| President Obama's First Budget: Will it be family-friendly? |
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Congratulations to President Elect Barack Obama for his remarkable election to the White House. In addition to its historic nature, his quest was characterized by an underlying philosophy that government can play an important role in creating opportunities for all citizens, especially children. But now, with the federal budget awash in red ink and the prospect of a recession likely, his ability to make children a priority surely will be tested by daunting domestic and international economic woes. Every Child Matters, in partnership with other national children's organizations and state and local groups, intends to work with the new Administration and the incoming Congress to win new federal investments in children, youth and family services. Prior to President Obama's first budget being unveiled, likely in February 2009, ECM will approach his transition team and key appointees with information about the unacceptable--and preventable--conditions in which millions of children live. Federal investments have been lagging in child abuse treatment and prevention, early education and child care, anti-poverty programs, health care, youth learning and skill development, and many other areas. Addressing such issues is central to healthy human growth and development, a healthy economy, and a strong nation. Candidate Obama proposed numerous initiatives to protect children and strengthen families during the campaign. A partial listing of these initiatives, distilled from his campaign website, includes: Invest in Early Education and Care
Support Working Families and Reduce Child Poverty
Help American Families Stay Healthy
Strengthen Families at Home
No one expects that all of these items will be included in the President's first budget--the gap in domestic spending has grown too wide to close all at once. Nevertheless, candidate Obama properly emphasized that America's future well-being is tied to the well-being of its children and we are optimistic that he will propose a significant, if as yet unspecified, down payment on closing the national "investment gap" in children and youth.
Help us urge Obama to make spending on children and families a priority in his budget, click here to send him a message. Comments (2)
  written by Brenda, December 17, 2008
I have been in this business for a long time. There are some serious problems with our educational system. There is more fraud going on than anyone would like to know. Minority children are being exploited, especially in after-school programs. Those in charge are exploting the children and using their poverty condition to get funding and the funders are giving it to them. With the amount of money and technology out there, there is no way that these children should be failing. Think about it. The poster before me, you are right on one issue and that is there are two nations in America black and white. This is a part of our problems. It is a sad state of affaair. We all need to work together as one people to solve some of these problmes. Obama can't do it all.
 written by Alaa Mustafa , November 13, 2008
hello every one.
i am yemenie citizen and i used to look for someone who will do something in this world like Mr Obama . We know that inside America there is phenomenon between the black nation and white nation which called racial descrimnation so i beleive that the hero obama will eliminate this phenomenon . furthermore he will pull the soldier or militry from iraq and send them to the afghanistan and so on. finaly i hope that this hero will help the american nation and the world sooner. Alaa Mustafa Aden Yemen Write comment
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