CLEMENT GIVES LAROUCHE APPROACH IN SENATE RACE

Offering himself as a "LaRouche Democrat," Nicholas Clement is one of 14 Democrats seeking the nomination for U.S. Senator and the right to challenge Republican Sen. Kit Bond in November.

"I have been able to see that there is a Democratic Party out there," said Clement. "The good news is there is a Democratic Party with honest people trying to represent the interests of labor, farmers and minorities."

The problem he sees, said Clement, is that instead of the grassroots pushing up to influence the elected leaders, the elected leaders are influencing the grassroots.

Espousing the LaRouche views, Clement, who attended Southeast Missouri State University for one year, places a heavy emphasis on the economy as the key to solving all pressing problems of the nation. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Clement is calling for a major emphasis on infrastructure development, including the so-called high speed "bullet trains."

"When you build up infrastructure or build infrastructure that wasn't there, you increase productivity," said Clement.

He is also calling for increased development of fusion power, construction of major water projects, and following policies to get technology into production.

This effort would increase jobs and stimulate the economy to help pay for the costs of the projects.

"My opponents have no plan for economic development and have a very limited scale and no way to fund improvements," said Clement.

He is also calling for a reorganization in the way the Federal Reserve operates by putting a national bank under the treasury department. Clement said the bank could make low interest loans available to farmers and businesses.

The key is to have low interest rates and target the credit to physical projects that can be used as collateral and help stimulate the economy once completed, he explained.

Clement also opposes free trade agreements. "Every country has a right to protect its internal market," he declared.

He is particularly opposed to the proposed trade agreement with Mexico, which he said puts the United States at a distinct disadvantage. "How can you compete against slave wages?" he asked.

Clement contends the United States is in a full-blown depression and that many banks are on the verge of collapse and are being artificially supported.

In 1990, Clement challenged House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt in the primary, and is vigorously opposed to free trade agreements sponsored by the congressman. He refers to Gephardt as "a Bush Democrat."

Clement, 38, who lives in St. Louis, said he believes the Senate race is "wide open. There is no frontrunner."

He added, "there is nothing significant about me, except the LaRouche program I represent. People better hope I get elected, or they will soon be unemployed."