81.   Republicans on Capitol Hill rushed Wednesday to defend the tax cut as the right medicine for a slumping economy.

82.   Sens. James M. Jefford of Vermont and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island have already said they will oppose the tax cut as too large.

83.   Some members of both parties have been willing to support benefit cuts as part of a broader package of changes.

84.   Some members of both parties have been willing to support benefit cuts as part of a package of changes.

85.   Some welfare workers and agencies have criticized the cuts as too restrictive.

86.   Some Senate Democrats also see an opportunity to neutralize tax cuts as a political issue.

87.   Southern Baptist leaders denounced the proposed cuts as an effort by out-of-touch Texas Baptist leaders to create their own denomination.

88.   Still, Blinder describes the case for joint rate cuts as borderline.

89.   That would have made it easier for Republicans to craft a large tax cut as the centerpiece of an election year agenda.

90.   The administration has proposed the cut as part of its balanced-budget package, sending stocks of companies providing home oxygen therapy services tumbling.