The American Conservative - Enforce the Robinson-Patman Act for a Fairer Economy

Senior Legal Analyst Daniel Hanley writes that the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), once used to root out price discrimination, is merely in a dormant state, and thus ready and capable of being revived and vigorously enforced.

The resurgence in antitrust enforcement under the Biden administration is a significant departure from every prior administration since the 1970s. Among other laudable actions, the Department of Justice has initiated a landmark antitrust lawsuit against Google that could restructure the entire digital advertising industry. The Federal Trade Commission has also initiated a rule to ban all non-compete agreements in the United States, liberating workers to choose a new employer and facilitating potentially over $300 billion in increased wages. The Biden administration can continue advancing its indelible mark on the arc of antitrust history and promote fairness and anti-bullying in our economy by reviving pioneering 1930s legislation that is little used today: the Robinson-Patman Act. Fortunately, the administration is already making strides to do just that.

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