5 ms·

Incumbents reinforce their moats through labyrinthine regulation (and bribery?) and are smarter than their predecessors in adapting to newer technologies.

• RajT88 3y ago
  Not to mention anti-competitive behavior (which used to get you hauled in front of Congress).
  • makeitdouble 3y ago
    > which used to get you hauled in front of Congress They still get hauled in front of Congress, but it doesn't seem to matter much nor affect their business.
    • zer8k 3y ago
      It doesn't matter if you're hauled in front of congress if 2/3 of them are on your payroll. This is certainly the case for Google, Amazon, and probably TikTok at this point. It's been true for big pharma for half a century. I can't even remember a monopoly that was smashed outside of Big Bell.
      • psunavy03 3y ago
        > It doesn't matter if you're hauled in front of congress if 2/3 of them are on your payroll. Everyone likes to say this, and sure, lobbying is a thing. But I doubt 99 percent of the people saying this can produce evidence of wide-scale bribes and corruption at the Federal level which could justify them saying it as often as they do.
        • xbar 3y ago
          No one can explain why regulators refuse to regulate corporate behemoths without this model. And being on the payroll is played very differently now: consider the Pelosi family investment strategy as it relates to big tech. Bribes are not required to get paid.
        • makeitdouble 3y ago
          You're accepting that lobbying is widespread, but keep asking for evidence of wide-scale bribes, I'm not sure to follow your logic. That's kind of arguing that politicians aren't corrupted, they just get personally rewarded for acting in favor of specific entities.
        • Tokumei-no-hito 3y ago
          Here’s a start for you https://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/ https://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/