None of these things is true of course. Antitrust is a direct infringement on the free market, handouts to businesses are cronyism no matter how you spin it, and to describe as a monopoly a company like Amazon—which counts practically any business that sells goods online as a competitor—is as disingenuous as it gets. Yet, politicians get away with these statements because the media often fails to challenge them. (Disclaimer: I am a Fellow for Netchoice which works against antitrust.)
Thankfully, we still have independent outlets and academics who are here to set the record straight.
When it comes to the antitrust debate around Big Tech, one such well-respected figure recently stepped forward and threw the gauntlet down.
Dr. Art Laffer, a prominent economist and former member of President Ronald Reagan’s Economic Policy Advisory Board, recently released his first paper on antitrust in over 25 years. The report is a stern rebuke of the anti-free market policies currently being floated around Congress by both Democrats and Republicans.