Posted on 08/06/2002 2:48:25 PM PDT by gubamyster
Campaign: As the Republican candidate cites his donations to family programs, Davis points to his own record.
By MATEA GOLD, TIMES STAFF WRITER
LOOMIS -- Calling California's foster care system dismal, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon Jr. said Monday that he would seek federal assistance to increase the amount of money for families that take in children with nowhere else to go
Simon said the state should ask the Bush administration to waive a portion of the fines California pays to the federal government because it lacks an automated child support collection system. That money--about $50 million a year--could be used to provide foster parents with more resources, he said
"The result would be a new day for the state's foster children, as more foster parents would emerge, increasing both the quantity and quality of care," Simon wrote in a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.
MORE....
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
He is a fool. He should be slamming Davis over the budget, now going on two months overdue mind you, and about Davis' spending priorities and proposed tax increases. But no, this man in all his wisdom actually wastes his breath talking about foster care.
Will the last rational thinking person in CA please shut off the lights?
Just exactly what we need. A govenor who looks to the federal government for assistance.
Also, see today's American Prowler. There is an article called "Simon Appearances" that says that W and Cheney are coming to California next month for Simon over the objection of the Rove/Parsky camp and notwithstanding the jury verdict. I really respect W a lot more for it. I tried to post the article but messed up somewhere and ran out of time...
I'm with Simon on this one. I firmly believe that one reason we have an increase in juvenile crime -- a larger increase than any other crime group -- and we have children who have no remorse over rape, murder, etc -- is because they are being forgotten, left behind. So many children need loving homes. To make the foster care program work will help these kids get the foundation that their parents couldn't or wouldn't provide them. They are the forgotten kids, the children of parents in prison, in drug re-hab, or dead. Are we supposed to say, tough luck? Suck it up? We have a duty and an obligation in our society to help those who, through no fault of their own, can not help themselves. I think children are the most vulnerable and the most deserving of our love and compassion.
I commend Bill Simon for talking about this important issue, an issue that may not be a hot button, rally the team issue, but something that is just as important.
Let's put this in perspective, shall we? If you go to Simon's website, you'll see that he has numerous ideas and proposals. This is only one of them. It's not like his entire campaign is being run on foster care! Realize that the press is only going to report what they are interested in.
Go Simon!
A noble sentiment but not on point.
My point and my suggestion would be to fix the problem using a local revenue stream.
Say a 20% surtax on the income of all statewide Democratic office holders and their support staff.
We would then have a program that was truly supported by the California legislature and the governor's office. A program we could point to with pride.
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