If the Justice Department's case fails, all payments -- not just plastic payments -- but recurring payments, utilities, everything, will be taxed by a cartel known by two names: Visa and MasterCard. |
The 'Honor All Cards' policy says if you're a retailer and you take my credit card, then you have to take my debit card. Then whatever new product I come out with, you're forced to take all of these additional cards. It's a classic tying arrangement. Visa and MasterCard have attempted to monopolize the debit card market, and one of the ways is through these tying arrangements. |
The evidence will show that Visa and MasterCard refused to play by the rules of fair competition, rules which are the foundation of our American system of free enterprise. |
This is essentially a battle for the control of the American payment system. |