Clinton Touts Budget Deal to a Skeptical America

WASHINGTON — President Clinton on Saturday hailed the “historic” budget legislation waiting on his desk, but a new poll found that most Americans doubt it will lead to a balanced budget.

“This is an historic achievement, a plan that will strengthen our economy and prepare our people for the challenges of the 21st century,” Clinton said in his weekly radio address to the nation.

“There’s been a lot of cheering here in Washington, but there’s been cheering on Main Street as well,” Clinton said of last week’s approval of the measure by both the House and Senate.

Administration officials plan an elaborate ceremony at the White House on Tuesday to sign the bill aimed at balancing the budget by 2002 and companion legislation that cuts taxes by a net $94 billion over five years.

He said the legislation will benefit millions of Americans and “the dreams and the futures of families” across the nation.

“Our new balanced-budget law gives us a chance to make sure all Americans have the tools to prosper in the hopeful new century ahead,” he said.

In the GOP response, Rep. Kenny C. Hulshof of Missouri also hailed the legislation and told listeners: “This agreement is about Washington changing its ways so that you will not have to change yours.”

“We’ve heard you, America,” Hulshof said. “Washington has stopped shouting at each other long enough to listen to what you had to say.” He called the measures “a major step toward restoring America’s faith in the democratic process and instilling hope for a better tomorrow.”

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The optimism from the White House and Congress, however, was not shared by participants in a nationwide survey for Time magazine and CNN that was released Saturday--with most people skeptical about the eventual outcome.

A total of 62% said they believed that it was “somewhat or very unlikely” that the legislation will produce a balanced budget by 2002, while only 27% said the tax cuts would be “fair” to all Americans.

The poll was conducted on July 30 and 31 and surveyed 814 people by phone. The total sampling error was plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.