If that's true,

Post #17,204 by addison 11/7/01 4:50:28 PM Reply	If that's true, And I'm not aware of that, that is a difference, you're possibly right. I don't know if they could seperate the case, but in the past, it wasn't seperated. So if the DoJ does, you're right, that's a change (though we don't know what Gore's boys would have done, given the OTHER changes (And it was essentally an either/or, with Bush or Gore)), but I think its safe to blame Bush with some certainty, given that. Addison
Post #17,248 by Simon_Jester 11/7/01 7:58:00 PM 11/7/01 7:58:59 PM Reply	But we do know... So if the DoJ does, you're right, that's a change (though we don't know what Gore's boys would have done, given the OTHER changes (And it was essentally an either/or, with Bush or Gore)), but I think its safe to blame Bush with some certainty, given that. that Clinton didn't. Furthermore, you're forgetting that Bush selects his cabinet. John Ashcroft was personally selected by Bush...if fact they had to fight to get him in. John Ashcroft has receive cash money from Microsoft. Attorney General John Ashcroft and Microsoft founder Bill Gates hailed the settlement, saying it would help the sagging economy. "This settlement is the right result for consumers and businesses, the right result for government and the right result for the economy," said Ashcroft, adding that the new restrictions would help independent software makers be competitive with Microsoft. [...] A judge originally agreed to do that, but the breakup was reversed by a federal appeals court this summer. The Bush administration took the breakup off the table before starting negotiations this fall. President Bush has long urged a settlement in the case but the White House remained on the sidelines during the final days of negotiations led by Justice Department antitrust chief Charles James. [link\|http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/industry/11/02/microsoft.agreement.ap/index.html\| source ] Compare this to Janet Reno's comments on the J. Jackson's ruling. ATTY GEN. RENO: Good afternoon. As you know, the court has just announced its remedy in the Microsoft case. I'm pleased that the court has ordered a strong, effective remedy to address the serious antitrust violations that Microsoft has committed. The court's remedy strikes the right balance. The structural remedy will stimulate competition that will have a lasting impact on this important industry, and the interim conduct relief will ensure that Microsoft cannot break the law while the structural provisions are taking effect. [...] The remedy the court ordered -- breaking Microsoft into an operating systems company and an applications company -- is fair, and it's measured. Indeed, it directly flows from the extensive findings and legal conclusions that the courts had previously entered. That's what the law requires, and that's what Judge Jackson did. [link\|http://www.usdoj.gov/archive/ag/speeches/2000/060700microsoftcom.htm\| source ] BTW: You're right, we don't know what Gore might have done. But it ISN'T the point. We KNOW what Bush is doing. Edited by Simon_Jester Nov. 7, 2001, 07:58:59 PM EST Expand All History
Post #17,338 by Another Scott 11/8/01 12:56:44 PM Reply	More quotes. Ashcroft and James made me cringe when I heard them at the press conference announcing the settlement. [link\|http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/press_releases/2001/9463.htm\|Here] at the US DOJ. "This settlement will promote innovation, give consumers more choices, and provide the computer industry as a whole with more certainty in the marketplace," said Charles A. James, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division. "The goals of the government were to obtain relief that stops Microsoft from engaging in unlawful conduct, prevent any recurrence of that conduct in the future, and restore competition in the software market\ufffdwe have achieved those goals." Innovation made me cringe. [link\|http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/speeches/2001/1102newsconference.htm\|Here] is a transcript of the announcement. Maybe it's an attempt to turn MS's language against it, but it still raised red flags with me. I doubt that Ashcroft had much to do with the agreement. I expect he was pretty far removed from it - he's tied up with other things now. But the language seems consistent with Ashcroft's views, as experessed in [link\|http://www.stauffercom.com/letter3.html\|this] 1998 letter. Cheers, Scott.

Welcome to IWETHEY!