The Guardian: Antitrust enforcement is back in America, perhaps in a serious way. If so, it’s long overdue.
But even though the US justice department is suing to block AT&T’s buyout of T-Mobile’s US wireless operations, competition in America’s telecommunications industry is fading…..
Still, Wednesday’s legal action, filed by the department’s antitrust division, is welcome. The George W Bush administration was easily the most lax in antitrust enforcement in recent history, and the Obama administration hadn’t been significantly more ardent to protect competition…..
…. (but) the government’s complaint in this case says what most people – apart from those who stood to gain directly – already knew: The deal would reduce competition in a marketplace that is already an oligopoly.
The deal could still happen, in one of several ways …. the act of going to court, however, suggests that either AT&T wasn’t interested in dealing or that the government simply found this buyout unacceptable on its face.
…. AT&T’s lobbying efforts on behalf of this deal, and its brazen lack of regard for reality, have been epic …. the primary motive for the buyout was to reduce competition, contrary to countless statements about how this would be great for customers…
More here
The Obama Diary 
Yeah! Thank you Chips. I am on hold with the speakers office right now….Get on the phone to the opposition and let’s let them know we are tired of all the job bill delays. This call is about the debate vs. The President’s address. Let’s make our voices heard.
OT:
Boehner says wednesday won’t work for an address to congress (probably b/c of the GOP debate… smh assholes). He says thursday will be better.
Click to access 8-31-11_Speaker_Letter_to_POTUS_on_Joint_Session_Request.pdf
fuck Boehner! The President should do it and fuck whomever doesn’t show up
John Boehner better not fuck with the American people. I was listening to Randi and she played a tape of Limbaugh basically commanding Boehner not to honor President Obama’s request because “this guy” (that’s how Rush referred to President Obama) should not be respected, that he’s a nobody, that he’s peanuts and Boehner is higher than he is and deserves more respect. He went on and on. The whole tape was disgusting, nauseating, and filled with vile language. I sincerely hope Boehner isn’t listening to Rush and playing politics with the President’s jobs speech. Americans are tired and they want to hear what their government will do for them regarding jobs.
As for the DOJ’s lawsuit against AT&T; Hip Hip Hooray!!!!!! I’m freaking happy. Enough with the monopolies. We need to have competition and not one company owning pretty much everything. They want their merger so that they can cut jobs, raise fees and prices on consumers, and provide even more subpar and crappy service. So I hope the FCC backs the DOJ in this decision and shuts down the proposed merger. Enough is enough with a few group of people running every freaking industry in this country.
So Bohner is listening to Rush Limpballs instead of the people.
Former GOP Senator Chuck Hagel: Republican Party Has ‘An Astounding Lack Of Responsible Leadership’
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/08/31/309366/former-gop-senator-chuck-hagel-republican-party-has-an-astounding-lack-of-responsible-leadership/
Huntsman Proposes New Taxes On Seniors And Veterans To Pay For Tax Cut For The Richest 0.1 Percent
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/08/31/309249/huntsman-taxes-rich/
time to get out of the Congressional Black Caucus “plantation” fool 🙄
Allen West Threatens To Quit Congressional Black Caucus Over Attacks On GOP, While Attacking Dems
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/allen-west-threatens-to-quit-congressional-black-caucus-over-attacks-on-gop-while-attacking-dems.php
well what do we have here 🙄 😆
Cantor on disaster aid: ‘The monies will be there’
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/aug/31/cantor-on-disaster-aid-the-monies-will-be-there-ar-1276842/