So naturally the biggest borrower of all - the Federal Government - wants to get in on the action.

Thus, it can offer a more favorable rate to bigger borrowers.

Fund officials say that would set a bad example for other big borrowers like Brazil and Turkey.

Pushing a big borrower out the door is a convenient way to do that, he said.

Traditionally, that is part of the price a big borrower must pay.

Many of the poor countries that are now lending money to richer ones previously were big borrowers and spenders themselves.

Lower interest rates reduce the cost of capital for cable companies, which tend to be big borrowers.

Many think that such profits will continue as long as big borrowers run the government.

"Once, only eight years ago, we were the world's largest lending nation - today we are its biggest borrower."

The language would probably close the loophole for the big borrowers of the 1980's, they said.