Court Ruling on Discounters

In response to “High Court Ruling Hits Discounters,” Part I, May 3:

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to drop the “free order” rule, allowing what amounts to price fixing between manufacturers and dealers at the expense of the consumer, is a further erosion of the free-market economy, a tax on consumers to be directly pocketed by manufacturers and dealers, and a further example of socialism for the rich, the privileged, and the well-placed.

The Reagan court, by this ruling, rolls us back to the Robber Barron era when big business reigned supreme in its absolute right to exercise full and complete restraint of trade for whatever reason.

Justice Antonin Scalia, the writer of the court’s opinion, and President Reagan need be marked as the social planners whose chief agenda is the demolition of a fair and equitable society. This decision is just one more blow of the wrecking ball.

PAUL L. DU NARD JR.

Buena Park