AlterNet: The Ignored Issue That Can Get Progressives Elected

[marmar]

The Ignored Issue That Can Get Progressives Elected

By Riane Eisler, AlterNet. Posted September 13, 2007.


The failure by the current administration and its congressional allies to care for America's children gives progressives the opportunity to reclaim an area they've tragically neglected.


A recent poll found that the biggest issue for voters as the 2008 election approaches is not the Iraq war. It's an issue that leaders have not been focusing on: the well-being of America's children.

The poll asked conservatives and liberals, whites and blacks, men and women, Christians and non-Christians which of 11 changes were "absolutely necessary" for the United States to address within the next 10 years. The 11 ranged from national security and environmental protection to the state of marriage and families and the spiritual state of the country. But the issues that emerged as the frontrunners were "the overall care and resources devoted to children" and "the quality of a public school education." That was the response by 82 percent of the adults surveyed. What's even more interesting is that this poll was conducted by the Barna Group, a Christian polling organization.

Of course, the religious right has made a great deal of "family values" over the last decades. But the "overall care and resources devoted to children" was hardly what they focused on. On the contrary, many of their policies have been terribly detrimental to children.

While the Republican Party calls itself the party of "family values," for the past six years, a Republican administration has consistently opposed and cut programs that help America's children. The administration has opposed school lunches, after-school programs for families of working mothers, preschool programs, and college loans. Most recently, President Bush even threatened to veto an expansion of health insurance for the millions of American children who lack adequate health care: the SCHIP program.

This failure by the current aAdministration and its congressional allies to care for America's children gives progressives the opportunity to reclaim an area they've tragically neglected. It offers the opportunity to introduce a progressive family policy agenda. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/story/60596/

[OHdem10]

1. When Femocrats steal funds from Medicare and Medicaid

to fund this program, uhm---uhm----.

Americans chuckle---""Nanny Democrats".
Military hands out cash by the bucketfull in Anbar
to keep the Shieks on our side and here at home
the Democrats steal from one program to support another.

There is something wrong with this picture.