Bush and Gore Receive Poor Grades In Exclusive Economist Poll.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 29, 2000

The presidential candidates have mediocre economic plans according to an exclusive survey in this week's Economist magazine.

The Economist magazine recently polled 91 academic economists who specialize in public policy. 60% of them responded and were asked to grade the presidential candidates' economic plans as if they were student term papers. The economists gave both presidential candidates mediocre scores.

On average, Al Gore scraped by with a B minus while George W. Bush only managed a straight C. While Gore clearly did better, neither achieved a grade worth bragging about. Both candidates received an A grade from fewer than 10% of the economists. Far more professors gave the would-be presidents' economic plans failing grades.

The survey examined a number of the candidates' specific economic proposals and despite the fact that the two candidates' economic plans differ, the economists rated both poorly.

The economists took issue with the candidates' priorities.

-- Only 19% agreed with Bush that tax cuts offer the best use of the projected
fiscal surplus.

-- A majority of the economists agreed with Alan Greenspan and wanted to use
the projected surpluses for debt reduction.

-- While Gore's plan echoes Greenspan's sentiment of debt reduction more than
Bush's, less than 6% of the economists think that new spending is a priority
use of fiscal surpluses.

The academics didn't care for the presidential candidates' social security reform plans.

-- Less than 8% favored Gore's strategy of shoring up social

security with money from the general budget.

-- A quarter of the academics saw Bush's approach of creating

individual accounts as a top priority.

The economists believe that both the Gore and Bush plans make for mediocre fiscal policy.

-- Over 60% of the economists gave Gore an A or B at promoting

economic efficiency, compared to only 40% for Bush.

-- Bush does appallingly in the equity category with half of the

respondents giving him either a D or F for fairness of his

plan, while Gore scored an A or B from 76% of the academics.

While Gore scores high for fairness, the economists are suspicious of many of his campaign claims. The economists are equally unconvinced of some of Bush's priorities. As with all polls, The Economist survey comes with a warning. The professors were not particularly tough markers. President Clinton scored a B plus for his economic record.

To interview an Economist journalist on the survey or

Campaign 2000 issues please contact:

Nancy Andrews at Bricker & Associates, Inc.,

860-463-6353 or 212-213-4443