European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 3, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse What today s election could bring president Bush promises to spell out his Domestic Agenda after the vote but before Congress reconvenes in january. President Bush would push his Home front Agenda by Terence Hunt a White House correspondent volume one of George Bush s presidency told the tale of overseas adventures and foreign policy triumphs. The second volume if there is one promises to be the Saga of George Bush discovering America. The same Energy that won the cold War and the Gulf War and brought Arab and jew to the peace table now will be unleashed on the sickly Economy High unemployment and other problems at Home or i it a k a James a Baker i1, would be at Bush s Side. His top economic advisers would be tossed cud casualties of the recession and the Cabinet would be turned upside Aown t recharge the administration though weary from the Campa in. Toe 68-year-old Bush has not slowed after four years he still gets to the Oftle a 7 a m and puts in 11 or 12 hours a Day after a Campaign year of Deprivate on. He d be sure to make frequent to s ton s oceanfront Home in Kennebunkport Maine. In the opening Days of his first term Bush refused to set out a 100-Day Agenda of priorities he says it la be different this time. He has prepared a list of goals to be completed in a year from health care Reform and deficit reduction to tax cuts and incentives for business. The list includes ideas rejected or ignored by the Democrat controlled Congress a line item veto balanced budget amendment limits on congressional terms and a ban on contributions from political action committees. Some goals Are vague streamlining government and cutting the salaries of the highest paid officials. While the Domestic Agenda would be on the front Burner there s still finished business in foreign policy a Bush s first love a such As the search for weapons in Iraq and nurturing capitalism and democracy in the former soviet Union. No longer worried about the nuclear threat Bush pledges to turn to the challenges at Home the anxiety that Many americans feel about Job Security and their economic . Despite the nation s staggering $-1 trial on debt and an Annua budget def it running at $333 b on a ear Bush Wou j somehow Money Tor a $10 b Bon Job training program a $20 Obion package of tax Breaks and regulatory re. Of for Small bus Ness and he has promised across the Board tax cuts for All americans. The debt would be shrunken by yet unspecified spending cuts and restraints on entitlement programs such As medicare medicaid food Stamps farm subsidies and veterans benefits. Bush says hell spell out a plan to implement his Agenda after the election but before Congress returns to Washington in january. Its a script meant to assure americans that the country would get on the right track after a Long painful recession. Despite Bush s Best efforts to portray himself As open to change Many believe that a second Bush administration would look much like the first. For one thing he d immediately be a lame Duck facing a hostile Congress angry about four More years of Republican Rule of the White House. Quot i expect there would be much More acrimony much More gridlock with Congress Quot Vanderbilt University political scientist Earl Hargrove said. Quot he would just not pay attention to Domestic policy after 35 unsuccessful attempts to override his vetoes democrats finally found strength this month to whip Bush on a Cable television Bill and they d be eager to try again. The president says he would break the gridlock by summoning a newly elected members a Congress to a meeting at which they would join forces in continued on Page 16 president Clinton would push to reshape Economy by John King a political writer at Clinton Campaign Headquarters in Little Rock ark., there s talk already of ripping the sign from the strategy room and hanging it in a Clinton White House Quot the Economy that simple Credo Bill Clinton s Compass toward election would guide the Democrat in the Early Days of a presidency that would launch a revolution in Washington much like president Reagan did 12 years ago. The changing of the guard under Clinton would be generational ideological and stylistic. At 46, he would be the youngest president since John Kennedy the first baby Boomer in the White House. His lawyer wife Hillary would no doubt be a ground breaking first lady. And their 12-year-old daughter Chelsea would be the first adolescent in the White House since Amy Carter. After 12 years As Arkansas governor Clinton views government As an Extension of politics and vice versa. No one in a Clinton White House would More keenly study the politics of policy than the president himself. Clinton has his own priorities but look for him to seek consensus with democratic legislators and interest groups. All this under relentless pressure to keep his pledge to rein in the deficit and set the democratic party on an activist