[CarolinaGuitarman]

"As soon as all those bidders have a gun to their head, then it is no longer a free market."

That's exactly what antitrust is, the government putting a gun to the heads of business telling them what prices to offer and how to distribute their products. It's the definition of fascism; government leaves *ownership* to private industry but runs it.

[xzins]

I agree that government can put a gun to the head of the bidders. I agree that that is a corruption of the free market system.

However, I also think that other individuals/groups/entities can also put a gun to the head of the bidders. That, too, would be a corruption of the free market system.