In his January 20, 2004 State of the Union address, President Bush is expected to offer a new vision to unite and reassure an uncertain nation. There was speculation on the Washington grapevine that he might call for an end to childhood hungeror instead for a return to the moon. More recently, odds seem to favor the moon with an even bolder—long-term goal of manned flight to Mars.

But what about that other goal, of ending childhood hunger? Has it fallen off the radar screen so soon?

He has had little to say about child poverty since then. He is not alone.

Few politicians want to shine a light on the disgrace of a wealthy country that fails to act in the face of an economy that puts the American dream out of reach for millions of working parents and their children.

Lack of Support
Let’s face it. America is not the most supportive place to raise children—we don’t have the publicly-funded child care, preschool, and health care systems that most European parents enjoy. We don’t have strong family-friendly workplace policies, like paid family leave or generous paid vacation days. We don’t have a well-financed, universal cash support system for families facing job loss or unemployment that many parents in other countries do. With an economy where those without a college education are often shut out of jobs that pay a living wage, financial aid to help families cover the rising costs of college is not keeping pace.

When you say a family is poor, many people are quick to blame the parents. The assumption is that poverty is endless, because parents don’t work hard enough. But the idea that all it takes is hard work—a job—is cruelly out of date and out of step with the new economy.

I once met a pediatrician at a conference who said exactly the same thing. The head of an emergency room at a major Chicago hospital, he described families living in grinding poverty, unable to control much of their lives because they had inflexible jobs and little money to buy what they needed when they needed it—child care, health care, food, safe housing, transportation. I asked what he would do if he could wave a magic wand. His answer was short and sweet—end poverty.

I don’t believe we need more magic wands or wishful thinking. They don’t make for good public policy.

What we do need are leaders willing to put their political lives on the line to fight for what minimum-wage families need—minimum-wage raises, refundable child tax credits, affordable housing, a dependable system of health care, schools in good repair with well-paid, well-trained teachers, public subsidies for quality child care and preschool programs. We need leaders that will fight for helping these families because that’s where the children are.

A call to end childhood hunger in the 2004 State of the Union would be a welcome step in the right direction on January 20. But it won’t happen if the President chooses Mars instead. And it will take more than a step or two to make sure that for every child in America, the American dream is within reach.