Free Republic

The European foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said that the latest talks between Iran and six world powers have been constructive and that the two sides will meet again in Baghdad on May 23. Ashton said future talks will be guided by the "principle of a step-by-step approach and reciprocity." Ashton’s statement indicates that the international community may be ready to reward Iran if it alleviates concerns that it intends to militarize its nuclear program. The rewards could include delaying or easing sanctions on the Iranian regime. Before the meeting began, diplomats said that even if Iran expressed a general...

Outside of the Legislature itself, no government body has done more to damage the Golden State than the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. Its successful push in 1999 to change state law to allow public employees to receive huge retroactive increases in their pensions was sold with the absurd argument that such a gift of public funds could be provided at little or no long-term cost. This argument was based on the irresponsible premise that the stock market bubble of the late 1990s would continue indefinitely. Eleven years later, cities, counties and other government agencies up and down the state...

Last week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's team of senior environmental advisors ended a trip to Europe with executives from Chevron, PG&E and other corporations. The trip was designed to study Europe's efforts to curb global warming, but it also spotlighted how the Schwarzenegger administration sometimes deals with the companies it regulates. It's called "constructive engagement" - treating corporations under regulatory control as partners rather than enemies to be beaten into submission. The agency that regulates California workplaces, Cal-OSHA, often relies on cooperative agreements with company owners rather than threats of huge fines to improve conditions. CalPERS also has attempted to use...

A United Nations report that says elections in Iraq can take place late this year or early in 2005 if preparations begin now is helpful, the Coalition Provisional Authority administrator said Feb. 23. In a statement issued from his Baghdad, Iraq, headquarters, Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III called the report "a constructive contribution to our mutual goal of transferring to the Iraqi people a sovereign, democratic Iraq." Bremer said the coalition shares the U.N. view that direct elections as soon as possible are important and U.N. concerns about the feasibility of elections before sovereignty transfers from the CPA to the...

"Heard It On Rush Limbaugh" (To be sung to the Marshall-Tucker Band's "Heard It In A Love Song") (Mudboy on Irish fife) I ain't never been with a talkshow long enough... Fer my views to take hold. MUD's been'a DittoHead so long, now, the Truth shall be told. We ain't bashin' Dubyuh down...Bush must do what's Right!! And it's damned high time us FReepers show a li'l spine!! Heard it on Rush Lim-im-baugh... Heard it on Rush Lim-im-baugh... Heard it on Rush Lim-im-baugh... Can't be wrong... I'm the kinda man...likes to have his say... Like to start FReepin' 'gainst DemLib'rals...