Domestic Priorities, where do our kids fit in?

The budget is about $2.7 trillion. Try counting that high at a rate of 2 million per hour and report back in 10, 000 years. Here are some highlights. VERY BRIEF excerpts from the Washington Post.

Y 2007 Budget Proposal: Agency-by-Agency Breakdown

The $2.77 trillion budget plan emphasizes spending on the country’s fight against terrorism, while deeply cutting domestic programs. 141 domestic programs will be reduced.

The growth in defense spending has slowed compared with earlier this decade, suggesting the defense buildup that began in 1999 and accelerated in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks is winding down.

Department of Education. The $63 billion budget eliminates 42 programs — including parent-resource centers, vocational programs and drug-free schools.

Department of Energy. The department budget is essentially flat. The budget adds money to research some alternative fuel technology. Environmental groups said the funding increases are insufficient.

Department of Health & Human Services. Bush is requesting a $58 billion increase for Health and Human Services, bringing total budget authority to $698 billion.

Two mandatory programs — Medicare and Medicaid — consume 84 percent of the HHS budget. The administration aims to squeeze $36 billion out of Medicare over the next five years, by cutting hospital payments, establishing competitive bidding for lab services and increasing premiums.

Department of Homeland Security. The president proposes increasing the Department of Homeland Security’s budget of $31 billion for fiscal 2007, by $177 million. Homeland Security would spend $869 million to add 1,500 border patrol agents and 6,700 detention bed spaces. Congress requires adding 2,000 agents per year.

Department of Interior. This department would face a nearly 3 percent cut. $100 million would be cut from the current national parks budget, putting funding for national parks at $2.16 billion. The programs that would lose the most money include land acquisition, construction and maintenance.

Department of Justice. The administration wants to cut department spending by $1.5 billion for a total of $19.5 billion. [source]



A 6 year old shoots his schoolmate. First-grader? carries a gun to school in Mount Morris, Michigan and kills his schoolmate? Here is a very disturbing list of the school shootings since 1996.In Deming, New Mexico a 13 year old girl shot dead by her schoolmate who shot her in the back of her head. A 13 year old boy doesn't know why he shot his schoolmates in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. In Pearl, Mississippi 2 killed 7 wounded; West Paducah, Kentucky3 killed 5 wounded; Jonesboro, Arkansas 5 Killed 10 wounded and Springfield, Oregon 1 killed 25 wounded. Conyers, Georgia 6 injured.The Columbine high school massacre Littleton, Colorado 15 Killed 24 wounded


Let us examine a fact sheet about Colorado gun law :-

State of Colorado Firearm Laws

* No licensing or registration requirements related to firearm purchase or possession.

* No waiting period for purchase of handguns, shotguns, or rifles.

* Handgun possession by persons less than 18 years of age is a misdemeanor. Exemptions from the prohibition on handgun possession by persons less than 18 years of age exist for attendance at a hunter's or firearms safety course, target practice at a shooting range, and other similar activities.

* It is a felony for any person to knowingly or recklessly provide a handgun to any person less than 18 years of age.

* It is a felony for any parent or guardian to knowingly or recklessly provide a handgun to a juvenile when that parent is aware that a substantial risk exists that such juvenile will use the handgun to commit a felony. Any parent aware of such a risk has a duty to make reasonable efforts to prevent the commission of the offense.

* There are no age restrictions related to possession of rifles or shotguns.





Will our children and society be more protected now that our Congress has authorized an even larger military budget?