{"id":5199,"date":"2004-12-16T21:10:55","date_gmt":"2004-12-17T01:10:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2004\/12\/16\/our-lackluster-trustbuster-pr"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:58:07","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:58:07","slug":"our-lackluster-trustbuster-pr-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2004\/12\/16\/our-lackluster-trustbuster-pr-2\/","title":{"rendered":"our lackluster trustbuster pr"},"content":{"rendered":"

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May I use a few pixels for a pet peeve?  It’s time for the <\/FONT>Antitrust Division<\/FONT><\/A> of the         \"quill<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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U.S. Department of Justice to polish up its <\/FONT>Antitrust Enforcement and the Consumer<\/FONT><\/EM><\/A><\/DIV>
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“brochure,” which was last revised when Joel Klein was still the Assistant AG, and<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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which weighs in at about five black on white, word-processor-produced pages of text.  <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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It looks exactly the same in <\/FONT>pdf. form<\/FONT><\/A> as in html — which is to say, boring.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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This request for an updated Consumer-Antitrust brochure is inspired by the brand new, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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multi-color, image-filled and professionally-designed European Union e-brochure<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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entitled <\/FONT>EU competition Policy and the Consumer<\/FONT><\/EM><\/A> — 30 lively and informative pages<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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that might actually motivate the consumer-citizen to become interested in antitrust<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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and competition policy (a goal much supported by your Editor).<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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The EU competition guide “explains how the European Commission, together with <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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national competition authorities, aims to ensure that there is free and fair competition <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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in the European Union.”  It explains how they: <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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• take action against business practices which restrict competition; <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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• examine mergers to see if they reduce competition; <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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• open up competition in areas previously controlled by State-run monopolies; <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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• vet financial support given to companies by EU national governments; <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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• cooperate with other competition authorities around the world. <\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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So, come on, <\/FONT><\/FONT>R. Hewitt Pate<\/FONT><\/A><\/FONT> (Asst. U.S. AG for Antitrust), where’s your spirit of innovation <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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and rivalry?  If you’re not moved by the better product offered to European consumers,  <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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check out the Federal Trade Commission’s slightly snazzier and much more informative, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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plain-English guide called <\/FONT>“<\/FONT>Promoting Competition, Protecting Consumers<\/FONT><\/A>.”<\/FONT> <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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\"gas  For example, the <\/FONT><\/FONT>FAQ<\/FONT><\/A> page<\/FONT> in the FTC Guide gives several examples of <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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situations many Americans complain about — e.g<\/EM>., gasoline prices, drug-makers <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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with no generic competition, local cable monopoly — and explains why they <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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may or may not violate the antitrust laws. <\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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Maybe a visitor to the f\/k\/a who is graphically talented could offer to assist the Assistant<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Attorney General for Antitrust in producing some better public relations materials. The<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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American public needs to know how competition is protected by antitrust laws and<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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how smart competition policy can help bring consumers and businesses the benefits of <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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an innovative, customer-oriented marketplace, while ensuring that Government action <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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interfere as little as possible with marketplace dynamics.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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