What Consensus? Ideology, Politics and Elections Still Matter

57 Pages Posted: 24 Apr 2013

See all articles by Steven C. Salop

Steven C. Salop

Georgetown University Law Center

Date Written: April 23, 2013

Abstract

This article, which was prepared for an ABA Antitrust Section Panel, discusses the role of ideology and politics in antitrust enforcement and the impact of elections in the last twenty year on enforcement and policy at the federal antitrust agencies. The article explains the differences in antitrust ideologies and their impact on policy preferences. The article then uses a database of civil non-merger complaints by the DOJ and FTC over the last three Presidential administrations to analyze changes in the number, type and other characteristics of antitrust enforcement. It also discusses change in vertical merger enforcement and other antirust policies such as amicus briefs, reports and guidelines. The article concludes that elections do matter and that the impact of elections on the DOJ and FTC has differed significantly.

Keywords: antitrust laws, antitrust enforcement, politics, elections

JEL Classification: K00, K30, K39

Suggested Citation

Salop, Steven C., What Consensus? Ideology, Politics and Elections Still Matter (April 23, 2013). Georgetown Law and Economics Research Paper No. 13-007, Georgetown Public Law Research Paper No. 13-031, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2255531 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2255531

Steven C. Salop (Contact Author)

Georgetown University Law Center ( email )

600 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
United States
202-662-9095 (Phone)
202-662-9497 (Fax)

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