Week in Review: 30 Apr 98: Twelve states are set to sue Microsoft for anti-competitive practices. The release of Windows 98 may be delayed due to the strong-arm tactics by the states' Attorneys-General. The states are refusing to say exactly what their suits would charge. Punishing the success of Microsoft hardly makes sense and may just be an attempt to delve into the deep pockets of a great American corporation. If the suit is an effort to cut Microsoft down a peg or two it is unnecessary. The computer industry is so fast moving that merely because a company seems to be on top of the heap one day does not mean that they will be there the next day. IBM - Big Blue - was once the dominant force in the computer industry - yet now they are only one of the pack of computer manufacturers. Whatever Microsoft might hypothetically do to stifle competition will soon be circumvented by the inventiveness and entrepreneurial skills of the next up-and-comer.
The Senate and House of Representatives have passed a bill that ties abortion restrictions to payment of the $926 million in back dues owed to the United Nations. The Congressional plan would prevent money sent to the UN from being used by organizations that promote abortion. President Clinton has said that he would veto the measure. Trent Lott - the Senate Majority Leader - has stated that a veto would be a "big mistake". He said that Clinton would not get another chance to get money for the UN approved this year. Congress is undoubtedly correct in restricting UN use of American dollars. The United Nations should not be in the business of promoting a policy that destroys millions of unborn humans every year.
Yvonne DesJardins, chief of IRS employee and labor relations at a Senate Finance Committee hearing said agents are getting away with massive thefts of government property. She went further to say that whistle-blowers are often destroyed and ostracized while corrupt agents are given promotions and have their paths to retirement smoothed by the bureaucracy. Treasury Department Deputy Inspector General Harry Patsalides sited cases where IRS agents were kept on the payroll after being implicated in wrongdoing. Some were kept on even after having been found mounting vendettas against individual taxpayers.
Jean Chretien the Prime Minister of Canada has embarked upon a diplomatic visit to Castro's Cuba. Canada is making an effort to conduct what they call "constructive engagement". They feel that envolvement rather than isolation will do more to end dictatorship, civil rights abuses and intolerance in Cuba.
Hillary Clinton was questioned for 5 and a half hours by Whitewater prosecutors. The testimony was video taped and will be presented to the Whitewater grand jury. The questions generally focused on Hillary's legal work in the mid-80's for Madison Guaranty which was owned by her business partners in the Whitewater land development company. It has been proposed by some that it will take a higher standard of evidence to convict the first lady of any crimes. Why should it? Because she is married to the President of the United States does not entitle her to any special legal considerations. Perhaps being in the spotlight even makes it incumbent upon her and us to hold her behavior to a higher standard.
