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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: anandnvi who wrote (43872)	4/29/2000 2:15:00 AM
From: TTOSBT	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

The DOJ is way out-a-line! financialweb.com Small Business Group Outraged by Government's Call to Break Up Microsoft PR Newswire - Saturday, April 29, 2000 WASHINGTON, Apr 29, 2000 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Small Business Survival Committee (SBSC) expressed outrage over the government's call to break up Microsoft Corp., one of the nation's leading high-tech companies, along so-called product lines. SBSC President Christopher Wysocki observed: "Today's action by the Department of Justice sets a new low when it comes to how government treats businesses across America. A breakup of Microsoft will deal a devastating blow to consumers and their confidence in how government treats private companies. The proposed remedies issued today are nothing more than an assault on the American entrepreneurial spirit, and government lawyers should stop hiding behind 'consumer protection' and simply admit they want to take over and regulate the high technology sector of our economy." SBSC chief economist Raymond J. Keating added: "Of course, the competitive realities of the computer and Internet marketplaces make this entire case absurd. However, the government's proposed draconian remedy represents a complete breakdown of economic common sense and reason. In fact, the company would not only be broken up, but its product sales and development would be micromanaged by the government for a number of years through a variety of restrictions." Keating continued: "Mr. Klein has long tried to assert that antitrust enforcement is not regulation. This case makes it abundantly clear just how preposterous such a notion is. The government's proposal is, in fact, government regulation run amok. The government has decided to dictate how the software, browser and operating system markets should develop from this point forward, and that is a very scary regulatory venture." Wysocki stated: "This is a real threat to entrepreneurship in America. The success of Microsoft-accomplished by serving consumers well-would be severely punished by the government's proposed remedy. It is hard to imagine a more dangerous signal being sent to the marketplace and investors by the government. Small businesses-whether as consumers of Microsoft products, suppliers to Microsoft, or working to become the next Microsoft-would be hurt if the courts decide to follow the government's proposed remedy." Wysocki concluded: "In the end, we trust that sanity will prevail. The government's extreme proposal should be rejected, and the case should simply be dismissed. Competition is thriving in the computer and Internet businesses. Consumers should be the final decision makers in the marketplace, not the United States government." For more information, please contact SBSC at 202-785-0238, or visit SBSC's website at www.sbsc.org. SBSC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit small business advocacy group with more than 50,000 members across the nation. SOURCE Small Business Survival Committee TTOSBT