Antitrust Settlements Undercut Affordability

When enforcers accept behavior‑modification settlements instead of structural remedies (like divestitures), dominant firms can retain gatekeeper power and keep prices high for consumers. That enforcement choice turns a legal technicality into a political problem: parties that campaign on 'affordability' can be undercut by administrations that prefer negotiated fixes over breaking up monopolies. — This frames antitrust enforcement as a direct lever of electoral credibility and living‑cost outcomes, linking courtroom settlements to voters' pocketbooks and campaign claims.