Engaging Conversation on the Consumer Welfare Standard and Competition with China

WASHINGTON – In the fifth installment of “Diner Table Economics,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sat down with NH Journal’s Michael Graham at Francoeur’s Cafe in Manchester, NH for a wide-ranging conversation on growing the economy, competing with China, and why he rejects big government policies. 

In each interview, Graham chats with a presidential candidate to discuss the pressing economic issues facing Granite Staters, ranging from inflation and energy to regulatory overreach and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). 

During their conversation, Governor DeSantis outlined his support of the consumer welfare standard, the guiding principle of antitrust policy for the last 40 years: “I think the consumer outcome obviously [standard] is an important one that is traditional. But I think what we’ve seen now, with particularly the tech companies, is the power that they’re exercising over people. So, for example, Standard Oil at the turn of the 20th century, it could raise the price that impacted people. I would argue that Facebook and Google — how they manipulate things — that has more power over people’s daily lives.” 

DeSantis shared his views on the free market: “…the whole reason why I support market-based solutions is because I think that’s a better way to benefit the people – an increased standard of living and giving more opportunities.”

DeSantis went on to discuss the risks of China becoming a world superpower, and how the United States economy could avoid falling behind. “Okay, how do we relate to a country like China? Are our arrangements that we’ve had over the last 20-25 years? Has that benefited the country? Or has that made us more dependent on a hostile country? So I think there’s national security implications. Having an industrial base, for example, is important for national power, national health.”

You can watch the full 25-minute interview here.

NH Journal’s article recapping event can be found here.

The Competitiveness Coalition is a sponsor of Diner Table Economics. 

Since its inception in 2022, the Competitiveness Coalition has been sounding the alarm on the FTC’s egregious overreach and concerning actions. For more information on the Coalition’s work on this front, please visit competitivenesscoalition.com. Members of the press can contact the coalition at press@competitivenesscoalition.com.

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