Not-so-fast track: A *Wall Street Journal-*NBC News poll published today says that Americans are against expanding President Clinton's authority to negotiate trade agreements and submit them to Congress for a simple up or down vote. It's an issue that's moving onto the public stage in a big way. Pat Buchanan, a leader of building higher, more impenetrable trade walls, is trying to convince House Speaker Newt Gingrich to sponsor a debate with fellow former GOP presidential hopeful Steve Forbes, a free-trader.
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Bottom line is OK: Microsoft said in a quarterly financial report to federal regulators that it expects no adverse effect on its finances from legal challenges it faces. Microsoft noted under "contingencies" that it faces a lawsuit from Sun Microsystems Inc. filed 7 October and last week's Justice Department charges that it violated a 1995 consent decree.
"Management currently believes that resolving these matters will not have a material adverse impact on the company's financial position, or its results of operations," the company said in the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Microsoft's confidence stems from its conviction that it's in the right in the legal fights.
"Microsoft does not believe it has violated the consent decree, and intends to vigorously contest this lawsuit [from Sun]," the company said.
