IP: Re: perhaps a better explanation why Bush's DOJ bent over for Microsoft

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

>From: "Gerry Faulhaber" <gerry-faulhaber@home.com>
>To: <farber@cis.upenn.edu>
>Subject: Re: perhaps a better explanation why Bush's DOJ bent over 
>for  Microsoft
>Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 17:46:30 -0400
>X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400
>
>
>Well, not quite.  The author states that the government is "vacating the
>lawsuit."  This is actually false; it is no longer pursuing the breakup
>remedy.  In the humble opinion of this economist, the breakkup was a
>non-solution anyway, so I don't think we've lost much here, and probably
>dodged a bullet.  The government has been clear that it intends to pursue
>conduct remedies; this is always risky, but I see few other options for the
>government in this case.
>
>Also, "introduced the computer industry to Washington politics"?  Puh-leeze!
>The computer industry has been greased into DC for years; how do you think
>all us nerds got the government to fund Internet?  And recall it was Scott
>McNealy and fellow-SV schmoozers who interested DoJ in bringing the MS case
>to begin with.  The rube in this case was Microsoft, not the computer or
>software industry; Gates was the guy with the two left political feet,
>nobody else.  But they are smart guys; they'll figure out how to play the
>game eventually.
>
>Gerald Faulhaber
>Business and Public Policy Department
>Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
>Philadephia, PA 19104



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