Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Sunday, February 24, 2013

Nestled among the lofty rhetoric of "hope and change," Barack Obama made a core promise during the 2008 campaign that he would put an end to the corporate cronyism that has long pervaded the political system. "The days of sweetheart deals for Halliburton will be over when I'm in the White House," he proclaimed.

Google, quickly emerging as the Halliburton of his administration.

Though the Internet giant recently faced serious federal antitrust charges that might have broken up other companies, it emerged virtually unscathed just two months after President Obama won re-election with significant financial and creative assistance from Google and its executives.

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Regardless of how people feel about antitrust laws, the hallmark of corruption is to selectively enforce laws in a way that harms your opponents and accommodates your allies. In this case, an administration that has been aggressive on antitrust enforcement when, for instance, spiking the AT&T and T-Mobile merger, took no enforceable action against Google even after finding wrongdoing.

Since 2008, there has been a steady flow of cash, personnel, and technology from Google's California headquarters to the White House. Google employees have given the President over $1.5 million in combined donations. In fact, they were his fourth-largest source of cash in 2008, and in third-largest in 2012.

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AT&T/T-Mobile Merger: The Department Of Justice's Dropped Call

The Obama administration is suing to block the merger of AT&T and T-Mobile USA. Lawyers at the Department of Justice argue that the marriage of the second and fourth largest wireless carriers will reduce competition; they say this will in turn harm consumers by raising prices and slowing innovation.

www.forbes.com

#1 | Posted by paneocon at 2013-02-24 03:30 PM | Reply | Flag:

A Victory for Google as F.T.C. Takes No Formal Steps

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday handed Google a major victory by declaring, after an investigation of nearly two years, that the company had not violated antitrust or anticompetition statutes in the way it arranges its Web search results.

It also enables Google to avoid a costly and lengthy legal war of attrition like the antitrust battle that Microsoft waged in the 1990s. That fight took an enormous toll on Microsoft and opened the door for competitors like Google to become the technology sector's new leaders. Now, a weakened Microsoft was among those most vocal in complaining that Google was unfairly abusing a monopolistic position to thwart its rivals.

www.nytimes.com

#2 | Posted by paneocon at 2013-02-24 03:39 PM | Reply | Flag:

Who gave halliburton their largest no bid contract?

Bho, after promising he would never sign such. Yup shortly after 1st election Obama rewarded Halliburton, with the highest no bid contract ever awarded!

When was the last time the Dr left complained about high gas prices/ corporate profits.

#3 | Posted by DavetheWave at 2013-02-24 04:47 PM | Reply | Flag:

What an absurd notion. Will Obama start a war to fill the coffers of Google with taxpayer money?

#4 | Posted by DRJIMMIES at 2013-02-24 04:47 PM | Reply | Flag:

He has, a cyber war of stealth spying. Where have you been?

#5 | Posted by DavetheWave at 2013-02-24 05:35 PM | Reply | Flag:

Besides he already gave the money to halliburton cause they deserved more money, RIGHT?

#6 | Posted by DavetheWave at 2013-02-24 05:35 PM | Reply | Flag:

Link?

#7 | Posted by DRJIMMIES at 2013-02-24 05:53 PM | Reply | Flag:

for 5 or 6?

Let me google that for you.................

#8 | Posted by DavetheWave at 2013-02-24 06:06 PM | Reply | Flag:

Is Google going to invade Iran?

#9 | Posted by Harry_Powell at 2013-02-24 10:19 PM | Reply | Flag:

I would argue that JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs are the newest leviathan. Citigroup too, if they weren't so stupid on top of being massive, and getting more so of both.

Nothing quite like being a liberal investment bank in the age of Barack/Bernanke. Borrow all the money you want for free for speculation, and have the taxpayer guarantee your deposit base, along with most of your investment returns. Then, pay taxes only on what escapes the carried interest clause, and make sure you have a revolving door from your boardrooms to O's cabinet wide open to make sure it goes on, and on, and on.

#10 | Posted by uglyblinddate at 2013-02-24 10:24 PM | Reply | Flag:

#9 | POSTED BY HARRY_POWELL

No but they might skew web searches in such a way that it effects public opinion?

#11 | Posted by paneocon at 2013-02-25 10:24 AM | Reply | Flag:

Google can't take credit for America's rejection of conservatism

#12 | Posted by DRJIMMIES at 2013-02-25 10:37 AM | Reply | Flag:

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