An economist argues that the legal loopholes carved out by franchisors decades ago—enabling corporate control while shedding liability—paved the way for the business models of giants like Uber and Amazon. The core strategy: claiming to be one company for antitrust purposes, but separate companies for labor law.
The tape Odd Lots · Jul 24
“Absolutely, So there's another A few years before the hearing I just mentioned, the Teamsters union was trying to organize gas station attendance and they sent their guy to testify, and he complained about this. You called it double barrel immunity. You know, so you know, when you're going to anti trust courts, you tell them that you are a single entity. So it's like logically impossible for you to violate the anti trust laws because that requires a conspiracy, you know, two people have to agree. But at the same time, when we try to organize your workers, you say no, you know, the labor laws don't apply. They are a totally separate company. They have nothing to do with this.”
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The Journal. · How Deadly Airbags Are Getting Inside CarsJul 24
Faulty airbags, often sourced from obscure Chinese manufacturers, are exploding in crashes and causing severe injuries and fatalities. At least ten people have died, and regulators worry that consumers are unintentionally installing deadly devices in their cars.
Marketplace · A year later, is Trump’s investment in Intel… a win-win?Jul 24
Intel's sales surged 25% last quarter, driven by AI demand for its chips. The comeback has a unique backer: American taxpayers, who own a nearly 10% stake in the company, now worth about $40 billion, thanks to CHIPS Act grants.