The Captured Economy

Making the market fairer by making it freer. Project of @niskanencenter. Based on the book by @lindsey_brink and Steven Teles. Managed by @danieltakash

[The Captured Economy @capturedecon]

Want to keep up with the latest developments in regressive regulations and rent-seeking? Subscribe ⬇️ to the Captured Economy newsletter for updates from @NiskanenCenter when new work comes out! https://t.co/oVKCzKmoWT

[Niskanen Center @NiskanenCenter]

The Hatch-Waxman Act's framework balances drug competition & IP rights by expediting drug entry & providing special rights to *certain* patents.

But sometimes drugmakers try to claim these protections for ineligible patents, harming the public.
https://t.co/NJmNgaIwRE

[Niskanen Center @NiskanenCenter]

Copyright term reduction is a fine idea, but runs into a major constitutional problem that makes it legally dead on arrival. Fortunately, there's a wider world of reforms to copyright law that enhance free speech and promote access to works. https://t.co/nvRVavcMm1

[Niskanen Center @NiskanenCenter]

The worst behavior of censorial actors can still be enabled by even the copyright terms of 1790. Expanding fair-use to "orphan" works, controlled digital lending, and digital first-sale rights are the best way to stop this behavior. https://t.co/a0fc0kg33G

[Niskanen Center @NiskanenCenter]

Mark Kleiman's work continues to influence our own criminal justice work. We're thrilled to see @theNASEM announce the Mark Kleiman Innovation for Public Policy Memorial Lecture, a chance to encourage innovative thinking among a new generation of scholars: https://t.co/1CFEz2NOUe

[Charles Duan @charles_duan]

Hello friends! I finally found a new desktop Twitter client and am back with lots to share with you 1/

[Santa Fe Institute @sfiscience]

When economic power overtakes democratic governance, growth stagnates & inequality grows deeper. How might nonpartisan approaches help walk the system back into a healthy balance?

@rajivatbarnard & Steven Teles discuss @capturedecon on #ComplexityPodcast:
https://t.co/8UpRLOjdPz

[White House Office of Science & Technology Policy @WHOSTP]

Federally funded research should be freely accessible to the American public. From environmental justice to cancer breakthroughs to more sustainable farming, immediate access to America’s research jumpstarts innovation everywhere.
https://t.co/CxGMMIWjX1

[Library Futures @library_futures]

ICYMI, NPR just learned that ebooks cost libraries a lot of money. By way of a fix, they suggest perhaps publishers and librarians could start a book club. May we suggest beginning with Michelle Wu's "The Corruption of Copyright"?
https://t.co/hKqSMpC3OD

[The Captured Economy @capturedecon]

More good news on the #RightToRepair front! Apple continues to make incremental (but real) progress to improve the longevity and value of their products. https://t.co/JbiFJ01pHY via @motherboard's @mjgault

[The Captured Economy @capturedecon]

Discussion w/ @planetmoney on the economics of print vs e-book lending. The relatively recent yet extraordinarily high spike in e-book lending prices is a textbook example of price discrimination to the detriment of libraries & taxpayers. https://t.co/e747EsB3cN

[Niskanen Center @NiskanenCenter]

USPTO officials shouldn’t be making policy behind closed doors or outside of official processes. @DanielTakash explains how reforms can establish formal rulemaking processes.

More here ⬇️
https://t.co/Tm80RHgRZg

[The Captured Economy @capturedecon]

At long last, the return of some of the best fair use on Twitter.

[soviet soldiers dancing @communistbops]

guess who’s back (again)

[The Captured Economy @capturedecon]

It is technically true that March-In rights don't give the authority to "set prescription drug prices." But supporters of exercising March-In rights argue for increasing competition, not price-setting. The "price-setting" framing is a bait-and-switch. https://t.co/q9hJsbR7Hb

[Niskanen Center @NiskanenCenter]

"We live in a time of high inflation, supply chain constraints, and other forms of scarcity. The Niskanen Center is part of the push for an 'abundance agenda,' and controlled digital lending is part of that."

https://t.co/vyXiv9RrrH

[The Captured Economy @capturedecon]

The costs imposed by barriers to entry-be they imposed by private parties o regulation-should be viewed as a tax. Maybe it's necessary, but if it would be unwise to impose an actual tax on something it's also probably unwise to impose a regulatory tax.

[Will Rinehart @WillRinehart]

Studies released by NAHB show that regulations imposed by all levels of government account for $93,870 — or 24%–of the average sales price ($397,300) of a new single-family home, and more than 40% of the cost of multifamily development. https://t.co/NygDi1574s

[Niskanen Center @NiskanenCenter]

Controlled digital lending allows libraries to share books in an electronic format — similar to how they’d lend out a physical copy. This allows more people to access books from afar.

But some publishers want to stop this. CDL means less profit for them.
https://t.co/vyXiv9zQ37

[Niskanen Center @NiskanenCenter]

Libraries can often only lend out digital books a few dozen times before renewing their licenses (which can cost 4-5X more than a physical book).

“[It’s] costing taxpayers thousands of dollars over the life of a single eBook."

[Niskanen Center @NiskanenCenter]

Some book publishers want to prevent libraries from engaging in controlled digital lending (CDL) — which allows libraries to distribute a controlled number of e-books.

A group of Niskanen scholars has authored dozens of books. They want CDL to stay.
https://t.co/vyXiv9RrrH