back to article Clinton, Trump actually agree on something – blocking AT&T's Time Warner mega-buy

AT&T's proposed $84.5bn acquisition of Time Warner is already facing a gauntlet of opposition from government officials and activists. With the announcement of the deal less than 48 hours old, both leading presidential candidates have indicated they would oppose the merger after taking office due to concerns of over- …

  1. IT Poser
    Mushroom

    Can we break them up instead?

    With the severe shortage of competition any merger involving a major teleco should be off the table. US consumers need more choices, not less. Even though I am one of the lucky ones with two options I am still not extremely happy with either.

    I see no hope for Comcast however. Nuking them from orbit is the only way to be sure they aren't a threat.

    1. BillG
      Facepalm

      Re: Can we break them up instead?

      Hillary Clinton's vice presidential running mate Tim Kaine said he and Clinton would have concerns about the merger and would need to "get to the bottom" of the proposal...

      Translation: "We cannot decide if this merger would be good for the American people until AT&T sends a large donation to The Clinton Foundation..."

      1. pixl97

        Re: Can we break them up instead?

        ATT has already donated at least $200,000 to HRC.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Can we break them up instead?

          Whoa son, 200 grand won't even get you a tea party with HRC. You'dl need to cough up millions before getting expect a serious hearing as to why you should be given a monopoly. Just ask the Saudis.

        2. Swarthy
          Pirate

          Re: Can we break them up instead?

          ATT has already donated at least $200,000 to HRC.

          So, they missed a few zeros...

      2. Nonymous Crowd Nerd

        Re: Clinton cannot decide until AT&T sends a large donation

        Exactly. This hits the nail on the head. And it is displays of Clinton's "experience of power" like this that really grate with a large portion of the electorate. Unless she bucks up her ideas rather than getting complacent, Trump could yet win.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Clinton cannot decide until AT&T sends a large donation

          I don't know. As bad as Clinton may be, Trump's proven himself a loose cannon: pretty much the last kind of person you want at the top of the US Executive Branch because he could trigger World War III and not even realize it.

    2. Charles 9

      Re: Can we break them up instead?

      No, because many of them merged for survival: to be able to compete with the likes of Google. Breaking them up would just kill all the pieces.

      This merger is no different. AT&T sees the writing on the wall and won't last much longer unless bought up.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Meh

    Not true about the Justice Department

    The Federal Trade Commission also has oversight of mergers.

    They need to work protections into the deal to make AT&T and DirecTV into common carriers, so they can't discriminate against non-Time Warner content.

    1. IT Poser
      Unhappy

      Re: Not true about the Justice Department

      AT&T is running ads promoting how DirecTV services are not counted towards data caps. This makes me sad.

  3. Alistair
    Facepalm

    Y'know, after 2008

    You'd think that the Americans would understand about the issue of to big to fail.

    Really. even *wall street* should get this by now.

    1. paulf
      Holmes

      Re: Y'know, after 2008

      Alistair: "...the issue of to big to fail. Really. even *wall street* should get this by now."

      Wall street definitely gets "too big to fail". They rather like the idea as it makes things closer to a one way bet. Getting more "too big to fail" generally involves campaign donations and directorships for suitable congress critters which is why they like it too. The downsides from too big to fail are like taxes - only for the little people.

  4. Mark Simon

    Oh, the irony …

    “ … concentrates far too much power in one massive entity that is trying to tell the voters what to think and what to do” — this coming from Donald Trump

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