It was a Washington way out of a choice between rival plans: do both.

Both Republican Congressmen insist that their rival plans would vastly simplify the tax code.

Two rival plans were then prepared by the Senate Democrats and House Republicans.

The Republicans offered a rival $1.8 billion plan that incorporated many of the President's requests.

Still, the number of co-sponsors can become a symbol of the competition among rival plans.

Toy Biz had announced that deal only last week, a day after abandoning support of a rival plan supported by company management.

The support for rival plans, including rival Democratic plans, is not fading.

The rival plan has also been endorsed by Ross Perot.

But support for rival plans has proved to be more enduring than many had expected.

Some members of the national Parliament complained bitterly that they had been kept in the dark about all but the general direction of the rival plans.