Failing the Next Generation, Again.

Doing What's Right Comments (1)

Ever since Bush became President, his mantra of protecting children has been loudly touted. His Charter Schools is one of those results, while at the same time his entire administration has been determined to deny Children proper education, with his Abstinence only programs. The waste of hundreds of millions of dollars on programs that deny full information, ignore reality is just one of the many failures of Bush and the Republicans to come through for the next generation.

With regulations and bills being passed constantly under the Republican Congress in the past, it is any wonder that there are so many drop outs. According to one commentary, less than half of the students will not graduate, in an age when education is even more important. Yet the thrust of the Bush administration is towards Abstinence, not Education (see comment ‘Sex is Natural‘) or even health care for children without adequate coverage.

The action came as House Republicans slowed the chamber to a crawl through parliamentary tactics in protest of a $75 billion SCHIP bill they derided as the first step in moving toward government-run universal health care. (source)

Depending on which study you look at, there could be as many as 23 million children living in the United States without adequate health care. And here are the Republicans attempting to protect them. In fact, Bush is already threatening a veto of this legislation, calling it too expensive. I mean this from the man who doesn’t want to leave any children behind? I suppose that only applies to children of the wealthy?

Both versions are under veto threats from President Bush, who calls them overly expensive and an inappropriate shift away from private health insurance. (source)

If we can’t protect our children, what future is their for our society?

Seems to me, that this is the one area where politicians should agree on. Children aren’t able to fend for themselves, though it would seem that more and more are being forced to try. Is this how we want our society to be thought of? As a society that abandons it children, because we are cheap?

Let Bush find the money in his Pentagon Budget, but while he seeks to increase the debt ceiling for the Government above the NINE TRILLION DOLLARS IT IS AT, he doesn’t want the money for better schools, better health care, better border security, but for spending on dumb ass programs like Abstinence Only, and naturally, his INVASION & OCCUPATION OF IRAQ.

So many critical issues are being ignored, over idealogical differences, but there shouldn’t be any differences, when it comes to children. When teachers can’t teach, are held back from addressing the real issues facing kids today, it is just wrong. (see comment ‘Preach Tolerance At Your Peril‘)

Bush says the money is being ill spent. Like he’s a good judge of how to spend money? With the FDA understaffed, homeland security failures, and other breakdowns, where even US citizens can’t get a passport on time, he thinks spending money on childrens health care is a waste?

The reality is, that Bush opposes any type of health care for people who can’t afford it. It doesn’t translate into votes, and it seems that the Republican Party is just as greedy. As children can’t vote, they really simply don’t give a damn. It doesn’t get them votes, it doesn’t get them campaign contributions, and that seems to be all that they care about. Unfortunately, as they retire, it is the new generation who will have to support them, but with what?

If they are not educated, not given proper nurturing as children, what makes the Republican’s think they will do so when it’s their turn? It is like they are willing to just toss an entire generation away, simply to hold onto power. Not what I’d call admirable traits, for anyone.

Ian @ August 3, 2007