The Washington Post reported that three weeks before he was elected president, Barack Obama set an audacious goal: "End hunger among children in the United States by the year 2015." Since his inauguration, Obama has, according to the Post, seldom broached the subject. So far there are no new approaches from the administration to move toward the hunger-free goal. Given his decision to send more troops to Afghanistan, he probably cannot live up to his stated goal.
Many call hunger among children in our country a "silent epidemic." These kids get sick more often and are more often than not without health insurance. Hungry school-age kids tend to learn and grow more slowly and to get into trouble more often. And won't do as well on standardized tests. If they get into trouble, they stand a good chance of entering the criminal justice system at an early age. Once they are in trouble with the law, they are probably lost. Gone. Part of a permanent unemployable underclass. No dreams to stir them, no opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. Babies have babies and create a whole new generation of problems. They probably won't vote, won't run for office, won't have much fun but may end up fighting in Afghanistan.
The number of American youngsters living in homes without enough food went from 13 million in 2008 to nearly 17 million last month. As Vince Lombardi hollered after a second Packer penalty, "What the hell is going on out there!" How can this nation spend trillions on two unwinnable wars while 17 million American children go to bed hungry most nights? I feel like Lombardi -- I join in his demand to get an answer: What the hell is going on out there! Have we lost our minds or just our souls?
Many have already forgiven Obama for the Afghan surge decision-"he had no choice," they apologize. I disagree. I cannot imagine an American Nobel Peace Prize winner lecturing Europeans about "just" wars. If those in attendance in Oslo knew that 17 million of our kids are hungry, I suspect they might suggest the president take care of his home front before taking on any more wars -- just or unjust. After all, the kids in Europe have excellent health care and they are not going to bed hungry. Their governments are not spending trillions on two wars.
Arne Duncan, Obama's secretary of Education, is not focused on hunger. Instead he is busy with a program called "Race to the Top" (this administration's version of Bush's "No Child Left Behind"). If you believe Gov. Jim Doyle, Wisconsin stands to get megabucks from Obama through Duncan if we do what Duncan wants. We are told precious little but we do know he wants us to jettison the elected School Board in Milwaukee and hand over all educational decisions to the mayor, who is running for governor. Not a word from Duncan about hunger.
I have a few thoughts for Doyle and Barrett: Convince the president to get out of Afghanistan and Iraq -- put the money into building this nation by saving our kids, not into war. We are spending $1 million per soldier per year in those wars. We can't afford it and we have other priorities. We must stop this slide into Obama's Vietnam. Our kids deserve better.
Obama rejects the comparison with Vietnam. He said at West Point that "the Vietnam analogy depends on a false reading of history." I don't think so, Mr. President. Take care of the home front or, like Lyndon Johnson, be remembered for your war.
Ed Garvey is a Madison lawyer, political activist and the editor of the fightingbob.com Web site. comments@fightingbob.com
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