That further proves my point that they are monopolies that cannot survive without protectionist intervention.

In the current US environment, no one can survive going against Trump, and as recently evidenced, this is meant literally.

The US, for all intents and purposes, is now a kleptocracy. Rule of law, freedom of speech, even court orders, all of that doesn't matter any more in practice. There will always be some way for the federal government to strong-arm anyone into submission.

	▲	sandytoast 8 minutes ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Not with that attitude they can’t. Let’s see what happens to the first person to call his bull shit. If jpow folds or is actually indicted, you may be right. Let’s see what happens with Exxon though i think they’re gonna bend the knee.
	▲	kshacker 2 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		I do not usually comment on politics but just this one time, and hopefully I can wordsmith it without taking a political stance. When Trump started his campaign, circa 2011 with the birth certificate, he did not know he will win or not, but he made it his life's mission. Countering him will take the same zeal. I know we have a precedence of presidents retiring, but unless Obama (and Hillary and Biden and Kamala) hits the streets as the leader of resistance, the resistance will be quelled easily by constant distracting. Yeah maybe AOC, maybe Bernie, maybe someone else, but no ... Trump is smart and dedicated (despite the useful idiot role he plays), he can not be countered by mid-term and full-term campaigns. We are not in Kansas any more. Been a while. The opposition needs a named resistance leader whose full time job is to engage Trump.