WASHINGTON — For the first time in decades, government officials and policy wonks in the nation’s capital are talking about what to do with a federal budget surplus. The Congressional Budget Office predicts a surplus of between $43 billion and $63 billion this year. While many in Washington are pushing for tax cuts, some policy analysts far from the centers of power are urging different approaches. Among those available for interviews are: ELLEN FRANK A member of the editorial board of Dollars and Sense magazine, Frank said: “The surplus should be returned to the public in the form of services…

WASHINGTON — President Clinton hopes that his public statements in Hong Kong on Friday will help to soothe jitters about economic turmoil in Asia. But some policy analysts in the United States are raising fundamental questions about the recent upheaval that has roiled the economies of many Asian nations. Despite assurances from U.S. officials, critics are calling for a re-examination of assumptions about economic globalization. Among those available for comment are: KEVIN DANAHER Mr. Danaher, the editor of 50 Years Is Enough: The Case Against the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, contends that this year’s massive economic turbulence…

WASHINGTON — While many applaud statements by President Clinton in China specifically citing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, analysts associated with the Institute for Public Accuracy are raising questions about selective adherence to the Declaration’s provisions. Among those available for comment are: ANURADHA MITTAL Mittal, policy director at the Institute for Food and Development Policy – Food First, noted that Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for [their] health and well-being” — including “food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services.” Mittal commented:…

WASHINGTON — Reports of a “large-scale” signing and major business deals on tap during the U.S.-China summit are intensifying the concerns of some analysts. Many support dialogue with the world’s most populous nation, but they remain troubled by President Clinton’s handling of economic, military and human rights issues. Among those available for comment are: JAMES NOLT A Senior Fellow at the World Policy Institute, Mr. Nolt specializes in U.S.-East Asia relations and dismisses the notion that China poses a threat. He said: “China remains militarily weak, despite rapid economic growth. China’s pattern of economic growth is actually undermining the old…

WASHINGTON — As the Americans for Tax Reform Foundation promotes “Cost of Government Day,” claiming that it takes until June 25 for Americans to pay for “the burdensome cost of government,” economists associated with the Institute for Public Accuracy ridiculed the group for purveying dubious assertions. Among those available for comment are: RANDY ALBELDA Ms. Albelda, an economist at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, said: “By their own misguided calculations, the cost of government is unchanged from what it was 20 years ago. (June 25 is actually the earliest date they cite.) The real issue is who pays and…

WASHINGTON — Hours after an influential think tank released a report Monday warning of a multi-trillion-dollar “shortfall” for Social Security, several economists and policy analysts denounced the report as a misleading effort to promote privatization of the federal program. The report, issued by the Heritage Foundation, claims that Social Security “is a very bad deal for younger workers” and that “the Social Security system is bankrupt.” But specialists associated with the Institute for Public Accuracy, a national consortium of policy researchers, blasted the report as a “misleading analysis” based on “inaccuracies” and “half-truths.” Among those available for comment are: ROGER…

WASHINGTON — As President Clinton prepares for the summit in China, think tanks in the United States are churning out media releases on U.S.-China relations. But some scholars associated with the Institute for Public Accuracy, a nationwide consortium of policy researchers, contend that key aspects of the summit’s economic context are being overlooked. Among those available for interviews on underlying economic issues of the upcoming China summit are: RADHIKA BALAKRISHNAN An economics professor at Marymount Manhattan College who specializes in trade and Third World development, Balakrishnan says: “It’s a good thing that President Clinton is going to China. Opening up…

WASHINGTON — With Congress now at work on proposals to fund U.S. foreign aid programs for fiscal year 1999, analysts are debating the merits of such assistance. Today, the Heritage Foundation released a policy paper claiming that the largest portion of Washington’s foreign aid budget “goes to many countries that seldom support U.S. foreign policy initiatives.” The think tank cited voting records at the United Nations and declared that “most recipients of U.S. foreign aid vote against the United States more often than they vote with it.” But researchers associated with the Institute for Public Accuracy quickly challenged the spin…

WASHINGTON — While think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute are showcasing their analysts for the 1998 elections, many political researchers say the greatest concerns of most Americans will remain on the back burner. Issues such as education, the distribution of prosperity and the relationship between money and political access are addressed by the Institute for Public Accuracy, a national consortium of policy analysts. Among those available for comment are: LARRY AGRAN Former mayor of Irvine, Calif., attorney and founder of CityVote, Agran said: “Washington-based, millionaire celebrity analysts continue ignoring what should be the country’s top priority: closing the…

WASHINGTON — Projections for the Pentagon budget by one of the nation’s most prominent think tanks drew criticism today from several specialists in military spending. The Heritage Foundation’s new report, “Current Budget Priorities May Have Serious Defense Consequences,” was faulted for its claim that by 2020, “the downward trend in defense would result in the virtual elimination of defense spending.” Among those available for comment are: WILLIAM D. HARTUNG A Senior Fellow of the World Policy Institute at the New School for Social Research, Hartung said: “A similar projection based on the first four years of the Reagan military buildup…