Breathless in D.C. as GOP lawmakers move on all fronts to enact Contract with America. N. Y. Times’ Adam Clymer sees “staggering amount of change” in fact that Congress actually passed legislation in January—House approved on opening day Contract’s first item (congressional reform), and Senate soon followed. Next up for floor debate is Balanced Budget Amendment, which sailed through House Judiciary Committee as Chairman Henry Hyde (R., Ill.) told squawking Democrats, “It’s going to happen, and I suggest you relax and enjoy it.” . . . Welfare reform moving through House Ways and Means Committee after Chairman Bill Archer (R., Tex.) forced opposition witness HHS Secretary Donna Shalala to admit Clinton Administration bill also mentions “orphanages” for welfare kids. There was praise for Contract’s welfare changes from conservative blacks at meeting of Minority Mainstream at National Press Club. Co-founder of new group, freshman Rep. J. C. Watts (R., Okla.), spoke for Contract proposals, but Gwen Daye Richardson, another cofounder, said reforms still aren’t strict enough. . . . Meanwhile, new pro-termlimits group of representatives, “Team 290” (after number of House votes needed for passage), held glitzy press conference led by Rep. Bill McCollum (R., Fla.) and featuring term-limits convert, columnist George Will. . . . GOP budget maestro John Kasich (R., Ohio) preparing to submit appropriations bill calling for over $400 billion in spending cuts and, according to some reports, elimination of four Cabinet-level departments (HUD, Education, Energy, Commerce). . . . House Republicans have upset Defense Secretary William Perry with plans for defense bill in early February which will rule out UN control of U.S. troops in trouble spots and order Pentagon to build nationwide missile defense at “earliest possible date.” . . . Further signs of conservative blitzkrieg: Clinton OMB chief Alice Rivlin is backing Contract’s call for line-item veto, and Senate debate on bill to abolish unfunded federal mandates has led to rediscovery of Tenth Amendment. Even two moderate senators joining the right-wing fun: Nancy Kassehaum (R., Kan.) attacked the Job Corps, and fellow moderate Larry Pressler (R., S.D.) wants to defund Public Broadcasting. . . . Summing up conservative frolic on Capitol Hill is ever-quotable Kate O’Beirne of Heritage Foundation: “There are more Reagan Republicans in Washington now than there were during the Reagan years.”
Headline on N.Y. Times editorial, “Anybody Home?” speaks to disarray in Clinton White House and Democratic Party ranks. In a bizarre press conference, Sen. Bob Kerrey (D., Neb.) announced he had finally given in to demands that he head up Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) but said he wouldn’t get involved with “fundraising operation” and actually criticized the existence of committees like DSCC. . . . No sooner was Sen. Christopher Dodd (D., Conn.) announced as party’s new general chairman than Delaware Democratic Party chairman Gary Hindes cited “severe reservations” about Dodd’s ultraliberalism and added: “Some of us would have preferred someone more centrist and moderate.” . . . Former Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey told Pittsburgh PostGazette he may challenge “far-out liberal” Clinton in primaries to stop party’s “leftward lurch” and counter Administration’s “left-wing ideologues” and “radicals out of the mainstream.” . . . Presidential preview on GOP side: N.Y. conservatives planning kickoff event for Phil Gramm March 27. Co-chairmen: Dusty Rhodes, president of NR; former Treasury Secretary Bill Simon; and investment bigwigs Lew Lehrman (Mario Cuomo’s 1982 opponent) and Joe Fogg.
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