In the Sirius-XM Merger I Trust

"There are other alternatives out there. We just simply found that the evidence didn't indicate that it would harm consumers."

These are the words of Assistant Attorney General Thomas O. Barnett, and what he is talking about is the Justice Department's just-approved merger of the only two commercial-free, subscription-only radio corporations: XM and Sirius.

I am intrigued by this merger. Not only am I a former (and soon to be again) satellite radio customer (I had Sirius-in my opinion they have...er, had...better music choices, but otherwise they and XM were virtually identical), but what's more I listened just yesterday as one of the most prominent talk show hosts and political authors in the United States-a man I have the utmost respect for and whom I typically find to be penetratingly thoughtful, often profoundly insightful, and blessedly straightforward-lambasted the deal as the result of a do-nothing W Administration permitting the formation of a monopoly-an entity that is clearly (said he) an abdominal enemy of authentic capitalism, which thrives in very large measure on competition.

While this host and author is so intelligent that he is transcendent of political labels, he would rightly be described as someone who is predominantly Conservative. His hatred of just about everything the Leftist Liberals say and believe is beyond the shadow of doubt and vociferous.

Nevertheless, I found him echoing the predictable sentiments of the Left in his concern over the supposed creation of some Radio Trust.

Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin--a Democrat, of course, and chairman of the Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on antitrust and consumer rights, derided the Justice Department's permission of the signing of the deal that merges XM and Sirius into one (and, for now, the one and only) satellite radio corporation.

"We believe the elimination of competition between XM and Sirius is contrary to antitrust law and the interests of consumers,"said he.