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> Almost nobody likes this development, Most people don't even care, since now there are so many more independent sources of easily accessible information than

> Almost nobody likes this development, Most people don't even care, since now there are so many more independent sources of easily accessible information than anyone could have envisioned 40 years ago. In fact, of decades of being in tech, having a lot of friends and connections, I don't know I have even heard one friend lament this, ever. Compare that to the many topics I regularly hear people worry about, or the hundreds of conversations on various repeating topics, I find it way out of touch to think this topic is that big to nearly anyone. > Almost everyone except politicians is critical of big corporations Also not true. I suspect you're in some 20s aged echo chamber? > Without regulation, small businesses will not be able to compete with the giants. Regulation historically serves to entrench big business since they can more easily afford to ensure they meet regulations, and can amortize legal and employment issues than mom and pop stores. > leaving small mom-and-pop businesses by the wayside. The fact is that small businesses have increased much more rapidly in the last decade than perhaps ever. There are over 30 million small businesses in the US, and out of a population of 345M (including infants, teens, retirees...) that is around one small business per 5 working age adults. [1] Read some about small businesses before making so many claims apparently based on poor sources. [1] https://www.uschamber.com/small-business/small-business-data-center https://www.uschamber.com/small-business/small-business-data...

henvic 2y ago
Well said. It's hilarious people don't know about regulatory capture and have so much faith in politicians.
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croon 2y ago
> Regulation historically serves to entrench big business since they can more easily afford to ensure they meet regulations, and can amortize legal and employment issues than mom and pop stores. How has the regulatory framework changed during the last few administrations and congresses? Who has lobbied for this (de)regulation? Has it led to less conglomeration or more? Regulation is good, regulation is bad. It depends entirely on what it consists of. Changes in regulation historically has probably generally served to entrench big business through extensive and ever increasing lobbying, but that includes both regulation and deregulation.
- SideQuark 2y ago
  > Regulation is good, regulation is bad. That's vastly too simplistic. There's not some simple good versus evil linear axis for nearly anything, including regulation. Regulation provides tradeoffs, and even those are likely never simply two sided. > Changes in regulation historically has probably generally served to entrench big business Yes, that's what I wrote, and for the reasons I wrote it. To rephrase: regulation often means companies must comply with new rules, and keeping track of those changes and complying costs money (=time). Such things ten to have a fixed cost and an amortized cost. Big businesses can spread the fixed cost over more revenue. So it almost matters not at all what the regulation is - if there's a rule that needs followed, whether it's employee benefits, waste management, financial tracking, OSHA, EPA, IRS, or anything - each adds costs to every business. And most of them are easier to deal with on a per revenue basis as revenue increases.

henvic 2y ago

Well said. It's hilarious people don't know about regulatory capture and have so much faith in politicians.

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croon 2y ago

> Regulation historically serves to entrench big business since they can more easily afford to ensure they meet regulations, and can amortize legal and employment issues than mom and pop stores. How has the regulatory framework changed during the last few administrations and congresses? Who has lobbied for this (de)regulation? Has it led to less conglomeration or more? Regulation is good, regulation is bad. It depends entirely on what it consists of. Changes in regulation historically has probably generally served to entrench big business through extensive and ever increasing lobbying, but that includes both regulation and deregulation.

SideQuark 2y ago
> Regulation is good, regulation is bad. That's vastly too simplistic. There's not some simple good versus evil linear axis for nearly anything, including regulation. Regulation provides tradeoffs, and even those are likely never simply two sided. > Changes in regulation historically has probably generally served to entrench big business Yes, that's what I wrote, and for the reasons I wrote it. To rephrase: regulation often means companies must comply with new rules, and keeping track of those changes and complying costs money (=time). Such things ten to have a fixed cost and an amortized cost. Big businesses can spread the fixed cost over more revenue. So it almost matters not at all what the regulation is - if there's a rule that needs followed, whether it's employee benefits, waste management, financial tracking, OSHA, EPA, IRS, or anything - each adds costs to every business. And most of them are easier to deal with on a per revenue basis as revenue increases.