Just listening to some of the details of the budget that President
Obama will propose next week.
One item will reduce the cost of living adjustments for Social
Security recipients and some Medicare benefits. Ok, I can
understand that, even though many politicians, Democrats and
Republicans alike are adamantly opposed to this. In general, most
economists say it's a bad idea.
But here's the one that gets me. He wants to make *pre*
kindergarten free nationwide by providing federal grants to all
states.
This will be paid for by increasing the federal taxes on tobacco
products.
First of all, It's not kindergarten. It's *pre* kindergarten.
What the heck is *that*? Is it an educational program to prepare
very young children for the arduous demands of kindergarten? I think
it's nothing but free, federally paid for day care.
Proponents will applaud it because it will further punish and
diminish the number of people who still use tobacco products. That's
fine and good but what happens when enough people have quit using
tobacco that they can no longer afford and the revenues raised can no
longer support the free day care called "pre" kindergarden? Once
in place, it's much harder to take it away than to never give it in
the first place. So, other taxes revenues will have to be found.