Dear Commons Community,

Much of the rhetoric we hear about budget cuts revolves around the need  to save our children and grandchildren from the crushing debt that our elected leaders in both Washington and in state capitols are imposing on future generations.   We all recognize that much of the increase in our deficits for the past ten years are the results of our war policies, corporate  bailouts/stimuli to spur a poor economy as well as domestic programs.

Paul Krugman,  in a column entitled, Leaving Children Behind, subtitled Texas, Budget Cuts, and Children, takes a look at how  Texas law makers  are preparing to cut the budget on programs for children where:

“The high school graduation rate, at just 61.3 percent, puts Texas 43rd out of 50 in state rankings. Nationally, the state ranks fifth in child poverty; it leads in the percentage of children without health insurance. And only 78 percent of Texas children are in excellent or very good health, significantly below the national average. “

David Brooks in,  The New Normal,  also looks at where the budget ax will be falling and mentions specifically cuts to Headstart programs at the federal level and Hawaii’s recent decision to reduce the number of days in the school year.

While all of us will likely suffer as a result of  budget cuts to domestic programs and eventually new taxes, I agree with Krugman and Brooks, please do not use the ruse that we are saving the future of our children by destroying their present.

Tony