European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 22, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a the stars and stripes wednesday april 22, 1992 Foley predicts push for balanced budget by the los Angeles times Spokane Wash. A House speaker Thomas s. Foley d-Wash., predicted monday that Congress would pass a constitutional amendment this year that would require the Federal government to produce a balanced budget. Although Foley is personally Cool to the idea and warned of potentially dire consequences in terms of tax increases and program cuts aides said his prediction on a visit to constituents in Spokane was based on Strong and increasing support among Many Liberal democrats As Well As conservatives. Sen. Paul Simon d-iii., the Senate a leading sponsor of the amendment designed to wipe out the nations $400 billion deficit confirmed in a Telephone interview that support was building rapidly. Simon chairman of the Senate judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution said sen. Majority Leader George j. Mitchell a Maine had promised a Senate vote on the amendment by june 1. A Simon aide said the strategy was to a have the Senate vote first and then the  a i think we have a real Chance of pass ing it a Simon said citing lawmakers election year sensitivity to Public cynicism Over Congress inability to balance either the Federal budget or because of the House Bank scandal their own Check books. While acknowledging that obtaining the required ratification by three fourths of the states could take As Long As five years Simon said Quot we would really have time to plan and to go at it reducing the deficit in a very systematic  in 1986, the Senate fell Only one vote Short of mustering the two thirds majority needed to adopt a constitutional amendment in 1990, the House was Only seven votes shy. Speaking to a business group Foley warned that a balanced budget amendment might require either big tax increases or drastic cuts in Federal spending to bring the $400 billion deficit Down to Zero in three or four years. He said it would be a a cold Baths for the Economy and place Quot enormous new burdens on state governments. Quot i am not sure it is going to be beneficial a Foley told a breakfast meeting of leadership Spokane the business group. Democratic presidential hopeful Jerry Brown leads a local group through a run Down Philadelphia neighbourhood. On Home ground Clinton lets Loose with frustrations by pall Richter the los Angeles times Little Rock Ark. A in a sign of lingering bitterness that could interfere with his Campaign strategy gov. Bill Clinton on monday lashed out before a Hometown audience at the press and political enemies he believes have unfairly attacked his record and character. The front runner for the democratic presidential nomination referred to charges that As governor he helped his friends. Quot people who Don t understand a Kansas How it works. Have often criticized me because 1 get along with people a he told about meanwhile in Pennsylvania Clinton a rival for the nomination emphasized support for National health insurance and for cleaning up drug blighted cities. Former California gov. Edmund g. Quot Jerry Brownjr. Vowed that National health insurance would be his Quot number one priority if he is elected. Brown advocates a a single payer health care system in which doctors hospitals and insurance companies would be paid through the government or a non profit Agency. At the Little Rock fund Raiser Clinton said that during the Campaign a i have proved one thing a in a not very Slick. I often say something 1  when he does so he said the news Media skew their coverage to be a just a Little bit off Kilter so that that characterization that they love to make of me can be reinforced one More  since january Clinton has had to defend himself against allegations about his character a including that he had extramarital affairs and that he tried to finagle his Vietnam Era draft status. Recent polls have found a substantial Block of voters who say he is not honest enough to be president. Campaign aides have insisted recently that Clinton will put the character questions behind him by changing the focus of the debate. They have said that he will concentrate on policy questions a As he did last week in a major economic address in Pennsylvania but mondays remarks a and a similar episode Over the weekend a suggest that Clinton Sanger May make it difficult for him to move on. Last saturday during two interviews with Pittsburgh television stations Clinton lashed out at the press for mistreating him. A we live in a climate where the object of every election is to Chew up All the candidates a he said. Quot its part of the press climate we live  asked about Clinton a comments monday Dee Dee Myers Clinton a press Secretary said that the speech was the equivalent of a sitting around the dinner table at Home where you really get a Chance to defend yourself to other family members. Clinton suggested he was being held to an unfair Perot to Standard. A you know everybody wants it both ways a they want to attack you for not spending More and they want to attack you when you wont run a deficit a he said. A they want to attack you if you raise taxes for investing in education and they want to attack you if you underspend in education a Brown appearing before a group of teamsters predicted that if billionaire h. Ross Perot decided to run As an Independent candidate for president it would put George Bush Back in the White House. Perot has said hell run if volunteers put his name on the ballot in All 50 states. All Perot will do Brown said is split the anti Bush vote. A a you a almost think that Bush invented it a he said. Quot. You can pick Between two people Divide the votes and Bush wins with 45 percent of the  Bush Clinton cording to the first official record of his Campaign finances that was filed monday with the Federal elections commission. That is eight times the amount of their own Money that presidential candidates Are normally allowed to use. But since Perot is not accepting Federal Campaign funds he is not covered by the $50,000 personal contribution limit that applies to candidates who do accept Federal funds. Perot whose Fortune is estimated at $2.5 billion to $3.5 billion has said he is prepared to spend $100 million or More if he decides to run. The democratic and Republican nominees in the general election will be limited to slightly More than $30 million each All of it Public Money. What Perot submitted monday was the monthly accounting of his Campaign receipts and expenses for March the first month for which he has filed. The documents showed that he raised $457,633.42 last month and spent $394,803.11. Poll says texans prefer from wire reports Dallas a Texas billionaire h. Ross Perot would narrowly beat president Bush and far outpace Democrat Bill Clinton in Texas if the presidential election were held today according to a poll released monday. T he Texas poll of 674 registered voters in Bush a adopted Home state showed 35 percent for Perot 30 percent for Bush and 20 percent for Clin Perot ton the democratic front runner. Fifteen percent were undecided. The poll surveyed 1,006 adult texans by Telephone april 9-18. Results were based on the 674 who were registered voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage Points Perot has said he would launch an Independent White House bid if volunteers get him on the ballot in All 50 states. �?o1 know that Ross Perot is very flattered by the numbers especially coming from his Home state a said Sharon Holman a spokeswoman for the Perot petition committee. A so it is encouraging but he does no to take polls very  but Bush a Texas Campaign chairman called the poll  a that tells me that the presidents message needs to be carefully worked on a said state Campaign chairman Jim Oberwetter. But Bush Campaign spokeswoman Torie Clarke in Washington dismissed the poll As a not real relevant but added Quot will this be a topic of discussion  Paul Coggins Clinton a Texas finance director said he was surprised by Perot a strength in Texas. �?o1 would say it is fairly Early in the game a Coggins said. A Perot is the Only one who Hasni to been subjected to any kind of  of those who identified themselves As Liberal 38 percent said they would support Perot. He Drew support from 36 percent of those saying they were conservative and 35 percent of those identified As moderate. Without Perot Bush would win Texas with 48 percent to 32 percent for Clinton the Arkansas governor. Among the Bush supporters 27 percent said they would vote for Perot if he were on the ballot. Among Clinton supporters 32 percent would defect to Perot if he were on the ballot. Perot the billionaire business executive who says he is considering running for president this year As an Independent spent More than $400,000 of his own Money on his Campaign last month a