Would the Department of Justice have approved the merger between Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. under the Obama administration? Some antitrust lawyers don't seem to think so."It's generally understood that if Obama wins, that the enforcement priorities of the DOJ would change," Leiv Blad, an antitrust lawyer with Clifford Chance, told Reuters.
According to the article, the Justice Department's approval of the Sirius-XM merger "caused eye-rolling" among antitrust lawyers.
And while Obama didn't directly address the satellite radio merger, he did tell reporters in Oregon on Sunday that the Bush administration has been lax, particularly in enforcing merger law.
"If you talk to members of the antitrust division of the Justice Department, the career folks who came in before George Bush took office, there's a sense that there's not a real interest in antitrust prosecutions," the said the Democratic presidential hopeful.This might not be a simple partisan issue though. Steve Axinn, of Axinn, Veltrop and Harkrider LLP, said firms were wrapping up deals in the belief that any of the candidates - be it Republican Sen. John McCain, Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton or Sen. Barack Obama - would oversee tougher merger reviews than the Bush administration has.
"People are working quickly to get things done during this administration. They have for some time," Axinn said. (I find that statement only slightly humorous, considering that it's been 427 days since the merger application has been in the hands of the FCC.)
But Evan Stewart, an antitrust lawyer with Zuckerman
Spaeder LLP, urged caution in reading too much into Obama's
comments: "This strikes me as sort of traditional on the stump
talk. Look, no one ever runs for president saying 'you can
count on me for lax antitrust enforcement.'"
[Reuters]
Sounds like someone ran out of material to print. Who gives a damn what this idiot thinks? Pass the merger or don't.
SOMEONE RUN OUT OF MATERIAL TO WRITE ABOUT? THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MERGER! BESIDES, WHO GIVES A D$%N WHAT THIS IDIOT THINKS?
NOTHING WORTH COMMENTING ABOUT.
Everyone in a cranky mood today??
Sadly, this is a good topic. We are now getting a little too close for comfort on when/if a decision will ever come down.
I say - no - an Obama administration would shut this thing down I'm afraid. Look at the special interest groups and you have your answer. Almost entirely liberal-slanted.
People are wrong to confuse this merger with the media consolidation concerns. We're talking about 2 fledgling, subscription-based companies that are almost bankrupt.
For what it's worth - I've sent multiple letters to my congressmen in IL - where I reside - and have only gotten form letters. Shocking, eh?
Would the merger have been approved under George Washington's Administration.....come on! This is the most pathetic post I've read on Orbitcast. Howmany hypotheticals can we come up to? Would this merger have been approved my cat didn't get an upper respiratory infection? Obama isn't going to get in anyway. Because when it comes down to it, real people have to vote for him in a real election.
I have lint between my toes.
the comments are better than the article!
LOL!!!
Why is the media, internet included acting like this man is already President. Give it a rest. Yesterday he had the audacity to tell us all that we had to turn our heat down to save energy, because we as Americans are too comfortable. I can't wait to cast my Democratic vote for McCain. Hell, I might even change parties after this farce of a merger process which has been stalled mostly by Dems including John Kerry, et al.
He scares me big time. All i see with him is 666
Liberals/Dems generally are not supportive of Business. Their retoric typically plays class warfare between the producers of the wealth and those recieving a slice of the wealth through redistribution. I have no doubt that Obama will be unfriendly to mergers and business/sucessful people in general. Sadly, I don't think McCain D-AZ will be much better. Whoever wins the presidential election, it's gonna be a bumpy ride for a while. Especially if the Dems expand their majorities in both houses of congress as expected. Better get this merger done... Soon...
nothing about the dice and opie reunion?
