Bobby Burack
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Tuesday, Republican Senators Ted Cruz (Texas), Josh Hawley (Missouri), and Mike Lee (Utah) introduced a bill to “end MLB’s special immunity from antitrust laws,” in response to MLB moving its All-Star Game.
The antitrust exemption dates back to a 1922 Supreme Court case and has been upheld in multiple subsequent cases. MLB has experienced key exemptions from the Sherman Antitrust Act, which outlaws monopolistic business practices. An elimination would weaken MLB’s power to reduce competition.
“Monopolies and liberty are not compatible,” Hawley said to Tucker Carlson on Monday. “No corporation should be so big or so powerful that it can control the political process, that it can override the will of the voters.”
“This past month, we have seen the rise of the woke corporation. We have seen the rise of big business enforcing a woke standard,” Cruz added to reporters. “That decision was harmful. It’s going to hurt baseball. But it also underscores that there’s no reason Major League Baseball should enjoy special subsidies — corporate welfare that no one else gets.”
Lee, the bill’s chief sponsor, says, “It’s important to remember that this exemption was created from whole cloth by the Supreme Court 99 years ago.”
“It was not put in place legislatively and is a distinctively legislative decision,” he adds
As of this publication, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has not commented on the proposal. McConnell did, however, recently criticize MLB for pulling the game from Georgia.
Interestingly, the legislation could potentially receive support from some Democrats. In 2019, Sen. Bernie Sanders called for a re-examination of baseball’s antitrust exemption after the league shut down some minor league teams. MLB, which controls the wages and location of minor league teams, has slashed minor league baseball over the past year.
Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Mike Lee are scheduled to speak at a press conference later Tuesday.
Oh, and to reiterate: Georgia’s new voting law is not racist and MLB bowed down like cowards to loud, unreasonable, and pathetic media members.
Oh look more posturing and hot air from do nothing Republicans. Wake me up when they actually do something other than make statements for fund raising.
How dare you! Why, that’s…oh, right. It’s absolutely true.
Exactly what i was thinking. A bunch of virtue signalers that will do nothing.
Bingo, Stephen !!!
Yup…the Republicans are driving this country into destruction by going the speed limit.
Yup. Gotta posture up for your base. You’ll need those votes come election time.
In the hierarchy of things important to this country, this ranks right up there with the Paris Climate crap. Maybe we could focus on important issues like….I don’t know..child sex trafficking, our borders, term limits, and the ridiculous amount we pay in taxes only to see that money given out to foreign countries who don’t even like us.
The way to do this is to include on professional teams.
NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS
If a league signs a royalty contract, plays any games or sales any merchandise in China, Cuba or Venezuela. Then the league forfeits anti-trust exemption.
Make the leagues less dependent on Chinese money and soon they will begin to notice the concentration camps in China. But, as long as that Chinese money is available. They will make sure China is off limits.
Just like Disney did.
If MLB subsidizes DemoKKKrat voter fraud, go for it. Doesn’t have the votes, though…
Nice idea, but it won`t go anywhere. The Left won `t support it now that MLB has gone woke.
I’ll take “Shit That Doesn’t Matter” for $1000, Alex.
How about you go after Big Tech, you spineless shitheels. Who gives a wet turd about baseball? Baseball has next to no cultural influence whatsoever.
How much of the woke mob even watches baseball? Or cares?
Seems to me they should be focused on HR1 and other Obiden travesties.
But they won’t. The only thing more dertrimental to the People than a Republican is a DemocRAT.
Ain’t gunna happen unfortunately they don’t run the senate
The Republicans only talk a good game. Nothing ever changes.
This guy gets it . BTW Obama ahhh I mean Slow Joe is gonna take your guns. Live free or die but, back the Blue. Deshawn Watson paying off his accusers horrible however, nothing wrong with criminal justice system.