President Clinton wants to target tax cuts for some Americans -- rather than cut taxes across the board. The purpose isn't just growth; it is to reduce the disparity between rich and poor. But some political historians believe this simply reflects his party's historic preference for government-directed decision-making rather than individual choice. Groups selected by the administration (small businesses, minority entrepreneurs, middle class parents of college students) are favored at the expense of ordinary wage earners.

Tellingly, Vice President Gore has assailed Bob Dole's tax plans as "indiscriminate" -- which critics claim means that the White House would not be able to select winners and losers.

On the other hand, John F. Kennedy opted for across-the-board cuts and unleashed an economic boom.

• Before the 1963 Kennedy cuts, the economy ambled along at a growth rate of 2 percent a year -- about the same anemic pace as today.

• Following the cuts, the growth rate tripled to 6 percent in 1963 and averaged more than 5 percent for the rest of the decade.

The same thing happened after Ronald Reagan slashed taxes across-the-board.

• The economy stumbled along during the Nixon, Ford and Carter years -- finally bottoming out in 1982.

• But after the Reagan cuts it really took off -- with growth rates ranging from a high of 6.8 percent in 1984 to a low of 2.9 percent in 1987.

• Only during the Reagan years did black unemployment drop in a sustained manner (after skyrocketing as a result of "help" from great society programs), while the percentage of low income families fell.

Source: Tony Snow, "Reagan, Kennedy Knew Tax-Cut Value," USA Today, August 26, 1996.