Added on Washington Examiner

John Oliver delivers Democratic Party talking points on antitrust

What does it say about us when we turn to comedians to inform our thinking on politics? We’ve witnessed the rise of Ukrainian comedian-turned-wartime-President Volodymyr Zelensky. Former Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales was a comedian, too, but was dogged by very unfunny allegations of corruption. Comedian Dave Smith will likely seek the 2024 Libertarian Party presidential nomination, having led the “Mises Caucus” takeover of party leadership last month. Enter soothsaying comedians of the anti-MAGA resistance. Since the election of former President Donald Trump, late-night comedians Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Trevor Noah’s monologues have sounded more like Democratic Party spin than headlining acts for comedy TV. The slyest […]

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Added on FEE

Why Jeff Bezos’s Consumer Revolution Is a True American Success Story

If we’re lucky, Bezos’s example will inspire millions of more entrepreneurs in the 21st century. After more than a quarter century at the helm of one of the world’s most valuable companies, Jeff Bezos announced this month that he will soon step down as the CEO of Amazon. The mark Bezos and his company have left on consumers, small businesses, and the entire global marketplace cannot be overstated: he helped create a revolution in the way ordinary people access and distribute goods. The innovations pioneered by Amazon now empower billions of individuals who buy and sell products online, host and use websites, […]

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Added on Consumer Choice Center

Antitrust tech hearings dig for consumer harm but come up short

Armed with face masks and fresh customer complaints, members of the House Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law convened both virtually and in-person on Thursday, for the first of many hearings on competition in the tech sector. It was almost a six-hour marathon of gobbledygook legal turns of phrase and static-prone sessions of troubleshooting for lawmakers. The witnesses were CEOs from some of the four largest companies in America: Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Tim Cook of Apple, and Sundar Pichai of Google. Together, these companies serve billions of global consumers for a variety of needs, and have […]

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Added on Charlotte Observer

N.C. alcohol rules should join the 21st century

Imagine you’re prepping a dinner party for 10 friends. You pull out your smartphone and fill your Amazon shopping cart with the best meats, vegetables and delectable cheeses. Then, a bottle of Californian Cabernet Sauvignon pops up as a recommendation. You read the reviews, scope out pictures of the winery, and add to cart. Finally, you select Prime premium shipping. It arrives in less than four hours. For millions of Americans who use Amazon and other online commerce sites, it’s an everyday occurrence. And the process is getting more efficient, quicker, and is offering more and more products for consumers […]

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