U.S. antitrust laws are a beautiful example. Try to decipher the meaning of “attempted monopolization” or “restraint of trade” with the help of a dictionary. Am I “attempting to monopolize” the market for books about economics right now? No matter. Though the written law verges on meaningless, sponsors like Senator Sherman and Representative Clayton won credit for “fighting the trusts.” Only after judges and regulators “interpreted” the laws could their effects be seen. From the point of view of the Shermans and Claytons, this makes the deal sweeter still. Someone else makes the tough
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