Agreed. Fines as a way of funding is almost always bad. If that money was to provide relief to aggrieved customers, that would certainly be different.

Are you concerned the financial motive will drive them to break up too many companies? Because right now I think that’s a great idea

That’s the thing, they may not break up companies, or pursue bad actors to the fullest extent of the law if they depend on fines for funding. It creates perverse incentives… we’ve seen this with eg police departments over relying on fines.

The goal of the agency should first and foremost be the protection of the public, not to extort funding.

Any mistake breaking up companies ruins people’s careers and harms the economy needlessly. A perverse incentive to do so is stupidity.

It may be necessary sometimes, but it should be very carefully considered.

kickback and relax, emphasis on kickback