The Atlantic | The Antitrust Theory of Everything by Jonathan Chait

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Jonathan Chait argues that the “neo‑Brandeisian” movement, led by antitrust activist Barry C. Lynn, has come to dominate Democratic thinking by presenting corporate consolidation as the single cause of America’s social, economic and political ills—from inequality and racism to the erosion of democratic institutions. Lynn’s crusade—rooted in a revival of early‑20th‑century antitrust ideas—has shaped policy, staffing, and discourse within the Biden administration, installing allies such as Lina Khan and Jonathan Kanter in key regulatory posts and pushing an agenda that treats antitrust enforcement as a panacea for everything from price inflation to cultural decay. While the movement has succeeded in gaining institutional power, Chait notes that its sweeping, monopolistic diagnosis has produced few concrete results, often misdirects policy (for example, by focusing on price controls rather than actual consumer welfare), and fuels internal party conflict by casting dissenting Democrats as enemies of the public interest. Consequently, despite its loyal following and rhetorical triumphs, the neo‑Brandeisian push has struggled to deliver measurable economic improvements and may ultimately undermine the Democratic Party’s ability to craft effective solutions.

Read more: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/05/antitrust-theory-barry-lynn/687287/?utm_source=feed

#BarryLynn #LinaKhan #Bidenadministration #FTC #neo_Brandeisian

The Dumb Fact of Google Money (2017)

A Beltway scandal that calls into question the independence of a Google-backed think tank strengthens the argument that tech has too much money.

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/08/the-dumb-fact-of-google-money/538458/

#MattStoller
#AlexisCMadrigal #BarryLynn #monopoly #EricSchmidt #google #NewAmericaFoundation #wealthIsPower #SiliconValley