Douglas Farrar
@douglasfarrar.bsky.social
Opinions expressed are mine and should be adopted by you immediately.
What Alford claims is happening at DOJ Antitrust Division is the inverse of economic populism.
Biden antitrust officials sought to shift economic power towards people through legit law enforcement.
Under Trump, economic power is held by a handful of well-connected elites.
Biden antitrust officials sought to shift economic power towards people through legit law enforcement.
Under Trump, economic power is held by a handful of well-connected elites.
August 18, 2025 at 8:19 PM
What Alford claims is happening at DOJ Antitrust Division is the inverse of economic populism.
Biden antitrust officials sought to shift economic power towards people through legit law enforcement.
Under Trump, economic power is held by a handful of well-connected elites.
Biden antitrust officials sought to shift economic power towards people through legit law enforcement.
Under Trump, economic power is held by a handful of well-connected elites.
Bad news on that front if it’s anything like what the FTC found under Biden happened after COVID supply chain shocks.
April 30, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Bad news on that front if it’s anything like what the FTC found under Biden happened after COVID supply chain shocks.
By illegally firing FTC commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya President Trump moves closer to bringing all economic regulation and monetary policy under his corrupt control.
Dangerous and costly times ahead for American businesses and consumers.
Dangerous and costly times ahead for American businesses and consumers.
April 17, 2025 at 11:36 AM
By illegally firing FTC commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya President Trump moves closer to bringing all economic regulation and monetary policy under his corrupt control.
Dangerous and costly times ahead for American businesses and consumers.
Dangerous and costly times ahead for American businesses and consumers.
When your global business empire takes a tumble thanks to your crazy political views and unpopular public policies, one way to juice your stock is just pay yourself with billions in taxpayer money.
I predict massive corruption incoming.
I predict massive corruption incoming.
March 11, 2025 at 1:15 PM
When your global business empire takes a tumble thanks to your crazy political views and unpopular public policies, one way to juice your stock is just pay yourself with billions in taxpayer money.
I predict massive corruption incoming.
I predict massive corruption incoming.
A big problem for the "Biden created inflation" Jason Furman types is how big of a percent of demand comes from the richest 10% of Americans.
The problem with economics that doesn't consider power dynamics (in this case vast income inequality) is that they miss the forest from the trees.
The problem with economics that doesn't consider power dynamics (in this case vast income inequality) is that they miss the forest from the trees.
February 24, 2025 at 5:49 PM
A big problem for the "Biden created inflation" Jason Furman types is how big of a percent of demand comes from the richest 10% of Americans.
The problem with economics that doesn't consider power dynamics (in this case vast income inequality) is that they miss the forest from the trees.
The problem with economics that doesn't consider power dynamics (in this case vast income inequality) is that they miss the forest from the trees.
If only there were some sort of 237 year old parchment, some kind of charter of laws if you will, that outlined those guardrails!
February 16, 2025 at 8:05 PM
If only there were some sort of 237 year old parchment, some kind of charter of laws if you will, that outlined those guardrails!
December 20, 2024 at 1:15 AM
I guess size does matter...?
December 20, 2024 at 12:17 AM
I guess size does matter...?
