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The Economics of Celebrity Endorsements

TOTM Bob Greene (CNN) argues that celebrity endorsements are meaningless.  Worse than that, according to Greene, celebrity endorsements necessarily amount to a raw deal for consumers… . . .

Bob Greene (CNN) argues that celebrity endorsements are meaningless.  Worse than that, according to Greene, celebrity endorsements necessarily amount to a raw deal for consumers…

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The New DOJ: Lessons Learned From the Ticketmaster Live Nation Decision

Popular Media The Obama administration’s announcement yesterday to approve, with some modifications, the merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster marked a fittingly undramatic end to what many . . .

The Obama administration’s announcement yesterday to approve, with some modifications, the merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster marked a fittingly undramatic end to what many hoped would be the watershed to a new economic policy. The administration’s decision instead reflected a commitment to principle over politics and pragmatism over populism.

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Antitrust & Consumer Protection

Antitrust Exam Question: Do the Major Institutional Investors Have an Antitrust Problem?

TOTM The Wall Street Journal is reporting that major institutional investors — CalPERS, CalSTRS, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, etc. — have collectively adopted a . . .

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that major institutional investors — CalPERS, CalSTRS, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, etc. — have collectively adopted a set of recommended practices that is “rankling” private equity firms. Had I not discussed the article in my Antitrust class, I’d use it as the basis for an exam question. Here are the basics…

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Antitrust & Consumer Protection

‘So when you listen to economists, you’re listening to amateurs’

TOTM So says David Zaring over at the Conglomerate — at least when it comes to the topic of regulation.  I don’t buy it.   Anyway, here’s . . .

So says David Zaring over at the Conglomerate — at least when it comes to the topic of regulation.  I don’t buy it.   Anyway, here’s the complete quote for context…

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Financial Regulation & Corporate Governance

They Don’t Call It Stimulus No More

Popular Media Despite the debate raging over whether the $787 billion “stimulus package” passed by Congress in February 2009 worked, the argument is over: the Obama Administration . . .

Despite the debate raging over whether the $787 billion “stimulus package” passed by Congress in February 2009 worked, the argument is over: the Obama Administration has capitulated. And it was on display in the President’s signing ceremony last week for the next round of federal economic elixirs. No government official dared to call the $18 billion spending package anything but a “jobs bill.”

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Innovation & the New Economy

The Market Responds

TOTM The final vote hasn’t even been taken to “fix” the omnibus (or ominous) health care “reform” legislation that President Obama signed into law this week, . . .

The final vote hasn’t even been taken to “fix” the omnibus (or ominous) health care “reform” legislation that President Obama signed into law this week, and already the first volley of the market’s response has been sounded.  Today’s Wall Street Journal Online reports that “Prices of most Treasury notes and bonds were lower after relatively tepid demand … sending the 10-year note’s yield to its highest level since June.”

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Maybe We’ll Get Us a Calorie Czar!

TOTM Yesterday, Todd predicted that Obamacare will result in greater government involvement in heretofore private decisions that impact health. Since the government is now going to . . .

Yesterday, Todd predicted that Obamacare will result in greater government involvement in heretofore private decisions that impact health. Since the government is now going to pay (via insurance subsidies) for many more Americans’ health care, it has a much stronger interest in how they live. So do we taxpayers who must pay for the government’s largesse. As Todd explained…

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Innovation & the New Economy

A proposed amendment to our Constitution

TOTM Ask any conservative what the problem with America is today, and the answer you will get is government spending. But ask that same conservative, or . . .

Ask any conservative what the problem with America is today, and the answer you will get is government spending. But ask that same conservative, or any conservative for that matter, what to do about it, and the shoulders will inevitably shrug. Politicians, including conservatives, simply cannot be trusted when they get control of the purse strings. The problem is a familiar one in law and elsewhere — it is called the pre-commitment problem. Political leaders can promise to cut spending, but can’t resist reneging on the promise when in power; governments can promise not to bail out banks, but know that they must when the manure hits the fan. (For instance, Fannie Mae bonds explicitly disclaimed  any government guarantee, but the bail out of Fannie Mae continues to cost us tens of billions of dollars.)

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Financial Regulation & Corporate Governance

Varney’s comments from the DOJ/USDA hearings [#dojusda #agworkshop]

TOTM The DOJ has posted the transcript from the recent DOJ/USDA hearings on antitrust in agriculture here.  I figured our readers might be especially interested in . . .

The DOJ has posted the transcript from the recent DOJ/USDA hearings on antitrust in agriculture here.  I figured our readers might be especially interested in seeing Christine Varney’s comments (especially without having to slog through all 350 pages to find them!).  I have bolded some of the most interesting parts of her comments.

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Antitrust & Consumer Protection