NATION
PLEASE, DO SOMETHING
Facing growing and angry pressure from furloughed federal workers, shut-out national park tourists, idled federal contractors and frustrated citizens, President Clinton and top congressional leaders met at week's end to try yet again to bridge the balanced-budget impasse. The debacle has shut down huge portions of the Federal Government for an unprecedented two weeks. Both sides expressed optimism that a compromise could be worked out, but negotiations dragged on into the New Year's weekend.
IF NOT BUDGET, THEN DEBT
House Ways and Means chairman Bill Archer sent off a stern letter to Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin warning him of a "constitutional and legal crisis" between the branches if Rubin continues to jigger the federal books without congressional approval. So far, the Treasury Secretary has foiled the G.O.P., which has refused to raise the federal debt limit until it gets a budget deal, by making a series of deft accounting moves that have kept the debt just under the authorized ceiling of $4.9 trillion.
A DEFENSE VETO
President Clinton vetoed a $265 billion defense authorization bill that would have mandated policies he opposes. Among them: the deployment of a Star Wars-like anti-missile system, a ban on most abortions at overseas military hospitals and the discharge of service personnel who test hiv positive. But the military will continue to operate because the $243 billion defense appropriations bill that funds the Defense Department has already been signed by the President.
TRYING TO SHUT THE DOORS
With immigration looming as a major 1996 campaign issue, the Clinton Administration revealed that as a result of increased enforcement, the U.S. deported a record number of illegal aliens in 1995: 51,600, a 15% rise over 1994. The figure still seems minuscule, however, compared with the estimated influx of 300,000 illegals yearly.
NO TIME TO PARTY
An attempt by eight influential politicians to form an alternative centrist agenda to the standard Democratic and G.O.P. fare has fizzled. One faction of the group, led by former Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas, produced a fiscally conservative, socially liberal manifesto but recoiled at the idea of backing an independent candidate. Retiring New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley declined to endorse the program, and former Connecticut Governor Lowell Weicker rebelled at the idea of abandoning a third party. Some think Weicker may now try to hook up with Ross Perot's new party. But the chemistry between the two men is bad, and the most likely outcome is a second run by Perot.
HARRIMANS MAKE UP
U.S. ambassador to France Pamela Harriman has settled a lawsuit brought against her by the heirs of her late husband W. Averell Harriman, former Governor of New York. The heirs had accused Harriman of squandering $30 million of the estate. Terms were not disclosed, but as part of the deal, Harriman will join in the heirs' claims against former advisers Clark Clifford and Paul Warnke.
WORLD
WET BEACHHEAD IN BOSNIA