Google will finally feel the pain, the government will file a whole slew of antitrust cases, and monopolies will be a campaign issue. Plus a look-back at the key moments of 2023.
Not a monopoly item, and not actually a prediction, more of a wish: increasing pressure from outside his administration will agitate candidate Biden to blurt out some brutal truths about his (and his party's) political past, both recent and ancient.
In the article below, we can see the same old incompetents poking their heads into the kitchen.
Great numbers Matt. Everyone should be a paid subscriber. Matt’s BIG Sunday wrap up is the most comprehensive work on monopolies available anywhere. BIG gives you the detailed research on the companies, government actions and judicial actions to keep everyone informed. Our support will help inform and educate a society in need of the truth.
100% agree! I’m bummed only 3.5% of subscribers are paid. This Substack is unique and a great value. But I understand, we can read/follow and afford only so many indie journalists. It would be great to access a group discount, e.g. subscribe to 4, 5, or more to get a discount on each. This is just my wish because there are so many great authors/journalists on Substack and Rumble that I wish I could support. Let’s go BIG!
Tangentially Monopoly related since many hospital systems are monopolies now, but I recently spoke with medical doctor who was hoping to organize doctors to form their own unions to fight the hospitals for better working conditions. I don't fully understand the law, but I think either because they are managers, or independent contractors, doctors normally can't unionize. But the doctor I spoke to pointed to Uber drivers trying to get classified as regular workers because of the huge amount of oversight imposed on them by Uber, and how doctors face similar conditions with hospital managers and owners basically dictating how they can do their jobs.
I have been noticing the consolidation of hospitals, and as Catholic Services are taking over many hospitals it is concerning because they are anti birth control and abortion. Is this them becoming monopolies?
I don't know about Catholic Services. In my area it's one corporate hospital and one academic hospital system. Even the nonprofits make their monopoly health systems and run doctors like businesses
“I don’t think I could have imagined that writing about antitrust would have led to such significant social impact” — what an understatement! Your humility is a valuable and admirable quality.
Goliath, years of research, study, and cultivation of like-minded people like Lina Khan. And a willingness to talk to people on all sides of this issue. What we see happening in antitrust and competition owes a great debt to your willingness and ability to declare that the “consumer-welfare” emperor has no clothes. That the Borkian, Chicago-school mind-jamming propaganda war on academia and the judiciary is 100% self-serving bullshit that has done enormous damage to our society. Poof!
I’m hoping 2024 brings a landslide of private antitrust actions to unwind private-equity rollups, particularly among health-care providers. Lay people easily understand the problem in health care when it’s pointed out to them. There are many injured parties here and the encouragement to private action provided by the events of 2023 will be a catalyst to unleash a massive reaction. I continue to think we are at or near the tipping point. It’s never too late to unwind an anti-competitive combination.
Here is an abridged version of what I wrote, closer to the time this issue was published.
Happy New Year, Matt!
Kudos, on all of this! I'm particularly pleased, to see that your coverage effected change for good, in so many areas!
My entire Dec 30 reply included:
Good for judge Ramos, who is piercing even private equity firms, once presumed above the law!
There is a lot of good, you are effecting, in the world, with this coverage, Matt.
On this 2024 Predictions edition; you mention the CFPB. They need a spotlight, on them. They hid the identities of false data providers to the credit bureaus, and rubber stamped the credit bureaus, when they did the same thing. Then, they went on to take over Housing assistance programs. Since, I've proven and re-proven my accurate address info, to several entities - all to no consistent avail. And I've not been able to get housing assistance for which I qualify, and have repeatedly applied. Clearly, the CFPB has unrevealed. furtive, participants in a criminal enterprise, committing financial fraud, on my good name.
You can read about one of my experiences with them, at:
None of those criminal data exploiting activities have been prosecuted, in all these years, and so they persist, in various form, in 2024. i.e.: The SSA quit using Experian. But it still feeds bad address data on me, to the state of NM's HSD and to government paid health insurers. I couldn't get a Covid shot, because Walgreens has a bad DOB on me. So I am a Long Hauler.
In a past issue, you showed that health data exploiter IQVIA lied. Brazenly. So do the credit bureaus. And the CFPB offers them the petticoats to hide their lying sources, behind. And rubber stamps their lies.
I hope you recover quickly from Covid. I won't be so lucky, with bad data floating around, for years, never resolved to accuracy, despite being burdened with presenting multiple proofs of accurate info on me.
But it is absolutely heartening, to watch your incredible effectiveness, for good, in the world. And especially in the world of Big Tech. Tech, of course, has everything to do with data: whether garbage, or accurate. And so, going after Big Tech and Monopolies, is truly a move in the right direction! And while the DOJ Anti-Trust division, and FTC prosecutions have been essential, along with good judges making good rulings, I believe your coverage was a major force for good, in this change.
Per the study out of the VA last spring, repeat infections are bad; Please take steps to protect yourself from infections, most especially wearing an N95+ around other people.
Not a monopoly item, and not actually a prediction, more of a wish: increasing pressure from outside his administration will agitate candidate Biden to blurt out some brutal truths about his (and his party's) political past, both recent and ancient.
In the article below, we can see the same old incompetents poking their heads into the kitchen.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/obama-worried-about-trump-urges-biden-circle-to-bolster-campaign/ar-AA1mypq8
Sorry for the "inside politics," but considering it's a hUGE election year, I wanted to share.
Congrats Matt on continued success! And thanks to all the amazing people here. Impossible to express how inspirational this content channel is.
