Intel Reaches a Deal, Mandatory Purchase Health Care and Union Feuds
Chip makers Intel and AMD reach a deal over antitrust and patent disputes.
Democrat-sponsored health care legislation continues to include a “mandatory purchase” requirement for health insurance.
Union presidents Andy Stern and Sal Rosselli continue their feud over a disputed election in California.
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1. TECHNOLOGY
Chip makers Intel and AMD reach a deal over antitrust and patent disputes.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Associate Director of Technology Studies Ryan Radia on the antitrust case still pending against Intel in New York:
“…an examination of the computer processor industry’s recent evolution reveals an intensely competitive and vibrant market. For over a decade, Intel and AMD have competed fiercely, yielding immense benefits to consumers. Processors are rapidly growing faster, cheaper and more energy efficient every year. This trend shows no signs of letting up. Between 2001 and 2006, the speed of the leading Intel processor available for under $250 increased by a whopping 553%, or 41% per year, according to data from PassMark Software.”
2. HEALTH
Democrat-sponsored health care legislation continues to include a “mandatory purchase” requirement for health insurance.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow Gregory Conko on how the purchase mandate could make the system worse:
“The proposals would make it more difficult to get some of the options that are available now — particularly the low-cost insurance plans that cover only catastrophic health events and have substantial cost-sharing features. And, depending on which bill would eventually be enacted into law, Congress, state insurance commissioners, and/or a federal Health Choices Commissioner would get to dictate what benefits have to be covered in every policy, and would be empowered to determine whether any given plan even qualifies as health insurance. The end result will be considerably higher costs for almost every person living in the country.”
3. LABOR
Union presidents Andy Stern and Sal Rosselli continue their feud over a disputed election in California.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Editorial Director Ivan Osorio on the latest developments in the fight:
“Early this year, SEIU, under the leadership of Andy Stern, forced a merger between the Oakland health care local, United Healthcare Workers-West (UHW), and a Los Angeles-area local where a major corruption scandal broke last year — leading that local’s chief, Stern ally Tyrone Freeman, to resign. In response to the Stern-led SEIU bullying, UHW president Sal Rosselli broke with SEIU and formed a new union, the National Union of United Healthcare Workers (NUHW). Since its founding, NUHW has tried to attract workers disgruntled with SEIU, which has fought back, hard. Last Friday, November 6, NUHW filed a complaint with the California Public Employment Relations Board, alleging voter intimidation and vote tampering by SEIU representatives in a June decertification election.”
Listen to LibertyWeek, the CEI podcast, here.