The Telegraph
Gramm's first priority is to balance the budget
By REBECCA BURKE, Telegraph Staff, 01/04/96

	DERRY: As the partial shutdown of the federal government dragged on 
another day, U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, told residents of Londonderry and Derry that his first priority as president would be to balance the federal budget.
  "We have a president who wants to keep spending money", said 
Gramm, adding that the "trend of deficit spending ... imperils our 
children and imperils our country."
  The 19-day government shutdown is a result of battle between President 
Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress over balancing the federal budget.
  Despite the heavy snow falling Wednesday morning, 12 people came to hear 
Gramm at a breakfast sponsored by the Londonderry-Derry Chamber of Commerce held at the Promises to Keep Function Facility.
  During the approximately 40 minutes Gramm spent in Derry, he stressed 
the need to downsize the power -- and the spending -- of the federal government.
  "The president is saying 'don't let working families keep more of 
what they earn. Let me spend it in Washington.' ... So help me 
God, as president, I am going to stop that from happening", Gramm said.
  One way Gramm proposed to achieve his goal of "less government 
and more freedom" would be to disband the federal government's role in 
the public school system.
  Gramm, who was an economics professor at Texas A&M University in the 
1970s, said the power over education belongs in the hands of local government and citizens.
  There's only one group of people I trust with education", 
Gramm said.
 "It's parents."
  After repeating his trademark promise not to run for re-election if he 
failed to balance the budget in four years, Gramm turned his attention to the competition.
  "We need someone who knows how to do tough things. I know how to do tough 
things", Gramm said, adding that his clear goals would aid him in an 
election.
  Ann Ernest of Londonderry brought her two sons Evan, 9, and Zack, 11, to 
hear what Gramm had to say.
  Ernest said she was especially interested in what Gramm said about 
education.
  I think it's a great first step", said Ernest, who 
home-schools her two sons.
  Wayland Elwood of Londonderry said he was impressed Gramm put such 
emphasis on balancing the federal budget, but that he was still undecided 
about who he'd like to see as the next president.
  "Could I vote for (Gramm), yes. Would I, I don't know, Elwood 
said.
  Elaine St. Jean, executive director of the Londonderry Chamber of 
Commerce, said the turnout was low because of the storm, but that the morning went pretty well. 
  St. Jean said the chamber plans to host a similar event with Sen. Bob 
Dole on Monday, and with Steve Forbes on Jan. 30. For more information on the events, call the chamber at 434-7438.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Telegraph			The daily newspaper of Nashua and
P.O. Box 1008			southern New Hampshire since 1869
Nashua, NH 03061		voice: (603) 882-2741   fax: (603) 882-2681