He stepped up with real deficit-cutting proposals based on real numbers - not the gimmicks and black boxes of the Republican years.

And in Italy, Prime Minister Lamberto Dini won a vote of confidence on his deficit-cutting proposals.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is the Pentagon's biggest single programme and has already come under scrutiny from other deficit-cutting proposals.

But in meetings beginning Monday, the latest initiative, a deficit-cutting proposal put forward on Friday by a bipartisan Senate coalition, will be tested for breadth of appeal and flexibility.

So when the Democrats look for a way to beat the measure, they try to develop alternative deficit-cutting proposals that will allow their nervous followers some political cover.

As long as they remain part of the package, it cannot be seriously described as a deficit-cutting proposal.

Mr. Bush's principal deficit-cutting proposal is to put a cap on the growth of what he calls "mandatory spending," what used to be called "entitlements."

Democrats Cautious The deductibility provision was part of a larger White House package of deficit-cutting proposals whose elements were disclosed by officials on Capitol Hill.

The White House and Congressional negotiators worked separately to prepare deficit-cutting proposals.

The advisers would not tip their hand on details of the deficit-cutting proposals.