A new Associated Press-GfK poll suggests that arguments for overhauling the massive benefit programs to pare government debt have failed to sway the public. The debate is unlikely to be resolved before next year’s elections for president and Congress.

Overall, 70 percent in the poll said Social Security is “extremely” or “very” important to their financial security in retirement, and 72 percent said so for Medicare. Sixty-two percent said that both programs are extremely or very important.

The sentiment was a lot stronger among the elderly. Eighty-four percent of those 65 or older said both programs are central to their financial security. Compare that to adults under 30, just starting out. Just under half, or 46 percent, said they believed both Social Security and Medicare would be extremely or very important to their financial security in retirement.

To read the entire article, click here (http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ap-gfk-poll-federal-budget-can-be-balanced-without-cutting-social-security-and-medicare/2011/05/23/AFPpba9G_story_1.html)

Holding signs reading "We will remember in November," "Cuts Hurt Kids" and "WTF: Where's the Funding?" a group of Texas education advocates gathered outside the Texas State House in Austin to let those inside know in no uncertain terms that their decision to cut $4 billion from education in the state budget rather than use the rainy day fund would not help their chances of re-election in November.

Participants at the rally, organized by Save Texas Schools, sang the following lyrics:

"If you vote against our children, let there be no doubt. The eyes of Texas are upon you, and we will vote you out."

It’s effective to let lawmakers and candidates know that you’ll consider their actions when you go to the polls.

To read the entire article, go to http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7575413.htm.

This week, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a report detailing the cuts that states are making to many social programs, including Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. According to the report, about one third of TANF recipients will be affected by the cuts. Click here to download the CBPP report.

Our own MaryLou Beaver asked former Senator Rick Santorum how he will ensure that children will grow up healthy, safe and educated. To see his answer, click ahead to the 10 minute mark on this video.

Despite worsening poverty rates and still high unemployment, State and federal budget cuts in a wide array of health, education, nutrition, and social programs are either underway or threatened. Billions are at stake and millions of children and families are directly affected. Children need the help of adults to stop senseless cuts in proven programs. Our view is that children should be held harmless as the nation struggles to fix its finances and that there are numerous revenue and cut options, done moderately, which would preserve our commitment to the country’s children and youth.

On the federal side, few cuts have actually occurred—yet. That’s because the Administration’s first budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA/stimulus bill) actually increased spending in many children’s programs. However, ARRA has now expired, and the federal budget is now being debated in a political atmosphere very different from that of 2 years ago. Nevertheless, while the new majority in the House passed a bill, H.R. 1, which proposed to cut billions in kids’ programs, it was significantly watered down once the public understood the implications for children and others. Now the House has passed its 2012 budget bill, the “Ryan bill,” which contains deep cuts in numerous children’s programs. The adoption of a final budget is months away and will depend on what the Senate does—and on what influence the President can exert. In a worst case scenario—and all of this is complicated by the need to raise the country’s debt ceiling—major cuts in children’s programs could happen and the hard-won gains in their behalf could be severely set back.

Bryan Samuels, who has served for more than a year now as President Barack Obama’s Commissioner for the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, has a rare breadth of perspective on the field over which he presides. He is the head of the agency that provides federal funds for foster care, family preservation and homeless runaway services, and actually grew up in foster care.

Youth Today reporter John Kelly interviewed Commissioner Samuels, and a transcript of their conversation can be found here:

http://www.youthtoday.org/view_article.cfm?article_id=4779

Every Child Matters is proud to announce that we have partnered with Colors of Life, another 501(c)(3) organization, to promote the fifth annual international photo contest, this time entitled "Every Child Matters." Preferred subjects for photographs submitted are those related to the issues focused on by Every Child Matters, i.e. child health, education, child poverty, and the prevention of child abuse and neglect.  The goal of this year’s competition is to produce a documentary-style exhibition from the 30 finalist photographs that will be utilized by Every Child Matters in exhibitions and other events to call attention to its efforts on behalf of children.

Colors of Life will be accepting photos from now through June 30, 2011, from which 30 finalists will be selected. The three winning photographs, judged by Ann M. Shumard, Curator of Photographs at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, will win $1,500, $1,000 and $500 respectively. To learn more and submit your photos, check out this informational .pdf and visit the Colors of Life website.

Washington D.C. – A poll released today reveals strong public support for protecting federal investments that benefit children. In a battery of survey questions identifying a series of potential cuts that Congress may consider in the broader budget debate, the survey finds that voters are more likely to hold harmless programs affecting kids than any other programs on the chopping block.

Furthermore, results from the survey reveal cuts to programs affecting kids prove just as unpopular as cuts affecting seniors. In fact, voters are as likely to oppose reductions in Medicaid as in Medicare. Voters also are more concerned about protecting children’s programs than a variety of other federal programs, such as transportation funding for highway construction, national defense, and medical and scientific research.

“The American people are sending a message that is loud and clear: don't cut kids,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus, the bipartisan child advocacy organization that commissioned the survey. “Many recent spending proposals have sacrificed the needs of children in order to protect the interests of others. However, results from this survey prove that protecting programs that improve the well-being of children is immensely important to voters. We urge policymakers to heed the priorities of their constituents by holding children harmless as they work to find solutions to our nation’s budget challenges.”

Key findings from the survey include:

Cartoon by Tom Toles for the Washington Post.

Last week, before going on a two week recess, the US House of Representatives passed their version of next year’s budget written by Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan. Every Child Matters opposes this budget resolution and urges you to contact your Senators and tell them to reject the House budget -- and to pass instead a budget that protects and invests in children.

The Ryan budget makes extreme cuts, slashing or eliminating services needed by working families, students, the jobless and the uninsured. With millions of families hurt by unemployment and reduced income, the Ryan budget would make things worse by slamming Medicaid and calling for massive cuts in education and food assistance. At the same time, it gives massive tax cuts to corporations and wealthy individuals. Because of these cuts, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' analysis reveals that the Ryan budget adds $6 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years, and would cut the deficit by just 2.5%.