CEI Daily Update

Issues in the News

 1. INTERNATIONAL

Microsoft suffers a legal setback in Europe where it has been accused of anti-competitive practices.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Vice President for Policy Wayne Crews puts the Microsoft case into context:

 “It’s a familiar story; subjecting Europe’s technology sector to political predation via aggressive antitrust regulation and involuntary licensing is less about protecting consumers than about competitors’ regarding themselves as entitled to someone else’s customers. Antitrust regulation protects politically connected competitors, not mom-and- pop operations, and certainly not the competitive process. Even Google sought to prevent Microsoft from embedding a search box within the new Internet Explorer browser that would default to Microsoft’s own search service.”

2. AUTOMOBILITY

The Chinese government plans its first-ever “no car day” to reduce pollution.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: General Counsel Sam Kazman on why we shouldn’t underestimate the value of the automobile:

 “Since so many anti-car activists are young and healthy, it’s no surprise they forget what a car-free world would actually be like. For many people, a car isn’t a luxury – it’s the only way to get to work, transport their kids, or pick up groceries.”

 3. BUSINESS

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan speaks out on Clinton and Bush economic policy.  

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Center for Entrepreneurship Director John Berlau on how Greenspan brought antitrust into the analysis:

 “In light of troubled firms and the credit crunch, on which much of [last night’s] “60 Minutes” interview [with Alan Greenspan] focused, there is another issue involving antitrust. It would be a lot easier for firms to combine to buy troubled companies — saving the companies’ shareholders, employees, and borrowers from the fallout of a devastating bankruptcy — if the firms that pooled assets for the buyout didn’t have to worry about the government coming at them with potential antitrust violations.”

Blog feature: For more news and analysis, updated throughout the day, visit CEI’s blog, Open Market.

 FOR MORE INFORMATION

To contact a CEI expert for comment or interviews, please call the CEI communications department at 202-331-2273 or email to [email protected].