31.   It is a rule, similar in spirit to the spending caps that conservatives love to impose, whose purpose is to protect politicians from temptation.

32.   It would lower the spending caps for supervisorial candidates who, starting next year, will be running for office by district, rather than citywide.

33.   Later, the two campaigns agreed to a spending cap in August but each has since accused the other of violating it.

34.   Limits would be doubled for candidates who agree to spending caps.

35.   M,to cut costs of future political campaigns by imposing a voluntary spending cap.

36.   Medicaid, the program of health insurance for the poor, would survive at lower levels and with a spending cap that adjusts for inflation and enrollment.

37.   McCain has promised Senate hearings on the matter next year and is proposing that Congress impose a spending cap.

38.   Moreover, government forecasters must assume that the spending caps will remain in law.

39.   Now, the spending cap is quickly becoming a general election issue.

40.   Officials say both houses of the Legislature are still willing to approve it, though that would break the spending cap.