GEPHARDT SHOULD FOSTER BALANCED BUDGET ISSUE

Richard Gephardt, majority leader of the U.S. House and a Missourian of note, went to Harvard this week. Speaking at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, the St. Louis representative gave the standard lines of his party to the standard issues of his party. He did, however, offer an intriguing forecast, that a constitutional amendment would pass Congress mandating a balanced federal budget. His mention of this fosters hope that Gephardt might be accepting the reality of the nation's current fiscal shape. It might be too hopeful to assume he has joined the American mainstream and embraced the idea himself.

The Gephardt routine seems well-suited for the Kennedy stomping grounds. At Harvard, he bemoaned defense spending, energy policies and, of course, the "nihilistic legacy" of the Ronald Reagan administration. It was the usual fare. The business with the balanced budget amendment was out of the blue; the majority leader said the measure has a chance in Congress because of pressure from voters discontented with the status quo. We're glad he took the hint.

News reports, however, did not indicate that Gephardt addressed this matter with any relish, or that he threw his political influence behind the effort. He merely issued a prognosis. Our suggestion would be for him to pick up the ball and run with it. America wants the budget issue addressed. And, aside from the fact that it's the right thing to do, Gephardt should delight in the opportunity to steward the balanced budget amendment through Congress. George Bush's three years in office garner the president no credentials for fiscal moderation; Gephardt enjoys being a burr under the chief executive's saddle and should delight in stealing this issue. Wouldn't America rejoice in this battle, seeing Congress and the White House squabble over who is going to be fiscally responsible first?

These are not glory days for Richard Gephardt. As second in charge of a legislative body held in disrepute by a growing number of Americans, the majority leader could use some positive image reshaping. Acting in the best interest of Americans would be a good start.

Gephardt was born and bred a Missourian, but so often on Capitol Hill he speaks with a voice few of his home-state citizens recognize. A more accountable management of the federal treasury is not only a nice idea but a necessity ... and the majority leader should know that his congressional constituents and people of the Show Me State want this sane approach to become law. Instead of serving merely as a prophet of what the Congress might do, Gephardt should be leading the fight.

If history is to remember Gephardt kindly, the majority leader should use his powerful post as a means of listening to the people and transforming their desires into his vision. The party line helps you climb, but it doesn't help you lead. What good is the position if you don't govern effectively?