I DONT GIVE A SHIT.....THIS IS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF OZ.......WERE ARE THE OTHER STOCKHOLDERS BESIDES MYSELF WHO ARE PREPARED T SUE THE FCC T FORCE THEM TO RULE....AND WHERE THE FUCK IS THE PRESIDENT....CLEARLY MARTIN IS SCARED THAT IF HE PROCEEDS HES GOING TO GET CONGRESS UP HIS ASS.....BUSH JUST GIVE HIM A GET OUT OF JAIL CARD......AND GILLESPI SHOULD GIVE HIS MONEY BACK TO MEL!
Stop the "Republican" crap. The Communicatons Act that was passed under Clinton did plenty of damage, and added to the mess we have now.
"Robert crandall of the Brookings Institutehas argued that the forced-access provisions of the 1996 Act have had little economic value, and the primary, sustainable competitive forces in phone and related, non-'radio', telecommunications are the wireline telephone companies, the cable companies, and the wireless companies.
The Act was claimed to foster competition. Instead, it continued the historic industry consolidation begun by Reagan, whose actions reduced the number of major media companies from around 50 in 1983 to 10 in 1996 [1], reducing the 10 in 1996 to 6 in 2005.[6]
Consumer activist Ralph Nader argued the act was an example of corporate welfare spawned by political corruption, because it granted broadcasters valuable licenses for broadcasting digital signals on the public airwaves at relatively little cost.[7]
An FCC study found that the Act had led to a drastic decline in the number of radio station owners, even as the actual number of commercial stations in the United States had increased.[8]"
Oh yeah...like Dumbo will actually be elected President. Like when NBC & CBS merge.
Oh yeah...like Dumbo will actually be elected President. Like when NBC & CBS merge.
Oh yeah...like Dumbo will actually be elected President. Like when NBC & CBS merge.
Why doesn't someone axe the nigga himself? Whitey's fucked!
I think Obama has some interesting ideas but he is a Democrat and that scares the shit out of me, I never trust them.
The DOJ logic was pretty clear, I thought. This enhanses competition, otherwise why would NAB fight it so hard. The former FCC chair is for it, and a lot of other clear thinking people. The noise is coming from people with their own agenda. It will remail a fixture in cars unless something better comes along.
The DOJ logic was pretty clear, I thought. This enhanses competition, otherwise why would NAB fight it so hard. The former FCC chair is for it, and a lot of other clear thinking people. The noise is coming from people with their own agenda. It will remail a fixture in cars unless something better comes along.
Well the good news for this question is the merger will probably remain unapproved when the next president takes office.
Ugh. The FCC is a disgrace, its unfortunate we cannot in some way hold them accountable for the destruction of shareholder value.
Maybe not, but 4300 Americans would be alive, 1.8 Trillion dollars would be available for the infrastructure of the USA, the entire world wouldn't loath us, and oil wouldn't be 129.00 per barrel.
There would be no Gitmo, breaking of the Constitution, or spy leaks.
I firmly believe that BO has the potential to be another Lincoln, in fact, I'm not sure if most of the idiots that vote in America even deserve him.
Maybe not, but 4300 Americans would be alive, 1.8 Trillion dollars would be available for the infrastructure of the USA, the entire world wouldn't loath us, and oil wouldn't be 129.00 per barrel.
There would be no Gitmo, breaking of the Constitution, or spy leaks.
I firmly believe that BO has the potential to be another Lincoln, in fact, I'm not sure if most of the idiots that vote in America even deserve him.
Someone ( Rhymes with Tryin' ) needs to fix this )(**&^&%!!!! site.... errors, double entries, lock ups.... WTF ...has the FCC / Bush taken over?
Maybe not, but 4300 Americans would be alive, 1.8 Trillion dollars would be available for the infrastructure of the USA, the entire world wouldn't loath us, and oil wouldn't be 129.00 per barrel.
There would be no Gitmo, breaking of the Constitution, or spy leaks.
I firmly believe that BO has the potential to be another Lincoln, in fact, I'm not sure if most of the idiots that vote in America even deserve him.
I VOTE SECOND ON THAT !
"I firmly believe that BO has the potential to be another Lincoln"
Correct.
