[a fool in paradise]

No one is ever going to bust these trusts.

There’s no point in busting up prohibiting any monopolies now.

Didn’t the studios used to own movie theater chains and they had to give up that long lasting studio system in the 60s? How is it different if Amazon theater online phones all these studios and back catalogs? For Disney+?

[D_Idaho]

“Didn’t the studios used to own movie theater chains...”

I seem to recall that in the early years, the owned the companies that produced film stock and cameras, as well. It’s safer that way. Otherwise, somebody might make an unapproved movie.

[Mr. Jeeves]

No one is ever going to bust these trusts.

Certified Government Partners are never broken up. Before long, they’ll create a new Office of the Morale Conditioner post for Bezos to fill with a hand-picked stooge. :)

[DoodleBob]

The govt's anti-trust powers are a concocted power never enumerated by the Founders. It's based on a bastardized interpretation of the Commerce Clause. If Big Business was a worry of the Founders, they'd have busted up the East India Trading US operations. They didn't, and anyone who considers themself a Constitutional conservative and wishes that the govt use it's "anti-trust power" is no different from a liberal claiming abortion is a Constitutionally-guaranteed right.

Besides...really...does any cogent conservative think the Justice Dept - peopled with DMV-like people - could capably break-up Amazon? Especially with Bidet as President*? I bet if they had a go at it, we'd find Amazon even STRONGER and BIGGER with a statuarory monopoly.

Remember, there is noting quite as intolerant as the Invisible Hand. Remember Netscape? IBM? GE? GM?

Firms become too lazy and ultimately like castles in the sand, fall in the sea, eventually.

I for one applaud this acquisition. Why? Because over the past 14 months a relatively large swath of America has gotten fed up with Hollywood, entertainment, the MSM, and Big Tech such that they aren't buying their stuff anymore. Oh, there's no protest...we are silently flipping them the bird and ignoring them. Indeed, the best way to get to a narcissist is to starve them of their supply of drama.

Let them throw $9bn down a rabbit hole. Let Amazon think it's some deity. Over time, they'll become like IBM...a has-been behemoth turned niche player. In the meantime, don't cancel your Amazon account...leave it dormant. Don't signal your position to the enemy. Be patient, and go support local and small business silently. Again, starve the narcissist of its supply and laugh as you watch it flail away like the end of Terminator 2, while cranking Hendrix. It's fun.