Many newspapers have an unfortunate - I would say arrogant -- policy of refusing to even consider op-eds that dissent from their editorials. They will accept only much shorter letters to the editor. In other words: everyone is fair game - except us! Fortunately, the Albuquerque Journal is NOT one of those newspapers. So we thank the Journal for publishing this dissent:
The Aug. 25 Sunday Journal editorial “Funds for baby bonds could be better spent on boosting foster care” says “Bold, new approaches are desperately needed” to deal with a “shortage” of licensed family foster homes and prevent children from being warehoused in group homes, institutions and state offices.
That’s true. But there’s nothing bold or new about the Journal’s proposed solutions: more money and goodies for middle-class foster parents and the ever-popular “public awareness campaign.”
The only thing that’s bold or new, but not in a good way, is
the Journal’s proposed funding mechanism: Ditching a program to help children
at birth – a program especially helpful to children whose poverty makes them
most likely to land in foster care in the first place.
