The campaign mantra this fall will be “jobs, jobs, jobs.”
Much of the budget reality once a new governor and dozens of new legislators reach Lansing will be “kids, kids, kids.”
Human services and K-12 programs account big portions of the state budget. Kids who fall through the cracks and end ultimately end up in prison account for another big budget slice.
And, by the latest measure, Michigan kids are falling a bit further behind as the state’s decade-long recession lingers longer.
Michigan dropped three spots, to 30th among the states for kids’ well being, according to the 2010 Kids Count Data Book just released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
But the news is not all bad. Despite the economy, Michigan has made strides this decade on several key kids benchmarks. Infant, child, and teen death rates have all dropped in recent years.
Yet one out of five Michigan children lives in poverty.
One out of three Michigan children live in families where neither parent has full-time, year-round employment.
So, when it comes to kids, kids, kids, it’s also largely about jobs, jobs, jobs.
3 Comments
And this is located in the Michigan Constitution, where?
No, I don’t want to see other down on their luck.
But I like it even less when people advocate utilizing the “helping hand” of government to pay for programs that were are one time taken care of solely by family, friends and charities. The “helping hand” last seen reaching into my wallet.
Get government to take its boot off of the throat of Michigan businesses, and people will eventually be able to take better care of themselves and others once those businesses start hiring again.
Well. I feel compelled to comment. First, why don’t you lighten up on the hyperbole KG? “Boot off the throat”? Gee whiz, I mean it’s a free country and all and I fully support your right to voice an opinion and government can’t prohibit it, but as a private citizen I can say that comment is, well, silly.
First an opinion. I do think we should help those in need of help, especially children. I was fortunate to go to junior high and senior high during the infamous “Space Race” that means we spent money on education and a poor kid like me had the benefit of a very good public education. Four years of math and science in high school which prepared me for my secondary education and allowed me to hit the ground running in college on my way to getting an engineering degree. I also got another little hand out called the GI Bill which allowed me to go to a good public college here in Michigan. Bottom line – well I can guarantee I have paid way, way more in taxes than I received in those benefits. So that was an investment in the future,
My wife and I have never been fortunate enough to have children, yet I have never once complained about the taxes that support our schools although I have complained about the quality of the education kids receive today. I don’t understand why someone should support huge outlays in defense spending and be reluctant to take care of our children, our poor, and our aged citizens? Yet we can send young Americans all over the world to fight? Where does it say in the US Constitution that we should send soldiers abroad?
You can’t pick and chose the laws you follow. KG, I doubt I will change your mind, but I wanted others to know that even in these hard times not all of us believe or support rhetoric such as this. The state is having a tough time of it now but with well educated children who see hope in the future we will be alright.
Well, Mr. Bauer, as you opined above, this if a free country (for how long is anyone’s guess), and you are as free to include your $0.02 as myself or anyone else for that matter.
All I will say is that you re-read what I had posted above. My argument is not about choosing which laws to follow, but rather which government operated programs are actually legitimate and authorized as well as the overall effect of those on our economy.
For too long people have assumed that just because the government decides to go out and do something, that it has the authority, and don’t give it a second thought.
More often than not, this is not the case.
Mr. Bebow commented above that one of the things that will help Michigan Families is for them to have parents who are employed, ideally in well-paying jobs.
Well, like it or not, these government programs come at a cost, and that cost comes in the form of capitol that is forcibly removed from the economy.
That capitol that which could have been used by local business to purchase equipment and/or to hire employees to help them grow which ultimate helps everyone, is diverted to a government bureaucrat who more often that not, could care less about not only whom they are charged to help, but where the money that pays their salary comes from.
Our state and federal government does not have carte blanche to do anything that it wants. Your argument about sending our troops out to fight every tin-dictator with a funny hat is a perfect example.
If I were to bet on which would do more to improve the well-being of Michigan Families, private business or the government, my money is on private business.