Google Dealt a Financial Setback in EU

      After years of investigations, innumerable discussions and meetings among principals on both sides, the EU finance directorate issued a decision against the American company Alphabet, parent of Google, the internet search giant that has billions of users worldwide.   A fine of $2.6 billion seems like a lot of money to most wage earners, and even a few politicians.  But for Google, it might just represent another cost of doing business abroad.
      Who can pay such a fine?  Who decided on the final amount?   Where does the money go after it is paid- to the EU itself for dividing up as it sees fit?  Or to be distributed among the injured parties whose businesses were damaged by Google's practices?  These questions will be answered.  In the meantime, the lawyers will have great fun scrambling to make this EU decision more palatable either by elimination or significant reduction.
     The EU is not about making a difficult environment for business, but it is about leveling the playing field for all.  In America, it seems, the anti-trust movement has been slowed to a crawl as financial giants reign over the nation and its economy.  After the 2008 financial crisis, the enactment of the Dodd-Frank law(s), and the rebound of the economy,  Congress has been slow to contain any industrial consolidations that might appear to be monopolies.
      The November election of 2016 has diverted attention from recent trends in the nation's finances.  Congress has committed to changing many of former President Obama's policies, namely, the Affordable Healthcare Act(ObamaCare).   That task has stalled as Republican members of the Senate evaluate their positions and gauge success in midterm elections next year.   While at recess right now,  the Senate will get back to work next week, facing a bruising battle among fence sitters and opponents of the weak plan to replace ObamaCare.  
    Good luck, Mitch McConnell.
      Will Google end up paying?  Good question, as yet unanswered.   Nobody likes to throw money away, especially to a government body not your own.  Will the EU's position wake up resentments among US corporations?  Yes, and no.   Many American businesses would agree that Google is too powerful and has not been dealt with appropriately by regulators.   Time will tell if this current action by the EU is just the beginning or a one off.