THE SCUTTLEBUDGET

TIME's Nina Burleigh reports that the federal budget talks are in such disarray that some congressional insiders are predicting a permanent stalemate. After Tuesday night's meeting between congressional leaders and Administration officials, which ended without resolving any of the numerous differences, "many House Republicans are beginning to fear that there may never be a deal," Burleigh says. "It's beginning to look possible that they could keep the government running with a continuing resolution through the election year, which would give Clinton a great campaign issue." The other budget rumor circling the Hill, says Burleigh, is that congressional Republicans are trying to use the Bosnian deployment debate to wring concessions from Clinton on the budget.