Free Republic

More than 70 percent of U.S.-bound narcotics shipments pass through Mexico, yet the U.S. government continues to grant that country special status as a nation in compliance with anti-narcotics trafficking standards and gives it millions of dollars in aid, according to a 2004 congressional report. More than 28 nations have received certification from the U.S. government since 1986, when Congress passed a resolution requiring drug-producing or drug-transient countries to comply with anti-drug laws before qualifying for U.S. financial assistance. In 2002, Congress enacted the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, which gave the president authority to designate countries that have failed to...

Corporate tax collections in Montana are up 50 percent in the most recent year, but evidently that’s not enough for State Senator Jim Elliott. He wants more revenue and he wants to find it by examining the tax return of every company filing in Montana.1 Senator Elliott has filed a lawsuit to force the Montana Department of Revenue to disclose corporate tax returns for those corporations with over $1 million in Montana sales. Apparently he does not trust the Montana Department of Revenue to do its job, because he wants to use this information to determine whether corporations are evading...

New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) has long been rumored as desperately seeking the democratic nomination for president in 2008. And while many political observers fully expect the power hungry former First Lady to hit the campaign trail within only a few months of being re-elected as a US Senator in 2006, US News & World report claims to have a confirmation of sorts. From USNews.Com's Washington Whispers: Hillary's in… You don't have to take it from us about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton 's desire to run for president. Her brothers, Hugh and Tony Rodham, say it's true. Friends...

Reno on now. An on-going investigation.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans lining up to claim unemployment benefits surged unexpectedly last week and factory orders tumbled in April, reports on Thursday showed, indicating the economic recovery is shaky. But consumers provided a bright spot, with May retail sales doing better than forecast as shoppers snapped up clothing and hunted for bargains. "The pick up in the economy is still a forecast," said Paul Kasriel, chief economist at Northern Trust. "The economy here and now is still very weak." Blue-chip stocks fell slightly after the reports but finished the day higher. The Dow-Jones industrial average ended...

<p>Tom Wood, co-author of California's landmark measure barring race and gender preferences in government hiring and contracting, plans to oppose a new ballot measure by Sacramento activist Ward Connerly that would prevent California government agencies from collecting racial data.</p> <p>Wood, once Connerly's ally in winning voter approval of Proposition 209, says he'll go toe-to-toe with his former colleague this weekend as the state Republican Party contemplates supporting what Connerly calls the next logical step toward reducing "the influence of race and color in American society."</p>

<p>MIAMI (AP) --  Janet Reno was expected to offer a concession speech Tuesday as it became more doubtful that she would overcome a narrow deficit against Democratic gubernatorial rival Bill McBride.</p> <p>Reno campaign officials said the former U.S. attorney general would talk to reporters after the Broward and Miami-Dade canvassing boards met during the afternoon to finalize results of last week's election. Results of the Democratic gubernatorial primary were expected to be officially certified on Wednesday.</p>