He'll end up getting shot in the head.
Hillary once scared the Bejesus out of me. But honestly, having a clinton in the whitehouse would be more reassuring to me than either McCain and OBAMA. I never thought I'd say that. I'm pulling for ya Hillary. Martin, I'm pulling for you too. Get this deal done!
Who knows if the merger would have been approved under Obama? The real question is - Why on earth has there not been a decision in over 15 months under George Bush? The answer is quite obvious; this beer swiggin', barely articulate, completely unqualified, totally inept, English language butchering, village idiot looking utter national disgrace and absolute fraud for a President has done more damage to this country than ANYBODY in history. He does not care what is good for the majority. He panders to the wealthy, the influential, and hasn't the feintest notion of what people want and need (many of whom, incredibly, helped put his sorry ass in office). It really comes down to a simple concept; Bush and all of his sinister cronies, including the feeble minded clowns in the FCC, do not care about what is in the best interest of the very citizens who elected them into office. A 5 year old could understand that satellite radio is not a monopoly and competes with many existing and future technologies. That should take 15 seconds to figure out, not 15 months! What is amazing in the midst of this scandalous, criminal merger delay is the degree of arrogance and indifference exhibited by the co-conspirators. Satellite radio has to be the most underappreciated and maligned product to come down the pike in a long time. It doesn't warrant the scrutiny and the controversy that swirl around it; money, greed and a Bush administration that caters to the special interest of the few at the expense of the majority are what have created this fiasco. The rest of the world must laugh at the absurdity of this situation. To spend this much time and money to prevent two companies from merging is absolutely shameful and has made me lose all respect for a President and a government that have lost all sense of priority. Obama would have to really suck to be worse than Bush in any respect.
Perhaps this would have been challenged by Obama BUT he would have lost in the courts and just strenthened the reputation as over regulating DEM Similar to courts approving Wild Oats merger. There IS competition in the broader sense, NAB knows this. I think Yahoo! just had an article saying that Obama rhetoric regarding DOJ is just that. The courts would eventually rule against him.
I really like sat. radio and hope it stays around for the long term. Should the merger go through however, I do not want to see subscription fees go up, them being less innovative etc. what typically happens when two companies merge.
Right on warrior. I agree 100%. I still don't this thing will get approved till June (2008). I do thiink it will sail through with very minimal conditions though.
Right on warrior. I agree 100%. I still don't believe this thing will get approved till' June (2008). I do thiink it will sail through with very minimal conditions though.
Vote for me and I will pass the merger. Yes. yes. yes. I promise.
offthfence,
Anyone who considers themselves a Democrat would rather gouge out their own eyes than vote for McCain. Anyone who actually reads, watches, and listens, anyway.
And why do you care if someone suggests you don't waste energy? You can still be a selfish bastard and ignore it, even if it's a good idea. It's not like jack-booted government thugs are turning up at your house to turn down your thermostat and tell you your water's too hot.
So go ahead and cast your "Democratic vote" for McCain. You must be one of the rare Democrats that favors overturning Roe v. Wade, cutting taxes to rich billionaires, and staying in Iraq until 2013.
Blaming Democrats for holding up a very minor merger is myopic. Changing political parties based upon your stupid electronic gadgets is even more so. You, sir, are why I fear for this country's future.
In other words N.F.W. ....
NO! to "merge" MONOPOLY
I really like the Clintons and would vote for her ov er McCain, But there is NO WAY a "BRO" gets in the WH
Warrior, Bush has nothing to do with holding up this merger. Nothing at all. In fact, stop whining and blaming the FCC. While this may be a pressing matter for stockholders, it's certainly not anything the FCC needs to make a priority in the least. XM & Sirius got themselves into this. Maybe they should have gotten a better gauge of how quickly it may or may not have been approved. This thing is making Mel look really bad. This merger is his baby and it's killing both companies. You want to look somewhere to place blame? Look at Mel.