but moderate course. Quot there is just simply not enough Money to make everybody Happy Quot said Clinton issues adviser Bruce Reed. Quot i suspect a not would be a frequently used Clinton would set four or five immediate goals jobs Short term economic stimulus a Long term economic package health care and education. A these Are the things we have run on and these Are the things we would want to address right out of the Box Quot said Clinton Campaign director and confidant Bruce Lindsey. Clinton is Likely to find an eager ally in Congress where majority democrats last saw a Democrat in the White House in 1980. Clinton May summon Capitol Hill s Power brokers and some of its new faces for a pre inauguration Summit to forge a first year consensus on the Centrepiece themes of his Campaign. Quot the mood up Here is excitement and anticipation Quot said David Dreyer a top aide to House majority Leader Richard Gephardt. Quot they know that their performance is going to be judged by How Well and How quickly they establish an Agenda. And people Here Are gnawing a Bill Clinton administration would to younger More activist and More racially mixed. At the bit to get keenly aware that world leaders will have questions about Clinton and that financial markets will be wary of a democratic president Clinton a first appointments would be the secretaries of state and Treasury along with other economic advisers. Quot he knows he needs to Send reassuring signals to the economic Community and world leaders Quot said a senior adviser who has discussed transition planning with Clinton. To put an Early activist imprint on his administration Clinton would quickly rescind Bush s gag Rule on offering abortion advice at federally funded clinics sign family leave Cable to regulation and other legislation Bush killed with vetoes and seek a Campaign Reform measure covering congressional races and lobbying. Surrounding Clinton in his White House will be a relatively Young staff and a Cabinet that will Quot look like America Quot in its racial and ethnic composition and take an activist approach to government. A Clinton legislative package for the continued on Page 16 president Perot would push loudly for Quick reforms by James Rowley the associated press if the voters turn to Ross Perot he promises to use the presidency As a Quot bully pulpit Quot to provoke fundamental changes in government. Campaigning As a can do businessman who knows How to get things done Perot describes a presidency that would be confrontational with Congress to Force the Washington political establishment to adopt his programs. Quot in order to Lead you first have to use the White House As a bully pulpit and Lead. Then you have to develop consensus or you can t get anything done Quot says Perot who acknowledges his election would be unusual As Well As historical. Quot everybody will faint in Washington they be never seen anything happen in that but instead of bringing about change Perot could Fly into a Brick Wall of resistance because he does t understand How the levers of Power in Washington Are manipulated. The Texas billionaire envisions running a Ross Perot presidency would be marked by school Reform crime legislation and painful deficit cutting proposals. The Federal government the Way a chief executive officer operates a successful business. Whether this Model of business world to the political Arena is open to question. Perot has not Quot rubbed up against the complexities of the Federal government to see Quot How hard it is to get things done Quot says John White a former supporter who helped Perot devise his deficit reduction plan. Nevertheless Picot says he would Roll up his sleeves Quot the Day after the election Quot to Start working to solve the nation s problems. Task forces would prepare legislation on crime economic development health care and the deficit so Perot could Quot get off to a flying Start in 93 to execute these plans Quot he would push to Cut the staffs of Congress and the White House and eliminate Perks for lawmakers such As indoor gyms Cut rate haircuts and travel on government air planes. Perot s paperback manifesto United we stand outlines his proposals to save $754 billion and balance the budget Over five years. It is a painful Prospect to would Cut discretionary programs 15 percent raise the gasoline tax by 50 cents and make wealthy people pay higher taxes on their income As Well As social Security and medicare benefits. Perot who is paying for his Independent presidential bid out of his own pocket also proposes a $1,000 limit on Campaign donations and stricter limits on lobbying by former government officials to curb the influence of special interests in Washington. He would propose term limits for members of Congress a Ime item veto for the president and the elimination of the electoral College so that chief executives would be chosen by direct continued on Page 16 Page 14 the stars and stripes tuesday november 3, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 15 i
