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- <text id=91TT0371>
- <title>
- Feb. 18, 1991: Democratic Homework
- </title>
- <history>
- TIME--The Weekly Newsmagazine--1991
- Feb. 18, 1991 The War Comes Home
- </history>
- <article>
- <source>Time Magazine</source>
- <hdr>
- GRAPEVINE, Page 13
- Democratic Homework
- </hdr><body>
- <p>By David Ellis/Reported by Sidney Urquhart
- </p>
- <p> Washington may be focusing on the war, but Democrats are
- planning a campaign on social issues. Their prospects:
- </p>
- <p> Civil Rights. Calling it a "quota bill," Bush vetoed last
- year's legislation, a broad anti-discrimination act. This year
- the Democrats plan to avoid racial overtones by recasting the
- measure to focus on the rights of working women. Debate will
- be fierce, but passage is near certain.
- </p>
- <p> Family Leave. Another veto victim in '90. Bush supports the
- concept of unpaid leave for employees but feels the government
- should not compel businesses to provide it. Passage, which is
- likely, may force the President's hand again.
- </p>
- <p> Taxes. The G.O.P. wants a cut in capital-gains taxes but
- won't fight very hard for it. Democrats aim to counterattack
- by proposing a cut in Social Security payroll taxes for the
- middle class. Passage is probable, with some Republican
- support.
- </p>
- <p> Medicare. The Democrats agree privately with Bush's plan to
- make affluent retirees pay higher premiums for Medicare
- coverage. But the Dems will hesitate because any such "means
- testing" could turn Medicare into a "welfare-type" program that
- would lose support among the middle and upper classes. Chance
- of passage: slight.
- </p>
- <p> Education. The Democrats would love to upstage the
- "education President." They dream of everything from an
- overhaul of the student-loan system to an upgrading of teacher
- training. But since there's no money, there's no chance for
- major legislation.
- </p>
-
- </body></article>
- </text>
-
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