Maryland law to challenge the Supreme Court on price fixing on clarkhoward.com

Two years ago, Clark went berserk over a Supreme Court decision that paved the way for price fixing. The 5-to-4 ruling basically threw out precedent that denied manufacturers the ability to set retail prices.

Now the other shoe is dropping. According to a Dow Jones newswire report, Maryland has a new law going into effect in October that will make it illegal for any manufacturer to tell any retailer what price to charge a customer.

Clark hopes this state law starts a groundswell that could reverse the Supremes' 2007 decision. Think about it like this: When do any of those 9 justices go out and shop like the rest of us? They have no idea what it's like for a family to balance a budget and are just plain out of touch on this issue.

Meanwhile, the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights is looking at enacting a federal law that could overturn the Supreme Court decision.

The consumer champ eagerly awaits such a possibility.

Could there be a worse time for the American people to be stuck paying higher prices than right now?

What others are saying

Price fixing!
Clark is right! Price fixing is an abomination and a sure way to kill any economy!Socialist economies were monopolies run by the government and they survived for a while until they run out of life! Is sad but it seems that our economy is heading the same way! Wake up and, by the way, what the Constitution has to do with price fixing?!The Suprem Court should not get involved in this matter by any strech of imagination!
By Mario @ 05/21/09 09:32:15 PMreport abuse
Price fixing
If the manufacturer fixes the price I will not buy it.
By E. Bond @ 05/19/09 05:45:07 PMreport abuse
Re: You must buy products at high prices
For Medical Student, monopolies are a problem when the gov't prevents the entry of competition by granting exclusive leases, patents, etc. The only way for a monopoly to exist outside of that is provide a better service and product than anyone else, which is extremely rare and certainly not a problem. Consider that it's not the companies who are the problem, but the companies who plead for special privileges and the gov't agents who grant them.
By Paul @ 05/19/09 05:32:22 PMreport abuse
Price Fixing is still possible my mfg regardless.
The manufacturer can raise the wholesale price forcing the retailer to set a minimum price, or stop selling to the retailer altogether. That's a market decision.
By CTYankee @ 05/19/09 03:51:22 PMreport abuse
Price Fixing
We lived in Oregon for many years, and it is also a state the "price fixes". Mostly retail items in retail stores like food, clothing, house-hold items.

Also, they block stores from being able to carry all the lines of products. So, a shopper ends up going to several stores in Oregon to buy products lines normally carried by all stores in other states.

This was one reason we moved back to Malibu, California a couple of years ago. We had a beach house we rented out,the tenants moved, so we moved back.

California is a good state to shop in.
By HOWARD AND CHRISTIANA HAYES @ 05/19/09 12:49:21 PMreport abuse
You must buy products at high prices sometimes
Hey stewart, I don't think you'd be saying that if you needed to pay for antibiotics, heart meds, or other things you actually have to buy (if you like to live, anyway). If those things come from a monopoly, then you're pretty much screwed and have to take it. Capitalism doesn't work in monopolies, and price-fixing is essentially the same thing when it comes to your wallet.
By Medical Student @ 05/19/09 10:58:12 AMreport abuse
why does clark care?
Why does Clark care? You're not required to buy a product if you think it's over priced.
By stewart @ 05/19/09 10:14:03 AMreport abuse
Supremes
"Think about it like this: When do any of those 9 justices go out and shop like the rest of us? They have no idea what it's like for a family to balance a budget and are just plain out of touch on this issue."

Wasn't Clark a government major in college? He ought to know better than anyone that the justices--by law--must
decide a case based on its constitutionality, NOT based on whether or not they sympathize with those affected.
By Knuckle Sandwich @ 05/18/09 07:03:08 PMreport abuse

Price fixing!

Clark is right! Price fixing is an abomination and a sure way to kill any economy!Socialist economies were monopolies run by the government and they survived for a while until they run out of life! Is sad but it seems that our economy is heading the same way! Wake up and, by the way, what the Constitution has to do with price fixing?!The Suprem Court should not get involved in this matter by any strech of imagination!

By Mario @ 05/21/09 09:32:15 PMreport abuse

Price fixing

If the manufacturer fixes the price I will not buy it.

By E. Bond @ 05/19/09 05:45:07 PMreport abuse

Re: You must buy products at high prices

For Medical Student, monopolies are a problem when the gov't prevents the entry of competition by granting exclusive leases, patents, etc. The only way for a monopoly to exist outside of that is provide a better service and product than anyone else, which is extremely rare and certainly not a problem. Consider that it's not the companies who are the problem, but the companies who plead for special privileges and the gov't agents who grant them.

By Paul @ 05/19/09 05:32:22 PMreport abuse

Price Fixing is still possible my mfg regardless.

The manufacturer can raise the wholesale price forcing the retailer to set a minimum price, or stop selling to the retailer altogether. That's a market decision.

By CTYankee @ 05/19/09 03:51:22 PMreport abuse

Price Fixing

We lived in Oregon for many years, and it is also a state the "price fixes". Mostly retail items in retail stores like food, clothing, house-hold items.

Also, they block stores from being able to carry all the lines of products. So, a shopper ends up going to several stores in Oregon to buy products lines normally carried by all stores in other states.

This was one reason we moved back to Malibu, California a couple of years ago. We had a beach house we rented out,the tenants moved, so we moved back.

California is a good state to shop in.

By HOWARD AND CHRISTIANA HAYES @ 05/19/09 12:49:21 PMreport abuse

You must buy products at high prices sometimes

Hey stewart, I don't think you'd be saying that if you needed to pay for antibiotics, heart meds, or other things you actually have to buy (if you like to live, anyway). If those things come from a monopoly, then you're pretty much screwed and have to take it. Capitalism doesn't work in monopolies, and price-fixing is essentially the same thing when it comes to your wallet.

By Medical Student @ 05/19/09 10:58:12 AMreport abuse

why does clark care?

Why does Clark care? You're not required to buy a product if you think it's over priced.

By stewart @ 05/19/09 10:14:03 AMreport abuse

Supremes

"Think about it like this: When do any of those 9 justices go out and shop like the rest of us? They have no idea what it's like for a family to balance a budget and are just plain out of touch on this issue."

Wasn't Clark a government major in college? He ought to know better than anyone that the justices--by law--must
decide a case based on its constitutionality, NOT based on whether or not they sympathize with those affected.

By Knuckle Sandwich @ 05/18/09 07:03:08 PMreport abuse

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May 18, 2009 -- Maryland law to challenge the Supreme Court on price fixing

What others are saying