Great numbers Matt. Everyone should be a paid subscriber. Matt’s BIG Sunday wrap up is the most comprehensive work on monopolies available anywhere. BIG gives you the detailed research on the companies, government actions and judicial actions to keep everyone informed. Our support will help inform and educate a society in need of the truth.
100% agree! I’m bummed only 3.5% of subscribers are paid. This Substack is unique and a great value. But I understand, we can read/follow and afford only so many indie journalists. It would be great to access a group discount, e.g. subscribe to 4, 5, or more to get a discount on each. This is just my wish because there are so many great authors/journalists on Substack and Rumble that I wish I could support. Let’s go BIG!
Keep up the great work!
Just got over a mild case as well, here’s hoping you have a speedy recovery. Awesome job last year, looking forward to more great analysis this year.
Bravo, Matt. On behalf of all americans, thank you
Started reading Goliath.
Tangentially Monopoly related since many hospital systems are monopolies now, but I recently spoke with medical doctor who was hoping to organize doctors to form their own unions to fight the hospitals for better working conditions. I don't fully understand the law, but I think either because they are managers, or independent contractors, doctors normally can't unionize. But the doctor I spoke to pointed to Uber drivers trying to get classified as regular workers because of the huge amount of oversight imposed on them by Uber, and how doctors face similar conditions with hospital managers and owners basically dictating how they can do their jobs.
I have been noticing the consolidation of hospitals, and as Catholic Services are taking over many hospitals it is concerning because they are anti birth control and abortion. Is this them becoming monopolies?
I don't know about Catholic Services. In my area it's one corporate hospital and one academic hospital system. Even the nonprofits make their monopoly health systems and run doctors like businesses
Yosef Weitzman did an amazing job reporting here. Wish him the best!
Are you hosting the anti-monopoly summit in May again?
Thanks Matt.
“I don’t think I could have imagined that writing about antitrust would have led to such significant social impact” — what an understatement! Your humility is a valuable and admirable quality.
Goliath, years of research, study, and cultivation of like-minded people like Lina Khan. And a willingness to talk to people on all sides of this issue. What we see happening in antitrust and competition owes a great debt to your willingness and ability to declare that the “consumer-welfare” emperor has no clothes. That the Borkian, Chicago-school mind-jamming propaganda war on academia and the judiciary is 100% self-serving bullshit that has done enormous damage to our society. Poof!
I’m hoping 2024 brings a landslide of private antitrust actions to unwind private-equity rollups, particularly among health-care providers. Lay people easily understand the problem in health care when it’s pointed out to them. There are many injured parties here and the encouragement to private action provided by the events of 2023 will be a catalyst to unleash a massive reaction. I continue to think we are at or near the tipping point. It’s never too late to unwind an anti-competitive combination.
Here’s to a magnificent 2024 and beyond!
Good news today on Kroger: https://www.seattletimes.com/business/retail/wa-attorney-general-sues-to-block-kroger-albertsons-merger/
Here is an abridged version of what I wrote, closer to the time this issue was published.
Happy New Year, Matt!
Kudos, on all of this! I'm particularly pleased, to see that your coverage effected change for good, in so many areas!
My entire Dec 30 reply included:
Good for judge Ramos, who is piercing even private equity firms, once presumed above the law!
There is a lot of good, you are effecting, in the world, with this coverage, Matt.
On this 2024 Predictions edition; you mention the CFPB. They need a spotlight, on them. They hid the identities of false data providers to the credit bureaus, and rubber stamped the credit bureaus, when they did the same thing. Then, they went on to take over Housing assistance programs. Since, I've proven and re-proven my accurate address info, to several entities - all to no consistent avail. And I've not been able to get housing assistance for which I qualify, and have repeatedly applied. Clearly, the CFPB has unrevealed. furtive, participants in a criminal enterprise, committing financial fraud, on my good name.
You can read about one of my experiences with them, at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H7f_1weLAacKrXDYF7s9xphVVLy9RfIF/view?usp=sharing
None of those criminal data exploiting activities have been prosecuted, in all these years, and so they persist, in various form, in 2024. i.e.: The SSA quit using Experian. But it still feeds bad address data on me, to the state of NM's HSD and to government paid health insurers. I couldn't get a Covid shot, because Walgreens has a bad DOB on me. So I am a Long Hauler.
In a past issue, you showed that health data exploiter IQVIA lied. Brazenly. So do the credit bureaus. And the CFPB offers them the petticoats to hide their lying sources, behind. And rubber stamps their lies.
I hope you recover quickly from Covid. I won't be so lucky, with bad data floating around, for years, never resolved to accuracy, despite being burdened with presenting multiple proofs of accurate info on me.
But it is absolutely heartening, to watch your incredible effectiveness, for good, in the world. And especially in the world of Big Tech. Tech, of course, has everything to do with data: whether garbage, or accurate. And so, going after Big Tech and Monopolies, is truly a move in the right direction! And while the DOJ Anti-Trust division, and FTC prosecutions have been essential, along with good judges making good rulings, I believe your coverage was a major force for good, in this change.
Keep up your coverage!
Aleithia,
Appreciative Reader
Keep up the great work, Matt + team. Look forward to every issue and happy to see and support the impact BIG is having.
Thanks, Matt, and congratulations on BIG's well-deserved growth. Into my third year as a paid subscriber - best investment in media I have ever made.
Per the study out of the VA last spring, repeat infections are bad; Please take steps to protect yourself from infections, most especially wearing an N95+ around other people.