NORTON'S UTILITIES

WHO SAYS THE Republican congressional leadship is brain-dead? Well, sure, a lot of peoe do, but the point is: those people are wrong.

How wrong was made evident on the weekend of July 13. Pessimists may have thought it a particular low point in the conservative revolution. Seven months into an election year, Bob Dole had as yet declined to unveil an economicgrowth package of tax cuts or, for that matter, any kind of package of anything. The most important recent accomplishment of the Republican Congress had proved to be an increase in the minimum wage. And Trent Lott, in his fourth week as Senate majority leader, had taken to the floor of the Senate to complain that Democrats were being just unbelievably uncooperative.