WHAT? NO PANDERING?

By Viveca Novak/Washington

The software industry is livid over the Administration's refusal to give it the 15% tax credit enjoyed by other exporters. The Treasury Department said legislation--not a rule change--was "more appropriate." Says the head of a computer trade group: "Here's the President wandering around promising everyone everything, as they do in election years, but we don't even get the easy issue." An opportunity bungled--but since the credit would be costly, maybe, a White House aide says, "we got caught doing the right thing."

--By Viveca Novak/Washington