A Lame Game for Democrats
The other day, Virginia Seri. Chftck Robb, pressed by his challengers during a TV debate to explain what he would do about the federal deficit, blurted out these epic words, "I would take food from the mouths of widows and orphans, if necessary, to begin to solve the, problem of the deficit.Û</br></br>One of RobbÛªs former rivals, former Democratic Gov. Douglas Wilder, termed it "a stupid line,Û Robb's main Republican challenger, Oliver North, responded by organizing ÛÏWidows and Orphans for North."</br></br>If RobbÛªs gaffe reflected one harried candidate momentarily losing His judgment under pressure, it would be bad enough. But in fact, his haploss statement is just the logical conclusion of Democrats trying to play' a, Republican gameÛÓliterally proposing to starve widows and orphans in order to demonstrate fiscal rectitude to satisfy bond traders.</br></br>Unfortunately, a more subtle version of this myopia afflicts not just Robb, but much of the Democratic Party. In Congress dozens of Democrats have embraced budget-balajice fever, to the exclusion of themes that have traditionally rallied voters:</br></br>At the White House, Alice Rivlin, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, is pushing President Clinton to press for deeper budget cuts. The White House staff is also divided on whether to revive the idea of a middle class tax cut, a proposal said to have the sympathy of chief of staff Leon Panetta.