Where Are the Children in President Bushs Budget?
When President George W. Bush released his $3.1 trillion Fiscal Year 2009 Federal Budget on February 4, it was a clear statement that he has far less regard for our nation’s children than for the richest most powerful Americans and far more interest in waging war than in waging peace. Permanent tax cuts for the richest Americans and increased war spending are the anchors of this White House budget. The federal budget is not just a spending plan, it reflects our nation’s deepest priorities. Even a cursory analysis of President Bush’s spending proposal reveals a failure in many areas to construct a budget that protects the well-being of children in low- to middle-income families. Today 12.8 million children live in poverty, an increase of 1.2 million children since the President took office. If adopted by Congress, the Administration’s budget threatens to increase the number of children in America who are poor, uninsured, and lack access to quality early childhood and education programs.
