Boren's Conversion

IT MIGHT be hard to imagine Sen. David Boren doing a pirouette, but he has indeed made a 180-degree turn on President Clinton's tax-and-spend economic program.

Back in February Boren passionately defended the plan and said he was willing to "fall out" with his constituents over it if need be. His only reservation was that the "economic stimulus" spending proposal should not be presented first.

Later the Seminole Democrat told the New York Times: "I support the package unreservedly ... even if I can't get anything changed, I'm going to support it. " Boren is, if anything, a shrewd politician who keeps his ear close to the ground in his home state. In this instance he had no problem hearing the loud complaints from Oklahomans about Clinton's call for a huge tax increase. They were especially vocal about the proposed Btu tax on energy based on its heat content.

By April, Boren's enthusiasm had waned considerably. He blistered the White House for "constant backtracking" on spending cuts and said he was concerned Clinton would betray voters by simply raising taxes and not cutting the deficit enough.

Last week Boren's conversion became complete. Vowing he would try to kill the energy tax, he launched a frontal assault on Clinton's deficit-reduction package by offering an alternative plan. Developed by a bipartisan group, it calls for twice as many spending cuts as tax increases and would cut the deficit by $542 billion over five years.

As a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, Boren is a key player in the current debate. Democrats hold a slim 11-9 majority on the committee. With Republicans united against Clinton's tax increases, only one Democrat defection is needed to block them.

There's some confusion about how solid a stand Boren is taking on the Btu tax. In a Sunday TV talk show duel, Finance Committee Chairman Daniel P. Moynihan, D-N.Y., said Boren had pledged he wouldn't vote to kill the president's program, but Boren said he would have to vote "no." The senator did leave himself an out with the Clinton administration, saying he could support an increase in the gasoline tax. That position puts him in step with Gov. David Walters, a longtime advocate of higher gasoline taxes.

Boren ought to stay hitched on his demand for more spending cuts and broaden his opposition to tax increases of any kind. BIOG: NAME:

Archive ID: 540717