Congress serves the people, and if they make laws in a way that isn't "efficient" that is often intentional! These laws were created because monopolies like Standard Oil became an "autocrat of trade," after all. 2/6
December 2, 2024 at 7:46 PM
Congress serves the people, and if they make laws in a way that isn't "efficient" that is often intentional! These laws were created because monopolies like Standard Oil became an "autocrat of trade," after all. 2/6
Not Wordle dunking on Drake?! 🤣
November 26, 2024 at 12:59 PM
Not Wordle dunking on Drake?! 🤣
It’s me in the first half, blissfully ignorant of the insanity that was to come … #RaiseHail
(Also we were 10.5 point favorites 🤦🏼♂️)
(Also we were 10.5 point favorites 🤦🏼♂️)
November 24, 2024 at 11:29 PM
It’s me in the first half, blissfully ignorant of the insanity that was to come … #RaiseHail
(Also we were 10.5 point favorites 🤦🏼♂️)
(Also we were 10.5 point favorites 🤦🏼♂️)
Another one said a growing third-party logistics marketplace “keeps me up at night” 14/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:49 PM
Another one said a growing third-party logistics marketplace “keeps me up at night” 14/15
This freaked Amazon out. One Amazon exec said splitting Prime eligibility from FBA was an “oh crap” moment. 13/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:49 PM
This freaked Amazon out. One Amazon exec said splitting Prime eligibility from FBA was an “oh crap” moment. 13/15
Amazon shut SFP down because they said deliveries weren’t on time. But new info today shows sellers using SFP met the delivery requirement set up by Amazon more than 95% of the time. 12/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:49 PM
Amazon shut SFP down because they said deliveries weren’t on time. But new info today shows sellers using SFP met the delivery requirement set up by Amazon more than 95% of the time. 12/15
Amazon also harms competition and extracts monopoly rents from sellers by requiring them to use Fulfilled By Amazon to have Prime eligibility. They once launched a program called Seller Fulfilled Prime which was a huge hit 11/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:48 PM
Amazon also harms competition and extracts monopoly rents from sellers by requiring them to use Fulfilled By Amazon to have Prime eligibility. They once launched a program called Seller Fulfilled Prime which was a huge hit 11/15
Those foolish enough to compete with Amazon by lowering prices met the full force of Amazon's monopoly power. Take Jet dot com, which tried to compete by lowering seller fees. 10/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:48 PM
Those foolish enough to compete with Amazon by lowering prices met the full force of Amazon's monopoly power. Take Jet dot com, which tried to compete by lowering seller fees. 10/15
Amazon harmed price competition in other ways too. Former Amazon exec Jeff Wilke came up with the idea for an algorithm to avoid a “perfectly competitive market” where Amazon’s rivals lower their prices! 9/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:47 PM
Amazon harmed price competition in other ways too. Former Amazon exec Jeff Wilke came up with the idea for an algorithm to avoid a “perfectly competitive market” where Amazon’s rivals lower their prices! 9/15
Amazon’s own economists even pointed out that by flooding search results with paid ads, Amazon steers shoppers towards higher-priced products and makes comparison shopping harder on the platform 6/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:46 PM
Amazon’s own economists even pointed out that by flooding search results with paid ads, Amazon steers shoppers towards higher-priced products and makes comparison shopping harder on the platform 6/15
The second thing all of Amazon’s ads do is raise prices for consumers. Sellers are forking over big money in a pay-to-play scheme. That cost goes directly to you according to Amazon’ own executives. 5/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:45 PM
The second thing all of Amazon’s ads do is raise prices for consumers. Sellers are forking over big money in a pay-to-play scheme. That cost goes directly to you according to Amazon’ own executives. 5/15
They know this harms consumers, but they don’t care because maximizing advertising profit at all costs “has effectively become ‘law’ even if it has many flaws” according to a senior Amazon executive 4/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:45 PM
They know this harms consumers, but they don’t care because maximizing advertising profit at all costs “has effectively become ‘law’ even if it has many flaws” according to a senior Amazon executive 4/15
These ads do two things. First, they make the customer experience much worse, which is why you might search for “water bottles” and end up with offers to buy “buck urine” 3/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:44 PM
These ads do two things. First, they make the customer experience much worse, which is why you might search for “water bottles” and end up with offers to buy “buck urine” 3/15
Amazon pursues a pay-to-play scheme forcing sellers to buy ads. Worse, many of these ads are junk ads that aren’t relevant to what users search for. Jeff Bezos and co. call these Junk Ads “defects,” and sellers pay big bucks for them. 2/15
November 2, 2023 at 2:43 PM
Amazon pursues a pay-to-play scheme forcing sellers to buy ads. Worse, many of these ads are junk ads that aren’t relevant to what users search for. Jeff Bezos and co. call these Junk Ads “defects,” and sellers pay big bucks for them. 2/15
Video game ratings are in and man what a reminder about Chelsea’s injuries…
September 5, 2023 at 4:25 PM
Video game ratings are in and man what a reminder about Chelsea’s injuries…