically sell Hunter Biden's artwork. "Ethically sell" was a term I chose specifically because Hunter Biden is not an artist, and the question of why his paintings are being sold for half a million dollars and to whom is substance. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/08/us/politics/hunter-biden-... Edit: Anyone can be an artist of course. Selling artwork for su…

> Anyone can be an artist of course. Selling artwork for such a price would be quite an artist

Quite an artist indeed. Here is a Picasso that sold last month for $150,000.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/104029896_pablo-picasso...

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#196

Post by missedthecue »

gregsadetsky wrote: post #166
the-dude wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That looks like a big number, but it is $8.6M ? Is that a lot?

I double checked -- another source[0] mentions amounts that are a bit higher: "The Chamber [of Commerce] spent nearly $82 million on lobbying in 2020" But generally in line with the list posted by the GP: "Facebook and Amazon were the only companies in the top 10 spending list and spent nearly $19.7 million and more than $18.7 million on lobbying in 2020, respectively" I too, am surprised as how little this is for th…

How much do you think lobbyists should earn instead?

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#197

Post by bushbaba »

sethammons wrote: post #193
the-dude wrote: post #10

> hospital price transparency, Wasn't this already put in place by the previous administration?

A couple years past, def under Obama, I went in for a retina exam. They absolutely could not tell me the price for the appointment. "It depends on services rendered" - "what if it is a standard appointment with no extra services, how much (ball park) should I expect? $50? $500? $5k?" - "I couldn't tell you, I can't imagine that high." There is no price transparency. Sure would like it since I have a high deductible p…

Price transparency plus high deductible plans would drive the cost of health insurance down.

Health insurance is supposed to cover you for catastrophic health issues that were previously unknown. For some reason it changed to also cover all your recurring or minor illnesses.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#198

Post by landryraccoon »

alessandroetc wrote: post #161

It's not actually real. The lobbying firm behind most of the fact sheet is made up of people on the boards of different tech firms.

What fact sheet are you referring to? I’m curious what names are on it.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#199

Post by epistasis »

ozfive wrote: post #182
LimaBearz wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love how conservatives still make this argument. You're arguing for the free market in a system that literally isn't, and doing it in such a way that it tries to be a thought-terminating cliche. If you get into a car accident tomorrow driving to work, the ambulance/paramedics aren't going to ask you to do your research prior to shuttling you to a hospital to get life saving treatment. Even if you could how would yo…

Why is this being downvoted?!?!

Too political without basis, I would guess.

Re: Biden launches action on "Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Ag" – can it be real?

#200

Post by nostromo »

maxk42 wrote: post #75
throwawayboise wrote: post #28

"Hearing aids cost thousands of dollars apiece, for no other reason than there is a cartel established by government that prevents firms from selling hearing aids without a prescription." An example of how many (most?) monopolies are able to exist because of some sort of legal authorization or protection. Regulatory capture. There are dozens of companies who would no doubt start making inexpensive hearing aids tomorr…

The only problem I see with allowing anyone to offer hearing aids is the hypothetical problem that a malfunctioning product may harm someone's hearing further. That's a real issue to be addressed, but generally I agree that making it easier for people to help other people is better than throwing up obstacles.

Earphones can damage someone’s hearing. Should those require a prescription too?
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