"WE ARE REALLY CATCHING A WAVE"

By JOHN KASICH; KAREN TUMULTY

Congressman John Kasich of Ohio, 43, author of the most radical U.S. budget plan in decades, talked last week with Time correspondent Karen Tumulty about the political climate that has suddenly made a balanced budget "a very doable deal."

TIME: People have talked about balancing the budget for years. What makes you think you can do it this time?

Kasich: One of the most important things that happened is when the balanced-budget amendment went down. That night, somebody came in and told me, "Well, Newt said we're going to zero anyway." And that's when I was convinced that we would actually do it.

This is really about nothing more than a pendulum. For the past 40 years, we've sent more money and power and control to Washington, and they've done some great things, like civil rights, fixing the gaps in education, the Medicare program. But now the pendulum has swung so far in the direction of Washington that it's out of balance, and we're bringing it back.

The second thing is we right now are consistent with public opinion. When you talk about the Silent Majority, the men and the women who get up every day and go to work, try to raise a family-they're with us on this, and we are really catching a wave. TIME: What convinces you that people are any more willing to sacrifice now?

Kasich: I go home every weekend. I live at home like everybody else does. I hear it in the gym. I hear it at the grocery store. They're saying they're ready to fix this because they know that their kids' future is at stake. I think frankly this is our last chance. Things are aligned. [People] want it fair and across the board. The thing I love about our plan is that everybody is feeling the ouch. Nobody got out of the room.

TIME: What do you see as the greatest danger for your plan? Kasich: Getting tripped up on the details. Forgetting the big picture.