OPINION:
Despite the Federal Trade Commission’s pronounced losing streak, Chair Lina Khan remains undeterred in her ideological quest to remake America’s private sector in her progressive worldview.
If allowed to proceed unchecked, it’s not just the individual companies in her crosshairs who stand to suffer. It’s our economy as a whole, which is starting to show signs of recovery, even with the ongoing anchor of “Bidenomics.”
Long heralded as a rising star in left-wing circles, the embattled chair of the FTC has met with one stinging defeat after another in the federal courts, which have rejected her meddling in the affairs of Meta and Microsoft, to name just two. She has come under fire for ignoring recommendations from the FTC’s designated agency ethics official to recuse herself from the Meta matter.
Under Ms. Khan, all four of the FTC’s challenges to mergers have gone down in flames.
Yet Ms. Khan is showing no sign of slowing down, even as lawmakers question her use of agency resources.
She has embarked on a media tour attempting to gloss over the agency’s blemished record. She announced a series of new merger guidelines, which have been pilloried even by a Democratic economist as “a war on business.”
Media reports indicate Ms. Khan is preparing a “far-reaching” lawsuit against Amazon, the company relied on by nearly 170 million Americans for their everyday goods.
Amazon has long been a target of Ms. Khan, dating back to her Yale Law Journal article where she complained that its prices were too low. Ms. Khan also dismissed the consumer welfare standard that has been the governing principle of antitrust for generations.
Ms. Khan and her ilk believe that “big is inherently bad” and businesses’ success is a sin. It’s the quintessential left-wing argument about “fairness” and “paying their fair share,” first brought to life by Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
Fortunately, Ms. Khan is facing a series of roadblocks from key House panels investigating the agency. Congressional Republicans, especially the House Judiciary Committee and Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio, deserve credit for forcing Ms. Khan to answer tough questions under oath.
One of the best ways for Congress to exercise its oversight is with the power of the purse. While the beleaguered agency — supported by the White House — sought a nearly 40% budget increase for fiscal 2024, House Republican appropriators rightfully opposed this request.
As Congress irons out appropriations bills this upcoming work period, it is paramount that conservative lawmakers maintain this opposition to giving the FTC a raise.
With a presidential election looming, Ms. Khan knows the clock is ticking. The agency’s expected crusade against Amazon is yet another attempt to disrupt the free market and undermine capitalism.
Marking an early sign of trouble, Politico reported that some states and agency staff have pushed back against making Prime “a focal point of the case.” Their reluctance is justified: A federal judge may have a hard time viewing the popular Amazon product as harmful to consumers.
As Ms. Khan continues her legal assault against domestic tech companies, the stakes could not be higher on the global stage. Crippling American companies would be a boon for our geopolitical rivals, especially China, as it supercharges its own versions of Amazon.
Security experts have raised alarms over the cybersecurity risks posed by the Chinese-owned e-commerce apps Temu and Pinduoduo, the latter of which can “monitor activities on other apps, check notifications, read private messages and change settings.”
The U.S. stands at a crossroads when it comes to the future of our economy.
Inflation has fallen to its lowest point in two years. Wages are beginning to creep up. Gross domestic product grew 2.4% on an annualized basis between April and June, exceeding expectations.
The Wall Street Journal editorial board recently described this environment as “a resilient American marketplace — if Washington doesn’t get in the way.”
If you’re one of those Americans not buying the benefits of Bidenomics, you’re not alone. Just 37% approve of his handling of the economy.
But don’t lose sight of FTC Chair Lina Khan. Should she succeed in implementing her agenda, all our recent economic gains would hang in the balance.
• A former U.S. senator and ambassador, Scott Brown is chairman of the Competitiveness Coalition.
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