I think a legitimate complaint is that de-regulation is correlated with ex-post regulatory capture. And the same is present in things like media regulation and

I think a legitimate complaint is that de-regulation is correlated with ex-post regulatory capture. And the same is present in things like media regulation and telco. The 1996 telecom act was gutted by the RBOCs who killed the CLECs and pivoted to roll up the mobile independents. The POTUS vacations withe the CEO from Comcast now. It really doesn't matter the party or the policies. It seems the inevitable conclusion of the process. Similarly the so-called banking de-regulation in the 1990s...that was codified and locked in place via the WTO treaties. This has left us stuck with a neither-here-nor there ability to lighten or strengthen regulations. WIPO and IP issues have been similarly ossified as proponents have tried to "open up" markets for IP.