Where are Kids on the Campaign Trail?
Where are Kids on the Campaign Trail?
Public News Service-NC: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/26629-2
(05/29/12) CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Advocates for children in North Carolina say the youngest Americans are being ignored so far in the presidential campaigns, and they’re hoping that changes before November. The group Every Child Matters says big business is steering the campaigns with multimillion-dollar attack ads, and the candidates are responding to those, rather than focusing on families.
Every Child Matters President Michael Petit says kids need friends in high places, too – including the Oval Office.
“What we would hope is that the two candidates would listen to the needs of their smallest citizens, understand that they will never be able to adequately represent themselves: they need powerful friends.”
Petit points out there have been more child-abuse deaths in the United States than casualties in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars since those conflicts began, and says more than 80 percent have been children under age four. His group is backing a bill in Congress (S 1984/HR 3563) to convene an expert panel to address the issue.
“It would look at our nation’s system of child protection, our social safety net as it exists for children, and make recommendations on how to build a child protection system that allows children to thrive, instead of one that fails to protect children.”
He acknowledges that the economy, unemployment and health-care costs affect parents and kids. However, Petit notes there has been no discussion on the campaign trail of poverty and related concerns, from inadequate child care to substance abuse and child abuse.
Every Child Matters has a new traveling exhibit that shows how the U.S. compares with other countries in terms of child welfare.
Petit says the U.S. is slipping when it comes to child welfare, compared to other parts of the world. He says the traveling exhibit highlights what past administrations have done to help children.
“What we’re trying to do is show that kids still have these great needs, and that when we’ve made smart choices about investing in our kids, we’ve all benefited from the result of it.”
That traveling exhibit will be in Charlotte for the Democratic National Convention in early September.
In addition to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, the exhibit will make stops at the presidential and vice presidential debates this summer.
Click here to view this story on the Public News Service RSS site and access an audio version of this and other stories: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/26629-2
